There’s a fine line between a house that’s been designed to match with its own locale and one that veers off into theme territory. This may be especially true for homes located in resort towns like Sun Valley, Idaho.
Much to the relief of designers James Dolenc and Thomas Riker of all jamesthomas, the couple who commisioned this 12,000-square-foot residence was dead set on not using a Western-theme house. “But that didn’t mean we couldn’t reference the West without being literal about it,” says Riker. “We brought nature and a lot of pure elements into the plan, but in a more modern manner.”
Additionally they capitalized on the striking work of Ketchum, Idaho, architect Michael Blash of Michael Blash and Associates. “The architecture is indeed strong, and the views of Bald Mountain are magnificent,” says Riker. “Our aim with the insides was to be quiet and impartial, which we realized using a lot of earth tones.” But as these beautiful photographs illustrate, quiet and impartial does not translate into dull and neutral.
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The living room has a dramatic view of Bald Mountain, one of Sun Valley’s greatest ski destinations. Riker and Dolenc produced a small seating group by the bay window using two Holly Hunt seats and floor lamps from Boyd Lighting. “The seats are upholstered in a light blue wool, and there is a very subtle effect where you’re looking at them and the sky at the exact same time,” says Riker. A Troscan Leigh Chaise joins the two seating areas in the big 16-by-24-foot entertaining area and allows people to confront in either direction, or toward the wood-burning fireplace designed by Blash.
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Still another view of the living space highlights the versatility of the furniture choices. The Troscan Weekend Bench in the foreground has a timber table that slides and may be placed anywhere along the bench, or placed elsewhere in the room. The stools from Chista and coffee tables from Bradley Hughes are also easily transferred to accommodate guests.
“We kept the colours fairly neutral — beiges and browns — and made sure the furniture would be comfortable for a family that includes three children and a dog,” says Riker. The Donghia couch sits on a carpet from Tufenkian. The floors throughout the house are walnut.
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“We felt it was significant that when you walked into the house, you were presented using a mixture of contemporary and Western components,” says Riker. “We needed something that felt appropriate for Sun Valley and immediately conveyed this house is all about.” The designers had noticed artist Ashley Collins’ paintings at a gallery in Napa, California. Her work hangs above a games console by John Houshmand. All the pieces is individually handmade — this one is composed of an elm tree trunk that sits on a steel foundation.
The lattice light fixture has been designed by Blash to feel as if you’re walking though organic light. In addition, he chose the habit pivot glass doorway.
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An imposing spiral staircase joins the 3 levels of the home’s north wing. The reduced level of the wing includes a wine room and a home theater, while the entry level (shown in the last photograph ) includes a guest bedroom and a work out room. On the next floor, there is access to the major living spaces as well as the children’s bedrooms plus a powder room.
The south wing is entered on its lower level, in which there is a mudroom, the children’s playroom and a bathroom. The second floor comprises the wife’s office, a lanai and added entrance to the main living areas. The next level includes the master suite. This wing of the house is also serviced by an elevator.
The 20-foot hanging chandelier was designed from the Kirkland, Washington, firm Charles Loomis. Riker notes “it feels rustic but functions in a modern environment.” At the very base of the stairwell, the designers installed a water feature using a column of rock at its center. “It points up into the obelisk-shape light fixture so the contour of each one imitates the other.”
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The fireplace wall divides the living room from the family room (revealed in the next photograph ), and both spaces are available to the dining and kitchen locations. The white sculpture a part of the owners’ art set.
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The family room is a somewhat compact 12-by-16-foot area where everybody hangs out and watches television. The custom-made couch is covered in a wide-wool corduroy. Riker says that the Ellipse Chair from Modernica”provides a fun, poppy element. It’s a statement piece that stands by itself.” The glass piece on the huge ottoman from Doma Home Furnishings slides so you can push it away to put your feet up or deliver it close when it is holding food or beverages. The carpet is a wall-to-wall carpet that has been cut and jumped. “We do this a lot as it saves money when you need a very specific size,” says Riker.
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“The kitchen is very open, so it was significant that all work together and the colours and materials remained in the exact same household as the ones in the adjoining chambers,” says Riker. “We didn’t need you to be jarred as you seemed from room to room.” The large L-shape pub, which can be surrounded by pub stools from Berman Rosetti, includes a raised countertop so you can not see directly into the kitchen. “We had the White Beauty granite waterfall down the front so that it feels like a monolithic piece of rock,” notes Riker. “It’s very architectural and performs the feeling of the home’s environment and the mountains.”
The center island and backsplash have been performed in quieter tones of mocha granite so they would fade into the background a little. The cabinets will be the exact same mahogany that’s in the living space, yet to create a subtle distinction they had been stained slightly darker. The stainless steel hood has been custom developed for the oversize Wolf cooktop.
Beyond the kitchen, a step up and a twist to the ideal lead to an outdoor entertaining area. The floor is a Gaston beige limestone. Bamboo planters soften the rock wall.
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The owners needed to be able to host small and large gatherings in the dining room. Riker and Dolenc designed two square tables that seat , when pushed together as revealed here, eight. There’s an additional leaf that expands the dining table, which has been fabricated from the Chicago firm EuroCraft, so it can accommodate 12 people.
The seats are from Holly Hunt, and the custom light fixture is from Pagani Studio. An Atelier Credenza from Morlen Sinoway and candlesticks from Baker sit under art chosen by the owners. Knoll fabric drapes open to reveal views of the nearby foothills.
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“We constantly look at powder rooms as an chance to do something more fun and push the envelope just a little bit,” says Riker. A custom made concrete spout is surrounded with a floating walnut dressing table and marble backsplash. The sconces from Fuse Lighting are made up of a metal sword with black crystal beads that wrap around the bulbs. “It’s kind of sparkly and surprising, and we enjoyed how the rock and metal use everything else that’s going on in the house,” Riker explains. A glass top protects the dressing table from water damage.
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The designers wanted the guest room to feel like an all-inclusive hotel space. The desk from Niba Home is the perfect spot to use a laptop, but in addition, it serves as a vanity (the mirror is from Arteriors) and a nightstand. “The adjoining bathroom has a limestone floor called Seagrass, so we moved with a slight green and gold color scheme,” says Riker. The Berman Rosetti bed is on a platform that incorporates a bench. Crate and Barrel lamps flank the bed.
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The guest area’s en suite features wall tile from Walker Zanger that”provides a modern spin on a rustic part,” says Riker. “We designed the floating dressing table, the sconces and the walnut millwork to coordinate with the hotel-like surroundings of the bedroom. It feels a whole lot more habit than simply slapping a mirror up on the wall.” The sconces are from Boyd Lighting, the sink and taps are Lacava, and the tub is by Kohler.
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The hallway leading to the children’s bedrooms is awarded architectural interest with small built-in benches and markets that highlight the owners’ art set. The carpet is from Odegard. “I had been going through the sample rugs the showroom gifts in a striped arrangement,” explains Riker,”and that I loved the way they appeared, so I had them create a rug that mimicked the sample. I also like that it’s a more playful feel as it is outside the kids’ bedrooms.”
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The whole back wall of the master bedroom has been coated in a panelized Ultrasuede headboard that goes all of the way to the ceiling. “The bed feels like it is floating up to it,” says Riker. “The metal tables on each side of the bed are rather big, and we actually wanted to center the Baker lamps in the window. They are really more decorative, whereas the sconces are all for reading.” The owners enjoyed the expression of the bare floors and only wanted something underneath their feet once they got in and out of bed, so the designers used runners. “We do this a lot in bedrooms in which you don’t need a major rug since a lot of the floor is coated by the bed,” says Riker.
The Nankin Bench at the foot of the bed is by Christian Liaigre. The metal bedside tables and storage cubes are jamesthomas layouts that were fabricated, respectively, by Gentner Fabrication and EuroCraft, both in Chicago. The seating area in the foreground features the Stop Club Chair and Ottoman from John Hutton for Holly Hunt.
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It’s an overused expression, but there is no getting round the reality that this toilet is spalike. Architect Blash came up with the idea for its latticework ceiling, while Riker and Dolenc designed the dressing table and chose the finishes. “We love the striation in the classic vein-cut travertine floor,” says Riker. They also used big pieces on the wall to maintain the space feeling clean. “The sink is just one enormous concrete trough that has an earthy feel but is modern and modern, such as many other components throughout the house.” Stones include a textural element and have been placed around the perimeter of the whole toilet. Glass transoms provide ventilation for the walk in cupboard and the water cupboard.
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A patio off the master bathroom wraps round to a corner in which a Waterworks bath has a view of the nearby nature preserve. The light fixture is by jGoodDesign.
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The 200-square-foot dressing room is located off the master bathroom. The cabinets’ walnut end is the same as the one that’s used throughout the remainder of the house. Massive ottomans covered in Ultrasuede — a jamesthomas layout that has been fabricated by Eurocraft — provide a cozy spot to consider the”What should I wear today?” dilemma. The drum light fixture is from Stonegate Designs.
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