Perched on the banks of Mission Creek, the home is a peaceful sanctuary on a family ranch. The roof has generous eaves for protection from the elements, and western red cedar siding harmonizes with the landscape. | Photo: Audrey Hall

When a landscape speaks, clever designers are wise to listen. That’s what happened when a Livingston, Montana, couple were making plans to build a new home on the family ranch where the husband had grown up, and where his parents still live. “It has strong family ties and deep emotional bonds for us,” the homeowner says of the ranch. They knew they wanted a house that would be as special as the site they’d chosen, in an aspen grove on the banks of Mission Creek, with stunning views of the Absaroka and Bridger ranges. The lush creek valley is frequented by wildlife as well as the ranch’s cattle and horses.

To help bring their dream to reality, they contacted architect Grif Heath, owner and principal at Oxbow Inc., based in Paradise Valley, Montana. “Grif spent days on-site, through different seasons, really getting an intimate feeling for the land, tracking the journey of the sun, and watching light play on the environment,” the homeowner says. Based on that meticulous research, Heath created a design to honor the spirit of the place. “The homeowners envisioned a sanctuary,” he explains. “It needed to be a peaceful, meditative environment with the flexibility to grow and evolve alongside them.”

Seating in the light-bathed living room allows for 360-degree mountain views, with alpaca-upholstered swivel chairs joining a Piet Boon sofa sectional and raked marble-topped coffee tables from Linteloo. Overhead, an Ochre chandelier is encircled with porcelain drops. | Photo: Audrey Hall

The couple wanted the home to blend into the environment while being energy efficient, with plenty of windows to capture panoramic vistas. “We knew early on that we wanted an ‘upside down’ house, with main areas on the second floor to take better advantage of the expansive views,” the homeowner says. Heath adds, “The building’s orientation, roof pitch, eave depth and window placement were carefully calculated to optimize site-specific opportunities for passive heating and cooling.”

The team of Skye Anderson and Rain Houser, co-owners and lead designers at Bozeman-based Urbaine Home, came on board to create the home’s interiors, and OSM Construction orchestrated the building process. Living, dining and kitchen spaces, along with two offices and the primary suite, are located upstairs, with two guest suites, a bunk room, a den and gym below. Anderson and Houser followed the homeowners’ emphasis on simple elegance for practical daily living.

The kitchen’s zellige tiles and steel hood balance a steel-paneled island with Piet Boon stools and Bomma pendant lights. A custom white oak slab dining table by local furniture builder Tim Sanford is matched with Piet Boon chairs and a light fixture by Bocci. | Photo: Audrey Hall

“They love to ski and hike and live the Montana life,” Anderson says. “They both liked fairly neutral, minimal, non-fussy designs. We infused texture as a way to keep things from feeling flat.” In harmony with the home’s exterior, clad in local moss rock and western red cedar that will patina gracefully, the designers selected interior materials, furnishings and finishes with clean lines and natural inspiration.

“The master wing is tucked into the aspen grove against the creek,” Anderson explains. “When the doors are left open you hear the most lovely sounds of the creek babbling and the leaves quaking; it is really special.” The homeowner is delighted with the outcome, saying, “Skye and Rain did a phenomenal job of bringing our vision to life with the furnishings throughout the house.”

The terrace is furnished with pieces by Ethnicraft. | Photo: Audrey Hall

Designed with entertaining in mind, the kitchen’s reclaimed white oak cabinetry, raw steel panels and glossy zellige tiles strike an artful contrast with sculptural hanging glass pendants, and a show-stopper dining room table is crafted from a live-edge white oak slab. Folding glass doors allow easy indoor-outdoor access in the dining/living area, where casually sophisticated seating provides fireside comfort. Just outside, a spacious terrace is furnished with teak pieces that will weather handsomely over the years, as the family continues to enjoy the ranch.

“We love the way the house is sited, the views, the materials and the flow!” the homeowner says. In a magnificent landscape that embraces generations, this is a family home built to last.

In the primary bathroom, Urbaine Home-designed cabinets are topped with faux Belgian bluestone, with Watermark faucets and hanging mirrors by Alguacil & Perkoff. | Photo: Audrey Hall

Dramatic Lighting

Skye Anderson and Rain Houser love working with decorative lighting in their home projects. “We always like to push for more modern lighting as we find it unexpected and more interesting in a space,” Anderson says. Here, the design duo offers expert tips for introducing strong lighting that adds a “wow” factor.

Compelling contrasts “We always say the lighting is like the jewelry of a home,” Anderson explains. “When juxtaposed against wood and stone, a delicate modern light really shines—no pun intended!” 

Setting the scale “The minute you put a light fixture in a space, it completely transforms a room,” says Houser. “When you add a statement piece in a room, it truly becomes a focal point of a space—where it’s very flat and horizontal before you have the light, when you add the light, it creates volume.” To which Anderson adds, “It’s like putting a necklace on.” 

Balancing brightness If you’re combining multiple light sources in a space, balance is key. “You have to always make sure that the output
of light in each one is similar,” says Houser. “It’s about mood, it’s about shape, and it’s about color, but it’s also about the functionality of it.”

A custom-painted mural frames a Poltrona Frau bed with Croft House nightstands and a Foscarini ceiling lamp in the primary bedroom. The terrace furniture is by Piet Boon. | Photo: Audrey Hall

DESIGN DETAILS

ARCHITECTURE —  Oxbow Inc.
INTERIOR DESIGN — Urbaine Home Interior Design
CONSTRUCTION — OSM Construction

As featured in Mountain Living’s September/October 2025 issue

Photo: Aimée Mazzenga

This brand new, ground-up build near Sun Valley, Idaho, sits on 157 acres overlooking the fairway of the #7 hole at The Valley Club Golf Course. The home is situated to provide 360-degree views of the Wood River Valley Mountain ranges and direct views of Baldy. 

Built by Poster Construction, this custom home has 5,293 square feet, five bedrooms, five and a half bathrooms, a media room, two flex rooms, and a three-car garage. The open living concept lends itself perfectly to generational comfort, family living, and gracious entertaining.

Photo: Aimée Mazzenga

“The intent was to veer away from the familiar heavy mountain narrative often found in the area and introduce a soft, fresh look that emphasizes natural light, clean lines, and an airy ambiance,” says Sierra Fox, owner and principal designer at Studio MTN in Ketchum, Idaho.

“A sense of place is maintained with the stone fireplace and the grain of the gorgeous white oak. The differences include increased ceiling heights, light materials, and a quiet, neutral palette.” Window views to the north are golf course views, and the views to the south focus on the picturesque mountains.

Photo: Aimée Mazzenga

The kitchen incorporates Fisher & Paykel appliances, a 55” French Lacanche Range, and two Butlers’ pantries. The kitchen island seats six, and the dining table accommodates 10 ensuring that there is ample seating for guests. White countertops with contrasting dark veining make an impressive statement. Custom wood cabinetry and millwork is by Oak + Iron Customs.

The main living area is a meticulous combination of clean, simple lines and cozy furnishings that beckon. The vaulted and beam clad ceiling provides contrast and interest. Custom lighting gives the space a Japanese flavor that uses shape and texture to soften the room’s rectangular edges.

Photo: Aimée Mazzenga

All five bedrooms include en suite bathrooms and walk-in closets. The taupe, cream and light gray palette is soothing. Textural contrast and interest are elevated using shearling upholstery, airy window coverings, Tadelakt showers, and limestone flooring. The property’s stone exterior complements its natural surroundings.

The site size and landscape architecture offer privacy and outdoor living and entertaining at its best. With plenty of deck space that includes a built-in grill, firepit, and hot tub, the result is a natural outdoor oasis. “By using a slightly different design approach, we succeeded in creating an environment that is fresh and light,” says Fox. The resulting aesthetic stands apart from many typical designs found in the area. With this home, we broke the mold and went for something new.”

Photo: Aimée Mazzenga

DESIGN DETAILS

CONSTRUCTION — Poster Construction
INTERIOR DESIGN — Studio MTN
CUSTOM CABINETRY — Oak + Iron Customs

The homeowners chose architecture firm Semple Brown to design a home that would be embedded into the landscape and blend in with the mountains. | Photo: Alex Fenlon

Longtime Crested Butte resident Jeff Hermanson outgrew his rustic log cabin when he and his partner Theresa Lydick adopted a daughter. “With our ex­panded family, we needed a bigger house,” Hermanson explains. The couple chose to build a home with sweeping views of their charming hamlet and its sublime mountains.

As a restaurateur and real estate developer, Hermanson (whose firm was behind Denver’s Populus hotel) had a working relationship with Sarah Semple Brown of Semple Brown, the architecture studio known for projects such as the Ellie Caulkins Opera House renovation in downtown Denver. He knew the firm would design a house that blends in with its surroundings. “Sarah and her team did a masterful job situating the home with a minimum of visibility from the town—with a true sensitivity to the landscape,” Hermanson says.

In the kitchen, white oak and black walnut cabinets bring in both of the homeowners’ favorite wood species. Cloud-veined limestone, a steel hood and metal hardware continue the natural materials found throughout the home. | Photo: Alex Fenlon

When it came to interior design, the family chose Niki O’Connor of CB Spaces, a longtime collaborator and friend. “The home is within the confines of Crested Butte, but it’s perched on this beautiful precipice that overlooks our very quaint town,” O’Connor says. “I really wanted to give them a home where the next chapter of their life as new parents could unfold.”

As someone who fell in love with the town long ago (he moved there in 1973), Hermanson wanted a house that honored the location. Designer O’Connor, who has skied and biked with Hermanson, recognized this. “We wanted the home to be Crested Butte-centric.”

Designer O’Connor created a foyer with lots of texture, including clay walls and a rustic console table. Under the window, she added a sculptural bench by Terraform Design. | Photo: Alex Fenlon

Hermanson asked for one thing—views. “I had this notion of being able to walk in the front door and see the big expanse of the mountains beyond,” he recalls. Semple Brown captured an impressive vista of Crested Butte mountain from the great room at the end of a long entrance hall. “It lures you down and gives a calm approach to this wow moment,” O’Connor notes.

Lydick loves the materials Semple Brown used for the exterior: stone, wood and steel. “The house looks like part of the mountain—it’s got all the colors of the mountain,” she muses. She and O’Connor chose natural finishes inside the home as well. White oak cabinets and millwork add warmth to the kitchen and bedrooms. Cloud-veined limestone unifies the organic look in all the bathrooms. Clay walls, leather furnishings, sheepskin throws and rich textiles complement the mountain terrain.

In the living room, swivel chairs make it easy to look at the mountains. | Photo: Alex Fenlon

Of course, daughter Lilli got a say in the design too. She picked soft colors and finishes.“Lilli’s bedroom is really thoughtful,” Hermanson notes. One wall features atmospheric wallpaper that looks like clouds and mountains. There is also a custom skyscape painted overhead. “It was really important for her to look up from her bed and not see a white ceiling—she has a good eye,” Lydick says.

The family incorporated as much local art as possible, buying from galleries in Crested Butte and commission­­ing custom work. Aesthetically, Hermanson relied on Lydick. “Almost all the pieces move me now,” he says. “I’m a little slow to react to art, but Theresa has such a sensitivity that I feel blessed she ran the show.”

Large patios let the homeowners enjoy indoor-outdoor living while they admire the surrounding views. | Photo: Alex Fenlon

Artwork adds so much to the interiors, but nature is the true focal point of the home’s architecture and design. “Jeff’s main priority was vantage points to the mountains; he likes to sit at the kitchen island in the morning, have coffee and look at the mountains,” Lydick notes. “This place has 360-degree views—there’s not a bad view out of any window,” O’Connor adds.

In the dining room, the artwork by Brandon Reese was a gift from Hermanson to Lydick. “I saw all the little houses and it reminded me of my childhood,” Lydick says. | Photo: Alex Fenlon

The side entrance of the home features a dramatic wood-and-iron cantilevered console table from HW Home and custom art. | Photo: Alex Fenlon

White oak cabinets and metal hardware in the cozy wine cellar continue the materials throughout the home. | Photo: Alex Fenlon

The daughter’s bedroom features a grand blue velvet bed. She also chose a painted ceiling, atmospheric wallpaper and glittering lights. | Photo: Alex Fenlon

One of the primary bedrooms integrates tailored touches such as a custom leather headboard with crisp lines, linen bedding with a geometric design and a sleek corner fireplace above a floating concrete shelf. | Photo: Alex Fenlon

Organic materials such as limestone and white oak cabinets continue in the bathroom. A gold-and-glass chandelier above the freestanding tub adds a touch of sparkle. | Photo: Alex Fenlon

A slanted ceiling covered in wood paneling makes this bedroom extra cozy. | Photo: Alex Fenlon

Design Details:

DESIGN — Semple Brown
INTERIOR DESIGN — CB Spaces

Carefully positioned to harmonize with its stunning mountain and forest surroundings, the home’s sleek, angular design was inspired by the meandering downhill trajectory of Fort Creek, which crosses the property. | Photo: Adam Potts

On the western slope of Utah’s Wasatch Range, beside the tumbling waters of Fort Creek, there’s a house that’s beautifully designed to go with the flow. The homeowners, Alan and Merrit Whitaker, collaborated with Ted Brobst, principal architect and partner at Truckee, California-based W|Y Architects, to bring their vision to life.

As an important preliminary step, the team took time to study the natural features of the land upon which the home would be built, becoming familiar with the surrounding trees, individual boulders and the quirks of the creek itself, even discovering the perfect spot for a cold plunge along the way. “This unspoiled natural landscape called for a design that immersed and engaged the home into the creekside environment,” Brobst says.

The airy kitchen/dining/living area features exposed steel beams, wood ceilings and tall windows to capture natural sunlight and wilderness views. The open space is ideal for large gatherings, with a welcoming kitchen island and plenty of fireside seating. | Photo: Adam Potts

Given their active, casual lifestyle, the Whitakers preferred a home designed in a modern nature-forward style. “We wanted it to be intimate for two of us, while serving as a gathering place for our expanding family,” Alan Whitaker says, adding, “We wanted to use a minimalistic approach in order to feature nature.”

Soaring rooflines give the home a distinctive silhouette that harmonizes with the surrounding mountains and landscape while also maximizing indoor opportunities for light and views. “I particularly like to punctuate these types of rooflines with steel beams and large overhangs that flow in the same upward pitch,” says Brobst. “The angularity is not just used in profile, as the exterior wall of the dining room is similarly angled with a large lift-slide patio door that opens onto the main living and barbecue deck.”

The home’s soaring rooflines echo the contours of the mountainous terrain, while outdoor living areas offer comfortable spaces for lounging and dining. A series of stairways and terraces descend to the creek and the site of a family-favorite cold plunge. | Photo: Adam Potts

The home’s overall layout pays tribute to the cascading levels of the water’s flow from the mountains. A sunny roof-level deck perched above the tree canopy offers panoramic vistas of the surrounding peaks and Utah Lake. Interior spaces follow the sloping contours of the topography, descending from the entry hall through the great room—where a cantilevered seating nook offers views up and down the creek—and out to the covered porch and patio. The family can follow a series of terraces and decks to the water level in the backyard.

Wood, limestone and steel are featured on both the exterior and interior. The great room’s western red cedar ceiling echoes the exterior siding, walnut slat screens provide a stylish space divider, and Brobst used interior steel structural components with their mill finish and color, protected with a matte-finish sealer.

Large sliding glass doors allow an easy indoor-outdoor flow that’s perfect for fresh-air living. “It was important to us to maximize connection to the creek and outdoors, allowing natural light in every space,” says Alan Whitaker. | Photo: Adam Potts

Brobst’s clever architectural decisions optimized the home’s interaction with the evergreens, boulders and other natural features on the two-plus-acre site. “Hallways can be boring and lacking in character,” Brobst says. “We place windows along and at the ends for view and light experiences that make moving through the home more pleasing to the senses at a subconscious level.

For example, the east end of the main connecting hallway space terminates with a large picture window that focuses on a boulder and scrub oak ‘garden’ adjacent to the primary suite.” By framing carefully considered vignette views, each window makes an impact.

Comfortable seating welcomes family and friends. | Photo: Adam Potts

The airy kitchen/dining/great room was designed to accommodate large gatherings, with a dining table that can seat up to 14 people, along with a variety of conversation areas. An elegant floating stairway clings to the wall and leads to a reading loft overlooking the main living space, where high windows welcome extra sunlight and sky views.

The kitchen is sleek and simple. “I didn’t want lots of upper cabinets in the main area, preferring windows and open space,” says Merrit Whitaker. “It is very functional for gathering, with generous room around a large central island, as well as a built-in bench. It really is the heart of our home.” Embraced by nature and serenaded by the creek, the family’s new home is a peaceful retreat on every level.

Elegant linear patterns play out in a slatted divider, a stair­way that appears to float, and steps leading down to the great room. “It seemed more visually interesting,” says Merrit Whitaker. “And sunken living rooms have always been intriguing to me.” | Photo: Adam Potts

The primary bedroom’s corner windows capture creek views. “Closing the door to our bedroom feels like I am in another world away from the noise and clamor of everyday life,” Merrit Whitaker says. | Photo: Adam Potts

Design Details:

ARCHITECTURE — W|Y Architects 

Photo: Courtesy Marvin

Nestled at the base of Utah’s Wasatch Range, this distinctive modern home’s innovative design artfully blends the busy dynamics of a family of professional musicians and the bold presence of the surrounding landscape. From the start, Sparano + Mooney Architecture aimed to create a space that feels both engaging and responsive, with natural light serving as a central design driver, influencing everything from site selection to spatial composition.

Photo: Courtesy Marvin

Throughout the home, architectural details were purposefully chosen to establish distinct moods in each space. This goal was supported by the use of expansive Marvin Ultimate windows, selected for their ability to meet the demands of large-scale designs with top-tier thermal and structural performance. 

Photo: Courtesy Marvin

“Diagrammatically,” explains Project Manager Nate King, “the home was organized with a clear lineation in order to accommodate the family’s need for public performance space on the first floor and more private spaces upstairs. On the main level, floor-to-ceiling glass doors and windows create a seamless connection to the outdoors, evoking a sense of openness and energy. Conversely, the upstairs, particularly in the bedrooms, feels more introspective—windows are strategically placed to invite natural light and frame select views, cultivating a calm, private experience.

Photo: Courtesy Marvin

The home’s grandiose entrance—a large glass entry door paired with a full-height window—invites transparency. Just beyond, a cathedral-like space emerges where the lower and upper volumes intersect, anchored by another expansive window that frames a purposeful view of the mountains beyond. The glazing in the expansive great room is oriented towards the signature view of Mount Olympus and the Wasatch Mountain Range directly east. 

Photo: Courtesy Marvin

This modern farmhouse quietly embodies architecture grounded in place and purpose, thoughtfully shaped by site, light, and lifestyle. More than a home, it resonates with the family, evolving with the rhythm of daily life and the natural surroundings.

Details

PHOTOS – Courtesy Marvin
ARCHITECT – Sparano + Mooney Architecture
WINDOWS AND DOORS – Marvin Ultimate Awning, Casement and Direct Glaze Windows and Outswing French Doors 

Since 1912, Marvin has been a family-owned and -led company, with a legacy of innovation and commitment to the highest quality. We understand the unique opportunity windows and doors have to improve our spaces and how we feel in them. That’s why we never stop pushing what’s possible and inventing new solutions to channel fresh air, enhance light quality, and connect with the world around us.

As seen in ML’s July/August 2025 issue

The deck’s welcoming sitting area is the place to be in the warmer months. The framing holds screens that can be lowered to protect from bugs and breezes. | Photo: Andrew Giammarco

A house in the Mountain Modern style made aesthetic sense to Jill and David Brown. They were, after all, building their dream getaway in Tumble Creek, a resort community tucked into a valley in the Cascade Mountains, where they had been vacationing for years. They had found a perfect piece of land, three-quarters of an acre perched on a woodsy ridge with the double bonus of endless views and a sense of privacy. “We wanted the house to blend in with the forested area,” Jill says.

Designed by 4D Architects, the house has traditional mountain elements that foster its connection to the environment, from its cedar-and-stone exterior to the exposed beams of the living room and the fireplaces of rugged stone. An open floor plan and abundant windows provide the contemporary angle. A house can blend in yet still stand out, and this one does just that, thanks to Stacy Becker’s thoughtful interior design. The Browns come from South Africa and wanted their home to reflect their roots. “You can’t get much further away, geographically,” Becker says. “I thought it was a provocative idea, and such a treat, to incorporate elements that pay homage to their homeland.”

The tribal motif of the dining table’s pedestals and the living room rug are subtle nods to the homeowners’ South African roots. The quiet color scheme and low-profile furniture keep the focus on the views. | Photo: Andrew Giammarco

Jill Brown recalls, “I told Stacy I wanted elements of South Africa, but not a cheesy, curio-shop look. She chose pieces that speak to our heritage, but not too loudly.”

Becker, principal designer of Seattle-based White Label Interiors, set the tone in the foyer with a trio of hand-carved African shields above a console table with a base that looks like a haphazard collection of tree branches. “There’s something a little wild, a little thorny about it,” she says. “It reminded us of being in the bush.”

A patio off David Brown’s office holds roomy chairs paired with side tables of petrified wood. | Photo: Andrew Giammarco

Subtle nods to Africa are sprinkled throughout the house. The custom living room rug in shades of smoky blue, burnt sienna and a range of beigy neutrals has a bit of a tribal feel, as do the geometric pedestals of the dining/game table that separates the kitchen and living room.

Becker kept the palette neutral in most rooms, adding shots of dusky blue, forest green, burnt sienna, mustard and burgundy per Jill Brown’s request. “I like pops of color in the things you can change when you want something different,” Brown says. A second-floor space that serves as a hangout for the couple’s two teenage daughters is the exception to the neutral scheme: a bright blue rug, side tables and pillows and playful wall art in vivid primary colors add youthful energy.

The broad deck holds a built-in grill and a teak dining table surrounded by chairs of teak and rope. Heating elements in the ceiling keep guests warm as evening sets in. | Photo: Andrew Giammarco

In every room, the furniture has a clean, transitional look that complements the home’s architecture. And every piece, the designer says, was chosen for comfort. She points to the faux leather chairs that surround the dining table by local craftsman Jason White. “I designed them so guests can linger for hours,” she says. Becker and her clients agree their collaboration was a resounding success. “I don’t have the vision,” Jill Brown confesses. “I see elements that I like, and I rely on Stacy to bring it all together. She did that beautifully.”

INTERIOR DESIGN – WHITE LABEL INTERIORS
ARCHITECTURE – 4D ARCHITECTS

As seen in ML’s July/August 2025 issue.

Black upper cabinets accented with frosted glass panels are a contemporary companion to the rich walnut lower cabinets. Counter stools of sky-blue leather add a pretty punch of color to the kitchen’s neutral palette. | Photo: Andrew Giammarco

The primary bedroom wraps the homeowners in warmth with its custom rug in moody hues and a plush upholstered bed set against a woodsy mural wallpaper. | Photo: Andrew Giammarco

A stone tub wall and walnut cabinetry add a rustic touch, while the sleek tub and contemporary vessel sinks provide the luxe in the spa-like primary bath. | Photo: Andrew Giammarco

Nestled among towering pines on Lake Hayden, this 7,200-square-foot home is a master class in thoughtful, intentional design that appears as if it evolved over time, with three main structures connected by glass breezeways. | Photo: Lance Gerber

Denise Morrison of Orange County, California-based Morrison Interiors decided it was time to build a getaway for herself, her husband and her extended family of grown children and grandchildren. While visiting friends on Lake Hayden in northern Idaho, she saw a waterfront lot for sale. As it turns out, it was actually three lots for sale—plenty of room for a lakeside family retreat. The location had the right blend of open-air beauty and serenity she craved, so she purchased the lots.

Morrison then called architect Chris Brandon of Brandon Architects in Costa Mesa, California, to ask him to design the family’s new home. They had worked together on many residential projects over the years and mutually admired each other’s skills. She gave Brandon a mere five inspiration photos to highlight what she wanted. “I didn’t want to creatively put him in a box by giving too much direction,” Morrison says. “I trusted him before we ever started this project.”

The textural medley continues in the kitchen and dining room, with Ann Sacks tile and leathered granite countertops, sculptural wood Nori stools from House of Morrison (the designer’s sister company), and matte black Visual Comfort pendants. | Photo: Lance Gerber

Brandon responded by designing a pavilion-style home as a series of buildings spread out over the land. Three main structures, or pavilions, are connected by glass breezeways that provide a sense of architectural layering and history. One pavilion contains the main living spaces, the second is comprised of bedrooms, and the third encompasses the garage and additional guest quarters.

“The design resonated with Denise,” he says. “She didn’t want an ostentatious mansion but a home that fit within the existing northern Idaho vernacular. Breaking the home into three components gave us the ability to subtly orient each structure to capture the best views of the lake.”

The great room’s textural variety complements nature’s palette as seen through the open glass sliders. “I gravitate to earth tones because they are nature’s colors and transcend the trends,” designer Denise Morrison says. A soft Marc Phillips rug adds another element to the diversity of fibers in the room. | Photo: Lance Gerber

The pavilion architecture ensures the home is as comfortable for two as it is for the 16 people it sleeps when all family members gather at once. Its thoughtful design provides a place to create treasured memories together while having separate spaces to retreat to at the end of the day.

The design team leaned on Idaho builder Aspen Homes to bring its collaborative project to life. Once construction was finished, Morrison set about imparting her signature aesthetic into the home’s interiors—an elevated, luxurious style that is livable and comfortable for her family that spans three generations. Her firm was integral to designing all the interior architecture along the way as well as furnishings once the project was completed.

Like the great room, the dining room has expansive views of the lake and a seamless indoor-outdoor flow to the adjacent furnished deck. The Thea dining table and Alpine dining chairs are from House of Morrison; fabric is by Lee Jofa Modern. | Photo: Lance Gerber

She layered raw, organic materials and mixed them with refined sculptural furnishings such as a coffee table crafted from wood slices, which forms an unexpectedly modern, sculptural shape. The resulting design is a collected home that feels as if it has evolved over time.

An earthy color palette of terra-cotta, sage, olive and onyx reflects the natural surroundings outside the floor-to-ceiling windows and expansive glass doors facing the lake. Morrison’s choice of a black stone slab with terra-cotta veining for the kitchen’s range hood set the tone for the home’s palette. “I love earthy tones like terra-cotta; they are grounding,” she says.

The architect brought exterior materials inside, such as the cedar siding that continues onto the interior foyer wall. | Photo: Lance Gerber

While luxury was top-of-mind during the design process, Morrison also intended the home to be comfortable and lived-in. Full-length sliding glass doors in the main spaces open to the lake and facilitate a seamless flow of indoor-outdoor living.

Designed for effortless gathering and connection, spaces such as the lower-level media room and bar are an extension of the landscape. “In the summer months, the doors will be wide open, and guests move fluidly between the bar, the seating areas and the water’s edge,” Morrison says.

People always do a double-take at the hide wallpaper in the media room, and they immediately want to touch it,” Morrison says. Wallpaper is from Élitis. | Photo: Lance Gerber

The bespoke Idaho lake house has become the ultimate place for the Morrison family to unplug from the world and reconnect with each other. Much more than a vacation home, this retreat is a legacy property designed to be cherished for generations.

ARCHITECTURE – Brandon Architects
INTERIOR DESIGN – Morrison Interiors
CONSTRUCTION – Aspen Homes
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT – Clearwater Summit Group
STONEWORK – Young Ideas
ARTISTS – William McLure, Jim Olarte, Megan Jaffe, Greg Miller, William DeBilzan, Amy Lindquist, Dennis Eckstrom, Mark Maggiori, Megan White, High Desert Studio, Michelle Quan, Tyler Guinn, Fanny Allie, Seth Clark, Laura Moriarty, Paul Meyer, Dorothy Shain, Jon Flaming

As featured in ML’s July/August issue.

Many of the bedrooms have water views. | Photo: Lance Gerber

Interior designer Anita Lang combined rich textures with a striking palette to create a modern yet organic aesthetic throughout the main living spaces. | Photo: Melissa Kelsey

When imagining their ideal vacation house in Utah’s Deer Valley, a couple and their three grown children had specific ideas in mind. “We wanted something that was ski-in, ski out and convenient to downtown,” says the homeowner, “and we also wanted to be part of a club with excellent amenities.” A slopeside property with access to the Talisker Club resources checked off every item.

In order to accommodate visits from extended family and guests, the family purchased two condo units, stacked one on top of another, to customize them into an exact fit. “We wanted it to have the space and the feeling of a home,” says the homeowner, who also had a vision of how to make that happen. “We were looking for an organic modern aesthetic and a feeling that we were up in the mountains.” To turn that vision into a reality, the homeowners called on interior designer Anita Lang of IMI Design in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Walnut paneling marks the dining area, where Lang suspended light fixtures by Henge above a Rough table by Samuel Accoceberry for Collection Particuliere from Avenue Road. The chairs are by ENNE. | Photo: Melissa Kelsey

Before construction began, Lang and the project’s architect, John Sather of Swaback Architects + Planners, also in Scottsdale, collaborated on a floor plan that placed spacious living and dining areas, a kitchen, main bedroom and guest bedrooms on the top floor and a game room, family room and a bedroom on the lower level. A floating staircase was installed to connect the two. From there, Lang focused on the surfaces.

“How do you create a warm, cozy, inviting mountain home and still keep it modern?” asks Lang. “Through the materials.” To that end she chose wide-plank cerused oak for the floors and narrow walnut planks that give the ceilings a cabin-like nod. Lang picked up the walnut again in a paneling detail with an elongated pyramid shape to “create some verticality and lift the ceilings.” In the kitchen, black cabinets with a matte-lacquer finish lend drama.

The living area features a coffee table by Stefan Bishop from Ralph Pucci International and a Minotti sectional sofa. “Bondage” is by John Belingheri. | Photo: Melissa Kelsey

Lang created more impact with the furnishings. An evergreen rug by David E. Adler Fine Rugs for the living area connects with the trees, as does a sculptural Stefan Bishop coffee table crafted from sliced logs. “It brings in the mountains, but with a fresh modern look,” says Lang. A large sectional sofa by Minotti anchors the space. “They have a large family, and you can always snuggle an extra person into a sectional,” she says. For gathering around the dining table, the designer selected ENNE swivel chairs and chose bronze Henge light fixtures to suspend overhead. “They are reminiscent of branches in a very abstract way,” she suggests.

Downstairs, Lang kept the same sense of sophistication but with a casual feel. A mohair-covered Verellen sectional appoints the family room, where the designer used leather wall tiles in black and taupe hues to echo the vertical forms of the walnut paneling upstairs. “It adds interest and strength to the whole composition,” says Lang, whose intentional use of materials and curated furnishings was perfectly suited to the project’s locale and its owners. “It’s very comfortable and livable, but at the same time the design has some boldness,” she says. “It’s a little more daring, and the owners were willing to go on that journey.”

INTERIOR DESIGN – IMI Design
ARCHITECTURE – Swaback Architects + Planners

The upstairs office pairs a custom desk with Heath chairs by Yabu Pushelberg for Linteloo. | Photo: Melissa Kelsey

The downstairs family room features a Gregory sectional sofa by Verellen and Baxter Jove tables atop a custom rug by Organic Looms. | Photo: Melissa Kelsey

The kitchen’s marble island and a fireplace clad with chiseled basalt and limestone lend a tactile edge to the living spaces. | Photo: Melissa Kelsey

A Kuzco Huron pendant hangs above a pedestal sink by Stone Forest in the upstairs powder room. | Photo: Melissa Kelsey

In the main bedroom, a custom side table pairs with Minotti’s Yang bed. The light fixture is by Holly Hunt. | Photo: Melissa Kelsey

An unobtrusive presence on the land, the house presents as a single story punctuated with a dormer that holds a suite for the homeowner’s grown son when he visits. | Photo: Casey Dunn

It was all about the wildlife for the owner of this Wyoming home. She had lived on both East and West Coasts, in the Midwest and in the Rocky Mountains, but when she was ready to build a house for the next phase of her life, it was the Teton Valley and the wild creatures who inhabit it that spoke to her heart. As she and Burton Baldridge and Brian Bedrosian of Austin, Texas-based Baldridge Architects worked out the design, she insisted the focus be on the constant parade of animals that traverse the 70 acres of protected lands around her house.

“In my little meadow outside my bedroom I see moose and bears and foxes—I even have ‘my own’ fox—and ermines and deer,” she says. “It’s just wonderful to watch.” For Baldridge and Bedrosian, the challenge was designing a home that would let their client feel a part of the natural world without having a negative impact on that world. “The interface with the landscape was super-important,” says Bedrosian. As the team, which included the Teton Valley-based Wilkinson Montesano Builders, designed, sited and constructed the house, they disturbed the flora as little as possible.

The kitchen employs a rich array of natural materials, including solid oak cabinetry, black soapstone and a polished concrete floor with radiant heat. | Photo: Casey Dunn

“We didn’t take out any trees,” Baldridge says. “And any bushes we removed, we replanted in triplicate.” From the outside, the 4,838-square-foot dwelling is deceptively simple, nestling into the scenery unobtrusively. It presents as a long, one-story home clad in Douglas fir with a metal roof and lots of windows. A large glass-fronted dormer, however, hints at the interior’s complexity. Inside, the house was designed to expand and contract based on the homeowner’s needs at any given time.

When she’s alone, the house can feel cozy, made up of the open kitchen/living/dining room and her own bedroom suite. When her grown son visits, sometimes bringing a passel of friends, the space expands, thanks to a central stairway that leads to his suite in the dormer and up another level into the roof gable with its sleeping loft.

A lighting system is embedded in the concrete entry stairs. | Photo: Casey Dunn

Floor-to-ceiling windows in the living and dining areas offer views in two directions and foster the sense of living within the landscape. A series of clerestory windows ushers natural light into the home. “It can be pretty dark out here, especially in the colder months, so we wanted to bring in as much light as possible,” Baldridge says. A line of skylights across the roof adds to the bright, open feeling.

Oak cabinetry and woodwork, warmed with trim of dark-stained Douglas fir, and a polished concrete floor give the home a clean, modern look, while the fieldstone fireplace, a focal point for the living room, adds just a touch of mountain rusticity. As much as the house looks outward, it was also designed for inside fun, Bedrosian says. “She and her son have this awesome habit of having Nerf dart wars in the house,” he relates. Whether the homeowner is observing the wildlife, cooking up a meal for friends or planning the next foam dart attack, her Teton Valley home enfolds her in warmth.

The homeowner’s bedroom suite occupies the right end of the house, close by a grove of aspen trees. A metal roof was chosen both for easy maintenance and because of the threat of wildfires in the area. | Photo: Casey Dunn

Inside, the home is bright and airy, revealing a second floor with a sleeping loft and a gym. Windows line both sides of the living/ dining/kitchen space for views of mountains and meadow. | Photo: Casey Dunn

A row of skylights above the sleeping loft brings extra light and ventilation into the home. | Photo: Casey Dunn

The homeowner’s son has a cozy suite of his own with efficient built-ins and beautiful views. | Photo: Casey Dunn

ARCHITECTURE – Baldridge Architects
BUILDER – Wilkinson Montesano Builders

As seen in ML’s May/June 2025 issue

Photo: Colleen Euclide

In mountain homes, where nature is an integral part of life, color helps create a sense of retreat, warmth and connection to the outdoors. For 2025, we’re embracing a palette inspired by the mountain landscape itself—balancing earthy neutrals, rich textures and deep, nature-inspired hues to create homes that feel grounded, inviting and timeless. Read on to learn more about how these colors can transform your space into a serene mountain-inspired retreat.

A Foundation of Subtle, Earthy Neutrals

Photo: Susie Brenner

Light, natural wall colors are setting the tone, creating a calming backdrop that leaves room for layered accents in furniture, textiles and art. Shades like smoky grey-blue, rich caramel, sun-kissed beige and muted sage bring warmth and versatility that stand the test of time. 

Rich, Deep Tones for Contrast and Character 

Photo: Kimberly Gavin

Inspired by the ever-changing mountain light, deeper colors like charcoal, midnight blue and earthy brown are gaining popularity. These hues provide contrast and visual weight, best used in upholstery, statement rugs, or sculptural elements for a grounded, layered effect. 

Texture as a Design Element 

Photo: Colleen Euclide

Color is powerful, but texture brings it to life. We’re seeing an embrace of natural materials—think hide rugs, lambskin throws and wood with visible grain. These elements add richness and dimension, creating a home that feels collected and lived-in, never over-designed. One of our favorite approaches is choosing organic materials that naturally combine multiple hues, for added depth, making it effortless, yet elevated. 

Sleek to Cozy 

Photo: Kimberly Gavin

In recent projects, we’ve seen a clear shift away from modern greys and high-gloss finishes in favor of warmth and texture. In one remodel, we transformed a space defined by cool tones and sharp lines by layering in soft blue-greys, natural wood paneling and tactile textiles. The result? A home that now feels inviting, personal and in harmony with its alpine setting—even across expansive, open layouts. 

Grounded, Layered, Enduring 

Photo: Kimberly Gavin

The 2025 palette for mountain homes isn’t just about color—it’s about creating a true sense of place. When chosen with intention, these hues become a reflection of both the environment and the people who inhabit it. It’s a design philosophy that puts feeling first and lets nature lead. 

Whether you gravitate toward soft, earthy neutrals or deeper tones for contrast, the goal remains the same: to curate a palette that feels timeless, personal and deeply connected to the landscape. 

Shae Brenner is an Associate Designer at Collective Design, a full-service interior design, architecture and curated furniture showroom in Frisco, Colorado. View their profile or contact them at 970-239-8514. 

Content for this article provided by Collective Design