Sophistication on the Slopes
November 7, 2012
A Vermont getaway home nods to traditional mountain style on the outside and opens to an interior that the epitome of casual elegance.
Text by Regina Cole   Photography by Jim Westphalen    Produced by Karin Lidbeck Brent
The first goal was a no-brainer: it was all about the views. The lot, on a hillside in Stowe, Vermont, gazes over the famous resortâs ski slopes and alpine peaks. The breathtaking panoramas drove the homeowners, the architect and the interior designer at every step of the design process. The aesthetic that guided them, however, was rooted in elegance. The result is a ski house that genuinely relates to its dramatic surroundings while utterly lacking any of the gingerbread or the ârugged rusticâ personality so common to ski houses.
âMy clients love warmth, but wanted to avoid the ski chalet look,â says Jennifer Palumbo, an interior designer based in Newton, Massachusetts, who has worked with the couple on a number of homes. âThey wanted sophistication, and a lot of light.â
The designer collaborated from the start with architect David Kaselak of Coloradoâs Zehren and Associates, the pair working together to create a house that presents a traditional mountain home exterior and opens to an interior thatâs chic, stylish and relaxed.
âWe avoided the temptation of relating to the quaint architecture of Stowe itself,â Kaselak says. âWe set out to establish a mountain presence with stone and lumber that is like old New England architecture. The clients like the roof forms of simple mountain cabins; the design followed.â
Despite his firmâs western location, Kaselak has intimate knowledge of the venerable New England resort. Zehren and Associates specializes in residential resort community architecture as well as commercial and community projects such as golf resorts, base lodges and churches. In fact, his clients already had a Zehren-designed vacation home in one of the firmâs developments, a neighborhood of thirty-eight 3,500-square-foot duplex houses at the base of Spruce Peak Mountain in Stowe. It made perfect sense to enlist the same architectural firm to build their dream house.
âThey will probably retire here,â Palumbo explains. âIn this, their most personal home, which functions as a second home until they retire, they wanted a warm and intimate interior that would also provide space for children, their spouses and for friends.â
The design plan began with the outdoors. âThe owners wanted to take advantage of the amazing views,â Palumbo says. âThey also specified that large windows were important to bring light in. We designed a large, open floor plan that works for both a couple and for a house full of guests.â
Despite the drama spied from every spacious, elegant room, this 6,200-square-foot getaway is anything but ostentatious. âWe de-emphasized the entry, made it muted,â says Kaselak. âWe brought finish and a clean, modern look to the exterior with red cedar shingles that are grooved like corduroy. The interior styling,â he continues, âis what I would call âMountain Modern.ââ
The house presents a traditional timber-framed appearance. âThe timber trusses are authentic,â Kaselak explains, âbut they are defining accents. As such, we wirebrushed them to create elegant, simple lines.â True divided lights in the large double-glazed windows reinforce the refined sensibility.
Except in the downstairs playroom, colors are subtleâan array of neutrals complemented with yellows ranging from muted gold to sunny lemon. âThe owners use the house in all four seasons, so the colors have to feel warm in winter and look good with foliage in summer and fall,â Palumbo says. âIn the kitchen, we were dealing with heavy beams, so we incorporated texture and kept to quiet paint colors.â
The kitchenâs texture derives from a stone-clad fireplace wall and from dramatically figured applewood that sheathes both the stove hood and the base of the T-shaped island.
âThe island shape fosters intimacy,â says Palumbo. âIt works equally well for just a few people as for a crowd. The applewood is warm, but linear, and very refined.â
A playful gray-and-white patterned fabric on the backs of the barstools adds a dynamic note to the peaceful palette.
The kitchen flows into the dining room, which flows, in turn, into a living room endowed with extra drama by a wall of windows and strong timber-clad architectural elements like the cathedral ceiling. Large lantern fixtures hold their own, while sconces and up- and down-facing LED fixtures wash the walls with light. Walnut flooring throughout the house adds another warm note.
The first-floor master bedroom follows a similar motif. Grass cloth wallcovering that mimics birch bark provides texture and a sophisticated, subtle metallic lemon-green color. The beamed, slanted ceiling lends a cozy touch.
The outside living room is almost as important as the interior. âThey wanted intimate spots throughout,â Palumbo says. âThis living room incorporates the hot tub. The cushions stay on the outdoor furniture through December because this is such a favorite gathering place for the family. Again, the space works just as well for one person looking for a quiet reading nook as it does for a party.â
The tension between indoors and out, between sophisticated and family friendly, subtle and dramatic made for a challenging program, Kaselak says. âIt kept us constantly checking in with each other to make sure that we met the homeownerâs expectations.â
As far as their clients are concerned, Kaselak and Palumbo succeeded brilliantly. His knowledge of the area and her long relationship with them resulted in a mountain home that is sophisticated, spacious and eminently livable.
âWe had the A-team,â says the husband.
His wife agrees. âThere is a spectacular view, an âahhhâ moment in every room, no matter where you stand or sit,â she says.
Itâs not just about views, though, she notes. âThey ensured that the details were right. We love our pets, and we specified that all west-facing windows be designed with deep ledges to support our large cat, who enjoys the vistas as much as we do.â
While the location is an obvious winner, itâs not what this homeowner loves best.
âItâs not the breathtaking mountain or valley views,â she says. âItâs the evocative artwork, the warmth and playfulness of the decor and the craftsmanship throughout. This house feels just right.â â˘
Architecture: David Kaselak, Zehren and Associates
Interior Design: Jennifer Palumbo
Kitchen Design: Donna Venegas, Venegas and Company
Builder: Engelberth Construction
Landscape Design: Chris Dunn, Dunn + KileyÂ
Share
You must be logged in to post a comment.