Winter Chalets and Mountain Getaways
Image: Alexander Jermyn Architecture, Jaborski Construction, Banks Landl. Photo: Jeremy Bitterman
In 1909, the railway town of Truckee built an ice palace for its Winter Carnival. The gigantic structure featured an ice rink and a dance hall with spaces where revelers relaxed by fireplaces after a day spent cavorting in the snow. Carnivals attracted tourists from San Francisco, helping Truckee and Lake Tahoe grow into the winter wonderland they are today. That legacy continues in the work of several COUPAR clients active in the region. Alexander Jermyn Architecture, for example, has designed multiple Tahoe-area residences, including a gabled home in Soda Springs where charred wood siding crowns a concrete base.
San Francisco-based Black Mountain Construction maintains a satellite office in Lake Tahoe. For one of their projects, they collaborated with Catherine Macfee Interior Design and architect Land to Living to craft a home rooted in place and framed by Tahoe’s natural drama. It features local natural materials, including granite from Tahoe's south shore and on-site-sourced boulders. For stonework in Tahoe and other snow resorts, San Anselmo’s QuarryHouse is the go-to resource for stone masonry, with a portfolio that includes private estates and public spaces such as Yosemite Falls.
Image: Black Mountain Construction, Catherine Macfee Interior Design, Land to Living. Photo: John Merkl
Grassi & Associates is another builder with a strong presence in Tahoe. In addition to its Napa office, the firm recently opened a satellite location in Park City, Utah, to serve the broader Mountain West. The former Silver Rush town has attracted an enclave of leading Bay Area architects, designers, and builders who are redefining the ski chalet with contemporary sensibilities. To illuminate mountain architecture, interiors, and landscapes, EJA Lighting Design has been expanding its market presence.
Further afield, Sun Valley remains a classic winter destination. There, Nanette Design has crafted a retreat that balances comfort and elegance, offering a refined response to the alpine setting.
Image: Nanette Design, Photo: Josh Wells
