This Luxurious Martis Camp Build Opens a New Chapter for an Outdoorsy Couple
A vision for a modern home that is perfect for the two of them, but capable of welcoming a crowd.
Architect Keith Kelly designed the home with angled and flat rooflines to echo the surrounding ridgeline. Stacked granite and western red cedar were chosen for their warmth and natural beauty. | Photo: Vance Fox
With family roots in Lake Tahoe and a vacation home in Incline Village, Nevada, a Las Vegas-based couple didn’t have to look far when deciding where they’d transition into retirement. They contemplated remodeling their vacation residence, but then found a lot at Martis Camp, the luxury home development in Truckee, California, less than 20 miles from their previous home.
The homeowners were attracted to the many amenities Martis Camp offers. “We have the Family Barn, a tennis center, pickleball courts, golf, and a private ski lodge at the base of one of the mountains on Northstar,” the husband says.
The gathering room and kitchen open onto the outdoor living spaces via a wide pocket door. Vitra’s Grand Repos lounge chair and a B&B Italia sectional sofa create a relaxing conversation area in front of the fireplace. | Photo: Cesar Rubio
The homeowners had a vision for a residence that was perfect for the two of them but also would be welcoming to friends, and able to accommodate a crowd when their children and four grandchildren visit. They hired Keith Kelly of Kelly & Stone Architects (with offices in Truckee as well as Steamboat Springs, Colorado) to design a home that was modern yet inviting in a setting that embraces the area’s natural beauty.
A sculptural glass-and-steel staircase makes a dramatic statement as it ascends to the guest wing. Behind it is a shou sugi ban–charred cedar– wall. | Photo: Cesar Rubio
The sloping, wooded lot with views of the Martis Camp lodge and distant hills satisfied the homeowners’ desire for privacy and scenic beauty, but it also presented challenges. The driveway had to be carved around a boulder, and the site needed to be engineered to create a flat main level for the kitchen, living room, dining area and primary suite, Kelly says. “Since it’s the two of them there most of the time, the house is set up to live conveniently for them.”
The home has dramatic angled and flat rooflines that echo the surrounding ridgelines, as does the exterior of granite and cedar, with steel bringing strength and modernity to the structure. Oversize custom windows invite the outdoors in.
The dining room features a David Weeks Studio Hennen light fixture, MDF Italia Tense dining table and Knoll Saarinen Executive chairs. | Photo: Cesar Rubio
The homeowners were involved in every detail of planning the five-bedroom, 6,900-square-foot residence. “The primary, guest and family suites all have their separate areas and afford privacy,” the husband says. “The primary suite is separate from the guest suites on the main floor, and the bunk room, media room and another guest suite are located on the upper floor.”
To unify interior and exterior, the Pacific Ashlar gray stacked granite is continuous from outside to the inside walls. A double-height, textured shou sugi ban wall softens the steel-and-concrete fireplace, and a steel-and-glass staircase adds drama. Oak millwork brings warmth, as do wide plank oak floors in the bedrooms.
A roomy sofa from RH and a Knoll loveseat flank the custom fire pit, a favorite spot just outside the main living area for the homeowners to entertain. | Photo: Vance Fox
Says interior designer Martine Paquin, of San Francisco-based Martine Paquin Design, “Our role was to provide a holistic approach, covering everything from hard finishes to soft furnishings.” She and her team used a mostly neutral palette—from creamy white walls (Benjamin Moore’s Mountain Peak White) to midcentury blues and grays—accented with color through furniture (including cabinetry designed by Paquin) and light fixtures.
The open floor plan allows everyone to connect in the home’s core for meals and socializing. The gathering room opens to an expansive terrace via a 28-foot-wide pocket door, offering more spots for dining, relaxing and soaking in a hot tub.
Martine Paquin designed a paneled wall upholstered in soft wool that provides acoustical softening in the primary bedroom. The Flexform bed is accented with Bangkok leather ottomans. | Photo: Cesar Rubio
“This is one of the more detailed houses I’ve ever worked on,” says builder Gabe Shacter, owner of Mountain Craft. “We did a lot of mock-ups so we could see texture, color and how materials integrated with each other.” For example, the company built a 16-foot-long sample wall to show variations in concrete treatments before settling on a style.
Despite the complexity of the modern design, keeping the overall look simple helps maintain a serene mood, Paquin says. “Your eye goes to the outdoors, and you just enjoy where you are instead of being distracted.” The homeowners wanted it to have warmth and natural materials. “It feels to me like we were able to accomplish that,” the husband says.
The shou sugi ban wall harmonizes with the desk and chair in the home’s upper-level office area. | Photo: Cesar Rubio
Creating a Calm, Welcoming Home
Interior designer Martine Paquin used earthy tones to ensure a seamless flow from room to room, and high-quality, sustainable materials. Among the home’s elements and features:
- Porcelain tile for floors in the gathering room and kitchen, and wide-plank, solid natural oak flooring in the bedrooms are durable, easy to clean, and don’t release volatile organic compounds. The materials are also pet-friendly.
- Pure wool rugs and other textiles are beautiful and sustainable, bringing texture and warmth to both public and private spaces in the home.
- Furniture covered in leather and other natural materials is both attractive and durable.
- Locally sourced materials were chosen when possible. Native western red cedar and precast concrete made locally in Sparks, Nevada, were among the choices.
- Caesarstone countertops are featured in the kitchen and bathrooms. The material is partly made from recycled components and is produced using energy-efficient methods.
- Abundant custom windows not only offer views, but many are also operable, providing substantial passive ventilation. For additional energy savings, windows are equipped with interior shades that can be lowered electronically. The shades were detailed by the team to be completely hidden when not in use.
- Heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems are also key to making a home energy-efficient. The home has a heat recovery ventilator system, which exchanges indoor air with fresh, filtered outdoor air while recovering up to 80 percent of the heat in the process. It also has radiant heating in the floors.
The primary bathroom has a Wetstyle Cube tub, Italian plaster walls and Caesar porcelain tile floor. A glass door offers access to an outdoor hot tub. | Photo: Cesar Rubio
DESIGN DETAILS
ARCHITECTURE – Kelly & Stone Architects
INTERIOR DESIGN – Martine Paquin Design
CONSTRUCTION – Mountain Craft
