People: Home of the Year Q&A
Get to know the designers who created our spectacular 2014 Home of the Year
LARRY PEARSON
ARCHITECT, FOUNDING PRINCIPAL
PEARSON DESIGN GROUP
Larry Pearson grew up hiking in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and his deep appreciation for the subtle interplay between landscape and structure was intensified by travels to Europe and Asia. With a degree in architecture from the University of California at Santa Cruz, Pearson founded the Pearson Design Group in 1997, inspired “by regional materials and exceptional landscapes.” Pearson sees himself as a storyteller, allowing narratives to unfold through his designs.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BUILDING IN THE WEST?
It's like asking, "Who is your favorite child?" Well, the "architect's" answer would be Taliesin West, where it is less about being within the architecture, but rather the relationship to the landscape, both natural and man-made. The "heart's" answer would be a Forest Service cabin somewhere in the Rockies: Simple log structure, handcrafted, and a perfect porch with just enough room for a few chairs.
WHERE IS YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO STAY IN THE WEST?
I've just visited the Utah desert and thoroughly enjoyed the Amangiri at Lake Powell: So simple, so strong, with an acute absence of decoration. On the West Coast, it would need to be the Post Ranch Inn with the fog clearing and first glimpsing the Pacific Ocean.
WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING?
"The Wild Trees," by Richard Preston.
IF YOU COULD BUILD YOURSELF A HOME ANYWHERE AT ALL, WHERE WOULD IT BE?
They say that you will always go back to where you started. I would need to say somewhere north of San Francisco, perhaps near the Marin Headlands between Tiburon and Bolinas. I could imagine a small redwood home with wrap-around porch, south-facing views across the water…
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO?
I'm lucky enough to be doing it.
RAIN HOUSER
LEAD INTERIOR DESIGNER
PEARSON DESIGN GROUP
Rain Houser’s keen eye for design was sharpened early, thanks to her family’s furniture store. Over the years, she has developed an intuitive understanding of what makes an interior space flow beautifully within the architecture of a building. Holding a BA in interior design (and a minor in art) from High Point University, Houser skillfully crafts interiors that reflect and enhance her clients’ daily lives. Working alongside a talented team, Rain Houser was named lead interior designer at Pearson Design Group in 2007.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE INTERIOR SPACE IN THE WEST?
I know that I am in love with a space when my heart aches when I see it. It physically hurts when I love a space. I love the serene nature of a spa or the moody feeling of an inky blue and brass restaurant/bar. One of my favorite spa spaces is Sanctuary on Camelback in Scottsdale. For retail spaces, Prada in Aspen and All Saints in Seattle are at the top of my list.
DO YOU HAVE A PIECE OF FURNITURE OR DECOR THAT YOU ARE IN LOVE WITH RIGHT NOW?
I am currently in love with Niamh Barry's light fixtures. All of them are amazingly beautiful but I especially love the Penumbra. It's like jewelry. I see it in an entry or an intimate space where you would enjoy it every day.
WHERE IS YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO STAY IN THE WEST?
Although I love so many hotels in Wyoming (The White Buffalo), Colorado (The Little Nell) and Arizona, my favorite place to stay is a testament to my decision to move to Montana. I love to stay in my Airstream, which is currently sitting next to the Gallatin River. There isn't anywhere in the country that fills me with such contentment as this. Listening to the river with the sun setting over the Tobacco Root Mountains…it lacks a massage table, but I'm working on that.
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO?
There are many exciting things on the horizon. I am so blessed to be able to work with so many amazing clients. Most of our projects take about two years from start to finish, and they become a great labor of love. Additionally, I have just opened a furniture showroom and lifestyle boutique. We needed to have a place in Bozeman to show clients beautiful things, and I think Bozeman is ready for a fresh perspective on interiors in the West.
