LUXURY Lakeside

SHIMMERING VIEWS TAKE CENTER STAGE IN THIS GRACEFUL TAHOE RETREAT

TEXT ALISON BENDERY | PHOTOGRAPHY JONATHAN MITCHELL

WHEN A BAY AREA FAMILY purchased a lakeside property on the west shore of Lake Tahoe, they were thrilled with its location but knew it would need a significant renovation to bring the design forward.

“It was a grand home, but had become very outdated over the past 50 years and was in need of a modern refresh,” says Kristi Will of Kristi Will Interior Design. “The home was dark, and its heavy design detracted from the beauty of the lakefront views.”

Will was part of a team that included architect David Kotzebue and FP Builders. The 11,000-square-foot home and its 2,500-square-foot guest house were rebuilt from the ground up with one key restriction—their footprints needed to remain exactly the same in order to comply with local building regulations. “This required us to get very creative in how we went about modernizing these homes,” Will says.

A new entry courtyard features a bronze “Heart of San Francisco” and leads to a ten-foottall glass pivot door; extensive glass allows visitors to see through the home to Lake Tahoe’s brilliant blues beyond. Heavy wood around the living room windows was replaced with sleek bronze frames that stretch upwards to the 28-foot-high cedar ceiling and further open the room to the breathtaking views.

The interior’s subdued palette includes textural elements, like a woven abaca rug and sheer cream drapery, to keep its vast scale cozy and warm. “We worked with lighting designer Anna Kondolf and Sam Hilliard to customize three 68-inch Hilliard light fixtures that center on the entry and living room and further ground these spaces,” Will says.

Commissioned artwork by Ashley Collins brings additional warmth and color and is positioned opposite a monolithic dark-stained walnut fireplace. “The fireplace is one of my favorite elements,” Will says, adding that it creates “a solid and statuesque presence.”

In the kitchen and bathrooms, cabinets are warm walnut in a natural finish. Limestone flooring was chosen for its light tones and durability; the custom, three-foot tiles create a sense of expansiveness.

Outdoors is a swimming pool, fire pit, and private dock. The spaces, outside and in, provide serene and welcoming spaces for the family to entertain or simply be together.

The home’s new design is a fresh, contemporary take on the Tahoe style. “The goal from the start was to create a legacy home for the family that would stand the test of time for future generations,” Will says. Mission complete. CH

ABOVE The airy primary suite is anchored with a headboard by Hellman Chang, upholstered in a blue fabric by Jiun Ho that is reminiscent of Lake Tahoe’s famous blue hues. The nightstand is also by Hellman-Chang.

OPPOSITE The primary bath includes sconces by Fuse Lighting; the walnut cabinetry and Caesarstone used in the kitchen repeat here to create a cohesive design.

The home’s exterior stone continues indoors, blurring the lines between the spaces; the outdoor lounging and dining areas surrounding the pool feature furnishings from JANUS et Cie.

A MONTECITO BEACH HOUSE

RENOVATION BY DEBRA LYNN HENNO TAKES INSPIRATION FROM COASTAL SPAIN

TEXT NORA BURBA TRULSSON PHOTOGRAPHY ALEX VERTIKOFF

IN MONTECITO, this oceanside abode is everything a beach house should be— bright, easy, breezy—with a comfortable interior that keeps the focus on the surrounding lush landscaping and the cerulean sea a short stroll away.

The sandy-feet retreat is thanks to the talents of Santa Barbara interior designer Debra Lynn Henno, who worked on the project with her daughter, Lauren Christine Henno, transforming a dated interior into a welcoming home for the client, a single woman.

“This home is in a well-maintained condominium community,” explains Debra Lynn Henno, “but this particular unit had a very ‘70s look that needed to be updated. Our client had spent many summers in coastal Spain, and she wanted to recreate that ambiance here. It seemed perfect for this area, with our history of Spanish revival architecture.”

Henno began the transformation of the cozy, twobedroom home—and the homage to the Iberian peninsula—by enlarging the openings for the sliding glass doors that link living spaces to the patio from the once-standard eight feet high to nine, adding more light and views to the interior. She also replaced a standard kitchen window with a European-style crank window that opens outward to capture cool breezes. Textured walls were smoothed out and refinished with a glossy white paint that bounces sunlight across the spaces. Throughout, old flooring was replaced with a narrowplank oak floor in honey tones, detailed with a slight gap between the planks for a vintage look. The living room’s original fireplace was recladded with a whitewashed brick surround that reiterates the interior’s rustic theme. The kitchen also received the Henno touch, with new custom cabinetry crafted by local artisan Miles Rucker, a zinc countertop, open shelving, and a tongue-in-groove wood backsplash, also painted a glossy white. Ditto for the two bathrooms, brightened with white subway tile and retroinspired plumbing fixtures.

Henno kept the furnishings simple, shopping mostly in Southern California for pieces with clean lines and choosing fabrics and finishes that invite postbeach lounging. The polished white color scheme was juxtaposed with natural woods and interesting textures. In the entry, a Moroccan chest from Badia Design is inlaid with mother of pearl and underscores a pair of pearlescent pendants from Maison K. For the living room, Henno suggested two slouchy white linen sofas—custom designs—to pair with a rustic wood coffee table and a jute rug, while the dining room’s vintage table is surrounded by lacy rattan chairs.

Accessories and details were also welledited, leaning toward the rustic and organic, such as a grouping of the owner’s favorite ammonite fossils on a living room shelf and Spanish pottery in the kitchen, handcrafted basketry that Henno’s daughter found during her time traveling through Ecuador and the simple embroidered linen draperies that cool the bedrooms. The piéce de résistance for the refreshed interior was a beach scene painting by Karen Bezuidenhout, hung in the living room. “She’s a Santa Barbara artist, says Henno, “and she captured the whole local vibe with this piece.”

After the renovations were completed the transformed home is an inviting, soothing space for the owner, family, and friends. “I love spending time there,” says Henno. “It’s comfortable, simple, and then there’s all that beautiful streaming sunlight and the gorgeous views.” CH

BELOW In the master bedroom, a fan from Ecuador reiterates the interior’s cool sensibility. The headboard and armchairs are Cisco Brothers; embroidered linen draperies are from Raoul Textiles.