Houzz Tour: Snowy White Makeover for a Lake Tahoe Condo
Traditional alpine decor gets the boot in favor of a modern Scandinavian look in this Sierra Nevada getaway
When a San Francisco couple approached Sacramento designers Curtis Popp and Dustin Littrell about updating their Lake Tahoe getaway, the goal was clear, Popp says: “Completely reimagine what was then a tired and dated condo from the early ’70s.” That change in focus meant avoiding the classic stone and dark timber design that dominates the resort communities that line popular Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada.
What resulted is modernized mountain style with snow-white Scandinavian flair. “They wanted to open the space up and capture more natural light,” Popp says. “They wanted to push the space into more of a beach house direction and less of the classic Tahoe direction.” With that challenge, the Popp Littrell team remodeled the entire two-story condo. “The upstairs was completely opened up and reimagined,” Popp says.
What resulted is modernized mountain style with snow-white Scandinavian flair. “They wanted to open the space up and capture more natural light,” Popp says. “They wanted to push the space into more of a beach house direction and less of the classic Tahoe direction.” With that challenge, the Popp Littrell team remodeled the entire two-story condo. “The upstairs was completely opened up and reimagined,” Popp says.
The whitewashed wood walls are one of the most striking features of the remodel — and they were also the most labor-intensive. Existing drywall was replaced with clear pine, which was then whitewashed, a project Popp says was “a laborious and expensive process, but it makes the room.” Clear pine has few or no knots, and whitewashing involves thinning paint with water, creating a Shabby Chic-style, rustic look.
Sofa and chairs: Bensen; table: Noguchi; end tables: Little Friend, Fritz Hansen; floor lamp: Artemide; carpet: Kago, Atlas Carpet Mills; artwork over sofa: Diane Foug
Sofa and chairs: Bensen; table: Noguchi; end tables: Little Friend, Fritz Hansen; floor lamp: Artemide; carpet: Kago, Atlas Carpet Mills; artwork over sofa: Diane Foug
A carved wooden goose from the homeowner’s mother graces a cabinet next to the Morsø wood stove, helping to balance out the abundance of white. There’s no conventional HVAC unit in the home. The stove and radiant floor heating installed during the remodel are the heat sources.
Tile: Daltile
Tile: Daltile
A wall that divided the kitchen and dining area was removed to create an open floor plan. Artwork from Penny Olson puts color on the whitewashed wood walls. A branching LED chandelier keeps with the white theme and floats above the Danish table, which adds a bit of warmth to the space.
Chandelier: Heracleum II, Moooi; dining table: Carl Hansen; tractor counter stools: BassamFellows; dining chairs: Eames; sideboard: Ikea; basket platter on table: Alessi
Chandelier: Heracleum II, Moooi; dining table: Carl Hansen; tractor counter stools: BassamFellows; dining chairs: Eames; sideboard: Ikea; basket platter on table: Alessi
BEFORE: The living room ceiling was dark and woodsy.
AFTER: An eye-catching chandelier highlights the new whitewashed ceiling.
BEFORE: The kitchen’s counters, cabinets, flooring and woodwork were overpowered by the dreaded three D’s: dark, dated and drab.
AFTER: Bright white now dominates the open-space kitchen, with Glacier White Corian counters, and custom cabinets and shelving.
Sink: Corian; dishwasher: Fisher & Paykel; plumbing fixtures: Grohe; pendant lights: Original BTC; oven, cooktop and refrigerator: Sub-Zero
Sink: Corian; dishwasher: Fisher & Paykel; plumbing fixtures: Grohe; pendant lights: Original BTC; oven, cooktop and refrigerator: Sub-Zero
Heath Ceramics tiles line the backsplash under open shelving above cabinets with integrated handles.
Espresso machine: Vibiemme
Espresso machine: Vibiemme
Except for a blue painting, neutral tones continue in the master bedroom, with a simple Bensen upholstered bed. Space-saving sconces with adjustable arms provide bedside light.
Bed: Onto, Bensen; bench: Branch, BluDot; artwork: Annell Livingston, JayJay Art; sconces: Tolomeo, Artemide
Bed: Onto, Bensen; bench: Branch, BluDot; artwork: Annell Livingston, JayJay Art; sconces: Tolomeo, Artemide
One design problem they tackled was the lack of storage. A staircase between the floors was replaced, which helped solve that issue. “We actually turned the new staircase into a multifunctional storage space,” Popp says. Now the space under the stairs contains cabinets that hold a washer-dryer, a hot water heater, a coat closet, and small cubbies for blankets and other items. The banister was built using stainless steel wires with white powder-coated posts.
Recessed cabinet pulls: Hewi
Recessed cabinet pulls: Hewi
The new stairs and handrail are maple, with Square Line handrail brackets.
BEFORE: A stairway leading to the kitchen, living and dining areas upstairs was downright dreary before the remodel.
AFTER: The stairs and handrail were replaced, and storage cabinetry was added underneath.
BEFORE: The guest bathroom was a portrait in beige.
AFTER: The toilet and vanity were reoriented, and the fixtures and materials were replaced.
Tub: Hydro Systems; toilet: Duravit; sink: Alape
Tub: Hydro Systems; toilet: Duravit; sink: Alape
The master bedroom and living room have views of Lake Tahoe, which is snow-lined in winter — a likely source of inspiration for the home’s polar-white design.
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Who lives here: A retired San Francisco couple use the home as a vacation getaway.
Location: Tahoe City, California
Size: About 1,100 square feet (102 square meters); two bedrooms, two bathrooms
Designer: Popp Littrell Architecture + Interiors