A designer of numerous spec homes in the Wood River Valley had been eyeing a lot near the top of Juniper Road in Sun Valley for close to 30 years. When it became available and his daughter and her husband purchased it, he set about designing a dream home for them, their three grown children, and one grandchild.
The 6,840-square-foot multi-story home on 2.5 acres is intentionally unassuming, partly built into the hillside in such a way so as to offer privacy, a low profile, and lovely natural light year-round. “We didn’t want it to be a crazy statement house,” noted the home’s owner
Building into the hillside also afforded spectacular views of the mountains to the north from the first level, which includes a large great room with dining, living, and family rooms, kitchen, and a dining nook— an important element that allows the owners to gather multiple generations in one shared space. Also on the main level is an entryway with skylight above and a small art gallery, deck, powder room, mudroom, pantry, and the master bedroom and bath. Connected to the main floor is a three-car garage. The lower level houses a game room, bunkroom that sleeps four, office, three bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms, and a lower deck with a hot tub and seating area.
The home is a true familial labor of love. When it came to the actual design of the home, creating enough space for the owners’ current family as well as the prospect of more children coming along, was paramount. “We wanted it large enough for everybody but not to feel overwhelming,” said the owners. Though they live full-time in Seattle, they’ve had a home in the Sun Valley area for the last 28 years. They decided to build their dream home with the notion of hopefully moving to the area full time.
One of the more unique elements of the design is a series of exposed steel beams that run through the home, visible both on the exterior and interior.
The final product was very much a collaborative effort by the owner’s father, 92, as designer, local architect Mark Gasenica, and builder Dan Young of Young Construction.
“It ended up being an extremely gratifying, collaborative effort throughout the entire process,” said Gasenica of the planning. “He (the father) was very knowledgeable of the site, and he had a concept of what he wanted the property to look like for his daughter and her husband.”
One of the more unique elements of the design is a series of exposed steel beams that run through the home, visible both on the exterior and interior. The steel beams contrast with reclaimed wooden beams running the opposite direction, sourced from Idaho Glulam out of Carey. The mixing of more contemporary elements with warmer ones is a consistent theme throughout the home: from concrete floors overlaid with custom, brightly colored rugs to the marble island in the kitchen lit from above by golden lighting fixtures and below by floor underlighting.
This subtle mixing of elements to achieve a mountain contemporary look was created by Whitney Geyer of Luna Collab Interiors, who worked with the owners to pick out the elements that make the home both unique and welcoming, from custom furniture to lighting elements that make the home seem to glow at night. “It’s very contemporary, but comfortable—not cold,” said the owner. “I started with wanting a monochromatic look, and then I started to bring in pops of color with the area rugs and some pieces of furniture.”
The home gracefully incorporates the natural surroundings with floor-to-ceiling windows, large decks, a 6-foot-by-12-foot window behind the floating staircase, and sliding doors in the dining room area, which, when opened, create a 12-foot-wide breezeway to the deck. “We tried to get as much open feel as we could, to bring the outdoors in,” said Gasenica.
Landscape architect Kurt Eggers worked carefully with the existing landscape around the home to leave much of the natural vegetation, which was important to the owners.
Sadly, the owner’s father passed away before being able to see the home’s completion in December 2024, a project he referred to as his “swan song.”
“Even though he was 92, my dad had the vision,” said the owner. Ultimately, this home on Juniper Road became a lovely tribute, the vision of a man whose multiple-generational family will enjoy for years to come. ï
THE PROJECT TEAM
Architect
Mark Gasenica
Interior Designer
Owner designed, with Whitney Geyer | Luna Collab Interiors
Landscape Architecture
Kurt Eggers
Builder
Dan Young | Young Construction