Idaho is experiencing a flurry of growth not seen since the gold rush days of the late 1800s, and nowhere is that growth more evident than in the building and design industry. To meet the demands of discerning homeowners, local builders, architects, and interior designers have had to explore innovative ways to bring increased creativity, comfort, and functionality to their designs. Here’s a roundup of some of the trends on the horizon for the coming year—everything from basic building and design trends to smart and sustainable new technologies that enhance the spaces we call home.
Photo: Gabe Border
Seamless Transitions
Blur the lines between the interior and exterior of a home by using high quality glazing with minimal framework. “Formulating finishes that can be used in interior and exterior applications leads to seamless transitions,” says Jennifer Hoey of Jennifer Hoey Interior Design. “In this application, we wanted to mirror the tones of the pale European oak flooring with the rustic oak on the ceiling
and soffit.”
Why debate form over function? You can have both. This home was designed to highlight the views toward Bald Mountain, while the structure is capable of carrying the force of an avalanche safely. Built into the adjacent bedrock, the cantilevered roof allows for full viewing and maximizes natural light with floor-to-ceiling glass lift and slide doors.
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Architect
FARMER PAYNE ARCHITECTS
Interior Design
JENNIFER HOEY INTERIOR DESIGN
Spectacular Canyon Rim Pool
A swimming pool in a new home on the edge of the Snake River Gorge in Kimberly, Idaho, was custom designed specifically for the site in collaboration with the architect, construction team and the homeowners.
“The pool was designed as the centerpiece of the home,” says architect Jeff Williams. This concept was pivotal to the design and central to fit and lifestyle of the homeowners, a husband and wife team of successful physicians.
The rocky bluff could have presented a challenge, but the experienced team at Infinity Pools worked closely with all parties during the entire excavation, installation, and construction process to ensure a successful project.
Located opposite the entry door, the home wraps around the pool, with the living room on one side and the master suite on the other. The axis of the pool points directly at Twin Falls (the waterfall on the Snake River) and toward Mount Harrison in the northern Albion Mountains. The courtyard design helps shelter the pool and courtyard from the elements, creating a welcome oasis at the end of the day. An added bonus: the light from the pool shimmers on the master bedroom ceiling, creating an ethereal glow.
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Architect
WILLIAMS PARTNERS
Pool Construction
INFINITY POOLS
Art Meets Function
Bill Amaya, owner of Beyond Wood in Hailey, Idaho, describes his job as “dream realization”—using both cutting-edge technology and over 45 years of experience in hands-on, traditional old-world wood craftsmanship techniques to turn design ideas into reality.
“If you can dream it, we can design it,” Amaya says. “We are using digital measuring technology to take traditional materials and use them in totally new ways.” One of the latest additions is the stunning sculptural bench and tree, each of which is modeled and built using precise digital measuring and modeling technology and then designed by Amaya in organic and rolling shapes that become a work of art. There are hundreds of pieces in each design, and each piece has its own slot, fitting into one another and becoming self-locking once assembled.
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Design / Production
BEYOND WOOD