Your home is an oasis, and it’s only as inviting and relaxing as you create it to be. You chose the mood, the vibe, the ambiance. Is it cool and comfortable? Mod and chic? Warm and cozy? An art museum with a boho feel? Whatever the vibe you want to come home to, it’s not an easy feat to create a space that embodies your muchness. We found the perfect space to create a mountain modern landscape home, tucked away in the charming village of Warren, Vermont, just a mile from the sweet slopes of Sugarbush.
Starting from scratch isn’t easy, and one of the hardest parts of a home renovation is knowing what brands to trust and finding those boutique companies to really help take your space from cookie cutter to luxuriously unique. So, we’ve done the hard work for you and found the absolute crème de la crème brands to work with from who should be designing your cabinetry (Bellmont!) to gallery wall experts and every step in between.
DINING ROOM
A dining room is special. Too often we get lost in the bustle of grab and go, or the go-to TV dinner that we’re all guilty of once in a while. But having a separate space, dedicated solely to breaking bread with friends and family, it’s important. And necessary to make a space feel like a home. For our dining room we worked with Framebridge to create a stunning gallery wall—their in-house design team takes your artwork, designs a few different options and sends you layout ideas so there’s no guesswork involved (and no oops moments).
Urban Wood Goods created the inviting heirloom quality farm table with reclaimed wood, old-growth lumber, originally sawn from some of the first forests to be harvested in the late 1800’s. We went for the clear finish to show off the imperfections and character of the wood, but Urban Wood Goods is very customizable. Agate slices from Rock On Omaha are a gorgeous alternative to clunky traditional trivets, and handmade wooden salt and pepper shakers from G3 Studios blow away any typical store bought set.
Since we’re doing a Vermont renovation, it was only fitting to outfit the table with local pottery artists James and Zoe Zilian of Farmhouse Pottery. New England natives with a sharp eye for design and functionality, their vision to craft pottery with authenticity and character comes through with every plate and bowl. Nothing is mass-produced, and everything down to the glaze James dips his pots in and the clay it’s created from is hand made with locally sourced ingredients. Its farm to table before the food even arrives. Forged stainless steel knives with ox horn handles from Italian knife specialists Saladini completes the table.
Remember that scene in Iron Man where Robert Downey Jr. wakes up to perfect synchronization of his drapes showing off the sunrise? Well, we did, and we wanted that power. We turned to drapery experts Graber and motorized specialists Somfy to create stunning window treatments that set the mood with a single tap of an iPhone.
Lighting is key. That can’t be stressed enough. It doesn’t matter how nice the furniture is or how expensive the kitchen renovation was, if your light fixtures lack style so will the space. Hudson Valley Lighting creates fixtures that transform a home, becoming so much more than functional light. They work on the concept that decorative lighting allows the “original phenomena” to discover its most enthralling potential when it is designed to enhance the warmth and comfort of home, while simultaneously serving as a focal point of style and self-expression.
KITCHEN
What makes a kitchen a kitchen? It’s the gathering place where many a cocktail party is spent with shakers of G&T’s, where cheese is sliced and enjoyed, where chefs wipe their flour caked hands and smile with satisfaction. The core of this room, the skeleton and skin of the being is the cabinetry. It can make or break the entire design, so we were extraordinarily picky when choosing a cabinetry company. Luckily, we found Bellmont.
Bellmont Cabinet Company is a 30 year old family-owned Washington state luxury cabinet manufacturer dedicated to product innovation, timeless and trend setting styles, and functionality meeting the needs of today’s lifestyles. They have a fantastic line of customizable products and truly talented in-house design team who work hand in hand to make sure your vision comes to life exactly as you imagined (and then some). These guys are not the traditional type—they love to get as creative as possible and produce a kitchen that’s functional and a work of art.
In keeping of the tradition of creating a unique and luxurious cooking space, we wanted to go above and beyond the typical granite countertop. There had to be more than these polished stone surfaces to be found in every single home in America. NeoLith is a revolutionary compact surface that combines high performance specs, trendy colors, large format and variable thicknesses that will provide solutions for every possible application (counter tops, flooring, bathrooms, paneling, cladding, facades). Looks stunning like marble, granite, quartz, etc. but without the scratching or staining and is fire resistant. Put a blow torch to the test and go crazy. It’s unreal. Since it’s a fairly new product with exact precision needed, find a fabricator like Burlington Marble & Granite who really knows what they’re doing. These guys were experts who know how to handle a complicated layout and install absolutely seamlessly.
The other important focal points? Appliances and their accessories. The range hood is an often overlooked accessory, something that seems strictly functional—sure, it’s a way to keep the smoke alarm going off and still get that smoky char on your filet mignon, but it quickly turns into a noisy eyesore if you don’t pick the right piece. Rangecraft create superquiet custom hoods that become the focal point of the kitchen and are the jewelry of the kitchen.
Finishing touches? Going for hand painted cement tiles from clé tile to form an artistic surface so even your slippers will be encompassed by artisan luxury.
A farmhouse sink and pro faucet from DXV by American Standard helps to melt the modern and rustic ambiance.
Subway tile is so basic—we kicked it up a notch with a new take on the classic clean look, beautiful beveled tiles from Oceanside Glasstile that shimmers when the sun sets behind the mountain and gives the space a welcome respite from patterns and activity. We threw in a retro Mad Men inspired Crosley Telephone—Betty Draper never answers, but it sure looks good.
We can all agree the age of the Keurig is ending right? We enjoyed the convenience but are over the plastic cups—but we still yearn for the barista in your kitchen vibe at 6am when your brain is extra fuzzy and you definitely aren’t suitable for public appearance yet. Few machines can create that experience, but the Jura J95 Carbon Espresso Machine does it with a bit of magic. Seamlessly and with a surprising amount of ease you can make espresso to rival most restaurants, and move on to cappuccino and macchiato addictions.
There’s more to appliances than the typical Home Depot brands—European boutique style dishwashers, refrigerators, and stoves from Blomberg are all made with incredible attention to detail and customized to your space. Blomberg is a German brand that’s been around since 1883, and their quality shows—these are not your average appliances.
LIVING ROOM
A few touches that took our living room from just an ordinary space to a cozy inviting room includes incredible solid doorknobs from Baldwin Hardware, hand-carved custom doors from Simpson, a plaster moose head affectionately named ‘Elber’ from White Faux Taxidermy, a pair of authentic vintage skis from Vintage Ski (because, Vermont) and last but definitely not least, an incredible piece of art in the form of functional seating from France & Son.
France and Son specialize in reproducing classic, mid-century modern designs, and strive to stay as close to the original specifications and materials as possible. The Hoop chair design epitomizes Hans Wegners philosophy that good craftsmanship and good workmanship go hand in hand.
The sleek and solid doorknobs are from Baldwin, a century old company that focuses on quality. From using the finest materials to crafting our hardware by hand, they are committed to creating high-quality hardware that not only looks beautiful and flawless but also endures the rigors of time.
There’s no point in putting on doorknobs like that without a fantastic door to attach to. Simpson has been making doors within the forests of Washington state since 1912, and it’s a team effort requiring creativity, engineering, innovation and experience. It’s the small details that make a difference and add a touch of joy to something as simple as opening a door.
Art always help to cement a room’s focus—and custom artwork even more so. We worked with Aidan Cho to create a piece that encompassed the natural splendor of Vermont’s mountains with the abstract mountain modern take on the place. He really listens to your vision, works with you throughout the entire process, and helps bring your idea to life bigger and better than you ever imagined.
Also, organization is always an issue—rooms don’t stay empty, and the more lived-in they get, the messier they become. C’est la vie. Steele Canvas Baskets are a really cool way to keep the mess out and still look good.
A cozy blanket from Tourance is also a must – soft, sumptuous blankets that look stunning and keep you swathed in luxury. No need to sacrifice style for comfort here.
Vintage Ski World owner Richard Allen began collecting skis and other gear in the late 1980’s, including a pair of handmade Norwegian wooden skis that his grandfather used in the early 1900’s. Since skiing is a 7,000 year old sport, that’s actually not that old.
Plenty old enough to make it into the antiques category, and the perfect display of sport and vintage décor.
Above the skis and mantle sits our faux moose. The moose, also known as an ‘elk’ in Eastern Europe (which is in stark contrast to the North American Elk; related to deer), are large, powerful and mostly peaceful animals. However, they are highly protective of their offspring and family.
Aptly named ‘Elber’, he adds a piece of nature to the home as a symbol of unity and tranquility. The ‘faux’ taxidermy isn’t every hunter’s cup of tea, but perfect for those at capacity for real animals and looking for something a little unique.
Oh, and a ski home is not complete without a sweet dog to have fun in the snow and keep your feet warm at night.
Sir Frankenstein gave this super luxe dog bed from Posh 365 a thorough testing for us, and the results were loud and clear—it’s the best damn bed a dog can ask for.
BATHROOM
Your bathroom can be your own personal retreat. It’s a place to lock the door, take a deep breath, and close your eyes. Run the water and ignore the real world from under the escape of bubbles and rosemary scented salts. It’s a sacred space that can be yours and yours alone when necessary.
Having said that, when creating, renovating or just finding the home of your dreams it’s pretty important to make sure the bathroom has everything it needs to be that getaway space for you. Floor to ceiling Carrera marble, state of the art toilet that plays music, heats your tush and is basically a robot, Kohler showerheads reminiscent of the rainforest, those all are important.
We used gorgeous Carrera marble from Daltile for the luxury wall treatment, with matching floor tile and detail pieces from Builder Depot—they have you send a photo of the tile in hand to them so they can make sure it’s a seamless match. Tile Redi creates pre-made shower pans that save you the hassle of having a contractor build one on site, saving time and money, and utilizing technology that ensures no water damage and showcases a sexy hidden drain. You can’t enjoy the -18 degree weather with cold toes, so a heated floor mat from Warmly Yours is a necessity.
The crème de la crème of this small but spa like space is Kohler’s Numi toilet. The Numi’s design reflects a furniture aesthetic, creating an original toilet profile. A distinctive, pared-down vision blended with personal technology will impress the most technologically savvy user, while the interface provides an easy-to-use experience for just about any member of the family. It’s the most fun you can have in a bathroom.
A stunningly modern vanity with coordinating Carrera marble sink and quiet close drawers from Virtu finish the space with elegance and clean lines.
A renovation is what you make it. It’s always going to be a little messy, a little beyond deadline, and a little crazy. But at the end of the day, you have made something beautiful. You’ve taken a shelter and turned it into a home. Worth it? Absolutely. Would we do it again? Maybe…
