An extraordinary mountain lodge style house with dreamy views of Lake Tahoe

Mountain lodge home exterior with stone entry, timber gable and winding path through pine trees

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DNM Architecture, together with Andrea Lackie Design, has remodeled this dreamy mountain lodge-style house into a family retreat on the shores of Lake Tahoe, Nevada. Originally built in the 1940s and altered in the 1980s, this vacation home has been in the family for decades but was in dire need of modernization.

The upper floor features a timbered great room with a granite fireplace, flanked by four guest bedroom suites and a kitchen. The lower floor contained two more bedroom suites, a small media room, a sauna, a laundry, and … boulders! Continue below to see the before images and floor plans.

Project Overview
Home Type: 1940s cabin
Intended For: An extended family vacation retreat
Setting: Incline Village, Nevada, on the scenic shores of Lake Tahoe
Size: 4,000 square feet (372 square meters), six bedrooms, 6½ bathrooms

DESIGN DETAILS

ARCHITECTURE DNM Architecture
INTERIOR DESIGNAndrea Lackie Design
CONSTRUCTION Sawtooth Builders
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS DEI Engineers
PLANNING Ogilvy Consulting
KITCHEN Design Henrybuilt

Living room with soaring timber trusses, lake views through triangular gable window

While remodeling took place throughout the house, a few major design moves define this project.

The kitchen was gutted and expanded into a former bar area. A false ceiling was removed and replaced by tongue and groove cedar planking to complement the living room ceiling. Henrybuilt designed and supplied semi-custom Walnut cabinetry.
The downstairs walls were removed, and a new, modern floating staircase was installed to expose the boulders and create a new media room and lounge. A glass floor at the top of the stairs dramatically highlights the boulder below.
An expansive deck with lake views was added, connected to the lower lounge. Planters and an out of date metal rail on the upper roof deck were also replaced by new glass railing to open up lake views.
The four very compact guest baths were completely remodeled with new shallow, custom wall-mount vanities, fixtures, and tile to create an integrated, highly efficient space.
In addition to the architectural changes, extensive foundation repairs were performed, windows and doors were replaced with energy-efficient units, and new HVAC systems were installed to save energy and improve comfort.

While enjoying updated interiors and a new “boulder room” and deck, the home retains its essential Tahoe lodge character, connecting its context and its past with the needs of its current and future occupants.

Lodge living room with exposed timber trusses, antique painting and golden retriever on sofa

What We Love About This House

This home is a beautiful tribute to family traditions and collections, enhancing the original structure rather than replacing it. It fits naturally within its stunning setting without overwhelming it, and the exposed interior boulders are celebrated as sculptural focal points. The owners’ existing furniture and objects integrate seamlessly into the design, while warm timber, layered textures, and lake views create a grounded, inviting retreat. Absolutely fabulous!

Tell Us: What details in this home renovation project do you love most, and what would you like to have seen done differently? Let us know in the Comments below!

Note: Be sure to check out a couple of other fascinating home tours that we have featured here on One Kindesign in the state of California: Dreamy mountain chalet in the pristine beauty of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and Mountain modern house nestled on an idyllic forested property in Lake Tahoe.

Great room with stone fireplace, exposed timber trusses and built-in bookshelves

Above: Opposite the sweeping lake views, a rugged stone fireplace anchors the space, flanked by the home’s main entry on one side and the wife’s office on the other.

Reading nook with striped armchair, built-in bookshelves and mountain landscape painting

Above: This once-frilly chair was updated with a more streamlined aesthetic after its outdated skirt and back cushion were removed. Reupholstered in a textured blue-gray striped fabric, it’s paired with a floor lamp and a painting from the homeowners’ collection to form a cozy reading nook.

Home Office

Wood-paneled home library with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and antique writing desk

Above: In the wife’s office, the desk and chair were already existing in the home, with the chair being reupholstered in new leather. The existing built-ins were reclad in walnut with flat panel doors to echo the kitchen. The pieces that fill the shelves are books and momentos the owners already had, rearranged to give them a new life.

Cozy wood-paneled home library with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, antique iron desk, brass lamp, and forest window view

Lodge-style great room with soaring timber truss ceiling, iron hardware, stone fireplace, and lake views through large windows

Stone fireplace framed by timber posts with pinecone basket and coffee table books in rustic lodge living room

Dramatic timber A-frame gable window framing pine trees and Lake Tahoe, flanked by rustic beam ceiling and table lamps

Above: Glass railings on the remodeled deck help to keep the views from the great room open.

Looking up at dramatic exposed timber roof trusses with iron gusset plates in cathedral-ceiling lodge living room

Beautiful Walnut Clad Kitchen

Walnut kitchen with vaulted ceiling, marble island and stacked pendant lights

Above: A 2K polyurethane finish was applied to the walnut cabinetry that was custom fabricated by Henrybuilt. This provides added protection against everyday wear, including steam in the frequently used kitchen.

Kitchen cooking wall with walnut cabinetry, marble slab backsplash, white plaster range hood, and induction cooktop

Floor-to-ceiling walnut pantry cabinet with black hardware, marble island in foreground, opening to living room beyond

Kitchen looking toward breakfast nook with arched gable window framing pine trees and lake, walnut cabinetry and marble island

Dining nook detail with brass ring pendant, arched gable window framing pine trees and glimpse of Lake Tahoe beyond

Dining room with round black pedestal table, vaulted ceiling and lake view window seat

Above: In the dining area, antique chairs were reupholstered in Perennials fabric, partially surrounding a custom oval table from Loggia in San Francisco, which anchors the space. A nearby window seat provides an inviting spot to hang out long after meals.

Bedroom With A View

Bedroom with lake view window seat, vaulted ceiling, brass chandelier and antique dresser

Above: The homeowners’ extensive collection of family heirloom furnishings can be found throughout the home. An antique chandelier, once in the living room, found new life in one of the four upstairs bedrooms. The ceiling is clad in the same wood used in the kitchen. The color palette was inspired by the surrounding water and sky views.

Floating marble vanity with wall-mount bronze faucets and full-width mirror cabinet

Above: In the owner’s bathroom, a push-panel mirrored cabinet (the two in the center conceal medicine cabinets) above the quartzite slab sink, along with custom walnut shelving, provides space-saving storage. Measuring just 6 feet wide and 40 inches deep, the compact space is carefully optimized, with a 10-inch-deep vanity paired with wall-mounted faucets to maximize functionality.

Twin bedroom with dark teal upholstered beds, forest view window and shared nightstand

Above: In this guest bedroom, two full-size beds are paired with custom headboards upholstered in a deep-blue nubby fabric and dark wood trim. The lamp is from Rejuvenation.

Bathroom vanity with marble countertop, walnut paneling and walk-in rain shower

Lower-Level Entertainment Spaces

Large granite boulder incorporated into interior staircase landing, dramatically lit from below with warm uplighting

The walk-out lower level includes a media room, the boulder room, a guest suite, and a compact powder room.

Granite boulders built into lower-level interior, with floating oak staircase and black steel railing alongside

Floating oak staircase with LED step lighting, black steel balusters, and wood handrail in mountain lodge home

Close-up of cantilevered oak stair treads with integrated LED lighting and black steel mono-stringer construction

Bird's-eye view looking down through glass floor panel at illuminated floating staircase below

Multi-level interior view of floating staircase, granite boulders, and lower-level living area in Lake Tahoe lodge

Lower level sitting area with green boucle sofa and floating oak staircase with steel railing

Sitting room with teal leather chairs and massive granite boulders incorporated into interior

Three teal Le Corbusier chairs and orange coffee table surrounded by granite boulders indoors

Above: Semi-concealed boulders anchor the lower level, where custom shelving showcases minerals and shells collected by the homeowner’s father. Le Corbusier chairs rest on oak flooring, their clean lines complementing the cool bluish tones of the exposed stone.

Lower-level lounge with massive granite boulders, teal leather Le Corbusier chairs, and walnut mineral display niche

Above: The house was built atop and around massive boulders, a hallmark of homes from this period in the area. The design further exposed the natural stone, carefully executed to ensure the home remained fully sealed from the elements. Subtle uplights set within the gravel bed illuminate the rock formations at night.

Moody Powder Room

Dramatic powder room with dark textured walls, brass vessel sink and amber glass pendants

Above: This dark, moody powder room features a plaster wall treatment. The pendant lights from De Sousa Hughes illuminate a sculptural patinaed metal sink from Stone Forest set within a beautiful custom walnut vanity.

View from living room window seat through triangular gable window to lakeside terrace with dining set and Lake Tahoe beyond

Deck With Views of Lake Tahoe

Mountain lodge home exterior deck overlooking Lake Tahoe

Mountain lodge home exterior deck with outdoor furniture overlooking Lake Tahoe

Above: A second-story deck with a glass balustrade was added to the home, extending the living space outdoors, preserving uninterrupted views of Lake Tahoe.

Mountain lodge home exterior deck with outdoor furniture and a hot tub overlooking Lake Tahoe