This Vermont ski house offers a fabulous escape in the Green Mountains

Aerial front view of modern Vermont ski house with dark siding and gravel driveway surrounded by autumn trees

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This reimagined ski house by architectural studio Birdseye, in collaboration with Brooke Michelsen Design, was rebuilt on its existing foundation on the slopes of Stratton Mountain Resort in southern Vermont. Now encompassing 5,000 square feet, the home replaces a 1960s structure that was beyond repair and reduced to the foundation and first-floor framing before being completely rebuilt.

Thoughtful additions to the original footprint, along with a new landscape and entry auto court, are carefully integrated within the parcel’s wetland buffers. The home takes cues from the scale and architectural language of adjacent mid-century homes.

DESIGN DETAILS

ARCHITECT Birdseye
BUILDER Vermont Barns
INTERIOR DESIGNER Brooke Michelsen Design
ROOFING & SIDING 802 Roofing & Exteriors
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT Wagner Hodgson Landscape Architecture

Front facade of renovated mountain house with dark cladding, gabled roof, and reclaimed wood accents in fall foliage

The main level includes a sunken living room with a wood-burning stove, a kitchen and breakfast area, an owner’s bedroom suite, two ensuite bedrooms, a powder room, a garage, a mudroom, an entry bathroom, an office, and an exercise room.

A Home Built for the Mountain Life

Side view of modern mountain home with weathered wood chevron cladding cantilevered over rocky landscape

The lower walk-out level includes a ski room with direct slope access, a game room, a TV lounge, a bunk room, a bedroom suite, a bathroom, and a laundry area. Exterior spaces include a living room porch, a breakfast terrace, a fire pit, and a hot tub terrace.

A Modern Take on Mid-Century Style

Covered entryway passageway with reclaimed wood ceiling, stacked firewood wall, and chevron-patterned exterior siding

Conceptually, the home’s design draws inspiration from iconic midcentury ski houses, known for their expansive slope-side glazing, gabled roofs, wood siding, and walk-out lower levels. The chalet is composed of two primary gabled volumes clad in natural wood, connected by a perpendicular, contemporary black bar that introduces a more refined, modern contrast.

Dusk view of home's open breezeway entrance with warm interior dining room visible through glass

Repurposed Douglas fir cladding, applied as a chevron-patterned rainscreen, references the material detailing of mid-century architecture while also nodding to the siding pattern of the original structure.

Warm, Locally Crafted Interiors

Modern dining room with white oak ceiling, long white table, globe chandelier, and floor-to-ceiling forest views

The interiors are warm and cohesive, defined by white oak floors, walls, and ceilings. Custom-built doors, bookshelves, kitchen cabinetry, window seats, bunk units, and storage elements are finely crafted and integral to the interior experience. Custom furnishings were created by local artisans, with all interior wood sourced locally from New Hampshire.

Light & Airy Kitchen

Contemporary kitchen with white marble island, light wood cabinetry, sputnik pendant lights, and wraparound forest windows

Sustainable Design

Ecological sensitivity and site integration were integral to the design. Repurposed snow fencing in a chevron pattern clads the exterior as a rainscreen, while weathered siding and deep shadow lines create a dimensional, natural backdrop for the surrounding terrain.

The landscape is composed entirely of native, drought-tolerant plantings that require no irrigation. A rainwater collection system distributes water evenly, mitigating erosion. Reusing the existing concrete foundation and infrastructure helped to minimize material waste and lower the project’s carbon footprint.

High-performance building systems further enhance efficiency, including a fossil fuel-free geothermal HVAC system, triple-pane windows, thermally broken R-40 walls and R-60 roof assemblies, and low-VOC finishes. A mechanical fresh air exchanger, LED lighting, and operable windows with solar shading enhance the indoor experience.

Kitchen interior with marble waterfall island, bar stools, white oak cabinets, and panoramic garden windows

What We Love About This Home

What we love most about this home is how the architecture honors its mid-century roots while feeling completely of the moment, the chevron-patterned repurposed Douglas fir cladding being a perfect example. Inside, the commitment to locally sourced white oak on the floors, walls, and ceilings creates an enveloping warmth that feels genuinely crafted rather than decorated. The way the lower level opens directly onto the ski run makes this home feel less like a structure placed on the mountain and more like a natural extension of it.

Tell Us: What details do you love most in this reimagined Vermont ski house? Let us know in the Comments below. We enjoy reading your feedback!

Note: Check out a couple of other amazing home tours that we have showcased here on One Kindesign in the state of Vermont: A peek inside this luxury dream home in Vermont’s Green Mountains and A modern Scandinavian house with amazing Green Mountain views in Vermont.

Kitchen detail showing black faucet, white quartz countertops, light wood cabinetry, and open shelving with forest views

Cozy breakfast nook with round table, tan leather chairs, black wood-burning stove, and wraparound windows overlooking trees

Living room with floor-to-ceiling glass walls, freestanding wood stove, leather lounge chairs, and paper lantern pendant

Open-plan living area with vaulted wood ceiling, large sectional sofa, globe pendant light, and views into kitchen

Home office with built-in wood desk, floating shelves, two iMacs, and garden-view window

Powder room with bold teal geometric wallpaper, mint concrete wall-mounted sink, brass mirror, and matte black fixtures

Owner’s Bedroom Suite

Primary bedroom with vaulted white oak ceiling, upholstered headboard, built-in wardrobe, and abstract green artwork

Primary bedroom sitting area with white bouclé chairs, freestanding fireplace, and gabled floor-to-ceiling forest windows

Primary en-suite bathroom with freestanding soaking tub, double oak vanity, black fixtures, and gold-framed mirrors

Guest Bedrooms & Bathrooms

Guest bedroom with built-in oak nook, linen upholstered bed, black wall sconce, and black-framed windows overlooking autumn trees

Bathroom vanity with floating black stone sink, round mirror, pendant light, and light oak storage drawers

Built-in oak bunk beds with black metal ladder, individual reading lights, and large forest-view windows

Modern bathroom with vertical white tile, frameless glass shower, floating oak vanity, and black fixtures

Guest bedroom with bouclé arched headboard, wall-mounted reading lamps, abstract artwork, and wide forest-view window

Guest bathroom with white stacked tile, built-in oak shelving niche, marble vanity top, and black fixtures

Game Room & Lower Level

Lower level lounge with colorful circle pop art, gray sectional, dog on couch, and billiard room beyond

Game room with pool table, sculptural wood pendant lamp, built-in bench seating, and oak staircase

Mudroom & Ski Room

Mudroom hallway with built-in oak lockers, coat hooks, shoe storage, and recessed lighting leading to ski room

Ski mudroom with built-in oak cubbies, benches, ski and snowboard storage, helmets, and wood pivot front door

Exterior & Twilight Views

Twilight exterior of ski house with illuminated living room visible through floor-to-ceiling gabled windows

The two cantilevered gables overlook the adjacent ski run, hovering above the rugged landscape, while the lower walk-out level integrates seamlessly into the sloping topography. A storefront glazing system and refined panel detailing, paired with natural wood cladding, establish a grounded yet contemporary architectural language.

Dusk exterior view of mountain home with glowing interior lights, chevron wood cladding, and tall gabled windows