My Modern Mountain
Full Remodel + Addition
This was our family home and we outgrew it.
Tucked between two mountains, the house had beautiful bones but felt smaller than our life inside it.
Light was fleeting. Spaces were tight. And as our children grew, it became clear that the home needed to adapt and not just aesthetically, but emotionally.
I wanted a house that felt expansive, connected to nature, and capable of evolving alongside us.
The Challenge
We were working with a narrow lot and limited natural light, boxed in by hills on both sides. The challenge wasn’t scale, it was perception.
How do you make a modest home feel generous, calm, and open without losing its sense of refuge?
At the same time, this needed to be a home that could flex. Bedrooms that once held toys would soon need quiet work zones. Gathering spaces had to support both chaos and calm. Nothing could be precious. Everything had to live well.
The approach
Light became our starting point. We added windows, doors, so many doors, and skylights wherever we could. Each bedroom now opens to its own patio, dissolving the line between inside and out. The house not only receives more light but it also feels lighter.
I selected materials to ground the home in its setting. Stone from the exterior carries into the entry, echoing the hillside beyond. Warm woods, layered textures, and an earthy palette create a sense of ease rather than polish.
The kitchen became the heart of everything, designed with double islands to support meal prep, homework, snacks, lingering conversations. Bedrooms were designed to evolve, growing quieter and more personal as the kids did. And our primary suite became a true sanctuary where we retreat and recharge.
Throughout the home, personal history sings quietly: salvaged doors from our old Vermont farmhouse, Scottish plaids from my trips to Edinburgh, gallery walls that reflect back memories and moments that define us. Nothing added for effect. Everything rooted in resonance.
The Result
The house feels serene, open, and fully loved. It adapts as we do, offering space when life is full and refuge when it’s not. It’s sprawling, but not showy. It's proud but understated, grounded in its environment and purpose. It’s where we feel our best selves.
Living here for the past few years has reinforced something I believe deeply: the most successful homes aren’t static. They ignite a desire to live a little more fully into our potential. They grow, shift, and hold space for who we are and who we’re becoming.
Client Quote
“I can imagine no greater gift than what Courtney created for us here. At times it still feels surreal that this is ours to call home. In quiet, everyday moments - listening to our kids talk, play, and joke - I realize how much the way we live has expanded.
We live into every inch of the house and the outdoors, and watching our kids grow into the space and make it their own has been a great privilege and joy.”
The Invitation
This isn’t design for display. It’s design that stays with you. We know that every project holds more than plans and materials. It holds story, emotion and life unfolding. We begin by listening for it.
