Better Homes & Gardens 4 Opening Rustic Windowpane Collage Frame

Karyn R. Millet

For a California vacation home near Lake Tahoe, designer Matt O'Dorisio subverts mountain chalet clichés.

DAVID A. KEEPS: We're deep in the woods here, but this home avoids log-cabin stereotypes. How did you bring such sophistication to a house in the middle of a pine forest?

MATT O'DORISIO: Mountain homes are often wood and stacked stone. Here, we really restrained the rustic elements. Where there are reclaimed-wood ceilings and beams, we created contrast by painting walls in a crisp, clean white. Since this is a year-round vacation home for a young family, we used furniture that wasn't too precious along with all-weather fabrics like linen. It's a breath of fresh air in a place where many homes are brown on top of brown on top of green, with velvet sofas and fur pillows.

Where is this getaway?

In a private community near Lake Tahoe. There's skiing in winter; golf, tennis and the lake in summer; and tons of activities for kids. It's reminiscent of a 1950s Catskills camp, like the one in the movieDirty Dancing — except everyone here has giant 8,000-square-foot homes.

Wow. Why so big?

A lot of these houses were built to accommodate more than just one family. These clients have three young kids and love to host extended family and friends. But the wife didn't want it to feel like a ski lodge or an opulent hotel. It's casual and fun; they have a dog, and there are always kids running around playing music and games.

Karyn R. Millet

Looks like they love to cook, too.

Absolutely. There's an outdoor living and dining area with heaters and a fireplace so they can be outside in winter. I've been to summer parties where she used the deck as a casual bar and buffet, and then we dined inside. The kitchen and dining area is one gigantic room, easily 500 square feet and the heart of the house. They can seat 30 for Thanksgiving.

The kitchen marries town and country. What went into that balancing act?

With a white marble island and backsplash, white cabinetry could have looked too urban. I grew up spending summers in Lake Tahoe: In this area, dark-stained cabinets are so overused. Instead, we painted the cabinets Farrow & Ball's Pigeon, a green-gray that reflects the organic surroundings. In such a tremendous kitchen, I didn't want sparkly lights. The pendants have a zinc finish, adding texture and age. And the counter stools have leather seats and exposed brackets — it's polished, but with a little bit of rawness so the kitchen doesn't come across as city-slick.

Is that a breakfast booth under the stairs?

Actually, it's a game nook. This family loves jigsaw puzzles. It's also a great spot to sit with your laptop if you want to get some work done, since it's tucked away but centrally located in the middle of the house, near the living room.

Karyn R. Millet

How do you make a two-story living room human in scale, not grand?

In a large room, I don't like oversize or overly tall furniture. To keep the room feeling low, I chose horizontal stripes for the upholstery to mimic the walls' tongue-and-groove wood paneling. Using one enormous 16-by-24-foot jute carpet with two antique rugs on top created two separate seating areas that are more intimate. The room has motorized window shades, but I was adamant about putting up curtains, which help make the massive space cozier.

It's not cabin-fever decor by any stretch, but I do see a few sly nods to the setting.

It might sound hokey, but if you want bear-shaped salt-and-pepper shakers on your table, the mountains are the place to do it. In the master bedroom, which has a soft Santa Barbara vibe, an antler chandelier is a wink to where we are. When you are surrounded by gorgeous pine trees, you don't need to hit people across the face with color.

In that case, how do you explain the pink and green bunk rooms?

Okay, we were a little sneaky. Kids' rooms can take a lot of color, so rather than a classic knotty pine, the boys' room is green with orange accents and stripes. It feels playful, almost 1960s Italian. The girl's room had a reclaimed-wood ceiling; I didn't know how to make that seem girly. So I said, "Let's try pink." The client looked at me like I was nuts. I even had to agree in writing that I'd pay to repaint the room if they didn't like it. They never did take me up on that.

See more photos of this gorgeous home »

This story originally appeared in the October 2016 issue of House Beautiful.

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