In Lake Tahoe, a 1969 A-Frame Gets a Thoughtful Update
Curtis Popp believes in the power of editing. As partner in Sacramento-based Popp Littrell Architects & Interiors, he knows that some projects require gut renovation and that, in some situations, new construction makes good sense. But for his own vacation house, a charming 1969 A-frame situated on Lake Tahoe, he opted for a light, thoughtful approach. He explains it this way: "We wanted to eliminate the things that weren’t working and exploit the things that were."
When he bought it in 2011, there were many things to love about the cedar-hewn retreat, dubbed Homewood. Still, there was work to be done before his wife and two children would be comfortable in the two-story two-bedroom. The goal was to usher the place into the 21st century without sacrificing the funky modernism that'd initially attracted him. "If it ended up feeling too slick, it would be out of place," Popp says, acknowledging the casual rusticity of the California countryside.
Previous owners had added superfluous touches, including a decorative foam anchor on the roof. That was among the first things to go, followed soon after by the doilies that had been on the windows. The windows themselves were aluminum, and Popp swapped those out with wood-framed replacements that not only perform better in terms of efficiency, but also complement the wood paneling that covers all of the walls—and even the ceilings—of the A-frame interior.
While the floor plan remains true to the original program, Popp re-did the bathrooms and kitchen. In the latter space, he chose small, European-made appliances, because in such a compact home, he feared that full-size appliances would leave the kitchen out of scale with the other rooms. The "micro" refrigerator, dishwasher, and range fully integrate with the cabinetry, allowing more real estate for countertops while minimizing the visual weight of the kitchen overall.
Another of Popp’s successful editorial gestures is the color scheme, what he likes to call "chocolate and peanut butter." It's a combination of matte black trim and the "pecky" cedar that so defines the home, past and present. In discussing Homewood, Popp reserves a sense of humor, for as much as A-frames are practical in design, they also possess an uncommon degree of personality. As Popp quips, "They keep the snow off the roof, but they make people smile, too."
Somehow, given all the work that's gone on, Homewood looks like it’s barely been touched. "It’s a respectful update of a period A-frame," according to Popp. And if that's true, then it's only because the home's editor respected the original building enough to make only the most thoughtful changes.
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