Curtis Popp includes a great deal of love and respect for the quirky small cottages in the woods at Lake Tahoe’s western border. “Lots of Swiss and German folks settled in this area and added their contemporary spin on Hansel and Gretel–ish information, like the railings on our balcony,” says the owner of architect and design company Popp Littrell Architecture + Interiors. These types of special details are what drew him into his rustic A-frame holiday cottage, which he recently remodeled in a way that honored its 1969 pedigree, celebrated the spirit of Tahoe and retained the personality of this fairytale-like original.
“We did not want a showplace. These were kit houses back in the ’60s, and people either constructed them from scratch with help from pals or hired builders,” Popp says. “This includes some funkiness and quirks; they aren’t perfect, but what they did worked.”
in a Glance
Who lives here: Here is actually the second home of a couple having a daughter (11) and a son (9)
Location: Homewood, California (western side of Lake Tahoe)
Size: About 1,200 square feet; 2 bedrooms, 1 1/2 bathrooms
Year constructed: 1969
Popp Littrell Architecture + Interiors
Whether it’s ski season or boating season, or else they just want to go exploring in the woods, Popp and his household jump in the vehicle in their home town of Sacramento, California, and drive two hours to this woodsy retreat on Lake Tahoe for weekend fun. Each family has a matching white and black canvas bag monogrammed with “Tahoe” they catch as they head outside the doorway.
The home retains its timeless Tahoe 1960s A-frame character, with original alpine balcony railings and wavy glass on either side of the front doorway. The signal on the balcony is out of Popp’s family’s prior cottage at the exact same area.
Popp Littrell Architecture + Interiors
The original layout in the kitchen has been absolutely functional, but Popp got rid of the obsolete appliances, countertops and upper cabinets. Eliminating the upper cabinets and incorporating the fridge and dishwasher into the cabinetry gave the little space a much more streamlined and open look.
He picked small and efficient European-style appliances to the tight space, such as a 24-inch oven, a 24-inch fridge along with an 18-inch dishwasher.
Before Photo
BEFORE: Popp worked with the original paneling and beams, as well as the caramel and brown colour.
Popp Littrell Architecture + Interiors
AFTER: Popp maintainedsome of this throwback vibe but still allow some of those contemporary elements stick out.
Popp purchased the stools by a buddy.
Popp Littrell Architecture + Interiors
Popp also purchased the black tubular chairs and coffee table from the exact same friend. In fact, he predicts the furniture set a result of “a lot of hand-me-down hustling.”
Popp Littrell Architecture + Interiors
In addition to the items he scooped up out of his pal, he inherited a number of items from his late mother, such as the Eames dining room set, a queen-size bed and a lamp.
The fireplace had been redone from the ’70s with an extremely dated rock look, therefore Popp upgraded it with tiles out of Heath Ceramics. “The colour of the tiles is called Cedar, and it’s an almost-perfect game for your paneling,” he states.
Popp had the exact same cabinetmaker who worked on the kitchen make four coordinating dresser components that fit between the beams. The one shown here serves as a pub, another stores media equipment, and two upstairs are traditionally used for clothing.
The piece onto the mantel is by Sacramento artist and friend Michael Stevens.
Light fixture: Modo, Roll & Hill
Popp Littrell Architecture + Interiors
Popp removed shag carpets on the stairs and planed the original wood planks to wash them up.
Before Photo
BEFORE: There wasn’t much charm from the original full bath upstairs, therefore Popp believed it a blank cavas.
Popp Littrell Architecture + Interiors
AFTER: He picked a dark slate to the floor and walls. “This is an excellent, relatively cheap product from Daltile that comes laid out on net,” he describes. The sealant on the shower includes a sheen that gives it a moist look and is easy to wash. The closets on the left hide a washer and dryer.
Popp Littrell Architecture + Interiors
In the master bedroom, a contemporary platform bed is just another hand-me-down from Popp’s mother. He had a black and white gingham slipcover made to your headboard to “cottage it up,” he states.
“I am 6 foot, 2 inches tall, and this is unquestionably a tight space,” he states. “But when you’re lying in bed and you look up in the cathedral ceiling, then it feels good and just right.”
Popp Littrell Architecture + Interiors
Light fixtures out of Roll & Hill include personality. “They’ve great fixtures, like antlers and balls, that add whimsical rustic contemporary touches,” Popp says.
The designer invested in appliances that will last and light fixtures that wow, while saving money with hand-me-downs and Ikea furniture.
Popp Littrell Architecture + Interiors
The glass triangles you see here are original; the glass will be the same as on the sides of the house’s front door.
Popp Littrell Architecture + Interiors
The children share a room with crisp white and black gingham duvet covers.
Beds: Malm; Ikea
Popp Littrell Architecture + Interiors
A rear deck offers views of the surrounding woods.
Popp Littrell Architecture + Interiors
The remodeled home is well suited to contemporary family life. “Because it’s small, it’s easy to clean up quickly in the end of the weekend and go,” Popp says.
Chairs: PS Vågö, Ikea
