Big Wood River RETREAT
Location: Ketchum, Idaho
Joelle Nesen, Principal designer
Margaret Mathes, Senior Designer
Photographer: Gabe Border
Tucked into a private grove of aspens just outside Sun Valley, Idaho, this ground-up 6,466 sq. ft. new-build overlooks the Big Wood River, with dramatic mountain vistas, not to mention world-class fly fishing.
The setting drove the design from day one. The home is clad in reSAWN Timber's charred Accoya wood, echoing the texture and tone of the surrounding forest. Tall, oversized windows and glass doors dissolve boundaries between indoors and out—especially in the great room, where a 21-foot ceiling posed an early design challenge. We resolved it with scale-savvy finishes, a bronze-paneled fireplace, and natural materials that both grounded and framed the view.
The interiors nod to the natural beauty surrounding the property—luxe but not flashy, layered in rich textures like dense rugs, natural fibers, and bespoke finishes that invite relaxation without ever feeling precious.
The house captures the essence of refined mountain living: deeply comfortable, unpretentious, and effortlessly elegant.
“Inside and out, this home is deeply personal. It’s sculpted to the way this family truly lives.”
the casita
A pristine, private retreat. The guest house windows offer views that often include herds of elk.