French Alps Mountain Home

This unique home delights the eye as you approach it. Reminiscent of homes built in Europe, it features multiple rooflines, an irregular outline, and a combination of stucco and stone on the exterior. As the photos clearly show, this is a truly stunning house on the inside as well. During the day, sunlight streams in from the abundant windows, transom windows and French doors. It brings warmth to the combination of stonework, wood floors, wood trim details, and wood columns atop stone bases. With the open floor plan, and outer walls that move out and in, multiple views are provided throughout this gorgeous home.

You step through a tall arched opening before entering the house. The foyer has a ceiling that soars to 19′, and natural light in this space is provided by windows on either side of the door, and an elegant oval window placed high above the door. On your left, two steps bring you to a sunny sunken living room. This room features a dramatic 13′ ceiling, a three–sided bay with tall windows and transom windows above them facing the front, and another pair of wide windows for side views. On your right as you enter, a wide arched opening brings you to the formal dining room. The corners of this room have been “clipped”, producing a much more interesting look and feel. Two wide windows provide light and views, and a narrower arch on the far side of the room provides access to a large butler station. The ceiling in this room is set at a more intimate 9′.

Straight ahead from the foyer you pass an open stairwell on the left leading to either the upper or lower levels, and a powder room on the right, before entering the open space containing the family room, the kitchen, and a casual dining nook. The family room is quite large, and it features a very unique and exciting ceiling. When you step down into the room the ceiling is flat and set at 10′. However, it rises sharply in an inverted hip as you move toward either wall. This will be easier to understand when you look at the photos. The far wall has a large fireplace flanked by built–in shelving with transom windows above them, and the wall facing the rear is composed almost entirely of glass. Tall windows with transom windows above them provide abundant natural light along with views to and through the rear deck. A glass door just around the corner provides access to the deck.

The kitchen has a large center island with a sink on top and room for stools at the outer ledge. A peninsula counter that angles out provides additional counter space and easy service to the sunny nook. At the point where it angles there’s a super–convenient pass–thru window that opens to the grill area on the rear deck, and a pair of windows above the sinks looks out to the deck as well. The nook has two windows flanking an optional two–sided fireplace. The deck itself is 43′ wide and varies in depth from 14′ off the family room, to 8′ off the nook, to 20′ off the kitchen. Both the kitchen and the nook have 9′ ceilings.

One opening off the kitchen leads to a laundry room and a mudroom. The laundry has a pair of windows over the sink for natural light, and the mudroom has a built–in bench, lockers, and a coat closet. A door in this room opens to a shop area in a three–car garage. A second opening in the kitchen opens to a butler station with a sink and an under–the–counter refrigerator, and a large walk–in pantry with a wine fridge.

As you head up the stairs to the second level, a pair of pocket doors at the landing open to a study. This room has angled bay windows for light and views, and a lofty 10′ ceiling. The original homeowners lined two opposing walls with built–in bookshelves.

At the top of the stairs, balconies look down to the family room on one side and the foyer on the other. A pair of doors set at an angle open to the master suite. The bedroom is quite spacious, and it features a vaulted ceiling and a trio of windows for plenty of natural light and great views to the rear. The bath has an oversized Jacuzzi tub beneath a wide window, a separate shower with a built–in seat, two vanities, and a private toilet. A door opens to two side–by–side walk–in closets.

A hallway off the landing at the top of the stairs provides access to three additional bedrooms. Bedroom 2 has a walk–in closet, a full bath, and a pair of glazed doors that open to a lovely balcony. Bedrooms 3 and 4 share a full bath, but each has its own private sink area. Bedroom 3 has two windows that look to the side, while bedroom 4 has windows beneath a dormer to look to the opposite side. All three bedrooms have 9′ ceilings.

The basement level – should you choose to construct it – has an open recreation room with a wet bar in one corner, a full bathroom, and a guest room with a walk–in closet. There is also an office that has angled walls with windows, which mimic the study that is located above it, a wine cellar, and a large storage/mechanical room.

Similar Versions Available
There is a second version of this plan – French Alps 2 – available on this site that’s very different in appearance from the outside and less expensive to build, but the interiors are nearly identical. For easy access to this other version, click on the architect’s name (in bold blue letters, on the left side of this page). Red links to each of his plans appear below his bio, in alphabetical order.