When a San Francisco–based surgeon and her entrepreneur husband purchased a quirky Alpine-style cabin in Soda Springs, California, during the pandemic, they envisioned it as a restorative escape for their young family. With two small children and a revolving cast of friends they hoped to host, the couple wanted a place that felt relaxed, functional, and closely connected to the landscape.
To bring that vision to life, they tapped Minneapolis-based designer Heather Peterson, principal of AD PRO Directory-member firm Heather Peterson Design, who immediately responded to the property’s dramatic setting—pine trees dusted with snow in winter, meadows of wildflowers in spring—and the homeowners’ desire for comfort and ease. “The foliage is so different from San Francisco,” Peterson explains. “Without being heavy-handed, we wanted to create an experience that highlighted the natural surroundings.”
That connection shows up in the house’s color blocking, graphic textiles, and floral motifs, many of which nod to the changing seasons. Gregory Parkinson blankets, Svenskt Ten pillows, and Lake August wallpapers introduce a lively but grounded palette. Peterson also let art shape several rooms: a large mixed-media work by Tia Keobounpheng—her first purchase for the project—sets the tone in the living area, echoing bursts of color throughout the 17-foot-tall space, while commissioned wildflower paintings by Bekah Worley reinforce the home’s indoor-outdoor dialogue.
Because the family hoped to move in as quickly as possible during the pandemic—and supply chain delays made custom pieces unrealistic—the designer relied more heavily than usual on retail sources like West Elm, Blu Dot, and Crate & Barrel. But instead of compromising, Peterson used the constraints to her advantage, customizing key pieces to give them more presence. In the primary bedroom, she recovered the upholstered section of a Crate & Barrel wood bed in a vintage Guatemalan textile and added a bolster in another pattern from the same region. “These kinds of strategic moves amped up the pieces and made them special,” she says. Peterson’s choices also reflect her interest in selecting elements that will stand the test of time. “I considered which pieces that were available might be collectible in the future,” she explains, noting her use of Sarah Sherman Samuel’s sculptural Whit dining chairs from Lulu and Georgia at the game table.
The couple envisioned the house as a place to entertain and welcome other families, so creating multiple, flexible zones within the four-bedroom layout was key. Peterson transformed an awkward space on the second-floor landing into a highly functional media room by installing a custom platform fitted with three twin mattresses and integrated drawers for bedding. The designer framed the large window with a headboard upholstered in a saffron-hued Schumacher cotton linen, then added custom wedge bolsters to make the niche supremely comfortable.
Structural interventions were minimal, but small adjustments made a noticeable impact. In the living room, Peterson removed an oversized, bulky fireplace hearth and installed a freestanding contemporary Marquis wood stove. “By bringing the fireplace down to the floor, it not only opened up the space, but it also made the room feel cathedral-like, emphasizing the high ceilings,” she explains.
Throughout the private spaces, Peterson used patterns to establish cohesion. Blue gingham bunk beds reappear as red gingham on a queen bed in another guest room, while each bedroom features a distinct Lake August wallpaper, ranging from delicate nasturtiums to bold sunflowers. The bathrooms received the most extensive updates. In the primary bathroom, Peterson installed a gingham-tiled floor in the color Blackberry by Haustile, echoing the patterned motifs used elsewhere in the home. “I like using the same kind of patterns in different materials,” she says. “I think in a vacation house it’s really fun to design suites of rooms that have clear connections.”
Upstairs, a formerly chopped-up shared bathroom was reimagined as a long, streamlined space. A utilitarian sink now serves as a double vanity, flanked by a column of cabinetry painted in Farrow & Ball’s Preference Red and Lulworth Blue—two saturated hues that create lively blocks of color. Schoolhouse knobs coordinate with a plywood backsplash and connect to other plywood elements used throughout the home, including the hardworking mudroom, an essential for ski season.
The kitchen got a light, cosmetic refresh. Peterson preserved the knotty-pine cabinet fronts but swapped in black hardware from CB2. She changed out the sinks and faucets, installed new counters, and added a white-tile backsplash interspersed with handmade patterned tiles from Red Rock Tile Works.
Even as she reimagined the interiors, Peterson embraced certain existing elements that contribute to the home’s charm. A quirky second-floor landing railing reminiscent of chicken wire, for example, remained untouched. “It just felt so idiosyncratic—I would have never made that choice, but I also like its quirkiness. It’s part of the story of the house,” she says.
And ultimately, that was the goal: to honor the home’s Alpine character while creating a retreat that feels joyful, layered, and deeply connected to the landscape. “All the design choices felt like a great opportunity to lean into color, mix and match,” Peterson says. “[They also] answer the question, how do you want to live in a vacation zone?”
