Hidden Ranch, Big Dreams
Darci Reimund Designs put a fresh spin on a classic Idaho Ranch
by Brian Libby
Darci Reimund first saw what would become her latest project, known as The Ranch, from a departing plane. She had already been intrigued by its for sale listing: a main house and guest house on 36 wooded acres near the small town of Bellevue, Idaho. Upon returning, Reimund, the founder of Sun Valley/San Francisco based Darci Reimund Designs, immediately contacted her real estate agent. “Sometimes there’s this feeling in the gut,” she says. “You’ve got to listen to it.”
Sure enough, the home’s aspen festooned grounds, bordering public land on three sides, were peaceful and blissfully quiet, with beautiful views extending to the horizon. “It was magic,” Reimund remembers. Yet the location was also convenient, an easy drive from downtown Ketchum or the Bald Mountain ski area. Clad in reclaimed timber, the house seemed striking as Reimund and her agent drove up. When they walked inside, she saw possibility. “The bones were there,” Reimund remembers. “I just wanted to find the voice of the house.”
The project was tailor made for her talents. From new construction to remodels, Darci Reimund Designs (DRD) offers a holistic approach, from architecture and interiors to landscape design and construction. Most of all, her team specializes in impact: “creating spaces and environments that are unique and evoke an experience the moment you walk in the door,” the designer entrepreneur explains.
Today the home of Reimund, her husband, and their two sons, The Ranch’s two bedroom, 2,400 square foot main house is complemented by a 1,200 square foot guest house and garage with a loft space above. To its already picturesque acreage, her team added over 800 plants. “I really believe the landscape, architecture, and interiors need to speak to each other,” Reimund says. “Maybe it’s the California native in me. It was always very seamless how we’d just flow in and out.”
Inside, Reimund wanted the space to feel current and modern, while respecting its original character. The original wood floors were retained, but nearly everything else was transformed: a remodeled kitchen and bathrooms, updated plumbing fixtures and surfaces, as well as new wood paneling and trim and added storage. “I love designing cabinetry and thinking about the efficiencies of when people come in the house: how you land and where you put stuff,” the designer explains.
“I like pairing modern and vintage pieces. It tells a story. It’s welcoming, it’s warm, it has layers and textures. A home when it’s well curated and full of details is what makes the space feel like an experience.”
–Darci Reimund, Darci Reimund Designs
The great room feels dramatic yet casual, its voluminous white wood panels drawing natural light from a host of windows, along with augmented upgraded lighting from The Urban Electric Co., Workstead, PINCH, and School house Electric. The dining table is anchored by an iconic Isamu Noguchi designed Akari 120A pendant light. Throughout the house, an eclectic mix of art and furnishings catches the eye, much of it custom, courtesy of Reimund’s favorite makers: Nickey Kehoe, A. Rudin, Christian Woo, Carl Hansen and Sons, FAIR Design, Elizabeth Eakins, Holland & Sherry, Hollywood at Home with Peter Dunham, Yucca Stuff, and BCMT. “I had these very cleanline pieces, and then I mixed it with antiques, which was fun,” she explains.
Reimund’s signature style is unreservedly bold yet draws from tradition. “I’m not afraid of color. I think patterns are fun to mix,” she says. “I like pairing modern and vintage pieces.” That’s what makes The Ranch feel so right: it’s familiar yet full of surprises. “It tells a story,” she says. “It’s welcoming, it’s warm, it has layers and textures. A home when it’s well curated and full of details is what makes the space feel like an experience.”
Reimund loves to cook and entertain, so the kitchen had to have good flow. “It has a ton of surface area. I love having the cooktop in the center,” she attests. An adjacent family room with couches and swivel chairs allows guests to be engaged with people in the kitchen, while staying comfortable.
At the front of the house, a laundry room was relocated, allowing for an enlarged mudroom and foyer, and for the primary bedroom to be reconfigured with an adjacent powder room into a true primary suite. “Whenever I do these projects, I ask the bigger question,” Reimund says. “I said, ‘Why don’t we bump out this wall and move the bedroom door over?’ Then we could create a nook for the head board, fit a double sink in the primary bath, and enlarge the closet. You’ve got this primary suite that feels restorative and intimate.”
Taking inspiration from English country homes, which traditionally feature wallpaper in bedrooms and frequently mix patterns, Reimund chose a striking floral wallpaper for the primary bedroom, paired with a plaid textile for its drapes and chairs. “I was a little bit nervous it was going to be too much,” she explains, “but it feels current and very bright and cheery.”
No wonder when taking to the air these days, Reimund is sure to keep an eye out for The Ranch. And you never know, this talented designer might even spot a new opportunity to work her magic.
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