Designing Your Mountain Retreat from Afar—It Works | Full-Service Interior Design for Mountain Living
Purchasing a second home in the mountains is an exciting venture, but designing it from a distance can feel overwhelming. At Jamie House Design, we specialize in high-end luxury interiors, seamlessly managing projects remotely while delivering personalized, beautifully curated spaces. Whether your mountain retreat is a new build, a renovation, or simply needs furnishing, our process ensures every detail is handled with expertise and care.
Purchasing a second home in the mountains is an exciting venture, but designing it from a distance can feel overwhelming. At Jamie House Design, we specialize in high-end luxury interiors, seamlessly managing projects remotely while delivering personalized, beautifully curated spaces. Whether your mountain retreat is a new build, a renovation, or simply needs furnishing, our process ensures every detail is handled with expertise and care.
Our Streamlined Process for Remote Interior Design
1. Initial Consultation: Understanding Your Vision
Your journey begins with an initial consultation via video or phone call. We discuss your design goals, lifestyle needs, and how involved you’d like to be in the process. Whether you want to be hands-on or prefer a turnkey experience, we tailor our approach to your preferences.
2. Defining the Scope of Work
After our conversation, we develop a customized design plan based on your needs. This includes a clear breakdown of design services, furniture budgets, and estimated timelines. For new builds or renovations, we work closely with architects and contractors to ensure seamless execution.
3. Design Development: Bringing Your Vision to Life
This phase is where the creativity happens! We select finishes, furnishings, lighting, hardware, and more, ensuring a perfect blend of high-end luxury and mountain living charm. If your project is primarily furnishing, we create cohesive furniture layouts and curate pieces that reflect your style while complementing the natural beauty of your location.
We provide detailed design presentations, complete with mood boards, floor plans, and physical samples (shipped to you if you're not local). Whether your home is nestled in Aspen, Vail, or the foothills outside Denver, we ensure every choice enhances your mountain retreat.
4. Implementation & Project Coordination
For construction projects, we collaborate with your contractor, providing detailed specifications and regularly reviewing progress. If your home is outside of Denver, we conduct remote site visits and coordinate deliveries, installations, and quality checks to ensure everything meets our standards.
For full-home furnishings, we oversee ordering, shipping, and installation. Our receiving warehouse ensures all items arrive in pristine condition before being delivered to your home.
5. The Finishing Touches: Move-In Ready Design
The final stage is where your mountain home comes to life. We travel to your property to install furnishings, style accessories, and ensure every last detail is perfect. From custom window treatments to curated art placements, we create a space that feels both luxurious and welcoming.
Why Designing from a Distance Works
Our success lies in extensive communication and meticulous planning. We use video calls, detailed design documentation, and constant collaboration with contractors to keep your project on track. By combining our expertise with a streamlined remote process, we eliminate the stress of long-distance home design.
At Jamie House Design, we bring over 20 years of interior design experience to create timeless, high-quality interiors tailored to your lifestyle. Whether your mountain retreat is a contemporary ski-in/ski-out escape or a rustic-luxe getaway, we handle every detail to make your dream home a reality.
Let’s create a luxurious, high-style space that reflects your vision—contact Jamie House Design today to begin designing your mountain home.
Jamie House Design's expertise in Speculative Home Design
When determining what type of projects we take on at Jamie House Design, the first thing I consider is how receptive the client is to new ideas based on their vision, and whether the project presents an opportunity for innovation. While I don’t typically work on speculative (spec) homes, I make exceptions for projects that allow for creativity and thoughtful design. One such project was a high-end spec home in Houston, designed for CM Batts Developers. Their openness to fresh concepts made this collaboration an exciting and rewarding experience.
A spec home is built by a developer on land they own, with a custom design and selections curated by a designer, offering homebuyers a move-in-ready luxury experience. Ideally, Jamie House Design is involved at the planning stage, allowing us to optimize the interior layout before construction begins. We specialize in maximizing space and creating a seamless flow within the home. While architects are essential to the structure, an interior designer ensures the home functions beautifully for daily life. The best results come from collaboration between the two.
When determining what type of projects we take on at Jamie House Design, the first thing I consider is how receptive the client is to new ideas based on their vision, and whether the project presents an opportunity for innovation. While I don’t typically work on speculative (spec) homes, I make exceptions for projects that allow for creativity and thoughtful design. One such project was a high-end spec home in Houston, designed for CM Batts Developers. Their openness to fresh concepts made this collaboration an exciting and rewarding experience.
A spec home is built by a developer on land they own, with a custom design and selections curated by a designer, offering homebuyers a move-in-ready luxury experience. Ideally, Jamie House Design is involved at the planning stage, allowing us to optimize the interior layout before construction begins. We specialize in maximizing space and creating a seamless flow within the home. While architects are essential to the structure, an interior designer ensures the home functions beautifully for daily life. The best results come from collaboration between the two.
This particular Houston spec home was designed with a clean, timeless aesthetic—simple yet elegant, with modern elements seamlessly integrated into a classic framework. Our goal was to create a home that felt both luxurious and inviting, while allowing future homeowners the opportunity to personalize their space.
Entryway: A striking glass and steel front door opens to herringbone-patterned white oak floors, a cove ceiling with LED lighting, and a brass open-globe chandelier.
Living Room: Floor-to-ceiling steel windows frame a dramatic marble fireplace, with paneled walls enhancing the sense of refinement.
Study: Featuring square paneling, a deep coffered ceiling, steel windows, and a statement black chandelier, this space exudes sophistication.
Dining Room: Paneled wainscoting, steel windows, and a double-cove ceiling complement an ombré chandelier, blending classic and modern influences.
Staircase & Wine Room: A custom iron railing leads to a glass-encased, temperature-regulated wine room, designed as a focal point of the home.
Kitchen & Family Room: A book-matched marble backsplash, waterfall island, and custom metal hood define the kitchen, while a beamed plaid ceiling unifies the space with the adjacent family room.
Secondary Spaces: The upstairs rec room boasts vaulted ceilings with white oak beams, a mirrored wet bar backsplash, and a two-tiered chandelier, creating an elegant yet relaxed atmosphere.
Primary Suite: The bedroom features a polished nickel chandelier, a marble fireplace, and a coffee bar with an antique marble backsplash. The ensuite bath is clad in veined marble, with a freestanding tub, a shower for two, and polished nickel fixtures.
This home entered a bidding war before it was even completed—proof that thoughtful, high-quality design resonates with buyers seeking something beyond fleeting trends.
Now based in Denver, Jamie House Design brings the same level of expertise to speculative home design in the Denver and Littleton areas. We work closely with builders and developers to create homes that are both marketable and exceptional. If you’re a builder looking to elevate your next spec home, contact Jamie House Design to discuss how we can bring your vision to life.
A Thoughtful Kitchen Remodel in Houston’s Memorial Neighborhood
At Jamie House Design, we believe that a well-designed kitchen is the heart of the home, especially in historic neighborhoods where original architecture deserves to be honored. One of our favorite projects was a full-home remodel in an affluent Memorial neighborhood in Houston, where the homeowners made a conscious decision to preserve their home’s charm rather than tear it down—a choice we deeply admire.
At Jamie House Design, we believe that a well-designed kitchen is the heart of the home, especially in historic neighborhoods where original architecture deserves to be honored. One of our favorite projects was a full-home remodel in an affluent Memorial neighborhood in Houston, where the homeowners made a conscious decision to preserve their home’s charm rather than tear it down—a choice we deeply admire.
The existing kitchen lacked character, function, and flow. The cabinetry was of poor quality, the finishes were outdated, and the flooring did not blend seamlessly with the rest of the home. Initially, the homeowners considered a simple refresh with new paint, but we encouraged them to take full advantage of the renovation and create a kitchen that would stand the test of time while enhancing daily life for their growing family.
Reimagining the Layout for Function and Beauty
A successful kitchen design begins with function, then layers in beauty. The existing layout did not make the best use of the available space, and the pantry was underwhelming in size. Our priority was to improve efficiency, provide ample storage, and create a more open and inviting atmosphere.
Key layout improvements included:
Expanding the kitchen pass-through to create a stronger connection to the family room, adding a concrete counter for casual seating.
Bumping out the sink wall to accommodate the client’s dream Shaw farmhouse sink and maximize workspace.
Reconfiguring the pantry to provide generous storage for a family that values home cooking and entertaining.
Designing a functional work triangle to enhance the flow between the sink, range, and refrigerator, ensuring effortless meal prep and cleanup.
Timeless Materials and Thoughtful Details
To honor the home’s original character while introducing modern luxury, we carefully curated a mix of materials and finishes:
Countertops: Hand-troweled concrete countertops bring an organic texture that complements the home’s natural elements. We extended this material into the utility room and powder bath for continuity.
Flooring: Slate flooring adds depth and subtle color variation while seamlessly transitioning between the home’s original wood floors and the kitchen.
Custom Cabinetry: Instead of the standard under-cabinet molding, we hid the lighting behind cabinet doors for a streamlined, sophisticated look.
Storage Solutions: Deep drawers replace lower cabinets, allowing for easy access to cookware and eliminating the frustration of searching through cluttered shelves.
Glass Cabinetry: Textured glass doors on the display cabinets and pantry add vintage charm while maintaining an airy openness.
Overcoming Unexpected Challenges
No renovation is without surprises. When widening the pass-through, we discovered there was no drywall behind the paneling—just the exposed backside of the fireplace.
A Kitchen Designed for Living
The final result is a kitchen that is as practical as it is beautiful. The expanded pantry, concealed small appliance storage, and custom cabinetry ensure effortless organization. The enhanced layout fosters connection, allowing family and guests to gather comfortably.
Overcoming Unexpected Challenges
Another challenge arose with the range wall. Our original design included a spice niche, but the contractor insisted it couldn’t be built due to structural limitations. Instead, they installed a stainless-steel backsplash. While functional, this was not in line with the aesthetic vision. Fortunately, we were able to bring in our trusted team to rework the wall and install the stunning Pratt & Larson tile as originally intended—restoring the integrity of the design.
Just look at those beautiful, huge lead time, handmade, cut tiles.
A Kitchen Designed for Living
The final result is a kitchen that is as practical as it is beautiful. The expanded pantry, concealed small appliance storage, and custom cabinetry ensure effortless organization. The enhanced layout fosters connection, allowing family and guests to gather comfortably.
Oh look! My spice niche! I brought in my contractor, the rest of the remodel to this point was by the client's contractor. I knew we could cut into the wall. The fireplace is nearby but not directly behind the stove. Luckily I have the best clients and they understood why this was important. When you're sitting in their family room and look towards the kitchen, this is what you see. It was such a shame to have such a beautiful kitchen and focus on stainless steel on the wall.
IPaint Selections
(Note: Always sample colors in your own space before committing, as lighting varies.)
Walls & Ceilings: Benjamin Moore White Dove
Cabinet Uppers: Benjamin Moore White Dove
Cabinet Lowers: Benjamin Moore River Reflections
Interior of Glass & Open Cabinets: Benjamin Moore Gray Cashmere
Transform Your Own Kitchen with Jamie House Design
Now based in Denver, Jamie House Design continues to offer expert interior design services for high-end remodels in Houston and beyond. Whether you’re preserving a beloved home or updating a space to better suit your lifestyle, we bring thoughtful design, timeless materials, and unparalleled attention to detail.
If you’re considering a kitchen remodel, let’s create something extraordinary together. Contact Jamie House Design today to discuss your project.
Jamie House Design Relocates from Houston to Berlin
Hallo, wie geht es dir heute?
I've relocated to Berlin and opened a JHD outpost here. I know it's a bit out of the blue. It's been a dream my husband and I have held for a long time. We decided to take the plunge
Hallo, wie geht es dir heute?
I've relocated to Berlin and opened a JHD outpost here. I know it's a bit out of the blue. It's been a dream my husband and I have held for a long time. We decided to take the plunge when AJ turned one. It's taken longer to be settled than we could have ever imagined. How naive of us. That seems to be how it goes with me, always assuming things will work out. And they do. But not necessarily on my timetable.
Katie Steele, design assistant extraordinaire, is running the JHD Houston branch. Thank goodness for Katie.
We've settled into a darling old apartment in the Prenzlauer Berg area. Our lifestyle without a car, walking around the corner to dinner/ groceries/ coffee, parks on nearly every block, has certainly upgraded. One huge difference is the apartments here do not come with lights or kitchens. So we're still awaiting our kitchen install. I'll post more about that soon. Here is Berlin as seen by me:
Auf Wiedersehen!
Edited in 2021 to add : Now based in Denver, Jamie House Design continues to offer expert interior design services for high-end remodels in Houston and beyond. Whether you’re preserving a beloved home or updating a space to better suit your lifestyle, we bring thoughtful design, timeless materials, and unparalleled attention to detail.
If you’re considering a kitchen remodel, let’s create something extraordinary together. Contact Jamie House Design today to discuss your project.