A home for sale in a sought-after private ski and golf community near Lake Tahoe hits all the right notes: the right lot, the right design and the right setting. It reflects a contemporary style that has been widely adopted in the community.
The property at 9507 Wawona Court is located in Martis Camp, a luxury private enclave of around 650 homes built on wooded slopes just south of Truckee, California. A decade ago, a story in Forbes magazine declared it “possibly the best four-season private community in the U.S.” in part because of the lavish lifestyle amenities (golf course, private access to Northstar California ski resort and Lake Tahoe beach club to name a few).
Architect Keith Kelly of Kelly & Stone Architects, which has offices in the Lake Tahoe area, says his firm created a design for Martis Camp homes that buyers respond to – and one that has created an enduring look in the community.
Just don’t call it “mountain modern.”
High ceilings and clerestory windows bring light into the open-plan living and dining rooms.
“That ‘modern’ term gets thrown around a lot,” Kelly says. He prefers the term “mountain contemporary,” pointing out that “modern” is all about form and minimalist architecture. “Our houses are rich in detail and have a lot of the same materials you would use on homes here, whether contemporary or traditional.”
Kelly’s firm built one of the first homes in Martis Camp in 2007 and since has completed more than 40 others. He was the project architect on the Wawona Court home in 2017 that sold as a lot with ready-made plans, an enticement for buyers who maybe couldn’t see the potential of what a home in the woods could look like.
The center island kitchen sits right off the dining area.
“We worked with the developer and created a design that showcased what could be done on four or five lots,” he says. “They sold almost instantly.”
The exterior of the Wawona Court house features shed roofs pitched at angles that tilt in different directions, giving the sight lines a fluid feel. Floor-to-ceiling glass walls inside put nature front and center. With roomy lots a hallmark at Martis Camp, the home has the feel of being away from everything and surrounded by forest. (Kelly notes that the houses his firm designs involve very little landscaping because they work with the natural setting.)
A ground floor bedroom has access to the outdoors.
The house has five bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms in 4,339 square feet. The primary bedroom and one other bedroom are on the main floor while three other bedrooms, a den and large balcony are located upstairs. The open-plan living room and dining room open out to the outdoors where a wide porch capitalizes on the surrounding forest and views. The ample kitchen has a granite island with seating for casual meals.
There’s also plenty of space inside and out for entertaining with an outdoor kitchen and fire pit on a patio as well as an outdoor hot tub.
The all-important mudroom provides plenty of storage.
Martis Camp is a retreat with natural privacy and a laid-back vibe. It’s mostly a second-home community for the ultrawealthy as average home sales in the first quarter of 2023 was $8.6 million.
The lifestyle amenities underscore the heart of what makes “camp” life so appealing, starting with a Tom Fazio golf course and a “lost library” that requires a hike into the woods (coffee and cookies are always waiting). A massive Family Barn was added In 2009 and brought a movie theater, bowling alley, basketball court, swimming complex and outdoor amphitheater, which hosts a summer concert series and seasonal events.
Patios expand the living space outdoors at the four-season home.
The camp opened Lookout Lodge in 2012 to provide residents with private access to Northstar California ski resort and, a year later, a Lake Tahoe Beach Shack on the shores of the landmark lake about 12 miles away.
Listing agent Steve Kegel of Tahoe Mountain Realty says imagination, attention to detail, lifestyle amenities and the architectural components of Martis Camp give it a fairy tale feel. “It’s an anomaly,” he says. “Owners become ambassadors, recruiting their own [potential] neighbors.”
The house is listed for $7.7 million.