Sun Valley Architecture and Interiors

Sun Valley has always been a place where folks could relax and recharge. Early explorers camping out in what is now the town of Ketchum noted that ". . . the place was promising, the weather fine and the grass good, so that our worn out horses both fed and rested."

Over the last century, the beautiful Idaho landscape became infused with movie stars and millionaires, ushering in a whole new level of "roughing it in comfort." Sun Valley residents take great pride in ensuring their personal space is as unique and beautiful as the surroundings; faddish ways do not exist here. No matter where a Sun Valley resident spends time-big screen, office building, or at the nearest fishing stream-their homes exude a blend of elegance, contentment, and unique Western charm. From timeless rustic designs to ultra-modern interiors, Sun Valley Architecture and Interiors explores some of the homes that exemplify the Sun Valley lifestyle-living in luxurious comfort.

Alan Edison is an art and antique dealer who owns the American West Gallery located in Ketchum, Idaho. He worked in advertising for more than a decade before opening a gallery in Chicago, becoming the youngest gallery owner in that area. After falling in love with the Sun Valley area and establishing the American West Gallery there, he has helped furnish many homes across the West. The gallery has appeared in many prestigious publications such as the Los Angeles Times and the New York Times.

Jo Rabjohn is a native Californian who calls the Wood River Valley home. She is an artist and illustrator and once taught at Parsons School of Design in New York City. While working as a toy designer, her designs won numerous awards. Rabjohn has written and illustrated several children's books and is currently a freelance writer for Sun Valley Magazine.

This is one of the most stunning places on the planet. While most of us have traveled to various parts of the world, we keep coming back to our "home."

--Mariel Hemingway

Publishers Weekly

Edison and Rabjohn show off the extravagant vacation homes of the Idaho resort town's wealthy residents. From its beginnings as a mining boomtown turned sheepherding village, Sun Valley was transformed in the 1930s into an Austrian-style ski resort, and the short history of the town that begins the book is replete with delightful vintage posters. The concept of "roughing it in luxury" is on full display in the architect-designed or renovated houses chosen by art dealer Edison and interior designer Rabjohn to represent the Sun Valley "lifestyle." Most of these showcase homes feel more like luxury hotels or B&Bs than private residences: their architects and decorators favor massive metal and glass structures softened by local stone and modern art, or huge log houses with interiors crowded with a clutter of embroidered pillows, international tchotchkes and Western memorabilia, although some of the attached guest houses are refreshingly modest exceptions, like a minimally renovated stable with horse-stall bedrooms. In contrast to this aesthetic, Austin G. Gray's "territorial homestead" fits comfortably into the remote, rugged terrain, and SPG Architects' stunningly elegant minimalist retreat stands out as a livable work of art offset by the equally thrilling landscape. 300 color photos. (May) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.