WHEN TALENTED PROFESSIONALS TALK, WE LISTEN.
ADMIT IT, YOU HAVE AN INQUIRING MIND, AND YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THE TEAM DESIGNING YOUR SUN VALLEY DREAM HOME. WE UNDERSTAND THE INCLINATION. SO WE DECIDED TO BRING YOU SHOP TALK, CONVERSATIONS WITH THE TALENTED PROS DESIGNING, BUILDING, AND OUTFITTING YOUR HOMES.
““The difference between good design and great design is understanding.”
––Sarah Latham, Principal, Latham Interiors
Latham Interiors
Sarah Latham, Principal
Sarah Latham, Principal of Latham Interiors, brings expertise and unrivaled enthusiasm to her work. Her talent for designing natural, simple, modern spaces is her trademark. Her success comes from her ability to translate her clients’ ideas into elegant and unique residential and commercial projects.
Trained by Fisher Weisman Design in San Francisco, Sarah later brought her talent to Lake Tahoe, working as a designer for Bentley Interior Designs until moving to Ketchum. In Ketchum she worked with Ruscitto, Latham, Blanton Architecture for over ten years before starting Latham Interiors (formerly White Canvas Designs).
How do you see design changing in the next five to ten years?
People are becoming more interested in personalized spaces. We are all exposed to the internet, television, or other instant sources that make design seem easy. How to make it work for your lifestyle or reflect your personality is the growing interest. Understanding how to use different materials from tile, stone, wood, or metal to create something that is impactful yet purposeful are themes in design
that will continue.
What project(s) are you most excited about right now?
We are lucky we have so many projects we are enjoying right now—from a custom new home, remodel/addition, to an entire home transformation. We get to live vicariously through our clients and help them develop and transform their spaces.
Describe your process—how do you work with clients, contractors, and architects?
First, we get to know the site/space through our clients’ eyes. We spend a lot of time meeting to understand their needs/wants and work closely with the contractors and architects on a daily basis to make sure this is translated
into the final product
What other specialties do you have in-house?
VR (Virtual Reality) through renderings and visual walk-throughs with clients. We have the ability to help our clients experience their project before any construction commences.
What project(s) are you most proud of?
We are most proud of the projects that we can refer to again and again for outstanding design but also ones where we have gained not only clients through the process but lifelong friends as well.
Do you have favorite materials, fabrics, patterns, or design principles You are know for?
Texture in similar color palettes can be so impactful, graceful, and beautiful. We have a soft spot for natural materials and local craftsmen in our area.
What’s the difference between good and great design?
The difference between good and great design is understanding. Knowing what the overall goal of the project requires takes time…to listen to your clients and provide them with options or design outcomes that not only benefit them but improve the project overall.
What word(s) do people use to describe your work?
Modern mountain, natural, timeless, beautiful, clean lines
What is the most exciting new product or development in your field?
We have started to use VR goggles with our clients to help them understand their spaces even further. They can now stand in their new home
or office and walk through the space virtually.
What’s most enjoyable about helping create a home or business that reflects some-one’s lifestyle?
Every project is different and every project allows us to experience design in new ways. Nothing is ever the same and we enjoy the challenges we have when confronted with how to best finish an item that was unexpected. We are quick, diligent, organized, and creative. Our clients rely on us to know we will get their project done with professionalism and grace.
How did you get your start?
I started working
in interior design with Fisher Weisman in San Francisco in the early 2000s. Andrew and Jeffry were immensely impactful to me as mentors in the field of interiors, design, and art.
If you weren’t a designer, what would you be?
I would be a gardener or a painter or a furniture maker or a world traveler… not sure I would have only one career as I enjoy all of them immensely. I’ve always loved knowing the names of flowers and enjoy teaching my children the ones I do know just like my grandmother did with me.
What’s your favorite way to recreate?
My favorite recreational activity completely depends on the season and the mountain weather. Just coming out of winter, I couldn’t get enough of Nordic and backcountry skiing. However, with spring/summer on the horizon I’m looking forward to trail running and mountain biking.
Do you have a fav-orite trip?
Recently, I had the pleasure of visiting Japan and the simple beauty of the culture and surroundings was breathtaking. Less is more. Holding value in life’s simple process is worth inhaling and exhaling to find true meaning. I could never get enough of the pottery, art, food, and architecture.
what is sure to make you laugh?
My children. They constantly amaze me and allow me to look at the world with simplistic eyes and not take things too seriously.
“The earlier we can design the window covering the better. I encourage clients, architects, designers, and contractors to start the planning process before the framing is finished.”
––Andrew Harris, Owner, Covered SV
Covered SV
Andrew Harris, Owner
Growing up with a tradition of family owned contracting firms that spanned from England to Australia, Andrew Harris knew there would be a business for him to dive into when he landed in Wood River Valley. As a young man in Australia he worked with the family heating business and then started his own contracting firm working on large commercial and residential projects. Andrew began his time here working as a project manager where he was passionate about getting the details right. And now he’s found his ultimate niche in window coverings assisting with appropriate design specifications and meeting technical criteria.
What services do you offer?
Primarily we are focused on window coverings and exterior shading/ awnings, and, following the theme of covered, we also do wall covering, furniture recovering, and rugs for the floor.
What geographic areas do you serve?
Silver Creek, Wood River Valley, and Stanley.
do you have any Special certificates or Specialties?
Construction manage-ment certificate, masonry certificate, historical restoration certificate, environmental building design.
Professional background?
20 years in historical restoration of stone buildings in Sydney, Australia. Project Management for Magleby Construction, 20 years of redevelopment of dilapidated Victorian homes in Sydney, Australia.
Why did you get into this field?
My life has been a concentrated focus on building and getting involved in every detail from the ground up. When the opportunity arose to be a part of this established contracting firm, I dove in head first. I’m having the time of my life and have found my niche. Window covering requires attention to detail and can encompass so many trades that I’ve been able to work with. But probably my favorite part is getting that perfect fabric selection.
What inspires you?
Getting the details right and enhancing the beautiful homes we have in this valley. Whether it’s protection from sun and glare, keeping that heat in during the winter, or framing that perfect view.
What projects are you most excited about?
We’ve been privileged to be part of iconic buildings here in the valley including the restoration of Warm Springs Lodge and the redevelopment of The Community Library.
How do you see your field changing in the next five to ten years?
Increasingly, home automation has touched window coverings. People are wanting to program when they draw their shades to control glare and to insulate from the cold.
Describe your process.
I believe no matter who the stakeholders are in a project, that the earlier we can design the window covering the better. I encourage clients, architects, designers, and contractors to start the planning process before the framing is finished. It is at this stage when you can save the cost of post-construction adjustments. For instance, removing the bottom cord of a truss can create the perfect place to put the hardware for window covering.
do you have any Additional in-house specialities?
We have in-house designers to help with any interior design needs, espec-ially coordinating soft furnishings with
window treatments.
What do you enjoy most about your work?
The people, the designers, arch-itects, builders, property managers, and especially our staff. We’re lucky to work with a fantastic team and in such a dynamic design world here in
the Wood River Valley.
what words best describe your work?
Thorough, attention to detail, devotion to final product, customer satisfaction, and post-installation follow-up.
what are your Favorite products?
Hunter Douglas, Lutron, Insolrol.
wHow did you get your start?
When I was a teenager, I worked in landscaping where I learned stone masonry on the job. When I graduated from school I decided to take a gap year and dove into the masonry side of the business. I spent a good portion of that year restoring the stone of an iconic estate in Sydney, Australia and became hooked on restoration. I went into partnership with my boss and eventually took over when he retired. I cultivated most of my knowledge of architectural detail required for restoration on the job from the distinguished architects and fine crafts-men of the time and de-voured every detail I could learn. Later on, I completed several certificates in building and project man-agement and I have found that knowing how a building is created from the ground up and how a building site works has been helpful in the specific detail of window coverings. I found my niche. I’m having the time of my life.
what places do you find inspirational?
Japan: The artistry of Japanese design. The purity of the elements and the emphasis of nature. Scandinavia: The elegance of line and curves in a chair designed for comfort and aesthetic. Scotland: The crashing sea against the cliffs. The rolling hills of the heather.
What’s sure to make you laugh?
I’m very English and will show my age when I say Monty Python & Mr. Bean make me laugh every time.
What do you enjoy about living here?
The breathtaking inspirational beauty. When my parents came to visit from Australia they felt like they were
moving through a perpetual postcard. I work in Ketchum and live in Hailey so I am blessed to commute down Highway 75 and see Reinheimer Ranch every day. It’s gorgeous and completely different in every season and at every moment of the day.
“There is beauty in simplicity. Sometimes the smallest thing will spark an idea and it all begins to take shape from there.”
–Marina Broschofsky, Owner, Red Door Home + Design
Red Door Home + Design
Marina Broschofsky, Owner
Marina Broschofsky first opened Red Door Home + Design in 2003. She offers a
mountain modern design style and curated selection of goods to her clients. The retail storefront is a beautiful and unique mixture of home furnishings, accessories, and gifts. In collaboration with the store, Red Door also offers full-service interior design services to their clients.
What services do you offer?
Red Door Home + Design is a combination of a custom curated retail home furnishings store-front and full-service interior design firm.
What geographic area(s) do you serve?
We have clients from all over the world.
When did you know that you wanted to be a designer?
I came from a creative and artistic household and have always been interested in design to some capacity. My start came from retail merchandising and displays and eventually evolved from fashion to interior design.
What inspires you?
I find inspiration in many things. There is beauty in simplicity. Sometimes the smallest thing will spark an idea and it all begins to take shape from there.
What project(s) are you most excited about right now?
We are currently working on a gorgeous family home here in the valley. The family is a pleasure to work with and it is going to be a fun crew on this project. It is a collaboration between the owners, contractor, architect, and me.
Describe your process—how do you work with clients, contractors,
and architects?
Every job is different. Sometimes the homeowner is very hands-on and other times they leave town and return to a completed project. The contractors and architects are sometimes involved in the details of the entire process and other times they want a list of your selections and they work their magic from the list you give them.
What other specialties do you have in-house
We are constantly bringing new items in to keep the store interesting, current, and unique. We create a thoughtfully curated space to keep our store different than others in the valley. We offer a personalized service to our clients to help them achieve the look
or find an item that they are looking for.
What project(s) are you the most proud of?
We just completed a beautiful family home that we are very proud of. We exceeded the client’s expectations and that always feels good
What makes the difference between good design and great design?
Layering is key. You start with a great foundation and build in textures, colors, materials, fabrics, and accessories.
What word(s) do people use to describe your work?
Mountain contemporary best describes our design. Curated best describes our storefront.
What do you enjoy most about helping people create a
home or business that reflects their lifestyle?
I enjoy the process, the collaboration. Bringing the ideas to completion with an end result of a space that the client will love to spend time in.
How did you get your start?
I made my start in fashion, merchandising. and displays. Organically, the fashion industry led to interior design. I spent several years gaining hands-on business experience while working and traveling for a corporate job, and then got back to my artistic roots at an interior design firm. Eventually, that lead to opening my own brick and mortar store and design firm in 2003.
Is there an interior designer that you most admire & why?
I like the clean design of Amber Interiors. It is beautiful, functional, real living design. This is how I like to design my spaces…to be practical, used, and loved.
What do you listen to while you work?
I listen to Ella Fitzgerald and Daft Punk and anything between those two.
What places in the world do you find most inspirational?
I love the architecture of Europe and the serene colors and textures of tropical places. Traveling is always inspirational.
What do you enjoy most about living and working where you do?
I feel so blessed to live and work in this amazing place we call home. I am a native to the valley and chose to raise my son in the same place I was so fortunate to come from. I love the nature we are surrounded by, the seasons, our sunny days, the culture, events and entertainment, the restaurants, stores,
and galleries.
Last book you read that you would highly recommend?
Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. I couldn’t
put it down!
Favorite trip you’ve ever taken?
There are so many magical places out there, and many still on my list…Thailand, Italy, and Costa Rica are a few of my favorites.
You get weak in the knees over ________?
Hearing my son say,
“I love you, Mommy.”
“during that process you discover that every site, every project, and every client is unique and different and presents its own set of challenges and problems to solve.”
–Errin Bliss, AIA, Principal, Bliss Architecture
Bliss Architecture
Errin Bliss, AIA, Principal
Bliss Architecture is a design-focused architecture, planning, and interior design firm based in Hailey, Idaho. Founded in 2013, it is versed in a wide spectrum of project types, from custom homes to commercial, public, and civic buildings. Its core philosophy is to provide thoughtful, functional, and elegant spaces that are grounded in time, place, craft, and environmental sustainability.
What services do you offer?
My professional background was in commercial and public architecture.
I started my firm with the concept of tapping into that market here in the Wood River Valley, which I feel I have done. However, as the firm has started to grow, we have inevitably begun working on more residential projects of varying scales and sizes. From remodels of 100-year-old homes, to ADUs in Bellevue, to large-scale multi-family housing, and higher-end projects in the north
end of the Valley.
What is your architectural and educational background?
I received my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in architecture at The University of
Utah in Salt Lake City. After grad school I was fortunate enough to get an internship with a firm in Phoenix despite the recession at the time. I ended up working for several
other firms while in Phoenix and then decided to come back home to the Wood River Valley
in 2013 to start my own firm.
When did you know that you wanted to be an architect?
My dad had a drafting background and had an old oak Mayline drafting table. Once I figured out what it was for and how it worked, I was hooked! I also come from a family of builders and artists and so architecture was just a natural fit.
What projects are you the most excited about right now?
We are currently working on several multi-family and single-family projects in Hailey. As architects in a resort community, we tend to focus on the high-end, multi-million dollar, single-family homes. While those types of projects are every architect’s dream project, the reality is that the people who live and work in this community full-time and make it the great community that it is, need well designed, thoughtful, and attractive homes to live in as well.
What projects are you most proud of?
Last fall, we completed a small, contemporary home in Cutter’s in Hailey. Again, what I am most proud of is that not every home needs to be a large, multi-million dollar home for it to be considered successful. It was a very tight budget but with collaboration between myself, as the architect, and the homeowner, and the contractor, we made it work and it turned out really well.
What do you enjoy most about the design process?
There is tremendous satisfaction in seeing an idea turned into drawings and then turned into a building with physical space. But during that process you discover that every site, every project, and every client is unique and different and presents its own set of challenges and problems to solve. It never gets boring and you are always learning; that is what I enjoy
the most.
What is the most exciting new product or development in your field?
re-fab and modular construction, spe-cifically in residential and multi-family housing. With the rising cost of construction, lack of skilled labor, and a need for a variety of housing types and sizes, I personally see pre-fab construction as an exciting design and construction technique and solution to our housing issue here in the Wood River Valley.
How did you get your start here?
I grew up here and have always considered it home and I always knew I would eventually come back here to start my own firm.
If you weren’t an architect, what would you be doing?
think I’d still be involved in building, I’d probably be a carpenter or a framer. Maybe a chef?
What do you listen to while you work?
Most of the time it is NPR or podcasts, like the Business of Architecture. Working late in the evenings though, it’s great to put on Thievery Corporation or Kind of Blue by Miles Davis.
What do you enjoy most about living and working where you do?
It’s the community of the Wood River Valley that makes living here so great. Our community values what we as architects do and therefore we have a tremendous opportunity to give back given our skillsets and knowledge, beyond just designing buildings and homes.
Last book you read that you would highly recommend?
Our Towns: A 100,000 Mile Journey into the Heart of America.’ The two authors traveled across America visiting small towns similar to those that make up the Wood River Valley, talking to their citizens, visiting their businesses and buildings. Regardless of how poor or great the architecture and built environment of those small towns, it was about the people of those communities and the efforts they were making to improve their cities and towns.
