Sierra Sotheby?s International Realty

Designed by San Francisco architect George Homsey?one of the original Sea Ranch architects From the hills of Vermont to the Rocky Mountains, there?s something magical about a cabin in the woods. But in ski towns across the country, many new homes ignore the coziness of mountain architecture and instead embrace an over-the-top, sprawling aesthetic that has more in common with a Los Angeles McMansion than a woodsy retreat.

Every so often, we find a modern mountain chalet that hits the right balance?like this five-bedroom, five-bath lakefront property on Fallen Leaf Lake, a small alpine lake just south of Lake Tahoe. The home was constructed in 2000 and designed by famed San Francisco architect George Homsey, one of the original Sea Ranch architects and designer of many BART stations. Despite totaling a spacious 4,059 square feet, this stone, wood, and copper listing is divided into a main residence with three bedrooms and three bathrooms, and two detached cabins with a private bedroom and bathroom each. Instead of the oversized, taxidermy-filled living rooms found in other luxury mountain properties, the home?s spaces are well-proportioned, able to hold a good-sized family while still feeling intimate.
Snug wooden nooks abound?all with views to the trees and water outside?and the home also features four fireplaces, bay windows, vaulted ceilings, and hardwood floors. Outside, amenities include two private docks, an outdoor firep...