When SAV Digital Environments went to work on a Lakelodge executive rental at Moonlight Basin in Big Sky, Montana, it was an opportunity to showcase what they do best: create an atmosphere of ease and enjoyment for all the senses.
The company, founded by Cory Reistad in the early 2000s, implements advanced technology systems in residential settings. Among their many offerings are audio-video and home theater systems, lighting control and automated shades and blinds, climate control and energy management, and innovative smart home integrations. While homes touched by SAV may be brimming with invisible technology, it’s what users see and feel that matters most.
“There are some pretty unique builds out here in the mountains,” says SAV technology advisor Stephanie Gilboy, who led the Lakelodge interior design effort, noting the vast development the region has seen in the last fifteen years. “Our job is to integrate state-of-the-art home technology that enhances the experience of a space without detracting from its design. A lot of what we do is actually hiding technology. The simpler the space appears, the harder we’ve worked.”
AN ATMOSPHERE OF EASE AND ENJOYMENT FOR ALL THE SENSES
Because the Lakelodge unit had already been built and occupied a small footprint (the three-bedroom unit is roughly 1,800 square feet), SAV had to work creatively within constraints. “This project was about blending technology, design, and art in a space that prioritizes comfort and usability—without changing the architecture or infrastructure,” says Gilboy. “SAV is driven by design, and we have an affinity for art. For this project, we worked with local design firm Open Studio Collective which helped select and procure housewares, bedding, and wall treatments; placed artwork through Courtney Collins Fine Art and Echo Arts; and of course, partnered with Studio Como for furnishings. We love collaborating with Studio Como because of the freshness and knowledge the consultants bring to each project.”
Studio Como helped SAV select pieces to match their vision of a monochromatic palette layered with textures that felt neutral and organic. Gilboy was clear that SAV wanted the interior to be intentionally minimal, allowing the eye to take in the residence’s main attraction: a spectacularly close-up view of Lone Peak and a nearby copse of evergreens.
“We didn’t want or need to compete with nature,” says Gilboy. “Once we set the scene for the interiors, we decided to add a pop of chartreuse that looks like it was picked directly from the mountain forest and brought inside.”
In collaboration with Studio Como, the SAV design team had custom-dipped Meridian loudspeakers made to match the chartreuse Husk dining chairs from B&B Italia, which surround the Riva 1920 Boss Basic oval dining table lit by a sculptural Bocci chandelier. In the living room, guests can recline on the Minotti Blazer sectional while, as Gilboy says, “getting lost down a rabbit hole of sonic experience.”
White oak and blackened steel kitchen finishes hew to mountain modern design sensibilities, while artworks by German Expressionist painter Otto Neumann and photographers David Yarrow and Robert Osborn build on the sense of texture and character. Over the last few years, SAV has opened their own art gallery space in their Wallace showroom, a space called Medium that they hope to grow to bolster the Big Sky art scene by drawing artists, collectors, and community members together.
“The Husk pieces from B&B Italia are my favorite in the unit,” says Gilboy. “We used a wide range in the living space and bedrooms, and they all function beautifully.” In addition to Husk, minimal, solid wood pieces from German furniture maker Zeitraum also feature prominently in the bedrooms. These sleek forms are cozied up by textiles. “The Yerra Shearling rug is another favorite,” Gilboy shares. “Anything that’s part of the envelope—that’s on the floor or that you’re touching with your hands or feet—is immensely important.”
How each piece feels and wears is critical to Studio Como’s curation. “All of the furnishings were chosen because they elevated the aesthetic, but also because they hug you when you sit down and make you feel like you can really use the place. They were chosen because of how they function for longevity—that they age gracefully,” says Gilboy. “The dining table is gorgeous, and it’s also a place to have family dinners or play cards. We didn’t want to have any element of ‘don’t touch that.’ We believe the furnishings should really support the interaction of people who potentially stay here—how they connect with each other and their surroundings.”
