Category: Mountain Modern Home Design

Lake Tahoe Flips Due to Extra-Chilly Winter

There’s no question that this winter was one for the records. From all the calls we received about how to shovel snow from a roof to the intricate engineering and architectural design one needs for higher elevation homes, we will remember this one for a long time to come.

While we were caring for our clients and shoveling our own driveways, Lake Tahoe was experiencing an unusual winter as well.

This past month, the Tahoe Environmental Research Center (TERC) shared the news that Lake Tahoe had actually ‘flipped’ or mixed vertically from top to bottom. According to the experts at TERC, most years, the mixing does not extend beyond 1,000 feet.

Full mixing is an annual event in shallower lakes, however for Lake Tahoe and its 1,640-foot depth, it is a less common occurrence. Lake Tahoe last mixed during the 2018-19 winter. Typically mixing starts in the fall, with the surface layer of the lake cooling and gradually mixing deeper. Most years, the mixing does not extend beyond 1,000 feet.

What causes the mixing? TERC explained that the air temperature is the largest factor, not the intensity of individual storms. As this has been a particularly cold winter, it caused the Lake to mix deeper and weeks earlier compared to most other years.

So, is that a good thing? Yes. They told us that lake mixing is extremely good as it renews the water at the Lake bottom with “fresh” oxygen-rich water from the surface.

As we wrap up this ski season and winter to remember, we thank all the unsung heroes who kept the roads clear, our utilities intact and businesses running throughout it all!

James P. Borelli
Founder/Principal
Borelli Architecture
Lake Tahoe / Truckee
jim@borelliarchitecture.com
775.831.3060

How to Safely Shovel Snow Off A Roof

With all the recent snowfall, our architectural firm at Lake Tahoe has been receiving calls about snow loads on our clients’ roofs. Within that conversation, they ask how to safely remove the load – as there is more snow in the forecast this month.

Last year, we posted one of our most popular blogs about how we design mountain homes that meet the structural requirements for significant snowfall. And within the blog, we offered immediate advice as to how one can know if there is too much snow on the roof, and how to safely remove the snow. With the heavy snow that we received during Christmas and New Year’s, we thought we should share that advice again.

Here are the highlights of the story posed by the question “How do you know if you have too much snow on the roof?”

One cubic foot of fluffy, dry snow weighs about three pounds. The same amount of dense, wet snow can weigh as much as 21 pounds. While most roofs are built to withstand more than that, your roof may be under too much pressure if you see these signs:

Visible sagging along the roofline
Cracks in the ceiling or on the walls
Popping or creaking noises
Difficult-to-open doors and windows

As it melts excess snow can also lead to ice dams — melting snow refreezes and can damage your home’s interior under the eave line.

How to safely clear your roof

Keep the following in mind:

Hire a professional. A person who does this work regularly should know the best techniques and likely be insured.
Never work alone. Always have someone with you in case you slip or have an emergency.
Clear the area. The ladder up to your roof should be positioned on solid ground. Also, make sure the rungs are clear of ice and snow before you climb.
Secure yourself. If possible, use a strap or belt to anchor yourself to something strong, like a chimney.
Avoid shingle damage. Stay away from picks, hammers, or other sharp tools to clear snow and ice.
Use the right tools. If you have a one-story or flat-roofed house, invest in a snow rake. These long-handled tools with plastic blades can help you gently pull snow from the edge of the roof line.

Inasmuch as this is a good recap of how to get the job done, our team at Borelli Architecture suggests you seek professionals to get the job done. Roofing companies and possibly professional tree removal companies would be a good place to start. Here’s a link to the Better Business Bureau’s recommendations.

In the meantime, if you want more details about how to build a structurally sound home in the mountains, feel free to reach out at any time.

Be safe out there!

James P. Borelli
Founder/Principal
Borelli Architecture
Lake Tahoe / Truckee
jim@borelliarchitecture.com
775.831.3060

Lake Tahoe Ski Resort Web Cams

(Photo courtesy of Mt Rose Ski Tahoe)

With all the recent snowfall throughout the High Sierra, we thought this blog could be a perfect spot to share the beauty of Mother Nature. When you are ready to hit the slopes in 2023, click on these Lake Tahoe Ski Resort Web Cams for your bird’s eye view!

And if your plans for next year include building a home by the slopes, our team at Borelli Architecture is ready to get your project moving forward. For over 30 years, we have designed slope-side mountain homes, mountain-modern masterpieces, and quaint retreats throughout the High Sierra.

To see some highlights of our client’s dream homes, see a sampling of the Residential Homes in Lake Tahoe and Carson City designed by Borelli Architecture.

If you are interested in learning more about how to build a mountain home in Lake Tahoe, or own property on a golf course and are ready to start the design process, I welcome the opportunity to share our professional advice with you. Contact us at any time.

James P. Borelli
Founder/Principal
Borelli Architecture
Lake Tahoe / Truckee
jim@borelliarchitecture.com
775.831.3060

To Remodel or Not? What’s the Best Investment?

For over 30 years, our architect firm in Lake Tahoe and Truckee has shared our advice about whether one should invest in remodeling their homes, or not. Be it a full-time residence or a vacation home, the answer lies within the owner’s vision of the property’s future. If one has plans to continue to enjoy the endless playground that comes with living and working in the Sierra, then a remodel may be the perfect next step to upgrading the home for future generations to enjoy.

If one is thinking about selling the home, we like to do a thorough walk-through to define what rooms make sense to remodel to ensure the owners get a good return on their investment.

At Borelli Architecture in Incline Village and throughout Washoe County, we have provided our clients with many options for remodeling their homes at the Lake.

To give you some ideas as to what our capabilities may be for your home, take a look at these recent remodeling projects:

733 Dee Court
Incline Village, Nevada

The scope of this interior remodel project included opening up the kitchen area to the living area by removing the existing walls between the kitchen and living area and between the kitchen and dining area and also by removing the existing freestanding fireplace. The dining area was converted to a bar area, and the result is an open great room/kitchen area with much-improved flow and a feeling of spaciousness. The completely remodeled kitchen now has plenty of space, all new appliances and finishes, and two large islands. A new fireplace was relocated to a large entertainment wall, and new built-in cabinets were added to both sides.

Crystal Shores West #52
Incline Village, Nevada

This 1,810 square-foot Incline Village lakefront condominium was completely remodeled, adding a lower floor bathroom and reconfiguring the master bathroom and guest bathroom. The kitchen was expanded and completely remodeled, and the living area received a new stone fireplace. Adding storage space was critical, and every inch was maximized to the greatest degree possible.

If you are interested in learning more about remodeling your home, and what the best options should be, I welcome the opportunity to share our professional advice with you. Contact us at any time.

James P. Borelli
Founder/Principal
Borelli Architecture
Lake Tahoe / Truckee
jim@borelliarchitecture.com
775.831.3060

Top Tips to Stage Your Home to Entice a Winter Sale

How to stage your home during the holidays

Do pumpkin decor and the scent of maple candles enhance the opportunity for a quicker home sale during the holidays? Adding some holiday ambiance wouldn’t hurt according to those who know how to stage a home for a top sale during the winter months.

Although our architectural firm in Lake Tahoe does not specialize in advice on real estate, our clients reach out to us for lots of advice as it relates to their investment. And the subject at hand is actually fairly common.

So what helps to sell a home during the typically slower season for real estate sales? According to the pros, added ambiance.

We asked our peers in the business to provide some top tips to stage a home for a successful sale in the wintertime, and here is what they said:

1) Place a wreath on the front door. The more natural it looks, the more inviting it will be. Garland around the door is recommended as well to frame the entrance and set a welcoming visual. The more ‘generic’ the better. Stay away from glitz and glamour and too much color.

2) At the entry, if you have a small table available, fresh flowers are always a plus. A seasonal dried arrangement works, too.

3) Keep the mountain theme as one enters your home. Think: pinecones in a basket, dried seasonal leaves and pine boughs, and candles to light the way.

4) Open all the curtains to showcase your home’s natural setting (and be sure the windows are sparkling clean).

5) If you have rugs throughout the home, the cozier, the better for this time of the year.

6) We mentioned candles before, and we’ll mention them again. With winter weather underway, anything you can do to accentuate a warm and welcoming environment will be a bonus. From the mantels to the hallways and bathrooms as well.

7) Set the table as if your family was arriving for a holiday dinner. Consider a centerpiece of natural greenery that brings the outdoors in.

8) Don’t limit your decor to the dining room table. If you have a buffet, table near the couch, or end tables that bring the living room all together, a little holiday decor would do well to set the tone of a cozy and comfortable home sweet home.

If you are interested in learning more tips on how to stage a home for a successful sale, my wife, Kelly is the founder of Kelly Borelli Interiors and she and I welcome the opportunity to share our seasoned advice with you. Contact us at any time.

James P. Borelli
Founder/Principal
Borelli Architecture
Lake Tahoe / Truckee
jim@borelliarchitecture.com
775.831.3060

What to Plant in the Fall in the High Elevation

Although our architectural services in Lake Tahoe and Truckee focus primarily on designing your home, we are often asked about the trees and plants that might be ideal to complement our home designs. And as fall is now in full swing, now is the time to decide what trees and shrubs you might want to plant before the frost arrives.

To help you out, we researched the internet and found this great blog written by the professionals at the Outdoor Design Group out of Colorado.

As their elevation is similar to ours, here are their recommendations for high-elevation trees that would be ideal for homes in and around the High Sierra.

Deciduous Trees

Quaking Aspen Populus tremuloides
Canada Red Cherry Prunus virginiana ‘Canada Red’
Russian Hawthorne Crataegus ambigua
Ginnala Maple Acer ginnala
Apple and Crabbaple Malus (several types)
Alder Alnus tenuifolia
Tartarian Maple Acer tartaricum
Birch Betula (several types)
Mountain Ash Sorbus aucuparia
English Oak Quercus robur

Evergreen Trees

Southwestern White Pine Pinus strobiformis
Ponderosa Pine Pinus ponderosa
Colorado Blue Spruce Picea pungens
Douglas Fir Pseudotsuga menziesii glauca
White Fir Abies concolor
Limber Pine Pinus flexilis
Bristlecone Pine Pinus aristata

Deciduous Shrubs

Burning Bush Euonymus ‘Turkstanica Nana’
Peking Cotoneaster Cotoneaster lucidus
American Cranberry Viburnum trilobum
Currant Ribes (several types)
Lilac Syringa (several types)
Potentilla Potentilla (several types)
Siberean Peashrub Caragana arborescens
Snowball Viburnum Viburnum opulus
Rock Spirea Holodiscus dumosus
Sumac Rhus (several types)
Willow Salix (several types)
Sand Sage Artemesia filifolia
Serviceberry Amelanchier (several types)
Barberry Berberis (several types)

Evergreen Shrubs

Juniper Juniperus (several types)
Mugo Pine Pinus mugo
Dwarf Alberta Spruce Picea glauca
Blue Globe Spruce Picea pungen ‘Globosa’
Weeping Norway Spruce Picea abies ‘Pendula’
Yucca Yucca (several types)
Euonymus Euonymus (several types)

Ornamental Grasses

Blue Oat Grass Helictotrichon sempervirens
Blue Fescue Festuca glauca
Ravenna Grass Erianthus ravennae

Perennials

Aster Aster (several types)
Columbine Aqueiegia
Blue Flax Linum perenne
Snow in Summer Cerastium tomentosum
Wild Strawberry Waldsteninia ternata
Kinnikinnick Actostaphylos uva-ursi
Painted Daisy Tanacetum coccineum
Delphinium Delphinium (several types)
Bleeding Heart Dicentra spectabilis
Oregon Grape Holly Mahonia repens
Yarrow Achillea (several types)
Lupine Lupinus (several types)
Sedum Sedum (several types)
Black Eyed Susan Rudbeckia fulgida
Windflower Anemone canadensis
Serbia Iris Iris sibirica

We hope this information helps you and your family prepare your yard for the years to come. And, if you ever need more insight into what it is like to live in the mountains or need a professional architect in Lake Tahoe to help build your mountain, lakefront, or golf resort home at Lake Tahoe, feel free to reach out at any time.

James P. Borelli
Founder/Principal
Borelli Architecture
Lake Tahoe / Truckee
jim@borelliarchitecture.com
775.831.3060

Incline Village Curbside Chipping, Pine Needle Pickup, Deadlines Approaching

During the year, our team at Borelli Architecture in Incline Village likes to provide information about living in the mountains and tips to keep your home safe in your natural surroundings. During the fall season, Kelly and I make it a point to clean up our yard and prepare for the winter months to come.

Another bonus of living in the high-elevation wrapped within a forest setting is the free services we receive from various local agencies and organizations.

Read on to see the details about Incline Village Waste Management’s Yard Waste pick-up service and the North Lake Tahoe Protection District’s curbside chipping services.

Next, get your yard and piles in order.

Clean up all the fallen leaves and perhaps limbs or tree debris accumulated over the summer months.
Pine needles and clean yard waste should be placed in large trash bags; place your Waste Management stickers on each load and put them on the curb for pick-up (now through October 28). If you did not get your stickers from Waste Management, or have more questions, see all the details about Incline’s Yard Waste Management Program right here.

Next, take advantage of the North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District FREE curbside chipping service if you have branches too big for your regular trash containers. Sign up on this form to make a request.

Then, prepare your curbside piles:

All branches The branch diameter cannot exceed 6 inches.
The pile must not contain stumps, roots, garbage, nails, lumber, or pine cones.
The pile must not exceed 30 feet in length, 6 feet in height, and 6 feet in width.

Repurpose the chips:

Once the chipping has been completed, they will be left right where you left your pile and are ideal for erosion control or natural landscaping. Do note that WHERE you place the clipping is essential as well. The NLTFPD suggests that you keep the chippings AT LEAST five feet away from your home or any structure.

Information on their website also noted that if you spread the chips within 30 feet of a structure, you should be sure they are separated by ‘noncombustible’ areas like rock, pathways, driveways, or dirt.

After you do all the hard work, take time to enjoy the fall season. It will be snowing before you know it!

We hope this information helps you and your family prepare and plan for the winter months. For more tips, visit the blog we posted last fall about Home Winter Preparation Tips. And, if you ever need more insight into what it is like to live in the mountains or need a professional architect in Lake Tahoe to help build your mountain, lakefront, or golf resort home at Lake Tahoe, feel free to reach out at any time.

James P. Borelli
Founder/Principal
Borelli Architecture
Lake Tahoe / Truckee
jim@borelliarchitecture.com
775.831.3060

What is a Site Plan and Why Do You Need One?

When you live in one of the most beautiful spots on the planet, you have an innate ability to appreciate your surroundings and protect them as best as you can. When working with our clients, we offer professional Site Plan services that enhance your property’s setting while abiding by the strict environmental regulations set by the counties around the Lake and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency – for all the right reasons.

We employ a proactive approach regarding communications with both regulatory officials and interested stakeholders in order to build consensus surrounding a project’s design and objectives. Applying our collective talents and experience, Borelli Architecture in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, is here to design your dream home while ensuring we protect the environment that surrounds your investment.

When you work with the team at Borelli Architecture in Lake Tahoe and Carson City, Nevada, you will receive a visual presentation of your property that includes:

location of your home
location of other buildings (guest house, garden sheds)
terraces
extended features (outdoor kitchen, firepit)
playground

When completed, you will have a much better visual of the size and scale of your home as it relates to its orientation on your property.

Your site plan may be presented in different formats.

2D Site Plan This is usually a simple overview that may be black and white or color coded. It’s usually the first step in your home design which gives you an initial understanding of the layout of your home.

3D Site Plan This option is more elaborate and includes a more defined full-color understanding of the structure of your home and its materials and colors, as well as some outdoor features (potential trees, etc.)

3D Video Our team prefers this option and uses this technology to give our clients a much clearer understanding of your site plan, house plan, and environment in which it will be built.

For example, take a tour through our Borelli Architecture Video Models now.

If you have any questions at any time about our services to help you visualize your next home, please reach out at any time.

James P. Borelli
Founder/Principal
Borelli Architecture
Lake Tahoe / Truckee
jim@borelliarchitecture.com
775.831.3060

How to Secure Permits to Build a Home in Lake Tahoe (Part Two)

Earlier this month we provided you with a list of possible applications and forms that may be critical to complete prior to and during the design and construction of a new home or during a major remodel to a home in Lake Tahoe. That was the first part of this two part series that you need to know about before moving forward.

This section outlines what the TRPA lists as “General Forms” that may be required to complete if your construction project includes additions of home generators, removal of underground tanks, project extensions, significant grading, or if your home is located on the lake.

As a full-service architectural design firm in Lake Tahoe, Borelli Architecture certainly can assist in the process of securing the proper permits then review the details together with you and work with our peers at TRPA to move things forward.

Below is a complete list of applications that may be needed to finalize your building permit.

General Applications & Documents

Pre-Application Consultation Request @

Construction Schedule Extension @

Owner Authorization

Qualified Exempt Declaration @

Backup Generator Installation Guide

MOU Qualified Exempt Declaration @

Underground Tank Removal Application @

Project Impact Assessment Online Tool

Project Impact Assessment Guidelines

Project Impact Assessment Fact Sheet

Standard Conditions of Approval

Security Procedures (Attachment J)

Standard Conditions of Approval – Residential Driveway (Attachment P)

Standard Conditions of Approval – Grading (Attachment Q)

Standard Conditions of Approval – Residential Projects (Attachment R)

Standard Conditions of Approval – Shorezone Standards (Attachment S)

Standard Conditions of Approval – Underground Tank (Attachment U)

If you have any questions at any time about building, designing, or securing TRPA or county permits for your new home, please reach out at any time.

James P. Borelli
Founder/Principal
Borelli Architecture
Lake Tahoe / Truckee
jim@borelliarchitecture.com
775.831.3060

How to Secure Permits to Build a Home in Lake Tahoe? (Part One)

If you have recently purchased land or a home in the Lake Tahoe basin and have plans to either build a home or do an extensive remodel, our team at Borelli Architecture based in Incline Village Lake Tahoe is here to help you move forward in planning for your future. Throughout the last 30 years, we have been working closely with the agencies and counties that fall within the Lake Tahoe Basin area and have strict policies that must be followed.

As a full-service architectural design firm, we certainly can assist in designing the home of your dreams. In addition, we have solid relationships with the individuals who review and approve the many permits that it takes to finalize a home in the Lake Tahoe Basin, and outlying Carson City and Truckee regions as well.

Below you will find a list from the TRPA website that will provide you with an overview of the various applications and forms that may be required to complete, submit, and receive approval before and during the permitting, home building and renovation processes.

Take a look at this list below.

Then, check back into our News section at Borelli Architecture at the end of this month to learn more about the permitting process to build or remodel a home within the High Sierra.

Single Family Dwelling Application @

Single Family Dwelling Findings

BMP Retrofit Permit Application @

BMP Small Retrofit Plan@

Driveway/Parking Area Paving Application @

Grading Project Application @

Land Coverage Exemptions for Residential Improvements

Backup Generator Installation Guide

Multi-Family Dwelling Application @

Multi-Family Dwelling Project Findings

Qualified Exempt Declaration @

Scenic Protection Information