A sleek, contemporary home blends into its high desert surroundings

A neutral palette in the living area allows the big views to shine

After decades in the Bay Area, followed by 11 years in Dallas, Sara and John Amos wanted to settle somewhere that combined Texas’s zero state income tax with California’s mountainous outdoor activity options. Reno, however, was not the obvious choice. 

“When you grow up in the Bay Area, you typically think of Reno as the land of casinos,” Sara says. 

During the couple’s time in Texas, they’d fly into Nevada to visit their cabin in Truckee. “We kept seeing beautiful homes in beautiful neighborhoods—and very little evidence of casinos,” Sara says. 

John needed extra convincing. In 2022, they visited properties and discovered they really liked South Reno and its proximity to skiing, hiking and Lake Tahoe. 

They chose a lot near the entrance of The Club at ArrowCreek and, through word of mouth, assembled their team. Their real estate agent introduced them to interior designer Cheryl Chenault, who in turn recommended builder Tim Lichty. Another builder who was interviewed recommended architect Gordon Magnin.

Stone columns framing the long hallway rise as they approach the front door

“Overall, our goals for all of them were to help us build a contemporary, comfortable home that wouldn’t break the bank and would stand the test of time as much as possible,” Sara says. 

On the architecture side, that meant a home that wasn’t too stark, with an open feel and plenty of windows.

“They had a really good program of what they wanted to accomplish in the home,” Magnin says. “I also had a lot of creative freedom because they did not come to the project with any concrete or preconceived aesthetic ideas or inspiration; I think they wanted to go through the creative process together to see what we could come up with.”

Magnin created a long single-story design, with low-slope roofs and deep-set overhangs that protect from sun in summer and precipitation in winter. With a “less is more” philosophy, the home is clean and streamlined. An exterior palette of natural stone, cedar, board-formed concrete, glass and steel allow it to blend into its surroundings. 

Cedar and board-formed concrete combine with natural stone, steel and glass on the exterior

“The home form slopes up and opens up to the west and northwest views to downtown Reno and the Sierra beyond,” Magnin says. “The house is designed to be seamless within the high desert environment by responding to the specific regional environmental factors of the site, orientation and climate.”

Inside, the main living area includes an open kitchen, dining and living room. In the kitchen, engineered oak flooring, alder cabinetry, and porcelain slab counters and backsplash offer a warm balance to the contemporary design. 

“It’s an integrated kitchen designed with efficiency in mind to work beautifully, without calling too much attention to itself,” Chenault says. 

Clerestory windows above the island introduce natural light and create a proscenium-like presence over the kitchen, which is elevated, yet understated, and complemented by circular fixtures from Reno’s Cabinet and Lighting Supply (Chenault credits Northern California’s Nelson Reeds ALD for the lighting design). 

Board-formed concrete is used to create an open wine room beside the long dining table and repeats on the living room fireplace. The ceiling rises from the kitchen toward the living room, ending in a wall of glass that includes sliding doors to the outdoor deck.  

“The architecture does the work of dramatically framing the mountainside view here, quietly directing your eye outward to the landscape,” Chenault says. 

Sliding glass doors open to a barbecue, outdoor dining area and views of ArrowCreek’s 11^th green. Even within the neighborhood setting, the outdoor space manages to feel secluded and private. 

The kitchen features oak floors, alder cabinetry and porcelain slabs, with clerestory windows for additional natural light

The primary suite is set across the main entry from the living space and offers an interior sitting area, linear fireplace, separate closets, a spa-like bath and private patio. The bathroom’s Blue Prime quartzite countertop is from Reno’s D&L Tile, where the couple sourced remnant slabs that they used throughout the home, including marble in the office and granite for the barbecue area.   

One of the home’s defining features is its long hallway. Running from the entryway to the 1,700-square-foot garage, the hallway accesses three guest suites and a laundry room, while the side that faces the cul-de-sac is made of stone columns and massive windows.

“The large glass elements were set in between these columns and get taller as you approach the front door and main living space,” Magnin says. “The home was limited in height, so this was a nice way to spread out the various elements in one story but also maintain a connection to the exterior and views.”

The overall effect allows the hallway to function almost as an art gallery. Hung on the walls are three pieces by fluid artist Megan Smith, made of iridescent pigment and resin, that the couple purchased at Truckee’s Gallery 5830’, and four oil canvases of Napa Valley vineyards by artist Susan Hoehn.

“The whole neighborhood sees it,” Lichty says. “It really turned out neat; when you drive up, it’s got a good feel to it.” 

For Lichty, the house felt like a full-circle moment.  

“I’ve been building homes in ArrowCreek since there were dirt roads,” says the builder, who estimates he’s built 35 homes in the development over about 25 years. Long ago, he says, the Amos site was a parking lot for the original sales office. “I never would have guessed I’d build a house there someday.”

The primary suite comprises its own form, separate from that of the main living spaces

He credits subcontractors like Mark Best Electric and Elite Plumbing, as well as the rest of the team. 

“Gordon was really great, and obviously Cheryl, the interior designer, did a great job,” Lichty says. “It was a real professional team. If you get that way building a house, it’s going to be a good house.”  

The couple closed on their lot in March 2022. Construction took about a year and a half; they moved in the end of December 2024. “I think for a custom home of our size, it was a pretty quick process, all in all, which was a pleasant surprise,” Sara says. 

While the home is different than most in the community, Sara says she hears only positive remarks, with other residents commenting that it’s modern without being extreme, and that it blends nicely with the natural landscape.

“That house is an original home for ArrowCreek,” Lichty says. “It’s got a lot of personality.”

And while the couple, John in particular, may have originally had doubts about Reno, they both now agree: “It definitely was the right move,” Sara says.

Award: High Desert

Building Design: Magnin Architecture

Builder: Tim Lichty Construction

Interior Design: Cheryl Chenault Interiors

Landscape Design: High West Landscape Architects

Square Feet: 4,300