Inside Instagram Founder Kevin Systrom's Lake Tahoe Retreat

For 150 years Lake Tahoe has attracted generations of adventurers, artists, and pioneers to its shores—folks drawn to the magnificent rugged landscape of the Sierras and the intense beauty of the crystal-blue alpine lake. It was a mutual admiration of this place that helped lay the groundwork for my friendship with Kevin Systrom, the cofounder of Instagram, and his wife, Nicole.

We first met in 2013 as neighbors in San Francisco. Kevin and his then-girlfriend, Nicole, came over for supper after a mutual friend introduced us. Instagram was already somewhat of a sensation but certainly nowhere near what it has become. Over the course of the evening we discovered many shared interests—in food, music, and travel, specifically Lake Tahoe.

For years my husband, Kurt, and I had rented an old camp on the north shore for two weeks in the summer and had developed a deep fondness for the place. Kevin shared my romantic ideas about the area—the history of its fearless explorers, the mystique of the Wild West, its place in San Francisco lore since the Victorian era, when timber resorts dotted the shores and Bay Area families would retreat to homes designed by the most prominent local architects. At its core, however, the real pull for both of us is the otherworldly beauty, an ever-changing source of profound inspiration.

Within a few months’ time, Kevin invited me up to see a spot he found on the north shore of the lake, just around the bend from where I had vacationed. Though newly built, the house had the character of an old-fashioned lodge, with massive timbers, hand-scraped floors, and ceilings soaring over 30 feet. The most remarkable feature was the view of the lake. It was February, so snow covered the ground, and Lake Tahoe’s intense blue presence filled the rooms and was amplified by the craggy, snowcapped peaks surrounding it.

Our visions for the property were in sync: a year-round camp to rival the best historic resorts, one that felt intriguingly timeworn, as though it had been there for generations.

“As a kid, I went to my grandparents’ home in the New Hampshire woods,” says Kevin. “I remember what an impression that had on me. We wanted to make sure that our family’s next generation had the same opportunity, a place to visit every summer.”

Once they purchased the house, we immediately set about crafting the interiors. We started with a written story line about the house and its inhabitants. Our description outlined the nostalgic references we wanted to embrace—the artists, the explorers, the midcentury Rat Pack of the nearby Nevada casinos—and profiled a new wave of creators and innovators ready to make their own mark.

Alongside senior designer Daryl Serrett, and backed by a talented team, we shared the developing concepts with Kevin and Nicole through storyboards. But they did not simply come along for the ride; they reveled in the process, relishing all the intricate details and collaborating as the project came to life.

For this house to tell its tale and be truly transportive, we shopped far and wide for vintage pieces that spanned periods and places. From Bavarian antiques to retro midcentury lighting, we curated a collection that would add flavor and character. Meanwhile we custom-designed many of the principal furnishings to be handcrafted by our favorite California artisans. In the great room, which is flanked by two enormous fireplaces, we made a pair of oversize sofas upholstered in fabric reminiscent of a Native American blanket. We surrounded them with bookcases constructed of crocodile-embossed bronze. The heroic dining table, which seats up to 18, was inspired by a Jacobean antique; but rather than choosing polished wood, we had this one expertly carved by chain saw. We designed two substantial gothic lanterns to fill the vast space over the table with a soft glow.

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An avid cook, Kevin wanted to make sure the kitchen had the same dose of high style and warmth as the rest of the house. We clad the cabinets in cold-rolled steel with brass accents and topped them with heavily veined granite counters in a leathered finish for added texture. The extra-large island received the same metal cladding but is topped in an end-grain walnut perfect for prepping dinner—and gathering around.

Every getaway needs lots of bedrooms for friends and family. Here, we dedicated them to some of Kevin and Nicole’s favorite writers. With its plaid carpet, vintage wingback chair, antique campaign chest, and stags’ heads keeping watch overhead, the Hemingway room is a nod to rugged masculinity and comfort. Inspired by a jet-setting Bond, the Ian Fleming suite has walls covered in Fornasetti clouds and streamlined pieces from the 1970s. We dubbed the bunk room The Drunken Poets’ Quarters and crafted privacy curtains from wool camp blankets, custom-embroidered with quotes from Baudelaire, Dorothy Parker, and Bukowski.

“Our regular visitors have their favorite rooms,” says Kevin. “The kids have grown up loving the bunk room, watching fireworks from the dock, and staring up at the Milky Way from the lawn at night.”

No great lodge is complete without a proper tavern, so we outfitted a full working bar below the guesthouse. Complete with tufted, red patent leather banquettes and a temperature-controlled wine room, the entire bar is sheathed in charred redwood paneling in the Japanese shou sugi ban style, which gives the room a smoky, almost ancient quality.

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“Designing the pub was the most fun part of the project,” Kevin notes. “I wanted a secret room, where we could play loud music and share a great Belgian beer after a day of skiing.”

When it came time to unveil the house to Kevin and Nicole, it seemed only appropriate that they should arrive via the lake—the way San Francisco vacationers did throughout the 19th century. We chartered a historic boat and picked them up at a local marina. Now officially christened Loomis Lodge, the finished project was complete. Walking them through it as collaborators and coconspirators was a thrill. In short order, significant memories were made.

“I proposed to Nicole on our dock,” says Kevin. “It was Thanksgiving, and the lake was as still as glass. The sun had just set, and a stunning sunset lit up the clouds in bright magenta and purple. Our first real date was a ski-trip weekend in college to Lake Tahoe, so it seemed fitting that I’d propose there as well. We feel lucky to wake up in the morning and look out on the place where we got engaged. And now that we have a daughter, it’s fun to see her grow to love Tahoe too. We go swimming at the beach nearby, take her on hikes in the woods with the dog, and eat meals with her outside at sunset as we watch the old wooden boats go by.”

As intended, this magical spot has become a true refuge, and a place purpose-built and designed to imprint memories.

Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest