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Modern black steel staircase descending into a white plaster and concrete foyer with floor-to-ceiling picture window backdrop, showcasing the Idaho Teton mountains view beyond. Custom home designed by Ho & Lacy.

A Copper-Clad Legacy, Crafted by Time and Terrain

PENNY RANCH

TETON VALLEY,  DRIGGS

Set in the open valley near Driggs, Idaho, Penny Ranch is both a family retreat and a case study in site-driven design. With sweeping views of the Teton Range to the east and the wooded rise of the Caribou-Targhee National Forest to the west, the home is carefully oriented to capture light, manage snow, and respond to the raw drama of the surrounding landscape.

 

Designed for James Kuhn—co-founder of Kuhn & Young Luxury Home Builders and a longtime collaborator—this residence reflects a mutual dedication to craft. James entrusted us with the full architectural vision for his own family's home, and together we shaped a project that stands as both a personal retreat and a professional statement.

 

The home is raised above the earth on a cast-in-place concrete plinth, protecting it from snowpack, floodplain, and freeze. A copper roof folds down to form the exterior skin, designed to weather and change with the seasons. In contrast to this bold massing, the interiors are spare and warm: exposed wood joists, smooth concrete floors, dark oak cabinetry, and light-washed plaster. At the center of the plan, a custom blackened steel stair appears to float—its final riser held in tension just above the ground.

 

Though compact in footprint, the home supports layered use: a guest suite over the garage offers privacy for extended family; an upstairs gym and office allow for working and living year-round; and a second lounge offers a quieter space for conversation or late-night unwinding, even as the main living area stays lively into the evening. Covered exterior decks extend from key rooms, offering shade in the high summer sun and shelter in the snow—each one intentionally placed for light, view, and use.

Penny Ranch is a defining project in our ongoing collaboration with Kuhn & Young. Conceived in close dialogue, this home reflects the best of what we bring to the table together: vision, precision, regional fluency, and a shared commitment to craft. It’s the kind of work that pushes both our teams to go further—and sets the tone for future homes we hope to realize in the Teton Valley. For those drawn to this kind of process and place, Penny Ranch offers a glimpse of what thoughtful design can make possible.

Building Partner: Kuhn & Young Luxury Home Builders

Copper-clad modern ranch house in Driggs Idaho, with upper level cantilevered over concrete patio below.  The project includes four bedrooms, three and a half bathrooms, a great room, covered outdoor patio, mudroom and laundry, foyer, and three-car garage. In addition, there is a guest apartment above the garage with a discrete entry. Custom home designed by Ho & Lacy.
Refined living room with board-formed concrete hearth, large cleft stone coffee tables, wood log cubby, and floor to ceiling sliding glass panels opening to the panoramic view of the Teton mountains beyond. Custom home designed by Ho & Lacy.
Modern clean lines on this Driggs ID luxury home. Three sections of living spaces come together with a view of the main staircase. Custom home designed by Ho & Lacy.
Sunset silhouette of modern ranch home tucked into the Teton Valley. Custom home in Driggs Idaho designed by Ho & Lacy Architects.
Monochromatic black kitchen design with a variety of textures that creates depth. Floor to ceiling smoked oak cabinets with inset black appliances throughout. Built-in window seat and minimalist dining set. Honed concrete flooring leads out of a glass door revealing a view of the Idaho Teton mountains. Custom home designed by Ho & Lacy.
Sleek, smoked oak floor-to-ceiling built-in bookshelves in a moody study, part of a modern custom home in Driggs Idaho, designed by Ho & Lacy.
Sleek black kitchen design with horizontal glazed tile backsplash and blackened steel counters, across from a light oak dining set. Custom home designed by Ho & Lacy.
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