Diana Vincent: Simple, Sophisticated Rustic Design

Visit High Camp Home’s website, and you’ll find a treasure trove of rustic home furnishings and sophisticated cabin décor. Now click through to their Design Services, and you’ll see just how magically those furnishings and décor can be combined. These stunning designs are thanks to the High Camp Home Design team, led by Founder and Principal Designer, Diana Vincent. Diana started her career in interior design in Toronto in 1995. She then moved on to various locations in the U.S. before landing in the mountain town of Lake Tahoe, CA. Home to a plethora of log cabins, farmhouses, and ranches, this town was perfect for Diana’s “simple, sophisticated rustic design” style.

Native Trails caught up with Diana after finding our Aspen hammered copper bathtub featured in Ski Slope mountain retreat.
NT: Your Ski Slope project is absolutely stunning. Tell us more about the design.
DV: Ski Slope was a remodel of a tired 80’s home. On the upper level, we were able to pay homage to the incredible views and allow the landscape to further enhance the design. The lower level felt incredibly closed in with tight hallways. We opened it up, making it as much a showcase as the upper level – it’s an award winning project; a huge success.
NT: The fireplace and soaker tub in the master bathroom are iconic. What led you to selecting Native Trails?
DV: I have used Native Trails copper sinks and copper tubs in a few of our projects. One of the factors that has led me to selecting copper is that the mix with rustic design is timeless; no matter how old the piece may be, it holds its appeal, especially when mixed with reclaimed wood and other natural elements. Native Trails creates a great product at an affordable price point and has been consistent throughout the years, which is no doubt huge in our industry. For the Ski Slope project specifically, Native Trails was a natural fit with our use of reclaimed wood, slate and bronze fixtures. The copper bathtub was the perfect shape and scale for the alcove we created.

NT: Was there any particular source of creative inspiration on this project?
DV: My team. Without my build partner, Bill Lorrain of High Sierra Customs, my ability to create and conquer this design would not have been possible. Having a solid team to stand behind you and to creatively tackle the job at hand makes my wheels spin and allows for design elements to take off with an incredible creative force.
NT: It’s fun to look through your website and learn more about your team and your teamwork. It’s almost as though your team is your muse. What are some of your other sources of creative inspiration?
DV: I have a not-so-secret indulgence – shelter magazines. Now that we are so web-orientated, I find inspiration not only through print. It may be a color or a wood or a certain furniture layout that translates to a project I am working on. I love to see what others are doing and interpret that into my own design aesthetic.

NT: You definitely bring an earth-friendly aspect to your designs. Do you have a particular philosophy on sustainability?
DV: We have never tried to be green because our style is “green” to begin with. We recently won an award in Lake Tahoe for best in design of a LEED certified home. The LEED award is presented for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and recognizes green building and best-in class strategies and practices. Our philosophy is to work with natural materials and to do what is right by the environment. This ultimately always lands us in a world of sustainability and eco-conscious design.
NT: Do you have a favorite project you’ve worked on? If so, what made it your favorite?
DV: Although I have many favorite projects over the years, there was a home that we remodeled about a decade ago that still wins awards and has been featured on HGTV and Discovery Channels. My favorite thing about this project is that it exemplifies my motto that good design is timeless.
Thank you to A Richards Built Home, Inc., specializing in traditional and green certified mountain and lodge style homes and estates, for the photos of the Incline Village LEED certified home.