MOUNTAIN LIVING, February 2006

“Outside the Box” by Mary Barthelme Abel

CREATIVE DESIGN MELDS THREE SEPARATE STRUCTURES WITH DISTINCT PERSONALITIES INTO ONE GRAND HOMESTEAD.

When faced with a large project or task, popular advice is to break it down into smaller pieces. That way it doesn’t feel quite so big or overwhelming. This advice, it seems, also applies to houses.

Take, for example, a home near Eagle, Colorado, that is definitely above average in size. Because it has been divided into three separate structures – each with its own distinct personality – every space feels warm, cozy and not at all overwhelming.

The idea of constructing three separate buildings came to architect Duane Piper as a way to better fit the scale of the property. “It is a fairly large parcel of land, and the three buildings give it a nicer feeling that one lone building. It makes it feel like the home is an old homestead and represents the history of ranching in the area,” he explains.

Individual structure also creates unique interiors. “By breaking up the spaces,” interior designer Andrea Georgopolis notes, “we ended up with rooms that are perfectly proportioned to be intimate,” In other words, the homeowners don’t feel as though they are walking into a hotel lobby, which sometimes happens with houses of this size.

The overall feel of the home, described by Georgopolis as “rustic but not lodgey; a ranch look with Western flair, but not over the top,” was inspired by a Midwestern lodge frequented by the homeowners, both of whom were deeply involved with every aspect of construction and design. “They cared about every single detail of every single room,”Georgopolis says.

And it shows. The main “ranch” house consists of the public spaces – an open living, dining and kitchen space and library – as well as the master suite. It also includes a beautiful covered porch with a fireplace for enjoying cool mountain evenings.

“The library is probably the most important room in the house, and certainly one of my favorites,” says Georgopolis. Built-in bookcases surround a cozy window seat, both built by Heartwood Custom Woodworks. The seat provides a front-row view of the Eagle River, a must-have for the homeowners.

Cabinets were given a warm green finish, complementing the soft chocolate and taupe fabrics and dark wood furnishings.

An impressive kitchen island dominates the rest of the main house. The husband, who is the cook of the family, “had enormous input as to how it would function,” says Georgopolis. A true cook’s kitchen, it features a straightforward design and easy-to-clean surfaces. A dramatic copper hood highlights a stainless-steel range by Wolf. The island is topped with a unique slab of granite chosen for its delightful resemblance to a riverbed.

The second building, which from the exterior looks like an old barn, is actually a fun, retro space that holds an office, exercise room and garage on the first level and bedrooms, baths and a common area for the homeowners’ two daughters on the second. “The clients let their girls be a part of the design decisions for their space, and they wanted a 50’s diner look,” says Georgopolis. The results are a whimsical, funky space done in black, white and red and finished with an authentic diner table, “Betty Boop” chairs and old tin soda fountain signs.

The third building is the guesthouse, a true log cabin by Eagle, Colorado-based Handcrafted Log and Timber, Inc. Piper says the design team discussed several material options, including stone and log veneer, before deciding on a genuine log structure – a project he had fun with. “I really enjoyed working on this little log structure. It has a more diminutive scale that just feels good in its size,” he says. The cozy cabin houses two bedrooms, two baths, a common sitting room and small kitchen. “This is the most rustic of all the spaces,” says Georgopolis. Old-fashioned furnishings sit atop distressed pine floors, joined by a pot-bellied stove in the sitting area and clawfoot tubs in the baths. Chicken wire lends a pioneer look to the kitchen cabinets, which are painted red for a pop of color.

Although the décor of each space is decidedly different, the architecture, combined with landscaping by Aspen-based Shannon Murphy, connects each building. Courtyards and charming paths flow from one building to the next, while strategically placed plantings make the passages inviting and reinforce the feeling that each structure is part of the same house and one comfortable, cohesive space.

Colorado Comfort

Artful Light – “We wanted the chandelier to be another element in the room, like a piece of sculpture,” says interior designer Andrea Georgopolis. The fixture, from Boulder, CO –based Grace and Graham, is a bold mixture of iron, alabaster and onyx.

Timber Treatment – Instead of using reclaimed timbers, new timbers were hewn, distressed and stained to look as though they were 100 years old. “We decided to use new timbers,” says architect Duane Piper, “because these are truly structural and not just for decoration.”

Refined Adirondack – The coffee table is by Black Bear Rustic Furniture, which has

Taken the rustic Adirondack look and refined it with cleaner, more geometric lines. The natural log legs allow the table to maintain a simple, casual feel.

Western Flair – A wood-and-leather chair from Wyoming-based New West offers a Western twist on the classic Mission look. Leather crisscross stitching adds an unexpected detail and sets the chair apart from the upholstered pieces.

Unique Touches – The homeowners spent a great deal of time searching for one-of-a-kind touches, such as the fireplace mantel. Hand-selected from a reclaimed lumber source in Georgia, the timbers were meticulously stained to match the other timbers used in the room.

Under Cover – “We worked on the rugs quite a bit,” says interior designer Andrea Georgopolis. After trying several looks, it was decided that this flat-weave kilim in vivid colors worked best. Other rugs were custom-ordered for various spaces throughout the house to tie the rooms together. Rugs from Line of the Spirit, Crestone, CO.