The outdoors beckons and instills a sense of peace, wonder and endless inspiration.
Whether we hike or bike, picnic or camp the one thing most of us who live and work here have in common is the fact that we get inspired by the natural beauty that surrounds us. We’ve translated our love for the outdoors, many times, into incredible design: plaster aspen trees, granite counters with eye-catching fossils, bird installations, using bold greens and blues – reminiscent of summer Colorado afternoons – in accent pieces… the list goes on. We know what inspires our clients, but do our clients know what inspires us? Read on to see what we do on our off hours, when we have a bit of time to explore.
Design associate Oshi Gardarian, a full-fledged, born and raised local, loves to head out on the river and commune with nature, finessing her way with the fishing line to reel in a trout. The fish must be as captivated by Oshi’s high-energy spirit because she’s known to catch (and release) more than one on a river adventure.
Senior designer Kim Toms is up before dawn, sluicing her way through the lanes of the EagleVail pool during her Masters’ swim class. The calm of the early morning as the sun dapples the pool helps her get ready for the busy day ahead. Not to leave her kids out, Kim communes with nature at the EagleVail Community Gardens – having early season success with spicy arugula and radishes – her boys love checking the garden for goodies to eat. When harvest is complete, they hike local trails. A favorite is Grouse Lake in Minturn.
Design associate Melissa Dombroski has boundless energy in the office – she sets a goal to find just what the client wants. Some of her ideas come to her while she’s far from the confines of her office. On her bike – geared up and flying downhill or, more recently, tackling the rocky, rooted, challenging Lost Lake Trail off of Red Sandstone Road. The only way to get there is through sheer determination and one pedal stroke at a time.
Peripatetic Tessa Hyatt, design associate, travels the world and keeps what she aesthetically loves close to her heart when designing. Just as happy to be at home in Vail, she and her fiancé hiked 16 miles, gaining 3,000 vertical feet to celebrate a milestone anniversary (now that’s love!). The mountain goats greeted them in the morning as the sun edged its way over the Gore Range. But, she’s quick to point out, there’s no need to scale a mountain – sometimes a hike up the mountain followed by a crisp cocktail is just what a designer needs to take a respite from schemes and measurements.
Marketing guru Heidi Krzebietke gets her adrenaline pulsing right outside her Wolcott home – sometimes it’s from seeing the mountain lions but more often it’s from jeeping or dirt biking with her husband and friends. She doesn’t look like an adrenaline junky but a trip down Horse Mountain and over to Blue Lake adds the kick she needs and is the reprieve she needs to come back to work refreshed and ready to tackle the many facets of marketing for the iconic design firm.
Accountant Sue Poisson regularly skins into huts in the winter is not afraid to bag a challenging peak. One of her favorites is Montgomery Pass – especially when the wildflowers explode with color and snowy peaks beckon. She chatters to the top with her smile never leaving her face.
Marilyn Heaney, a designer who never slows down and is quick with a new design idea loves to spend summer time with family and friends. A favorite pastime is taking in a show – from classical music to funk; modern dance to the ballet – with a friend over a divinely sumptuous picnic.
There you have it. A different way, every day, to enjoy summer. Get out, explore and come see us when you’re ready to create a home.