Hilliard Photographics
Huge rustic two-story wood exterior home idea in Chicago

A striking luxury cabin set against the rugged Colorado landscape, this home blends modern architecture with warm natural materials. The bold dark exterior contrasts beautifully with the rich wood accents and expansive glass façade, allowing natural light to flood the interior while framing panoramic mountain views. Elevated on slender columns, the design creates a dramatic presence while maximizing outdoor living space and connection to the surrounding terrain.

Colorado contemporary, or sometimes referred to as mining architecture, is a stunning style that combines rustic elements with more modern forms and shapes.

Photo of a traditional landscaping in Denver.

Example of a minimalist exterior home design in Denver

Henrybuilt kitchen in Boulder, Colorado, with Renée del Gaudio Architecture and Coburn Partners.
Inspiration for a contemporary kitchen remodel in Denver with an island

Henrybuilt kitchen organization in Boulder, Colorado, with Renée del Gaudio Architecture and Coburn Partners.
Inspiration for a contemporary kitchen remodel in Denver

Inspiration for a large rustic two-story wood house exterior remodel in Phoenix

Danish powder room photo in Denver

Living room - scandinavian living room idea in Denver

Laundry room - scandinavian laundry room idea in Denver

Home office with custom pullout sofa bed for future guests to enjoy.
Mid-sized transitional freestanding desk medium tone wood floor and brown floor study room photo in Denver with beige walls and no fireplace

Mountain style family room photo in Denver

Large elegant porcelain tile dedicated laundry room photo in Denver with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, distressed cabinets, granite countertops and a side-by-side washer/dryer

Ric Forest
Mid-sized mountain style guest bedroom photo in Denver with beige walls

Cordless woven wood shades in Keystone Colorado. These shades are unlined, providing more natural light and making the space feel more open, but reducing insulation value.

The owners requested that their home harmonize with the spirit of the surrounding Colorado mountain setting and enhance their outdoor recreational lifestyle - while reflecting their contemporary architectural tastes. The site was burdened with a myriad of strict design criteria enforced by the neighborhood covenants and architectural review board. Creating a distinct design challenge, the covenants included a narrow interpretation of a “mountain style” home which established predetermined roof pitches, glazing percentages and material palettes - at direct odds with the client‘s vision of a flat-roofed, glass, “contemporary” home. Our solution finds inspiration and opportunities within the site covenant’s strict definitions. It promotes and celebrates the client’s outdoor lifestyle and resolves the definition of a contemporary “mountain style” home by reducing the architecture to its most basic vernacular forms and relying upon local materials. The home utilizes a simple base, middle and top that echoes the surrounding mountains and vegetation. The massing takes its cues from the prevalent lodgepole pine trees that grow at the mountain’s high altitudes. These pine trees have a distinct growth pattern, highlighted by a single vertical trunk and a peaked, densely foliated growth zone above a sparse base. This growth pattern is referenced by placing the wood-clad body of the home at the second story above an open base composed of wood posts and glass. A simple peaked roof rests lightly atop the home - visually floating above a triangular glass transom. The home itself is neatly inserted amongst an existing grove of lodgepole pines and oriented to take advantage of panoramic views of the adjacent meadow and Continental Divide beyond. The main functions of the house are arranged into public and private areas and this division is made apparent on the home’s exterior. Two large roof forms, clad in pre-patinated zinc, are separated by a sheltering central deck - which signals the main entry to the home. At this connection, the roof deck is opened to allow a cluster of aspen trees to grow – further reinforcing nature as an integral part of arrival. Outdoor living spaces are provided on all levels of the house and are positioned to take advantage of sunrise and sunset moments. The distinction between interior and exterior space is blurred via the use of large expanses of glass. The dry stacked stone base and natural cedar cladding both reappear within the home’s interior spaces. This home offers a unique solution to the client’s requests while satisfying the design requirements of the neighborhood covenants. The house provides a variety of indoor and outdoor living spaces that can be utilized in all seasons. Most importantly, the house takes its cues directly from its natural surroundings and local building traditions to become a prototype solution for the “modern mountain house”. Overview Ranch Creek Ranch Winter Park, Colorado Completion Date October, 2007 Services Architecture, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture

custom stained 4 1/2" wooden shutters

Colorado contemporary, or sometimes referred to as mining architecture, is a stunning style that combines rustic elements with more modern forms and shapes.