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

The clients of this Woodbury, Minnesota home are slowly updating their home room by room to bring this home from the 90’s to the present day. For this project, the client wanted to not only remove all the golden oak and brass prevalent during that era, but they wanted to create visual contrast by using a dark and stormy color. We landed on a deep “Caviar” hue by Sherwin Williams. We replaced all the base moulding in a contrasting white enamel and converted honey oak doors and casing to a deep black. Visual balance and symmetry were achieved by painting the adjacent fireplace surround in the same color. This dark hue not only ushers in warmth amongst a rather neutral palette backdrop but deviating from colors that are too “matchy-matchy” lends a fresh feel to this room. This home refresh now exudes modern sophistication.

The inspiration for this dining room came from a massive 19th century French trumeau mirror in need of major restoration. The space originally had a mural, and needed something just as grand in scale to take its place. The clients travelled to France frequently and loved the look of floor to ceiling boiserie which is so prevalent there. In order to achieve that look without paying $100k to import boiserie, we transformed a grand scale trumeau and trimmed it to fit exactly in the space as a boiserie trumeau would. Tonal shifts between Farrow and Ball French Grey and Light Grey create depth while working an overall tone. The chairs, 1950's Maison Jansen, were an incredible find at auction. They were reupholstered to blend with the tone on tone effect of the room.

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

Energy efficient passive design was the aspiration for this house in both performance and architecture from the very beginning. A well-insulated, tightly sealed building envelope and passive solar design deliver on this goal. The passive solar design and natural daylighting is revealed in the architecture and state of the art energy efficient features are prevalent throughout.

Energy efficient passive design was the aspiration for this house in both performance and architecture from the very beginning. A well-insulated, tightly sealed building envelope and passive solar design deliver on this goal. The passive solar design and natural daylighting is revealed in the architecture and state of the art energy efficient features are prevalent throughout.

The clients of this Woodbury, Minnesota home are slowly updating their home room by room to bring this home from the 90’s to the present day. For this project, the client wanted to not only remove all the golden oak and brass prevalent during that era, but they wanted to create visual contrast by using a dark and stormy color. We landed on a deep “Caviar” hue by Sherwin Williams. We replaced all the base moulding in a contrasting white enamel and converted honey oak doors and casing to a deep black. Visual balance and symmetry were achieved by painting the adjacent fireplace surround in the same color. This dark hue not only ushers in warmth amongst a rather neutral palette backdrop but deviating from colors that are too “matchy-matchy” lends a fresh feel to this room. This home refresh now exudes modern sophistication.

With family members spread across the globe, the patriarch of the family wanted to establish a home base that would give them all a chance to recreate, reconnect, and relax over what sometimes could be trips of a month or more. Their large parcel of land is not far from Yellowstone Park, and a trout stream and several ponds are just a few of the prevalent water features. The property encompasses the top of a mountain with a lookout tower, and down below, this approximately 7000 square foot home delivers a sense of intimacy. Each bedroom is a master suite, with fireplace, private balcony, and adjoining children’s room, to ensure all generations have the space they need. Our shared approach was to celebrate the romantic lodges of the past, leading us to choose small round logs like those used in Old Faithful Lodge, as one example. With plenty of space inside and out to decompress—but cozy, welcoming living areas as well—this lodge becomes the perfect family gathering place.

The clients of this Woodbury, Minnesota home are slowly updating their home room by room to bring this home from the 90’s to the present day. For this project, the client wanted to not only remove all the golden oak and brass prevalent during that era, but they wanted to create visual contrast by using a dark and stormy color. We landed on a deep “Caviar” hue by Sherwin Williams. We replaced all the base moulding in a contrasting white enamel and converted honey oak doors and casing to a deep black. Visual balance and symmetry were achieved by painting the adjacent fireplace surround in the same color. This dark hue not only ushers in warmth amongst a rather neutral palette backdrop but deviating from colors that are too “matchy-matchy” lends a fresh feel to this room. This home refresh now exudes modern sophistication.

With family members spread across the globe, the patriarch of the family wanted to establish a home base that would give them all a chance to recreate, reconnect, and relax over what sometimes could be trips of a month or more. Their large parcel of land is not far from Yellowstone Park, and a trout stream and several ponds are just a few of the prevalent water features. The property encompasses the top of a mountain with a lookout tower, and down below, this approximately 7000 square foot home delivers a sense of intimacy. Each bedroom is a master suite, with fireplace, private balcony, and adjoining children’s room, to ensure all generations have the space they need. Our shared approach was to celebrate the romantic lodges of the past, leading us to choose small round logs like those used in Old Faithful Lodge, as one example. With plenty of space inside and out to decompress—but cozy, welcoming living areas as well—this lodge becomes the perfect family gathering place.

To open the deck to the landscape, we removed outdated railings in favor of "seat walls." This let us keep bulky furniture to a pleasing minimum, but with ample back up seating for entertaining and larger parties. Keeping the deck, seating, and furniture details simple allows the landscape to define moments in this riverside getaway. Variegated Miscanthus grass, fruiting cherries and a prevalence of green over showy colors retains tranquility all season long.

A French-Normandy style home surrounded by traditional gardens and modern amenities, this was a restoration planned to match the home. The gardens are formal, with straight lines and perfect hedges, with a fountain as a focal point in the most formal garden. Expansive lawns on different levels are also prevalent. Spaces are connected with paths: some formal, some rustic, and some covered. And of course there is a living room with fireplace, an outdoor kitchen and dining area, a pool with a pergola for shade, and a vegetable garden as part of the design. With the extensive space still available there will be additions to the design in the future. Photo Credit: Linda Oyama Bryan

Energy efficient passive design was the aspiration for this house in both performance and architecture from the very beginning. A well-insulated, tightly sealed building envelope and passive solar design deliver on this goal. The passive solar design and natural daylighting is revealed in the architecture and state of the art energy efficient features are prevalent throughout.

This project was a styling collaboration with Erin Francois of the blog Francois Et Moi. We wanted to showcase the simple steps to successfully styling your media console, using budget friendly items. All of these accessories (with the exception of the lamp) where pieces found at the thrift store. Photo Credit: Erin Francois

Photo: Faith Towers Media © 2015 Houzz
Transitional home office photo in Boston

Energy efficient passive design was the aspiration for this house in both performance and architecture from the very beginning. A well-insulated, tightly sealed building envelope and passive solar design deliver on this goal. The passive solar design and natural daylighting is revealed in the architecture and state of the art energy efficient features are prevalent throughout.

The clients of this Woodbury, Minnesota home are slowly updating their home room by room to bring this home from the 90’s to the present day. For this project, the client wanted to not only remove all the golden oak and brass prevalent during that era, but they wanted to create visual contrast by using a dark and stormy color. We landed on a deep “Caviar” hue by Sherwin Williams. We replaced all the base moulding in a contrasting white enamel and converted honey oak doors and casing to a deep black. Visual balance and symmetry were achieved by painting the adjacent fireplace surround in the same color. This dark hue not only ushers in warmth amongst a rather neutral palette backdrop but deviating from colors that are too “matchy-matchy” lends a fresh feel to this room. This home refresh now exudes modern sophistication.

The clients of this Woodbury, Minnesota home are slowly updating their home room by room to bring this home from the 90’s to the present day. For this project, the client wanted to not only remove all the golden oak and brass prevalent during that era, but they wanted to create visual contrast by using a dark and stormy color. We landed on a deep “Caviar” hue by Sherwin Williams. We replaced all the base moulding in a contrasting white enamel and converted honey oak doors and casing to a deep black. Visual balance and symmetry were achieved by painting the adjacent fireplace surround in the same color. This dark hue not only ushers in warmth amongst a rather neutral palette backdrop but deviating from colors that are too “matchy-matchy” lends a fresh feel to this room. This home refresh now exudes modern sophistication.

The clients of this Woodbury, Minnesota home are slowly updating their home room by room to bring this home from the 90’s to the present day. For this project, the client wanted to not only remove all the golden oak and brass prevalent during that era, but they wanted to create visual contrast by using a dark and stormy color. We landed on a deep “Caviar” hue by Sherwin Williams. We replaced all the base moulding in a contrasting white enamel and converted honey oak doors and casing to a deep black. Visual balance and symmetry were achieved by painting the adjacent fireplace surround in the same color. This dark hue not only ushers in warmth amongst a rather neutral palette backdrop but deviating from colors that are too “matchy-matchy” lends a fresh feel to this room. This home refresh now exudes modern sophistication.