Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Colorado Mountain Home Ready for Entertaining
Rustic and modern finishes mix in a stylish and welcoming Rockies vacation retreat
Mountain Setting
The house is located in Alpine Mountain Ranch & Club. This photo was taken near the property. The spectacular surroundings and regional style inspired the architecture of the home.
The house is located in Alpine Mountain Ranch & Club. This photo was taken near the property. The spectacular surroundings and regional style inspired the architecture of the home.
The wings and rooflines break up the large home into smaller volumes of pleasing proportions. The two-story section containing the public spaces is in the middle, the front entrance is to the left, and a three-car garage is to the right. The facade mixes metal cladding, stone, wood and big expanses of glass. The glass is triple-paned to keep the house sealed against the cold winter temperatures.
Views of the mountains draw people from the entry into the main living space. White oak brings the rustic warmth of wood grain to the floors. “Using lots of wood added a cozy feel to the slick house,” Dapper says. The chandelier-lit staircase leads to four bedrooms on the walk-out lower level.
Find a contemporary chandelier in the Houzz Shop
Find a contemporary chandelier in the Houzz Shop
Sleek and Cozy
The kitchen sits in the heart of the main level’s open floor plan. A two-sided fireplace provides warmth and some separation between this space and the living room. Wood beams, steel trusses, clerestory windows and a large light fixture bring the soaring vaulted ceiling down to human scale.
“Figuring out how to provide enough task lighting with the high ceilings was a challenge,” Dapper says. “But it was a chance to fill up the space and make it feel cozier. And we can do so much with LED technology these days.” Creating the custom light fixture was a big effort. Dapper used SketchUp to design it so that she could create 3D images and rotate it around to see how it looked. Then she laid plywood templates on the kitchen floor to get the scale right. Local company Fedewa Custom Works fabricated the fixture.
“The kitchen’s U is finished in high gloss and is shiny to the point that it almost shimmers,” Dapper says. “We mixed in the wood laminate finish on the appliance wall to create a rustic and slick combination in here.” The light fixture also has a high-gloss finish to tie it to the cabinetry below.
Find a lighting designer in your area
The kitchen sits in the heart of the main level’s open floor plan. A two-sided fireplace provides warmth and some separation between this space and the living room. Wood beams, steel trusses, clerestory windows and a large light fixture bring the soaring vaulted ceiling down to human scale.
“Figuring out how to provide enough task lighting with the high ceilings was a challenge,” Dapper says. “But it was a chance to fill up the space and make it feel cozier. And we can do so much with LED technology these days.” Creating the custom light fixture was a big effort. Dapper used SketchUp to design it so that she could create 3D images and rotate it around to see how it looked. Then she laid plywood templates on the kitchen floor to get the scale right. Local company Fedewa Custom Works fabricated the fixture.
“The kitchen’s U is finished in high gloss and is shiny to the point that it almost shimmers,” Dapper says. “We mixed in the wood laminate finish on the appliance wall to create a rustic and slick combination in here.” The light fixture also has a high-gloss finish to tie it to the cabinetry below.
Find a lighting designer in your area
Dapper also designed an LED light rail to illuminate the appliance wall from above.
The countertops are Caesarstone quartz in Blizzard White. Their thickness suits the scale of the room, while waterfall countertops add to the sleekness of the space. The view outside the windows is of the Steamboat Ski Resort.
Make a Splash in Your Kitchen With a Waterfall Countertop
The countertops are Caesarstone quartz in Blizzard White. Their thickness suits the scale of the room, while waterfall countertops add to the sleekness of the space. The view outside the windows is of the Steamboat Ski Resort.
Make a Splash in Your Kitchen With a Waterfall Countertop
The dining area is on the other side of the kitchen, separated by the U-shaped island. The side of the island facing the dining room can serve as a buffet.
The linear light fixture plays off the strong lines seen throughout the space and visually lowers the ceiling.
Even with the high vaulted ceilings and large expanses of glass, the house stays warm, Dapper says, thanks to triple-paned glass, in-floor heating, the fireplace and a backup forced hot air system.
Shop for a linear chandelier
The linear light fixture plays off the strong lines seen throughout the space and visually lowers the ceiling.
Even with the high vaulted ceilings and large expanses of glass, the house stays warm, Dapper says, thanks to triple-paned glass, in-floor heating, the fireplace and a backup forced hot air system.
Shop for a linear chandelier
Room for a Crowd
“This is a great party house,” Dapper says. The TV surround and fireplace block the views of the kitchen work zone while leaving them open to the ceiling, light fixture and ski resort views on the opposite side of the house. The fireplace surround is rolled steel (modern), and the hearth and TV surround are travertine (rustic). Large sofas and chairs suit the scale of the room and are cushy for lounging. A dark rug softens the space and picks up the gray-blue tones in the fireplace surround.
“This is a great party house,” Dapper says. The TV surround and fireplace block the views of the kitchen work zone while leaving them open to the ceiling, light fixture and ski resort views on the opposite side of the house. The fireplace surround is rolled steel (modern), and the hearth and TV surround are travertine (rustic). Large sofas and chairs suit the scale of the room and are cushy for lounging. A dark rug softens the space and picks up the gray-blue tones in the fireplace surround.
Large sliding doors open to a deck that serves guests well in warmer months, when fishing and hiking replace skiing and snowshoeing as the top outdoor activities.
Master Suite With a View
The master suite is on the main level in the wing seen on the right side of the previous photo. The decor takes a backseat to the stunning surroundings — the framed views serve as artwork.
“We put the wood on the wall instead of the floors in here,” Dapper says. This accent wall balances the modern windows and contemporary light fixture in the mountain-modern mix, while dark trim and simple, Scandinavian-inspired bedding warm up the space. The room also has direct deck access to another deck through the large sliding glass doors.
The master suite is on the main level in the wing seen on the right side of the previous photo. The decor takes a backseat to the stunning surroundings — the framed views serve as artwork.
“We put the wood on the wall instead of the floors in here,” Dapper says. This accent wall balances the modern windows and contemporary light fixture in the mountain-modern mix, while dark trim and simple, Scandinavian-inspired bedding warm up the space. The room also has direct deck access to another deck through the large sliding glass doors.
Two chairs in front of the picture window provide a spot to enjoy the views and brace for the outdoor adventures the day will bring.
The master bathroom maintains an open and expansive feeling. Long horizontal lines and mirrors with integrated lighting maintain a minimalist look, warmed by wood finishes and wood-look porcelain tile. The countertops are Taj Mahal quartzite.
Shop for wood-effect tile
Shop for wood-effect tile
Clear glass on the shower enclosure keeps views through the room open from the sculptural bathtub. Wood-colored tile with a ribbed texture adds warmth and interest around the bathtub.
More on Houzz
Read about other vacation homes
Find a pro for your home project
Shop for home products
More on Houzz
Read about other vacation homes
Find a pro for your home project
Shop for home products
Vacation House at a Glance
Location: Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Size: Five bedrooms, six bathrooms
Designer: Leslie Dapper of Rumor Design + reDesign
Nestled in a valley in the Rocky Mountains, this mountain-modern home fits right into the Colorado landscape. The close proximity to Steamboat Springs and views of the South Valley, the Flat Tops and Emerald Mountain inspired architecture with expansive glass, interiors that encourage après-ski entertaining, and a rustic-meets-modern style.
Lead designer Leslie Dapper of Rumor Design + reDesign joined the project during the early planning phase, before construction began. She chose all the finishes for the new build, including the lighting, flooring, tile, cabinetry and countertops. “Mountain-modern style meant using some familiar materials but in contemporary ways that were slick and shiny,” she says.
Find a local interior designer on Houzz