Houzz Tours
Modern Architecture
Houzz Tour: A Modern Mountain Home Takes Off With Its Own Airstrip
In Colorado, a glass and concrete home hugs a former hayfield that’s now a launching pad for antique planes
New Orleans residents Rosalind and Tom Buffaloe always knew they wanted to live in the West. After a previous career as a dealer of Native American artifacts, Tom had come to love wide-open spaces and vast vistas. During a trip through southwestern Colorado, they found a piece of land with mountain views that was big enough not only to provide privacy and quiet, but also to accommodate a grass airstrip so Tom could use his collection of backcountry and antique planes.
The home is partially bermed into the landscape along one side. The berming also hides an array of solar elements, which provide a large percentage of the property’s electric power. A geothermal system heats and cools the house.
Despite the site’s being near a snowy region, Clark says the flat-roof design works for it. “This is actually at the edge of the high desert,” he says, “so the snow loads are not huge. This roof, which is a modified EPDM rubber material, has a parapet. A pitched roof would have dumped snow on all the patios.”
Roofing system: Firestone
Despite the site’s being near a snowy region, Clark says the flat-roof design works for it. “This is actually at the edge of the high desert,” he says, “so the snow loads are not huge. This roof, which is a modified EPDM rubber material, has a parapet. A pitched roof would have dumped snow on all the patios.”
Roofing system: Firestone
The remote property was once a large hayfield, part of a larger ranch. The level landscape makes for a perfect grass airstrip for the owners and guests.
Window walls connect the home’s main living space to a patio with a triangular wood-burning fire pit. Views from the house include those of the La Plata Mountains and Mesa Verde National Park.
Window systems: Loewen; patio pavers: Yankee Hill Brick Manufacturing Co.
Window systems: Loewen; patio pavers: Yankee Hill Brick Manufacturing Co.
A large window pierces the exterior concrete wall and frames a marble sculpture by a local artist. In addition to using zinc on the exterior, the architect also detailed the main living volume with a chamfered chimney and the upper walls with channel glass, creating a clerestory for the main living spaces.
Zinc siding: Rheinzink
Zinc siding: Rheinzink
Weathered steel panels mark the home’s garage on the right.
The Buffaloes chose simple, native plantings for close to the home and allow the rest of the property, except for the mowed airstrip, to remain wild.
Find plants native to your area of the U.S.
The Buffaloes chose simple, native plantings for close to the home and allow the rest of the property, except for the mowed airstrip, to remain wild.
Find plants native to your area of the U.S.
Clark designed the home’s public spaces to capture views and light, including a glow through a high band of translucent channel glass.
Douglas fir, used for the ceiling, window framing and flooring, adds warmth to the palette of materials.
The Buffaloes kept the interiors simple, furnishing the home with a collection of vintage and new modernist classics in neutral hues, works by local artists and their collection of Native American artifacts.
Sofa: B&B Italia; lounge chair and ottoman: Eames, Herman Miller; Icing coffee table: Frank Gehry, Knoll; track lighting: Bruck Lighting; ceiling fan: The Modern Fan Co.
Douglas fir, used for the ceiling, window framing and flooring, adds warmth to the palette of materials.
The Buffaloes kept the interiors simple, furnishing the home with a collection of vintage and new modernist classics in neutral hues, works by local artists and their collection of Native American artifacts.
Sofa: B&B Italia; lounge chair and ottoman: Eames, Herman Miller; Icing coffee table: Frank Gehry, Knoll; track lighting: Bruck Lighting; ceiling fan: The Modern Fan Co.
A piano and a game table mark the space between the living and dining rooms.
“We start our day with an hour of conversation over coffee,” Tom says. “This house was designed to give us several places where we can sit and take in the great views.”
Game table chairs: Eames, Herman Miller; pendant light: Noguchi
“We start our day with an hour of conversation over coffee,” Tom says. “This house was designed to give us several places where we can sit and take in the great views.”
Game table chairs: Eames, Herman Miller; pendant light: Noguchi
A concrete fireplace with a custom screen, narrow steel mantel and slot for firewood anchors the living room.
The kitchen, with its lowered ceiling line, serves as a transition between the home’s public and private spaces. The two islands provide plenty of workspace for the owners, who like to cook, while a pantry is hidden behind the back wall of cabinets. The aluminum cabinets are another subtle aircraft reference.
Cabinetry and countertops: Bulthaup; refrigerator: Sub-Zero; ovens and range:
Gaggeneau; faucet: Dornbracht; bar stools: Design Within Reach; pendant lights: Noguchi
Cabinetry and countertops: Bulthaup; refrigerator: Sub-Zero; ovens and range:
Gaggeneau; faucet: Dornbracht; bar stools: Design Within Reach; pendant lights: Noguchi
A custom-designed steel wood-burning stove warms the library, which doubles as a media room. The shelves hold some of the owners’ collection of historic and prehistoric Rio Grande pueblo pottery.
Sofa, armchair, ottoman and area rug: Design Within Reach; ceiling fan: The Modern Fan Co.
Sofa, armchair, ottoman and area rug: Design Within Reach; ceiling fan: The Modern Fan Co.
The master bedroom opens onto a patio. The custom bed was made by the builder, Randy Gerken. The owners found the sculpture by the window at an art school in Toledo, Spain, and the painting, by an unknown artist, at a Denver vintage furniture store. The area rug is a Navajo Germantown blanket.
Womb chair: Saarinen, Knoll
Womb chair: Saarinen, Knoll
The master bedroom’s sitting area was designed around a custom fireplace and cabinetry, used to display historic Rio Grande Pueblo pottery.
Armchair and sofa: LC2, Cassina
Armchair and sofa: LC2, Cassina
Concrete flooring and walls frame the airy master bath, which opens onto a private patio with an outdoor shower and a hot tub.
“We found the soaking tub in New York and had the bathroom designed around it,” Tom says.
Faucets, sinks and tub filler: Dornbracht; aluminum chair: Toledo, Design Within Reach; roller shades: Hunter Douglas
“We found the soaking tub in New York and had the bathroom designed around it,” Tom says.
Faucets, sinks and tub filler: Dornbracht; aluminum chair: Toledo, Design Within Reach; roller shades: Hunter Douglas
The guest quarters are linked to the main house by a breezeway. Gerken built the bed. The portrait is from a New Orleans antiques shop.
The guest quarters include a sunny living room.
Sofa: Roche Bobois; lounge chair and ottoman: Eames, Herman Miller; armchair: Gerrit Thomas Rietveld, Cassina
Sofa: Roche Bobois; lounge chair and ottoman: Eames, Herman Miller; armchair: Gerrit Thomas Rietveld, Cassina
A floor plan of the main house and guest quarters shows how the home is angled to capture views.
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Houzz at a Glance
Location: Near Durango, Colorado
Who lives here: Rosalind and Tom Buffaloe — she’s a retired school administrator; he’s in aircraft leasing
Size: Three bedrooms, 3½ bathrooms
The couple decided to relocate and build, and asked architect Matthew Clark of Clark & Chapin Architects to help them create a home that could accommodate their casual lifestyle, houseguests and the aircraft. Clark came up with a modern, single-story design that includes a main residence and an attached guesthouse, as well as a hangar with an office and a bunkhouse for extra guests. The house is sited on a flat field with mountain views.
“We knew we wanted to use concrete, glass and metal as the home’s primary materials,” Tom says. “We didn’t have a certain style in mind. We just asked Matt Clark to make it comfortable.”
Clark, who worked with Durango builder Randy Gerken, responded with a low-profile design that uses panel-formed concrete, steel panels, Douglas fir, large stretches of window walls and, as a nod to the aircraft, silver-hued zinc cladding. He also angled the home and the separate hangar to capture the views and to open onto numerous patios.