A Home Inspired by Craftsman-Style Architecture With a Mountain Twist

Sofas by Bernhardt and a Mongolian fur accent chair invite long conversations in front of the stone fireplace. Photos by Kimberly Gavin.

The mountains have long held an allure for Florida residents Howard and Nordin Weinberger, who lived in Salt Lake City years ago and regularly journeyed out West from Florida for skiing adventures with their three children. During one such excursion, they discovered Winter Park, Colorado. “We loved the hometown feel,” Howard says. “The community was friendly and welcoming.”

One of several throughout the house, a pendant by Corbett Lighting adds a touch of whimsy to the stairway landing.

With retirement in mind, the couple purchased a two-acre lot on a high point overlooking the Fraser Valley, the Continental Divide and the Winter Park ski resort. For 15 years they dreamed of their future mountain retreat, ultimately hiring Vertical Arts to make it a reality. “They were looking for a mix between contemporary and traditional, warm but with an edge,” explains project manager Chandler Deimund.

The open kitchen juxtaposes a blackened steel hood with the wood cabinetry and quartzite countertops.

Inspired by Craftsman-style architecture but with a mountain twist, the fantastic result has a series of gables and flat, low-sloped roofs, many with exposed rafters and bracketing. The grand dwelling’s rustic Douglas fir siding accents the Oklahoma stone walls, which flow into the interior, enhancing the connection between inside and out.

Inside the solid walnut front door, visitors are greeted with living room. “The large, dramatic window walls make it feel more modern,” firm partner Sarah Tiedeken O’Brien says. “It creates this really bright, airy interior that is not typical for mountain timber-frame homes.”

A glass chandelier by Hammerton Studio illuminates a custom dining table by New Classics and side chairs by Artistic Frame.

A floor-to-ceiling raw steel fireplace holds its own against the views, its three-sided hearth allowing the flames to be seen from every point in the open great room. Originally, Nordin resisted the idea of raw steel, which felt a bit too industrial, so the designers agreed to paint it black. But then she saw it in person. “I couldn’t picture it until I saw it, but I love it,” she admits.

Flanked by wooden side tables by Caracole, a silver-leafed bed by Bernhardt reflects the abundant natural daylight in the master bedroom.

The raw steel complements the exposed stone wall, oak floors and beetle-kill pine ceiling—a mix of rustic and contemporary that pervades the interior. For example, the walnut cabinetry in the open kitchen is accented by a raw steel range hood and jet-cut glass tile backsplash. And geode-like glass globes illuminate both the Cristallo quartzite waterfall island and the open dining area. “Every room has an element of shine,” Tiedeken O’Brien says.

A branch-like metal chandelier by Currey and Company adds a touch of nature to the spa-like master bathroom that features painted Shaker-style cabinetry, subway wall tile by Sonoma Tilemakers and shower tile by Encore Ceramics.

Indeed, flanked by matching wood-and-silver-leaf side tables and accented by a fur floor throw, a German silver-leafed bed reflects the natural daylight in the master bedroom. The handmade ceramic shower tile in the adjacent master bathroom likewise pops against the white ceramic subway tile and metal branch-like chandelier.

The other bedrooms are conveniently located on the lower level, which also features a large family room decked out with a wet bar, built-in bunks and a pool table. “Even though you’re on the lower level, it feels open and airy, and you still get awesome views,” Deimund says.

Just outside, a flight of steps leads to the covered deck off of the dining room, where a double-sided stone fireplace separates the liv- ing and dining area from the hot tub. Tall pines, decorative boulders and native wildflowers surround the deck, creating the sense of being in the wild despite the nearby neighbors. “This lot had a lot of natural beauty already, so we tried to retain as much as we could,” landscape designer Mitch Rewold explains.

A colorful rug by Loloi Rugs defines a quartet of chairs by Restoration Hardware on the porch.

While they use every room, the covered deck just might be Howard and Nordin’s favorite spot. Now retired, the couple spends most of the summer at the house, often accompanied by their adult kids, extended family and friends. In fact, they’ve only been there by themselves two nights. “It’s been a party the entire time we’re out here, and that’s exactly what we wanted,” Nordin says. “We’re ex- cited every time we walk in the door.”

Designed by Vertical Arts and built by Terra Firma Custom Homes, the Craftsman-inspired home’s Douglas fir siding and Oklahoma stone walls blend perfectly into the lush setting overlooking Winter Park.

MODERNIZING A MOUNTAIN MANSE

Vertical Arts knew just how to accommodate Howard and Nordin Weinberger’s desire for something more up to date, even eclectic, than the traditional rustic mountain abode. Here’s how they did it.

LEAN INTO THE CURVE The ceiling trusses have a gentle arc shape, and many of the light fixtures have a swoop detail that softens the angular architecture. THINK TEXTURE A Mongolian wool chair and bespoke throw pillows add a pop of texture to the serene, neutral living room. ADD A LITTLE GLAM Geode-like glass pendants and a complementary chandelier, both by Hammerton Studio, add a modern touch to the open kitchen and dining rooms. And a mango wood bed wrapped in German silver leaf does the same for the master suite. INTRODUCE INDUSTRIAL A raw steel fireplace and a custom blackened range hood in the same finish take the home in a more modern direction. DON’T NEGLECT LIGHTING At night, this home glows, thanks to its many indirect light sources, including cove lighting in the basement ceiling and concealed lighting underneath the edge of the kitchen island and beneath the lower lip of the fireplace. “We want to create different lighting scenes or moods depending on the time of day and the event you’re having,” project manager Chandler Deimund says.