Hello Summer Sunshine from Darla Worden

In the Mountain West, we celebrate each of the four seasons, but summer is especially anticipated due to its brief appearance. The May/June issue of Mountain Living straddles two seasons as we say goodbye to spring and welcome summer’s warmer days ahead. The mud dries up, the air smells like pine perfume, dining al fresco is back in style—and we’re ready to soak up the sun.

The homes in this issue were designed to blur the line between indoor and out- door living with easy access to nature. Immense windows maximize stunning mountain views, and glass sliders and doors open onto patios, terraces and courtyards.

In a Colorado home on the Taylor River, CCY Architects designed a custom feature for the homeowner—a covered breezeway—allowing her to look out at the water while enjoying her coffee, watching wildlife go by. The breezeway provides shelter from high- country sun—which, as much as we welcome it, we still need a break from—and serves as a lovely gathering spot for entertaining; see page 77. For another waterfront home, on Montana’s Flathead Lake, comfy European-style furniture invites guests to curl up and listen to the sound of the lake gently lapping at the shore below; see page 162.

Mountain homes pay great attention to the design of their outdoor spaces, and in our “Palatial Patios” story we live vicariously, taking in the views of majestic Lake Coeur d’Alene, as well as the mountain vistas surrounding a Park City terrace.

When choosing the lot for his mountain home in Washington, a homeowner gave careful consideration, ultimately selecting an east-facing lot rather than one of the popular west-facing ones. He says, “Everyone wants west-facing lots; they want sunsets.” He wanted to orient his home to see sunrises—“a wonderful way to start the day;” see page 91.

I share my own experience at sun-worshipping from a trip to the Resort at Paws Up in Greenough, Montana—37,000 acres of sun-drenched ranchland offering bespoke adventures for the cowboy in us all—and where the cabins offer a traditional way to experience the outdoors: porches. Nothing like sitting on a porch watching the sun set over the distant peaks. Magical. Don’t forget to wear sunscreen!