2021 Home of the Year: Pure Poetry

Oversized windows and sliding glass doors look out to the meadow and the mountains beyond. The pool was designed by Timberline Pools; the fire pit by Nathalie Ryan of Kirei Studio. | Photography by David O. Marlow

It happened in a moment. An inspirational moment. Standing at the top of a 13-acre undeveloped site near Aspen for the very first time, the homeowners were so stunned by the exceptional expanse and the potential that they immediately decided to build their family home here.

The property sits on a high south-facing mesa at 8,600 feet that flows downhill 250 feet to 300 sprawling acres of conservation land. The unobstructed 270-degree views, and hundreds of elk grazing in the field below, reminded them of Africa’s Serengeti, a place they have loved to visit.

The majestic stone-and-glass entrance welcomes visitors to the home but also serves as a picture frame for the dramatic mountainscape beyond, blending nature with contemporary design. The show-stopping door is by Grabill. The sculpture, “Mountain Water,” is by award-winning metal sculptor Richard Edelman. A flock of antique English geese provides a whimsical touch.

The homeowners envisioned a home in harmony with the natural environment—the aspen, scrub oaks, pines, natural grasses and pastureland. “We wanted to build within a tight building envelope and to leave the rest wild,” says the husband. So, choosing a design team with the same aesthetic was of paramount importance.

A Holly Hunt sofa and armchairs sit atop a custom Stark rug. The circular shape of the sofas is mirrored in Kelsey Brooks’ painting “Fibonacci Sequence” (named after one of the most famous formulas in mathematics). A monumental fireplace in soft cream tones is Taj Mahal leathered quartzite. Erwan Boulloud, known for inlaying his pieces with semi-precious stones, created the buffet.

The homeowners were aware that building on this site was not going to be easy due to the fact that it is situated on a steep slope with the specific engineering it required. Architect Ryan Walterscheid, managing partner of Aspen-based Forum Phi, says, “This was a very complicated yet amazing site to build on.” The property had belonged to the previous owners for about 40 years but they had never built on it. The homeowners saw the potential and had the vision and energy to tackle the four-year project.

In the kitchen (designed by Nathalie Ryan of Kirei Studio), the large-scale island is a slab of highly polished Adamantium quartzite; the floor is a classic Porcelanosa cappuccino gray pulido; a polished stainless-steel hood matches appliances by Sub-Zero and Wolf.

The owners had only one specific location in mind, one that perfectly matched the mountain views in order to achieve the connection between pasture, sky and mountain. The home was designed to consider the herds of hundreds of elk frequently grazing in the lush meadows below with the mountain range as a backdrop.

The entrance hall is warm walnut. Chai Ming Studios designed the mirror-polished bronze bench.

The steep grade of the lot and the “difficulty of the soil” called for extraordinary measures. “We had to sink 72 caissons … from 10 to 40 feet in length … down to bedrock, so, in essence, the whole house is floating within and above the mountain,” says contractor Chris Morrow with Aspen-based Rutgers Construction.

The 10,750-square-foot, seven-bedroom, 11-bathroom, art-filled residence is approached from above via a 300-foot serpentine driveway, affording mountain views with every turn. Eventually the home comes into view. The first glimpse of the home itself is its integrated green roof containing 134 high-efficiency solar panels tucked in among native sedums and grasses that echo the fields below.

“The plantings are all native to this area,” the husband explains. “They are perennials and change color at different times as the seasons change.”

The main bedroom is both spacious and cozy decorated in calm neutrals, including the soft-underfoot Stark rug and floor-to-ceiling draperies (Lelievre “Topo Flanelle”). The bed is a custom design. Chandelier, wall sconces and bedside table lamps are from Galerie Glustin in Paris.

The approach to the courtyard is bordered by a waterfall on the right and the vast prairie on the left. Monumental entry doors appear, flanked by stone walls that frame the distant mountainscape. “Guests who come to our house—even people who have lived in Aspen their entire lives—are amazed by the views,” says the homeowner. “And the remarkable thing: The views are never even close to being the same. They’re always changing in terms of light, color, foliage and clouds,” he adds.

Nathalie Ryan, principal of Paris-based Kirei Studio, where she is the interior designer and architect, provided the interior and building design direction and was the first professional hired by the owners. She was familiar with Aspen from previous projects but was astonished by the views along with the magical quality of light and the swiftly and dramatically changing weather conditions. These things guided her choice of color palette—along with the owners’ desires to blend into the natural environment—for the materials and fabrics. The homeowners worked very closely with Ryan to select furniture, fabrics and custom carpets that complement the shapes and hues of the stone and walnut used throughout. Exclusive vintage pieces from France mix with custom-designed furniture and lights.

In the main bath, a hand-cast sculpted-glass John Pomp chandelier hangs over the freestanding tub. Fabric for the floor-to-ceiling draperies is from Old World Weavers (founded by style icon Iris Apfel in 1950).

Each room, except for the family room with its TV and bar, has unobstructed views of the mountain range and pasture. Nearly every room has huge sliding and stacked glass doors (some as high as 15 feet) that, when opened, blur the distinction between the interior and outdoors. An observation deck on the roof is the perfect spot to enjoy the serenity, watch the elk grazing and have a sunset cocktail. “The true beauty of the home is the flow from each room to the preserve outside,” says Ryan. Even the exterior decks are railed in practically invisible Starphire glass panels.

The family room has denim-blue walls and a Nathalie Ryan-designed bar.

The home features multiple coffered wood and drywall ceilings, designed by Ryan, with different configurations for each room yet relating to each other and carefully integrating subtle lighting. “I consider the often-neglected ceiling to be the fifth wall of a room,” Ryan explains. In the great room, a geometric “cloud” (constructed of American walnut) floats just below the ceiling. Decorative lighting was influenced by the skies above Aspen. Rain, clouds, starry nights and the glow of the moon are all referenced.

The sculpture garden was designed by the homeowner and features native scrub oaks, cast in bronze.

The home features a two-story exterior waterfall art installation, designed by the artist owner, that features enormous boulders and solid cast bronze scrub oak trees that were modeled from the trees on the site. In addition, the homeowner designed an elaborate three-part waterfall to soften (along with lush native landscaping) the necessary retaining walls, all fed with closed circulating water from the local ditch system. The waterfall creates the soothing sound of a stream rustling over rocks.

The husband’s art studio has north light and mountain views through huge windows and sliding glass doors. The rooftop deck is accessed via a spiral staircase.

The husband’s art studio is ideally situated for both north light and views of the mountain ranges (to the west and south) through large windows and sliding glass doors. “I love to paint plein air,” he says. “I often wheel my easel outside and work under the glow of the setting sun.” A circular staircase leads to an “observation deck” with expansive views. “I have taken a series of amazing photographs from the deck … sunsets in all weather conditions, including the winter,” he notes.

“This was such a collaborative project that included our lead project architect Steev Wilson and project manager Taylor McCalla,” says architect Walterscheid. “The homeowners were passionately involved, both on-site and virtually, down to hand-placing the stone boulders within the sculpture garden.” Ryan agrees, adding: “The designer is a dream catcher who needs to understand the clients’ vision and translate it into reality.” And the homeowners, after the dream has been accomplished, what do they say? “We really, really love our home, we wouldn’t change one thing and don’t ever like to leave,” says the wife.

Solar panels are tucked in among native grasses and sedums on the roof.

The homeowners planted 300 aspen, spruce and pine trees and reseeded with native grasses on land that had been disturbed. The native grasses have now grown to be three feet high. “We walk the property and watch the wind blowing the grass; it reminds us of ‘amber waves of grain,’” says the husband. “It is very poetic, and as the seasons change, our love of the property grows ever deeper.”

DESIGN DETAILS

ARCHITECTURE

Forum Phi
210 E Hyman, Suite 202
Aspen, CO 81611
970-279-4157 | info@forumphi.com

ARCHITECTURE PROJECT STAFF

Ryan Walterscheid, Managing Partner
Jarrett Mork, Project Manager
Taylor McCalla, Project Manager
Steev Wilson, Project Partner and Lead Architect

INTERIOR DESIGN

Kirei Studio
Nathalie Ryan
45, rue Cardinal Lemoine Paris, France
+33 6 16 31 39 33 | nryan@kirei-studio.fr

CONSTRUCTION

Rutgers Construction
256 Twining Flats Rd.
Aspen, CO 81611
970-925-8229 | info@rutgersconstruction.com

CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STAFF

Chris Morrow, Principal Project Partner
Steve Ostberg

STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS

Albright & Associates
402 Park Ave., Unit E
Basalt, CO 81621
970-927-4363 | jack@albright-associates.com

STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING PROJECT STAFF

Jack Albright
Marshall Murphy
Michael Petaisto

CIVIL ENGINEERS

Roaring Fork Engineering
592 Highway 133
Carbondale, CO 81623
970-340-4130

CIVIL ENGINEERING PROJECT STAFF

Richard Goulding
Robert Lueck
Tyler Stevens

MECHANICAL ENGINEERS

Bighorn Consulting Engineers
Blaine Buck
386 Indian Rd.
Grand Junction, CO 81501
970-241-8709 | blaine@bighorneng.com

SOLAR CONSULTANTS

Conundrum Technologies
Jason Perez
135 W. Main St.
Aspen, CO 81611
970-688-5261 | info@conundrumtechnologies.com

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT

BMC Planning + Design
Brian McNellis