PEOPLE IN DESIGN / ARCHITECTURE
18 NATURE NOD TO
Deemed the “butterfly house” because of the structure’s shape, this mountain contemporary home in Aspen, Colorado, features a wing-like roofline that opens it up to the vistas. By doing so, the design incorporates the surrounding landscape into the home. Architect Seth Hmielowski shares his thoughts on making location and materials work to your advantage. zgrouparchitects.com
Use what the lot has to offer. This house is on a small corner site in the center of town, where exterior space is at a premium. We lifted the ground floor to highlight mountain views—Red Mountain to the north and Aspen Mountain to the south—and obscure urban scenes like parked cars. Now, when sitting in the dining area or outdoor on the patio, you look out over the cars instead of into them.
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Opposites attract. The limestone is monotone and gives off the feeling of concrete, but when you put it next to cedar siding, it adds an element of warmth.
SOUNDING BOARD FIVE ARCHITECTURAL PROFESSIONALS WEIGH IN ON MATERIALS, SURROUNDINGS AND THE LATEST IN DESIGN.
MARK FINLAY
C.P. DREWETT
MAX STRANG
CELESTE ROBBINS
VIRGINIA KELSEY
How does the site influence your designs? As a contextualist, the landscape is my first consideration when beginning a project. The proximity to other structures, the topography, the views, the privacy— these aspects are the first clues as to what the house wants to be. markfinlay.com
Top design trend: The overall acceptance of modernism is really exciting, and not just because it’s been my life’s work. I think the places in the world where modernism is celebrated hold the deepest understanding of and appreciation for design. Those communities have great culture. drewettworks.com
Best thing to splurge on: Glass is expensive but worth it. Well-designed spaces with a lot of glass allow for a seamless connection from interior to exterior. Smaller spaces can feel much larger than they really are—not to mention the health benefits of natural light. Design motto: Build smaller. Build smarter. strang.design
Go-to element: Lighting. I use it to layer a space with warmth and interest. A room may be beautiful, but gorgeous lighting creates rooms you want to live in. What are homeowners requesting? I’m seeing more asks for spas and meditation rooms. People are looking to their home as a place of respite and peace. robbins-architecture.com
Favorite material: I love reclaimed materials, like brick or tile, as it is hard to authentically recreate a natural patina. Most important areas to invest in? Windows and flooring—you want to spend on those portions of a house that are the most difficult to change later and that set the tone for the home. virginiakelsey.com
THIS PAGE: NOD TO NATURE: PETER & KELLEY GIBEON. SOUNDING BOARD HEADSHOTS: FINLAY, SISSELA JOHANSSON. DREWETT, COURTESY C.P. DREWETT. STRANG, SCOTT RHEA. ROBBINS, DORY TOUHEY. KELSEY, COURTESY VIRGINIA KELSEY. OPPOSITE: TROPICAL PUNCH: NICK JOHNSON. STAIR MASTER: DUSTIN HALLECK.
Emphasize natural light. The two-story home has expansive windows, and we joined the dining and kitchen area to a large terrace with sliding glass pocket doors. The effect is of a disappearing corner that leaves no boundary between the interior and exterior.