Rugged Elegance

« Amazing Spaces

Share

Text by Elizabeth Ann Wells
Photography by Tom Kessler, Tom Kessler Photography

A slice of the high life inspired this weekend retreat located at Big Sandy Lake just west of Omaha--Aspen, Colorado, high life that is.

The homeowner started with a magazine photo of an Aspen retreat. He wanted a getaway for his family and friends for weekends, parties, and football games. It needed to be rugged and sophisticated, casual and comfortable.

The photo became the guide for Ellen Turnage, a designer with Interiors Joan and Associates, and homebuilder, Jon Ish, president of Jordan Michael Homes. "The logs, stones, front portico, balcony, and lighting are all things you would see if you drove through Aspen," says Turnage.

Ish used energy efficient construction methods and materials to capture the homeowner's desire for a log home. "The home is 8,221 square feet and has five air conditioners," he says. "Nebraska's extreme weather changes made using a stick frame with icynene insulation, and then the logs over that a wise choice."

The logs and stones are pivotal in tying the home to Aspen. To create the realistic ambiance, the builder brought in three semi-loads of logs from Oregon and two semi-loads of Colorado moss stone.

While the exterior logs were split at the factory, the gables were custom fitted on the job site.

Hand-scraped five-inch alder plank flooring runs through all public living spaces. Knotty Alder crown molding and eight-inch baseboards finish rooms with a rugged elegance.

The stone flows from the exterior walls along the floor in the entry through to the back door and spa and kitchen.

Stone faces the home's 37-foot double-sided fireplace. It's the perfect break in this open floor plan. On the kitchen side is a relaxed hearth area. The family room side exposes the structure's full height and leads to an expansive floor-to-ceiling window wall that showcases the view as art.

Turnage selected furnishings and fabrics, primarily leather and mohair, in an inviting, earthy palette of sumac red, bark and natural tones, spruce, and black.

Aspen branches are mimicked in the design of an oxidized bronze stair railing leading from the main floor to the upper loft. Custom metal work also defines the home office.

"It's meant to emulate the look of twigs," says Turnage. "As you look through a forest of aspen trees, you see a lot of shapes and movement."

Lighting selections add to the home's character. Most fixtures have dark bronze

frames. Chandeliers above the hearth have shades. The chandelier in the portico resembles a wagon wheel with lanterns. The master suite's chandelier appears to be a ring of flickering candles set above the Casablanca fan.

The custom antler-filled chandelier in the family room is by far the largest. Hanging 26 feet from the ceiling and with an eight-foot diameter, it took several days to install, says Ish. "It had to be that size to look like anything hanging from a 37-foot ceiling," says Turnage.

The homeowner can choose between kitchens when entertaining. The indoor kitchen's hand-scraped cabinets, bold Sedna granite, and large copper hood with strapping give it an old-world elegance while professional appliances ensure simplified culinary success. The outdoor kitchen's grand grill and appliances compete for attention with the nearby infinity edge spa and wading pool.

Basements at Big Sandy do not exist because of the lake's water table. So a wine room and theater room that doubles as a storm shelter were built into the main floor. It's also home to the master suite.

The second level extends entertainment options. The loft is home to a grand piano and media room. Three private upstairs bedrooms complement the bunkhouse. Located above the garage, it has several twin beds, "so if the boys are spending the night, there is plenty of room for everyone," says Turnage. The homeowner's teenage son and friends enjoy watching television and playing games on the bunkhouse's media console.

One second-story room was designated entirely for enjoying nature with others. The "look-out tower" holds four leather rockers. "On a clear day you can literally see for miles and at night, stars forever," says Turnage.

Creating this haven was a treat for both Turnage and Ish. "It's not everyday someone in Nebraska asks you to do this type of home," says Turnage. "It was great to be able to build with materials you might not normally use.

"He asked for casual elegance, and he's enjoying all of those things that are finely appointed. It's a wonderful marriage."