This Refined Colorado Abode Is A Study In Neutrals

As Suzanne Kasler envisioned the interiors of her clients’ ground-up Vail Valley getaway, which they imagined as a cross-generational family gathering spot, her mental mood board lit up with a sartorial spin. “I said, ‘We’re going to make it the Brunello Cucinelli of Beaver Creek,’ ” recalls the designer, referring to the Italian fashion brand’s impeccable-yet-comfortable sportivo chic aesthetic, typically rendered in elegant earth-tone fabrics. “It’s tailored, exudes exclusivity and resonates with the clean, modern feel of the architecture—it seemed like the perfect inspiration for a house here.”

This is the second project with this family for Kasler, and an early-stage collaboration with architect Ruard Veltman (who had also worked with the owners twice previously) helped set the tone of how the home would live—something they both considered deeply. Veltman points to the layered entry, which draws guests into a wide receiving hall with its own cozy fireplace, yet doesn’t immediately give away the home’s mountain views. That stunning scenery, in fact, is intentionally obscured from the entrance by a stone wall at the core of the house that forms the living area’s fireplace. “Clients are often eager to present their ‘wow’ moment—you open the door and ta-dah— but I wanted to let this house unfold,” explains the architect. “Once you’re inside, you don’t always want to see the front door; you want to feel more nestled within your home.”

The residence is “set up like three houses with two connectors,” he goes on to explain. The living room, which opens to a terrace, is centrally placed, with the dining room doubling as a passageway framed with windows that leads into the kitchen. Branching off the other side of the living room, a study detailed with similarly facing windows serves as a connection into the owners’ suite. “Modern elements allow this house to breathe,” notes Ruard of the scaled-up use of glass that invites in the woody surroundings from nearly every space. The lower level holds guest rooms, a gaming area and a separate ski entry and lounge space, neatly allowing privacy for visitors and keeping sporting equipment separated.

Due to area architectural guidelines, which draw from classic log cabins and the traditional architecture of National Park lodges, the house’s exterior is “designed as a tailored and more modern version of those grand lodges,” says Veltman, noting that the expertise and oversight of general contractor David Hyde drove the home’s high level of craftsmanship. “Every ounce of design was used to either create comfort and beauty or to disguise mechanics,” the architect adds.

Comfort and beauty were the cornerstones of Kasler’s cohesive furnishing plan as well. She sought out inviting pieces that leaned contemporary but were also replete with details that read as art, not unlike pieces of high fashion. See the contrasting band of natural wood that flows across a low cabinet in the living room, or a nearby chair’s leather-wrapped arms—“the kind of design moment you might find on a Hermès handbag,” describes the interior designer. And the room’s wall art is a series of stone panels etched with a metallic wash and hung with brackets, their weightiness creating a connection to the architecture. “They’re perfect for this house and so, so chic,” Kasler enthuses.

The overarching palette is a study in neutrals, with whites, taupes, champagnes and grays predominating. “When you don’t have a lot of color in a space, the challenge becomes how to make it still interesting,” the designer muses. “We accomplished this through layers of rugs and textures, luxurious fabrics that provide so much warmth, and these really refined moments like the kitchen chairs’ beautiful woven backs.” She also points out the subtle, tactile nature of the home’s plaster walls, the use of wood paneling and exposed beams and the unlined linen draperies she hung to diffuse the light and soften the steel muntins crisscrossing the expansive windows. Nature is very much part of the home’s interior experience as well, as Kasler’s palette of whites seems to be in conversation with the surrounding aspen trees.

“Every detail is thought out and exquisite, and against the strength of the materials, there’s an elegant casualness I really think we achieved,” the designer concludes, mentioning how much the owners trusted the team and allowed them to push the envelope creatively. “They wanted perfection,” affirms Veltman, “and this is one of those wonderful houses where everything just works.”