How a Mountain Modern Home Became One Family’s Happy Place

A refreshed Steamboat Springs getaway finally feels like home.

3 hours ago

Laura Beausire,

Living Room With sweeping views of Steamboat Ski Resort, this welcoming living space is a family favorite, furnished with Kravet sofas and armchairs, with a Brownstone Furniture coffee table and Jaipur rug. | Photo: Rae Scott

When a New York family purchased a 3,500-square-foot, three-story Steamboat Springs vacation home with stellar views of the ski mountain, they were willing to overlook some quirky design features. “It was a very eclectic mix,” says the homeowner. Hickory floors vied for attention with pine trim, and the living room ceiling was aglow with orange-hued planks.

“It definitely had a little more of a rustic vibe to it,” the homeowner says. It was 2009, and at that time the homeowners’ taste included rich jewel tones and heavy drapery; but styles changed—and when the family renovated their New York house they embraced a lighter, brighter, more modern aesthetic that they also wanted to bring to their Steamboat residence.

Dining Room Family gatherings are easy and stylish, with a Lexington Home buffet and dining table and Cliff Young chairs. The nearby stairway is lit by a custom hanging fixture by Mod Lighting. | Photo: Rae Scott

They enlisted the help of an interior designer who had already helped them transform their East Coast home. Darci Hether, founder and principal interior designer of Darci Hether New York, was a trusted creative collaborator. With a goal of updating and elevating the interiors, the homeowner asked Hether, “Can we take this floor plan and, with the magic of paint and new furnishings, turn it into something as comfortable as our house in New York, but still maintain the ‘mountain vibe?’” Hether was glad to accept the challenge.

“They wanted me to ‘Darci-ize’ it,” Hether says with a laugh. “It was a beautiful place, but it was pretty dated, and it wasn’t really reflective of who they were.” Since the homeowners love to cook and entertain, “the one main complaint was the kitchen,” Hether explains. Her solution included gutting the dark kitchen, removing wood beams and installing new cabinets, a custom vent hood and a reconfigured island.

Kitchen The reimagined kitchen is lighter and brighter, with clean-lined Dura Supreme cabinets, a custom vent hood, Cambria countertops and Kohler faucets. The island pendant lighting is from Arteriors, with comfy stools from A. Rudin. | Photo: Rae Scott

The team also converted an adjacent space into a clever butler’s pantry complete with coffee bar and wine area. As renovations continued, they seized the opportunity to recycle many discarded materials. “In fact, when we took out the kitchen, we actually repurposed it,” says the homeowner. “It’s in somebody else’s home in Steamboat, so we’re really happy about that.”

Hether installed sleek motorized shades, painted the pine trim with Benjamin Moore’s Ebony King, installed drywall over the living room ceiling and darkened the remaining beams. “It looks so much crisper and sharper,” she says. The newly furnished dining area with an expandable table is ready for game nights, a dazzling light fixture hangs in the stairway, refurbished bathrooms are both beautiful and practical, and the bedrooms are cozy, with updated paint and floor coverings.

Primary Bedroom This spacious bedroom features a Made Goods desk with a chair by Interlude Home. The Lexington Home bedside table is topped with a Visual Comfort lamp. | Photo: Rae Scott

Reimagined spaces are clean and serene, paying tribute to the glorious mountain surroundings with a fresh perspective. “We wanted to bring the outdoors in, but through a more modern lens,” Hether says. “I wanted to make sure that it was as comfortable in August as it is in January.” In all four seasons, the home is a welcoming getaway. Says the homeowner, “It’s referred to as my happy place. When I tell my friends I’m going to Colorado, they say, ‘Enjoy your happy place!’”