By Linda Hayes

	Click for more images Architect: Carney Architects Interior designer: Carney Architects Builder: Paul Ferguson

Ranching might not have been on their minds when a pair of city slickers went searching for a place to build a four-season mountain retreat, but after scouting property in historic Campbell Ranch, in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, it didn’t take long for the concept to get under their skin. In fact, everything about the old ranching community, from the traditional style of the surrounding farmhouses and barns to the potential for haying the land, played a significant role in the design and construction of the simple gabled modern ranch house that would become the Denver couple’s home away from home.

The first step (after hauling away remnants of the property’s past, including a discarded trailer and a rusted-out snowmobile) was to define the intended home’s parameters. Determined to have the new structure look and feel indigenous, the couple did their homework, scouring the Western History section of the Denver Public Library for photos of the area’s original ranch houses and studying their design.

Next came hiring an architect. The decision to hire Carney Architects in Jackson, Wyoming, was based on a long-term relationship the couple had with owners John and Nancy Carney. The job of making the long-distance relationship work fell to Jim Cappuccino, an associate architect who guided the project. “It was a strong working and personal relationship,” explains Cappuccino. “Everyone involved had the same aesthetic—simple, clean design that was true to the roots of the land.” The homeowners concur: “We made it as hard as we could, being in three locations, but it turned out to be a fun, easy process because we all had the same vision and got along so well.”

An early challenge was the siting of the proposed 3,300-square-foot house on the 20-acre parcel, which was set on a sloping meadow within view of Sleeping Giant Mountain and a grove of cottonwood trees that edged the Elk River. “We wanted to maximize the solar exposure and capture the 360-degree views,” explains Cappuccino. “Staking out the house was a collaborative process that took several visits and lots of subtle adjustments.”

Architectural plans, which took about six months to complete, produced an innately simple design consisting of two volumes, or structures, joined by a mudroom and vestibule, and topped by gabled roofs of varying heights. Exterior details, such as a front entry deck and exposed rafter tails common to ranch structures, enhance the design. Siding is stained cedar, a combination of horizontal square channel and vertical board and batt. Red posey windows are framed with cedar trim. The gabled roofs are finished with asphalt shingles, while the flat entry roof is rusty corrugated metal.

Beyond the vestibule, one 20-by-40 foot volume houses an open great room. Visitors pass first into the kitchen, where fir cabinetry by a local cabinetmaker is topped with seamless stainless steel (a throwback to early ranch kitchens) and offset with commercial-style appliances and a central butcher-block island. At the opposite end of the room, a Colorado buff sandstone fireplace is the focal point.

Major elements of the great room—reclaimed fir flooring, exposed fir timber trusses, and walls painted varying shades of gray-blue—reflect the owners’ desire to mix old and new and provide continuity. “It took us a while to narrow down the blend of materials and balance them out,” the homeowners explain. “We wanted the house to feel warm and be a comfortable gathering place.”

The second volume, which is two stories, is dedicated to private space. It includes a bedroom for the homeowners’ teenage boys, a guest room, and a roomy master bedroom and bath, complete with built-in workspace and views in three directions. Furnishings throughout are “fun and functional,” a pleasing mix of antique Danish and Swedish pine pieces and “affordable finds.”

Construction of the home spanned a full year. Along the way, digital photos made the rounds among the owners, architects, and the local builder, Paul Ferguson, keeping everyone in the loop and up-to-date on progress. Changes to the original plan were minimal: decisions to increase the width of the great room by a foot (fortunately, before the foundation was poured) and expand the entry to create a visual link to the backyard had positive effects.

Since the completion of the house, the homeowners have extended the ranching concept beyond its walls by planting native grasses, restoring water ditches, and rejuvenating the production of hay. “It’s our ode to the ranch,” they heartily agree. “Someday we’ll be able to spend a lot more time here, and it will feel like we belong.”