If a story were to be told: the original family in the late 1800's, would have built two barns of field stone gathered from the land. They would have lived in a pit house, with shelter a priority for livestock and grain. The structure would have been hastily hatcheted of standing fir gathered from the higher elevations in the area, as pinion and juniper do not make good structural timber. These two "barns" are the living room and the lower studio. Both are built of frame sandwiched with face stone from a quarry in the Dinosaur National Monument, some as thick a ten inches and as large as 30"x 30", with moss scars and fossils. The interior stone is from the same area, but cut flat at three to six inches to allow for pictures to be hung. The walls as a result average two feet thick with deep Euro style window sills. The 30" diameter post and beam timber is "standing dead" from Montana . The roof structure on these two "buildings" is deliberately swailed to mimic age, and clad in "1-1/2" density clay tile.

The twelve foot wide stone and true masonry fireplace is built of the same face stone, broken on site by hand and stacked in the old style. A split timber with a natural waned edge runs the width as a mantle. 12 railroad nails from the original Glenwood Canyon tracks are embedded and provide hanging ability for fireplace tools and Christmas stockings. The fireplace shape was inspired by those found in daguerreotypes researched from the settler's cabins in the area.

The studio is built in the same fashion. It has a half bath with a small corner sink, rough sawn walls and 100 year old split doors with original iron hardware. Shelves flank a 7' x 7' plate glass window looking onto a canyon view. The studio opens onto the lower courtyard with a large shade pinion. Four pairs of French casement windows add more light to this inspirational artist's space.

As the next generation would have remained on this homestead continuing to ranch, a stable would have been added for range horses. The library, dining and sitting areas were designed in the manner of stable architecture. The lower half of the walls are stone inside and out, as in the living room. The upper areas are rough sawn natural cedar. The oversized rough sawn thresholds embedded in the stamped concrete floors mimic those of an older style barn. The ceilings in these rooms as, in the living room and studio, are planked in old rough sawn natural cedar. Five pairs of knotty Alder French doors, each 8' wide, open the library, dining area and foyer to the courtyard veranda. As the next generation would have taken more care and time, square timber, notched and pinned, would have framed openings and corral partitions. The square timber we used in these rooms is from a 200 year old barn, shipped from Northern Ontario, Canada . These timbers also frame the 12' deep, 60' long veranda that lines the courtyard facing the canyon. At one end of the planked floored veranda is a 12' wide full height stone fireplace backing the fireplace in the livingroom.

The library shelves are 3 inch thick structural timber eliminating the need for multiple uprights. The library reaches to the ceiling and is backed in red stained wood planked walls. Recessed into the shelving area is an antique door that leads to a "gentlemen's" ranch style office. Two exterior doors allow independent access to this timber framed, shed style "addition" to the primary house. Walls are of authentic bead 'n board paneling stained in deep oak.

The high ceiling and barn style dining/sitting area features a reconstructed and functioning Illinoy model pot bellied stove. Opposite the veranda side of the dining area, French casement style windows and door open onto a smaller reclaimed brick rear patio courtyard.

Through the sitting area is another discreet room, paneled in bead 'n board, and wired for TV viewing, and has the audio control hub for the whole house sound system.

Following the theme of generations of additions, the next "addition" would have taken advantage of the "newest" building materials of that era, what we now refer to as a true masonry stucco. The master bedroom was built adjacent to the stone studio and onto what would have been a stone root cellar. The exterior stucco walls are colored to match the surrounding earth, as though they were made of the field sand. The interior walls are light tan colored stucco with hay added. The effect is a mellow pale gold. The lowered ceiling is ribbed in half timbers. Interior walls partitioning the work-out area and master closet are horizontal, natural 8" pine boards. The master suite includes a covered exterior sleeping porch.

The adjoining master bath includes a custom built iron and 6" thick natural plank counter with a pair of white Kohler sinks floating above the natural timber slab. The toilet and bidet are tucked into their own "room" with a split pair of antique doors with original hardware. A closet for stacking private laundry also has a pair of antique doors. The antique bathtub is built into a tiled enclosure. The door-less ledge style shower is a continuation of the random natural flag stone bathroom floor which is studded with shards of porcelain tile. The bathroom has its own windowed exterior door leading to an outdoor shower area.

In the early 1900's, according to our fictional homestead story, another generation would have added the "farm style" kitchen onto the dining/sitting area. Here you see the structure and finishing change dramatically. Looking up to the lofted ceiling, you see a milled wood beam meet the old round and bark-on timber beam from the dining area, end to end. The exterior walls of this "addition" and one interior wall is constructed of reclaimed blond brick from a 100 year old potato warehouse in Delta, Colorado . The other walls are butter colored, painted horizontal 10" pine boards. Twelve 2'x2' farm style casement windows line the double sinked, marble countertop. There are no contemporary built-in cabinets. This is an authentic farmhouse style "furnished" kitchen. The front sink counter is a skirted counter with two Asko silent dishwashers and topped fully with a drainboard carved marble slab. The kitchen island is an assembly of five solid wood cabinets, two of which are dish and glass cabinets with full French glass doors on four sides. A five foot wide glass door True commercial refrigerator is enclosed in a bead 'n board "closet". A solid knotty Alder, Dutch door leads to the front porch. Although a furnished kitchen, it is highly functional, comfortable and a caterer's dream.

Around the corner is a full pantry with an antique oval glass door, including a water cooler and upright freezer cabinet. Through a rear entry mudroom is the family laundry and mechanical room, all also featuring antique "front" doors in their original finishes.

The front foyer is bead 'n board walled in slate green, a lowered ceiling in natural plank and with a warming bench. The oversized front door is side lighted and is in knotty Alder stained a deep mahogany. The foyer has a telephone room adjoining, as well as a guest powder room featuring a solid copper antique "candy making" bowl as a sink atop an antique cabinet. The floors are real board planks, oiled natural. A stained glass antique front door leads to the greenhouse which separates the "public area of the house from the master wing. The door dividing the greenhouse from the master is also an antique oval glassed front door. Both doors are in their original finish.

The green house is reclaimed brick, cedar and with drainable floors. A double antique porcelain laundry sink with additional hose fittings make plant maintenance professional and easy.

The only second story area in the house is a "upstairs cottage". It is accessed by an exterior stucco sided, heavy timber stepped staircase, to a porch fronted guest suite. This guest room has it's own "kitchenette" room and sitting room area. The black and white tiled bathroom features a modern sink installed in an antique cabinet. All of the interior doors are antique front doors in their original finish. The floors are natural cork. The walls and ceiling are paneled.

Three custom built true log cabins, with porches and green metal roofs provide additional accommodation. They are electrified. Bathroom facilities are provided in a three piece bath "house" which is attached to the main house in the style of an out-house shed. It features a fully tiled ledge style roll-in shower, planked walls with lots of peg hooks, and a blue enameled antique bucket converted to a sink, installed in an antique cabinet.

The floors throughout the house, with the exception of the master bedroom, foyer, office, TV room and upstairs cottage are triple layered embossed concrete. These were colored to match the earth outside. They are matt in finish to resemble swept dirt floors. They contain the radiant in-floor heating. Each room has it's on control zone. The radiant heat continues in the non-concrete floored rooms through reconditioned antique iron radiators, 100+ years old from Toronto, Canada. The house was designed using passive solar control techniques: deep overhangs, solar orientation and two foot thick walls cause air conditioning, even in the hottest months, to be un-necessary. The house stays cool and comfortable in the summer and warm in the winter. The non-tile roofs are heavy gauge corrugated steel. Gutters and spouts are copper.

There are two mechanical systems, electrical panels, heating and hot water: one system on the main side of the house and a second system on the master bedroom/studio side.

The household water source is a 670 foot well. The water is safe for drinking and tasty, no additives are required. There is a 7500 gallon cistern to support extraordinary household needs. There is also a 4-part manifolded cistern, 9000 gallon capacity behind the barn with multiple yard taps for livestock and minor irrigation. We take delivery of water from a local supplier as a backup.

The barn is paralam timber framed, pole barn style, sided in cedar, and roofed in corrugated steel. The corrals are authentic log, as is the fencing that lines the driveway. Cattle guards are in place as the surrounding area is grazing land seasonally.

The house is fully security and fire hardwired, motion controlled and monitored. Six phone lines are prewired. TV and computer communications are satellite.

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