hacker residence
The Colorado hay barn served as inspiration for this building. It has a simple gabled roof with no dormers, supported by heavy timber trusses and log columns. The stone foundation is composed of individual yellow-ish blocks, chosen for their resemblance in size and color to hay bales. The exterior siding material is recycled barn boards and vertical cedar stained to match surrounding sage and juniper greens.
Public rooms in this house are on the upper floor to capture views of Mt. Sopris, the golf course and the adjacent river. A wide concrete stair leads directly from the front door to the living room. Spaces are separated from one another by cabinet work, but everything on the second floor - dining, living, kitchen, study and small fireplace alcove - are under a single roof and feel very much part of one big room. A small porch is carved out under the western eave for sunset cocktails and mid-day shade. The openness of the space combined with rustic finishes and furnishings make this house a place to relax and be with family and friends.
The lower floor is much more private. The three bedrooms are all very separate from one another. The master suite and TV room are in close proximity to an outdoor hot tub. The guest room has its own deck, remote from every other part of the house. Sliding barn doors convert the TV room to an additional guest room or open it to the hallway for entertaining.
The landscaping strategy was to draw the natural surroundings into the vicinity of the house. It may be the only lot in this well manicured sub-division that has native grasses in the front yard, blending with the dedicated open space across the road that leads down to the river. Only a small area near the hot tub is captured for lawn and cultivated plants.
awards
Honor Award, Colorado's Best Residential Architecture, 2000
Honor Award, AIA Colorado, 1986
publications
American Dream Homes, "Scenic Inspiration," Spring 2004
The Getaway Home, "Discovering Your Home Away from Home," Dale Mullinger, 2004
Residential Architects, "Barn Leader", July 2003