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Star Struck

By Ann Matesi, Contributing Editor
May 31, 2002

 

Homeowners will go to incredible lengths to improve their home’s outdoor spaces for entertaining. They really do use this space for dining and relaxation.
Dave Keller, Keller Homes

Just as a star reveals itself gradually in the evening sky, this custom residence on a 55-acre site in central Colorado becomes visible only as one proceeds along a winding, pasture-lined approach from the main highway.

Designed to evoke a sense of family history, the home has a distinctive style that mimics a classic American homestead with an original stone “core” joined by a series of outbuildings that appear to have been added over time.

The ranch’s rambling floor plan is ideally suited for the owners, who frequently entertain out-of-town relatives and friends and host numerous business-oriented dinner parties. A dining hall is linked to the main house by a gallery, and a separate motor-home garage has living space above it.

The home has more than 2,000 square feet of covered exterior living space, much of it oriented toward the rear of the property to take advantage of an incredible view of Pikes Peak. Multiple porches, a spacious lower-level terrace and a courtyard help the family and guests enjoy this spectacular setting.

Style of Home | American ranch
Location | Colorado Springs, Colo.
Total Square Footage | 13,264
Hard Costs | $310 per square foot
Builder | Keller Homes, Colorado Springs
Architect & Land Planner | Scheurer Architects, Newport Beach, Calif.
Interior Designer || Color Design Art, Pacific Palisades, Calif.
Custom Client | Upscale couple with children
Major Products Used | Appliances: Sub-Zero (refrigerators and freezers); Thermador (outdoor grill) | Cabinetry: Hall Woodworks (custom) | Countertops: granite | Exterior Finish: Eldorado Stone; Cedar Valley (cedar plank and shake siding) | Stain: Cabot | Pizza Oven: Piccolo Valoriani by Magnaini Imports LLC | Flooring: flagstone | Home Controls/Automation: Lutron Homeworks | Lighting: Anvil Arts (custom fixtures) | Radiant Heat (whole-house) & Snowmelt for Auto Courtyard: Wirsbo | Roofing: Cameron Ashley (shake); Englert Galvalume (standing-seam galvanized aluminum) | Windows & Doors: Southwest Door | Wrought Iron: Northwinds Forge

 

Stellar Features Beckon Guests Outdoors

 

  • • The most used of the home’s outside areas is the “family” covered porch, which contains a pizza oven and a grill. “Cooking is central to their lifestyle,” builder Dave Keller says. During warm months, the space is used for alfresco lunches and dinners. Gas- heating elements extend the usable season of all the outdoor porches.

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  •  The mortar technique used to create the stone surround for the oven conveys a distressed, aged appearance in keeping with the home’s design theme. The mortar was applied and then wiped down with a burlap bag so that the joints were not entirely clean.

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  •  Low-maintenance, natural materials were selected whenever possible to minimize upkeep of the outdoor living space. Buff natural flagstone from a local quarry was used for paving the ground-level terrace and serves as the flooring for the porches, which were designed to support the additional weight.

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  •  Custom-crafted by a local blacksmith, the wrought-iron and western red cedar porch railing features the home’s distinctive “star” motif. The same craftsman also created the bonnet for the outdoor pizza oven.

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  • The lower-level entertaining areas open onto a courtyard that features an in-ground spa and fire pit.

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  • The porches, spa and terrace feature exterior speakers connected to the home’s central audio system.

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  •  Lined with floor-to-ceiling windows on both sides to capture the views, the gallery lets guests take a walk “outside” and still be indoors when traversing from the main house to the detached dining hall.

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  •  A man-made stream flows from the front driveway, under the gallery and finally spills into a pond off the back of the house.

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  • The dining hall features a kitchen, a fireplace and a wine cellar, as well as private outdoor entertaining space, including a covered porch and terrace.

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  •  The home’s drive court features radiant snowmelt. Deep overhangs protect the porches and terrace from snow and ice buildup, Keller says.
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