For the past decade or so, the Aspen Snowmass real estate market has been dominated by two prevailing architectural styles: the traditional mountain look and, on the opposite extreme, contemporary. But the needle has tipped so far in the direction of contemporary, that buyers are now looking for a mix of both — what some call “The New Mountain Contemporary.”
How did we arrive at this new aesthetic? Local builders and esteemed architects are finding ways to marry the best of both.
Traditional mountain homes like 18 Cascade Lane in the Five Trees neighborhood in Aspen with dramatic log beams, wood paneling, exposed beams, and heavy textiles are still highly sought after by homeowners seeking the quintessential Colorado Rocky Mountain home.
On the other end of the spectrum is 930 West Hallam Street in West Aspen — new construction with clean lines, large windows, and an open floor plan.
930 West Hallam Street is listed by Lex Tarumianz for $5,995,000. Photo by Lightform 3D.
Situated between these extremes is 62 Bennett Court —a five-bedroom spec home in the famed Red Mountain neighborhood designed by Denver-based Mountain Contemporary Architects with interiors finished by Aspen-based Kristin Dittmar Design.
62 Bennett Court is listed by Andrew Ernemann for $9,825,000. Photo by Mountain Home Photo.
328 Deer Ridge Lane in Snowmass Village also seamlessly blends contemporary floor-to-ceiling windows, a white and grey palette, and an open floor plan against reclaimed wood and raw stone accents.
328 Deer Ridge Lane is listed by Garrett Reuss for $4,975,000. Photo by Mountain Home Photo.
And, perhaps, the trend is not just local. In Quebec, Canada 647 Rue Chapleau is a Scandinavian-inspired home in the Mont-Saint-Hilaire area. White walls, an open staircase, and contemporary furnishings are blended with a floor-to-ceiling fireplace and exposed beams.
647 Rue Chapleau is listed with Sotheby’s International Realty Québec for $725,000 Canadian dollars ($580,418 US).
Photo by Sotheby’s International Realty Québec.
Photo by Sotheby’s International Realty Québec.
Partner of Aspen-based CCY Architects Rich Carr agrees with Ernemann’s overall observation and explains, “The stylistic pendulum has swung back and forth—from cliché mountain traditional to quite clean modern and now trying to find a balance in between.”
Carr adds, “We’ve always focused on creating architecture that marries the best of modernism and regionalism; not mimicking the past, whether it’s traditional or modern, but creating original design solutions that embody contemporary lifestyles, and at the same time, speak to the richness, textures, and traditions of Aspen and the Rockies. It’s been very gratifying to see the market leaning that way more than ever.”
