High Mesa

This house contains 3200 heated square feet on two stories. It has 4 bedrooms and 3 1/2 bathrooms. A "cut-in" vaulted living room ceiling and a custom stairwell is located in the center of the house which created a unique predicament with running the HVAC ducting in the attic space from one side of the house to the other. Initially, we had planned on building a slab foundation on grade due to the level terrain. However, we resolved this by over excavating the house footprint 40" deep into the ground and constructing a cinderblock foundation up to the level of the natural ground. We then built a beam & pier floor joist system with 16" BCI and ran the HVAC ducting in the crawlspace area.

The exterior finishes of the house is a combination of synthetic stucco and stone, reducing maintenance for this home owner as well. The garage doors are carriage-style and have decorative metal straps upholding the authentic style of this home. We used a local sawmill to mill 12" x 12" fir posts to support any cantilevered portions of the house and stained them with a semi-transparent oil-based product in order to flow with the exterior aesthetics of the home.

The bottom floor consists of the kitchen, dining room, laundry room, the master bedroom and bathroom, and a vaulted living room. Some of the amenities that we incorporated in the bottom floor include a barrel hallway that connects the foyer to the kitchen and a custom stairwell with wood flooring and iron hand railing. The tongue and groove wood ceiling in the vaulted living room was installed in a herringbone manner where the boards run at an angle, creating an uncommon design. A rock fireplace was placed in the living room with the rock running from the floor to the 20' peak of the ceiling enhancing the grandeur of this room. The windows that we installed were Jeldwen wood windows that are metal clad on the outside in a bronze-color. From inside, the numerous windows, angled from floor to ceiling, create an incredible amount of natural light, immense views, and much openness to the living space. Custom cabinetry helped create a nice looking entertainment center and hid any electronic equipment that might come with the TV. The floors we finished with distressed wood laminate creating a very cozy cabin feel.

The master bedroom has 10' ceilings and crown moulding throughout and continue with a spacious feel. A private courtyard with flagstone flooring provides the owners with a relaxing cove, directly accessed from the master bedroom. The master bathroom has a 6' garden tub, a custom tile and glass shower with a frameless glass shower door between the shower and the room itself. Granite countertops with a demi-bullnose profile and under mount porcelain sinks make a good finish, enhancing the owner's sleek taste. Delta oil-rubbed bronze plumbing fixtures were used for aesthetics and reputation while upholding the rustic, but modern, cabin feel with every detail. The second story contains 3 bedrooms and 2 baths. One bedroom has its own private bathroom for guests needing privacy. The other two bedrooms utilize a convenient jack & jill bathroom with a common tub/toilet room. Each bedroom has a separate room with a private vanity sink, finished with a 3 cm. granite countertop.

The interior doors are solid-core pine, stained and lacquered with a high gloss to add to the natural beauty of these doors. The baseboard is also stain-grade material and 6" in height, further upgrading the class of this home.

A large game room with an impressive covered balcony makes the second story of this house ideal for entertaining. Furnished with relaxed, easy seating and provided with light from the balcony windows and doors, this gathering room is very comfortable inside and out. It is perfect for early morning escapes or evening get togethers.

This home was built as a second, vacation home for a couple from Dallas with a unique vision and high expectations. This home turned out beautifully with a cozy cabin feel, despite the spaciousness and high class finish, and provides the vacationing home owners no bother with exterior maintenance while enjoying the mountain air.