The Guide: Aspen
March 1, 2006
INTERIOR DESIGNERS
Many second-home owners in Aspen use designers from
their primary hometowns to dress their winter getaways, but Aspen possesses a
small pool of local talent that has the advantage of being plugged into the
local retail-and-artisan matrix (they can, therefore, get things done quickly).
These designers are also well versed in the frontier vernacular, an aesthetic
that Aspen buyers often embrace.
A Robert Singer—designed home in Aspen Meadows. Photography by Paul
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Internationally known for its award-winning custom residential architecture,
Poss Architecture + Planning opened Poss Interior Design in 2002. Since its
inception, the division has shined with its mountain-meets-modern interiors (it
decked out the spa at the St. Regis Resort using custom stone veneers). Like
Poss, Reno Smith Architects practices both architecture and interior design. The
interior design team has revamped a host of high-end residences in the Aspen
area–including rustic Western-style estates and ranches–and has been integral in
historic preservation projects. Robert Singer & Associates specializes in
lighting and interior design. The company’s home base is in Aspen, but it has
satellite offices in Scottsdale. Past projects include a 10,000-square-foot
residence in Aspen and a 25,000-square-foot estate on Red Mountain.
LANDSCAPING
Thirty-six-year-old residential landscape architecture and
master planning firm Design Workshop strives to balance client needs with site
conditions, while employing sustainable environmental design. The firm’s
philosophy is “to create a relationship between the interior and exterior spaces
for one harmonious environment,” says associate Steven Spears. The firm’s vistas
are highly inventive, but without forsaking the classically romantic feel that
suits Aspen so perfectly. The considerably younger Bluegreen embraces projects
of all sizes–from a diminutive shade garden created for homeowners at the Little
Nell residences to the taming of wide swaths of community land in Mammoth,
Calif.’s, Snowcreek neighborhood. The firm’s aesthetics swing from Japanese and
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Mountain Bird Ranch, on the market for $17.5 million through Joshua
& Co., a Christie’s Great Estates affiliate. Photograph by Steve Mundinger.
(Click image to enlarge)
ARCHITECTS
Frontier (or Western) architecture dominates Aspen, but is
rarely given its due as one of the most no-rules architectural styles going.
Local architect Harry Teague has been taking advantage of the form’s flexible
tenets for years and has, in fact, been credited with revitalizing the style.
His modern mountain style can be whimsical, but is always distinctly masculine.
The designs of Charles Cunniffe Architects range from traditional to
contemporary mountain modern, and Hagman Architects is known for simple,
functional and environmentally-sensitive designs with an emphasis on detailing.
Established in 1991, Studio B Architects is a firm that founder Scott Lindenau
structured as “a traditional atelier,” he says, where clients tend to be “art
collectors and design fanatics.” Lindenau works exclusively in the modern
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The Wildcat Ridge estate in Aspen, offered through Joshua & Co.
at $35 million. (Click image to enlarge)
CONTRACTORS
Having built some of the town’s most spectacular residences
and worked on some of Aspen’s finest boutiques–including Prada, Gucci and Louis
Vuitton–Hansen Construction is the most sought-after contractor in Aspen. Owner
Steve Hansen, who says he will “avoid cutting corners at the expense of the
final product,” founded his business 26 years ago, and has won fans through his
attention to detail, hands-on project management and creative
cost-containment methods.
REALTORS
Although Aspen luxury properties usually range from $6 million
to $15 million, fierce competition exists for everything from smaller lots
downtown to estates in Red Mountain, with the most coveted properties–those
over $20 million–sometimes never even formally listed.
With 30 years of trend and market knowledge, Sonny D’Anna of Aspen Land &
Homes Sotheby’s International Realty is consistently a top producer in Aspen.
Representing some of the most architecturally significant and exclusive homes in
the region, Christie’s Great Estates affiliate Joshua Saslove of Joshua &
Co. has listings for the 200-acre, $35 million Wildcat Ridge estate, with a
14,300-square-foot, 11-bedroom home designed by noted architect Bart Voorsanger,
as well as the $24.5 million Elk Mountain Lodge, which comprises a main
residence, six cabins, a barn with stables and an exercise facility on 54 acres.
Bob Starodoj of Mason & Morse also has 30-plus years in the business, along
with extensive experience in selling and procuring ranch properties. Another
top-drawer choice is Morris & Fyrwald, where broker Craig Morris sold over
$200 million in real estate in 2005–an Aspen record, he claims.
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