Behind the Price Tag

How do you price a custom home? Add up the cost of its design, construction, materials and special features and you’ll likely still fall short of its true value. Consider the estate Courtney and Karen Lord created on more than an acre in Aspen, Colorado. “I don’t think there’s another house like it here,” says listing agent Jill Shore of Joshua & Co., one of Aspen’s top luxury real estate companies. The 9,067-square-foot home captures a uniquely sumptuous yet relaxed lifestyle that perfectly suits the couple who created it—and, now that it’s for sale, any other family with similar tastes and $11.8 million to spend. So what exactly does that kind of money buy? We reveal the features behind the price tag here.

Lighting Design
A carefully orchestrated mix of lighting sources, designed by Aspen-based Robert Singer & Associates, dramatizes the home’s architecture, furnishings, artwork and landscaping:
Uplighting & Downlighting: Carefully concealed along the tops and bottoms of the home’s rammed-earth walls, these fixtures send light along the surface of the walls, “highlighting their depth and texture,” says homeowner Courtney Lord.
Hidden Pin Lights: Intense narrow beams recessed in the ceilings and floors precisely illuminate individual artworks throughout the home.
At-a-touch Controls: A LiteTouch computerized control system includes preset buttons for a variety of different lighting plans to illuminate everything from large parties to intimate gatherings.

Architecture
“The home is situated near the highway, and along the entrance to Aspen, the city wants architecture that’s low and blends with the landscape,” says Courtney Lord. That led him and architect Scott Lindenau of Aspen-based Studio B Architects to research options in low-lying forms that would blend with the surroundings. They settled on rammed-earth construction, a building technique that mixed earth from the site with cement—along with a coloring compound to give it a light tan hue. The mixture was compacted in concrete forms to create 20-inch-thick walls. The benefits of the method are many:
A Low Profile: Largely concealed from passing traffic by trees, the building turns an earthen façade to the street. Despite their proximity to the road, the rammed-earth forms provide an efficient sound buffer.
Private Views: On its private side, the home forms a U shape with walls of sliding-glass panels that open to a private courtyard. Beyond the landscaped grounds are views of Aspen Highlands’ Thunderbowl ski run, and Aspen and Buttermilk mountains.
Energy Savings: The thick walls absorb the sun’s warmth during the day, keeping rooms cool. At night, they radiate that heat, warming up the interior spaces.

Materials Palette
To complement the home’s rammed-earth walls, the homeowners and architect selected a range of other materials in earthen tones, textures and patterns. Light-toned, subtly grained maple covers the ceiling, adding warmth “without calling too much attention to itself,” says homeowner Courtney Lord. Pale natural walnut flows across the floors of most public rooms in the house, including the living room. Dark-toned, distinctively patterned tropical wenge wood forms a partial wall that separates the living and dining areas from the kitchen, where it was also used for cabinetry. Outside, naturally oxidized COR-TEN steel accents the home’s exterior.

Landscape Design
“A lot of Aspen homes are built on the side of a hill,” observes Courtney Lord. “But here, because our land is flat, we could actually use our garden.” To add utility and beauty to the space, the Lords enlisted local landscape architecture firm Bluegreen to create a landscaping plan. Artfully framed by a bronze sculpture by internationally renowned artist Bruno Romeda, the design is perfectly suited to the site and the homeowners’ tastes. Standout features include:
Concrete Pavers: Adjacent to the living room and accessed via sliding-glass panels, concrete pavers separated by strips of green groundcover—including fragrant thyme—create a courtyard for outdoor living.
Lush Lawn: A deep green expanse of lawn welcomes play in summer and offsets the dramatic mountain views beyond.              
Perennial Progression: A 150-foot arc of flowerbeds just beyond the lawn adds nearly year-round color with perennial blossoms—from lilacs in the spring through mums in autumn. “My wife and I wanted to be able to look out of every room and see color,” Lord says.
Mature Trees: “When we built the house, we saved half a dozen big trees on the lot,” says Lord. Since then, the homeowners have planted approximately a hundred trees, including cottonwoods, spruces, Austrian pines and “a handful” of maples. “For us, the lot was perfect,” says Courtney Lord. While it may not be ideal for buyers seeking a ski-in/ski-out home, he concedes, it offers special features—like breathtaking views, wide-open spaces and a convenient location—that he and his family prize above proximity to the slopes.
Expanse: The large lot easily accommodated more than 9,000 square feet of interior living space while staying within local code restrictions.
Accessibility: The Lords have enjoyed having tennis, golf, bicycling and even a bus stop all close by. “We don’t depend on driving a car every time we want to do anything,” Lord says.

Interior Design
Courtney and Karen Lord asked New York City-based interior designer Larry Laslo to furnish their home in an eclectic style that works with the bold contemporary architecture but still feels homey. Here’s how Laslo achieved the look:
Custom Built-ins: Made from limed white oak, a Laslo-designed king-size bed includes linen and pillow storage built into its platform. The headboard, made from padded ostrich leather, echoes the tone of the rammed earth and is stitched to follow the pattern imprinted on the walls by the forms used in construction.
Signature Designs: Pieces from a line of made-to-order furniture designed by Laslo for Directional, Inc., provide perfect seating solutions, such as the family room’s brown-leather-framed sectional sofa. Laslo also made room for pieces the Lords have had for years, including leather Nienkämper club chairs in the master bedroom, and in the family room, wood-and-chrome-framed chairs by Pace International.
Livable Art: Even items from the couple’s extensive collection occasionally become pieces of functional art. In the family room, the aluminum sculpture by Israeli artist Harush Shlomo, which resembles a large block of crumpled foil, “actually makes a very comfortable little settee,” says Courtney Lord.

Listing Details
Location: Aspen Tennis Club, Aspen, Colorado
Listing Price: $11.8 million
Listing Broker: Jill Shore, Joshua & Co., 970-925-8810, joshuaco.com