From Our Editor: Expect the Unexpected

Portrait: Povy Atchison

It’s our Home of the Year issue, and people often ask me, are you looking for a certain size? Style? Location of home?

Truth is, every year we search for the home that will surprise and delight our readers, and this year’s winner does just that. From the exterior, the 14,000-square-foot home might appear to be a traditional, albeit grand, log-and-stone structure. But open the door and prepare to be surprised. As builder Jason Gleasman says of this two-year project, “It still surprises me.”

The family had been visiting Aspen from the East Coast for years. When they decided to put down roots, they discovered a house built in the 1990s and set upon two acres. Anything but a typical log cabin, the home boasted some impressive one-of-a-kind details, including gigantic logs—many of them salvaged from the 1988 Yellowstone National Park wildfires. The homeowners had never seen anything like it.

At first, they thought they would live in the home in its original state, but the hotel-like scale of the spaces was intimidating. They brought in a creative design team—interior designer Helena Flecker, Ryan Lee of Forum Phi as architect, and builder Gleasman—and the original structure was reimagined with maximized views, a large, welcoming kitchen and a bunk room for their two hockey-playing sons and friends. The design team took measures to preserve many of the home’s original features while updating for a modern family, even repurposing a large beam that couldn’t be saved in place to create a striking pair of benches.

Other surprises in this issue include a Big Sky, Montana, home designed by Centre Skye architect Jamie Daugaard to imbue arrival to the property with mystery and discovery. He designed the approach as a meandering drive surrounded by forest and boulders, revealing the home only at the last bend. And to kick off the holiday season, we’ve got pages of surprises for  those on your shopping list with our favorites-filled gift guide. 

One of my favorite things about this time of year is that ski resorts are open! Here’s wishing you a joyful holiday season, surrounded by friends, family and plenty of surprises (and powder).

Jingle Bells

Photo: Audrey Hall

I’m a huge fan of the holidays, and Jeremiah Young, owner of design firm Kibler & Kirch, inspired me to up my game when it comes to wrapping gifts. He feels presents can be dual- purpose holiday décor; they accessorize the tree and prevent a last-minute wrapping rush. A fan of bells, he uses them to dress up simple wrapping paper, and adds sleigh bells as a garland on the tree.

Darla Worden
Editor in Chief

Photo: Audrey Hall

As featured in Mountain Living’s November/December 2024 issue.