A home is so many things. It's a sanctuary and a place where family and friends gather. It is also a reflection of the people who built it, and if done right, a gift to future generations. Mark and Dee both poured a ton of energy into this home and it reflects them perfectly. The timeless material and design choices will certainly be appreciated for generations to come.
The first time we worked with Mark and Dee was on the nicest garage we have ever built, affectionately dubbed the “Garage Mahal”. When they decided to buy a lot at the Kicking Horse and asked us to build them a home we were thrilled and enthusiastically agreed. Knowing their great taste and commitment to quality, we just knew it was going to be good!
WE BEGAN WITH…
Seeing some of the most well thought out hand sketches we have seen done (by Dee), the concept of the home being in the Swiss mountain style with timbers and ample covered deck space. When the word timbers and Swiss are spoken in Golden, Sigi Liebmann and his company International Timber-frames immediately come to mind. It was an easy choice to approach them about doing the design work and providing the timber frame.
We tried a few different designs. A cross gable with multiple valleys would have looked great but is not ideal in high snowpack areas, a mono pitch roof was considered but it was not in the classic Swiss style which was important to Mark and Dee. In the end it was a strong classic gable roof with shed dormers which looks great and is sure to perform well in the large snowpack of Kicking Horse Mountain.
STEPPING INSIDE
With the architectural aspects decided, it was time to move on to the finished materials. We often encourage our clients to work with an interior designer, but with Dee we knew this was unnecessary. She was more than capable of putting together a stunning interior on her own. It started with charred timbers and siding which resonated with Mark and Dee because it is low maintenance, organic and looks super cool.
On top of the timbers, Dee went with a traditional whitewashed pine which contrasted beautifully with the charred timbers.
Then it was time to design the Kitchen. Enter Steve Swaffield. He and Dee designed a kitchen that is as efficient and functional as it is gorgeous.
Through all of this, Mark was focused on installing all of the old world brickwork which is a major design element of the main floor. His attention to detail and hard work paid off in a super cool fireplace and multiple feature walls through the home.
We were completely blown away by what came next. Tiles we didn’t know existed were showing up and locksets we thought they stopped making 100 years ago were coming through the door. Somehow it all came together to create the most elegant, classy and livable interior we have ever had the pleasure of working on.
There is never any one thing that defines an amazing home, it is a mix of all the right things in the right places. There is also the embodied energy that comes off this combination which worked on the home. Our foreman Mich Lafleur was on this project from day one until the very last day with the help of Ryan Sodin, Klle Boizard, Cody Lank and Chris Cameron. Many sub contractors and tradesmen were added to this list. Their hard work and attention to detail can be seen and felt everywhere.
“The commitment to building a new house involves some very tough decisions on the part of the homeowner. When we decided to build, the one decision that was easy for us was choosing Zimmerman Construction. We had used Michael and his team for a carriage house build at our previous home and were completely delighted with the work they did and the care they took. Now it was time for a new home for our family. A change in lifestyle. We new that we had to get Michael’s team on board to make our dream home a reality.
From the planning stage through to the final home inspection nothing was overlooked. They had the knowledge and expertise to make our home a reality. Throughout the process they were professional, hard working, friendly, and very accepting of our suggestions and needs.
We would highly recommend Zimmerman Construction if you are thinking about building a new home. It is the one decision when building your home that you can feel confident you made correctly.
Thank you Zimmerman Construction!
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