Modern Style Meets Mountain Ruggedness: Blending Modern Aesthetics With Mountain Landscapes

The mountains provide an escape for your mind, body, and soul. Skiing, hiking, and exploring Northern Arizona’s high country mountains are all just minutes away from Flagstaff golf courses. The breathtaking views and inspiring wildlife bring calm to your daily life. And there is nothing more relaxing than curling up in front of a roaring fire with a glass of wine and a good book.

The draw of a luxury mountain home is irresistible. You want more than a cabin in the woods, but not something ostentatious, it needs to fit in with the beauty that surrounds it. Contemporary but authentic.

Modern mountain home architecture and design masterfully blend into the natural environment with sustainable materials and a luxurious indoor/outdoor experience. Here are four ways to create a balance between modern design and the classic outdoorsy feel of mountainscapes.

Embrace Your Natural Surroundings

Your modern mountain home should enhance the landscape by mirroring the natural lines and putting the fantastic views on display. Work with your architect to create a design that mimics the timberlines and expansive mountain views so they blend well.

The Pine Run project, for example, is set on a picturesque lot in Pine Canyon set back from the road so you experience the landscape first, helping you make the mental shift into nature. Large windows in every room put the home’s backdrop on display no matter where you are on the property.

With a modern luxury home nestled in the mountains, you want to be intentional about outdoor lighting. Create a safe space for you and your family with appropriate visibility, but also allow room for viewing the nighttime environment. With too much outdoor light, it can be difficult to enjoy the amazing starlight sky. Utilizing smart lighting enhances the outdoor experience, making it versatile and attractive.

Create a Seamless Indoor/Outdoor Experience

The fresh breezes and crisp scents of the outdoors are added benefits of a home surrounded by trees. Take advantage of the rejuvenating mountain air by creating spaces that allow you to move seamlessly inside to outside.

Integrate collapsable or sliding glass walls for easy access to the outside. This expands your entertaining space, opening up the living room and patios so everyone has room to move. At Pine Run, they have patio access from every room, making a breath of fresh air only a few steps away.

You can draw your guests outside with an outdoor kitchen, making crowd-pleasers in the woodfire pizza oven or smoker. Captivate your guests with a fire pit and comfortable seating, making it a great place to relax as the chill of the evening mountain air creeps in. Create a beautiful centerpiece by contracting with a local artisan, like Flux Design Studio, who understands craftsmanship and can make a one-of-a-kind work of art.

In addition to the fire pit, keep everyone comfortable as they move from your living room to your patio with recessed heaters in your outdoor spaces. 

One essential for any mountain home is a comfortable mud room to hold all the outdoor necessities. From a place to kick off shoes direct from a quick hike or easy access to your favorite winter sports accessories, a mud room should feel inviting and organized with plentiful storage.

Select Materials that Meld 

Modern mountain home exteriors should blend into the environment, so include local and reclaimed materials whenever possible.

The clean lines and tones of metal, such as steel and copper, mirror the surroundings. The Pine Run project, for example, incorporates natural stone on the exterior and in the landscaping, which provides a balance to the contemporary black fascia and metal-paneled cladding. Its cascading-style roof reflects the stair-step of the mountain backdrop, offering a sleek and modern mountain aesthetic that complements the surroundings.

Repurposed wood is also a great way to incorporate the traditional feel. Work with your designer to find pieces that would work for doors, exposed beams, and accents throughout the home. You can repurpose other materials that reflect the area and turn them into unique lighting fixtures or a striking dining table transformed into a conversation piece for your guests to admire during a special dinner.

Prioritize Comfort

Balance the ruggedness of the mountains with design features that focus on welcoming comfort.

No luxury mountain home is complete without a fireplace. Create a space that draws everyone together on chilly nights with the warmth of a fire. Incorporate natural stone into your fireplace surrounds, or work with an artisan to create a stunning work of art. Balance the stone and wood with soft, organic materials like wool and cotton and furniture with rounded edges.

Incorporate places throughout your mountain home to relax and entertain. An open floor plan gives guests plenty of room to move around, and for you as the host to keep an eye on the party. Also, create cozy nooks for reading or quiet conversations.

Design with Nature in Mind

Whether your perfect lot is at the base of a mountain or the edge of a desert, you want your home design to work with the land. It makes a more cohesive appearance and it’s better for the home long-term. Using the right materials and environment-appropriate layout can minimize maintenance over the life of the home. Work with a team of designers who are familiar with the area you want to build or renovate, and prioritize using the natural environment to enhance the design.

When you are ready to create your perfect luxury mountain escape, talk to the designers who know how to blend contemporary elegance with a traditional mountain feel. Contact UDA, LTD. today to get started.