that feminine touch Idaho home radiates warmth and elegance

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1 50 that feminine touch Idaho home radiates warmth and elegance

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3 by teresa wolff photos by roger wade styled by debra grahl Below: Amy s home demonstrates how post and beam construction can create a dramatic exterior as the frame for the threesided wraparound porch. Kettle Valley granite provides the supports necessary to protect the timbers in a region that measures its snowfall in feet. Opposite: Amy designed the radius of the curved balcony extension to exactly match the radius of the travertine tile kitchen floor below to lend symmetry to the space and ease the transition between the two rooms. The great room is furnished in autumnal colors. Building a timber frame home wasn t even on Amy Koenig s radar at the time she purchased her one-plus acre lot in Tamarack Resort in Tamarack, Idaho. However, as the vice president of marketing for the resort, she was involved with the preferred development partners one of whom was Tennessee Timberframe. When I opened the portfolio of Tennessee Timberframe s designs, I fell in love with the very first one I saw, Amy says. The exterior rendering of the home, with its curved arched windows and wraparound porch, invited Amy in. I immediately pictured myself living in the home. Style for Every Season Although there were several properties in the forested areas of the resort, Amy had carefully chosen a lot in the meadow with a 360-degree view of the surrounding mountains. The lot also offered plenty of sunlight, an important feature for someone who is a full-time resident of this four-season climate. Amy is no stranger to building homes. In fact, the timber frame home was her third construction project, but this time it was different. When she worked on the first two homes, Amy was married and had to consider the wishes of her spouse. This time, as a single person, I was able to do exactly what I wanted and didn t have to make any compromises, she says. Her goal was to create a unique space that was not only locally authentic, but also reflected her diverse interests, combining formal, causal, European and Asian styles. Amy selected a Tennessee Timberframe plan developed by MossCreek Design in Knoxville, Tennessee, and met with her long-time friend, Ed Elliott, who serves as a dealer for Tennessee Timberframe in the Idaho region. Ed 52 Timber Homes Illustrated December 2007 timberhomesnetwork.com

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5 supplied the Douglas fir frame for the floor plan, which Amy customized by reversing the placement of rooms to maximize the home s orientation on the lot. To assist her with planning the interior spaces, Amy enlisted Suzie Hall of Cornerstone Design in Boise, Idaho. Together the two brainstormed the layout and colors for the rooms. Suzie also sourced many of the fixtures and accessories for the home so Amy could concentrate on her full-time job. Even before we started planning any of the interior, we decided the design premise for this home would be based around the four seasons, Suzie explains. The theme helped the duo to choose wall colors, fabrics and flooring. We used summer as the focus for the master bathroom; her bedroom transitions into autumn, which we then carried through the remainder of the main level, Suzie says. Winter and spring are found in the two second-story bedroom suites. Vacation at Home During the construction of her home, Amy spent 10 days in Thailand at a spa, rejuvenating her body, mind and spirit. She brought back with her an appreciation for the colors she experienced in this Asian country. Soon she was incorporating blues and sage greens as the design elements for the master bedroom and bath. Other design elements help soften the home. A timber frame has tremendous mass and can seem mas- 54 Timber Homes Illustrated December 2007 timberhomesnetwork.com

6 Left: Alder cabinets that were dyed, stained and glazed in a variety of colors set the stage for a gourmet kitchen where Amy can indulge in her passion for cooking. Behind the cook top, travertine tile is bordered with metal trim and surrounded with split-faced tumbled stone. Below: Silk window treatments hung on custom metal rods pool on the tamarack hardwood floor, creating an elegant backdrop for the dining room. Bowed cedar trim anchored with a keystone frames arched patio doors. culine. I added angles and curves in the interior finishes to lend a more feminine touch to the home, Amy says. Every time she entered the home, Amy wanted to feel as if she were walking into the lobby of a five-star hotel. She designed the large foyer with a lower ceiling. Here she placed a table that would always be adorned with a bouquet of flowers to greet her guests. After passing through the foyer, Amy steps into her kitchen with a freestanding china hutch with glass doors that allows light to radiate into the adjacent hallway. The living room/dining room to the right fill the great room space where she placed the sofas at a 45-degree angle to maximize views out of the windows and encourage conversation. To the left of the foyer is a utility room and a powder room. A pantry is tucked under the stairway. Because of its beauty and access to ski runs, Tamarack Resort draws plenty of visitors. Amy knew she d most likely be hosting guests, so she planned her master bedroom suite as a retreat from the rest of the house. To assure privacy and comfort for her guests, Amy situated two separate bedroom suites on the second level. The spring suite is decorated in the colors of the wildflowers found in the meadow around her home. The winter suite faces the ski mountain and is finished in blues, browns and whites for a pristine feeling. She created a seating area in the open loft for conversation or playing cards or games. timberhomesnetwork.com December 2007 Timber Homes Illustrated 55

7 A wrought-iron chandelier with amber glass shades hangs from the hammerbeam truss, which symmetrically frames the cathedral ceiling in the great room. Amy filled her loft seating area with comfortable furnishings. 56 Timber Homes Illustrated December 2007 timberhomesnetwork.com

8 Touches of Whimsy Kretzmann & Sons Fine Cabinets were also integral in the success of the home, joining in the construction process at a point where they were still able to have input about the style and placement of the cabinets. Amy gave us the freedom to make adjustments, one of which was to remove the wall between the foyer and kitchen and replace it with the glassfronted china closet, Peter says. The reconfigured cabinet creates a visual division, while creating a focal point in the entry. As Peter surveyed the other construction aspects of the home, he was struck with the whimsical nature of the fireplace. He decided to carry that theme into the kitchen by emulating the mystical feel of Pinocchio s wood carver father, Geppetto. A gracefully carved alder window valence and flared legs on the sink and range cabinets make the area less formal and more playful. Seeded glass in the cabinets adjacent to the range hood and Baroque glass in the china closet contributed a magical touch. Amy wanted the home to be both whimsical and warm, but realizes she may have gone overboard. When it came to heating this home, I have to admit that I did a bit of overkill. The in-floor heating system probably would have been sufficient, and I might not have needed the electric forced air furnace, Amy says. The two propane-fueled fireplaces can also heat the majority of the home on their own but, Amy uses them mostly just for ambiance. The Next Big Thing Because her home was to be situated on the highest point in the neighborhood, the exterior presentation was important. To create fabulous curb appeal, Amy added a three-sided wraparound porch with a fireplace on the north side. She employed Tuefel Landscaping to design a patio using pavers on the remaining side of the home. Here she installed a fire pit and a hot tub. Amy specifically selected this lot because it didn t have trees that would block the mountain views. Still, because she wanted to shield the back patio from the street, Amy directed Tuefel Landscaping to plant aspens and conifers on the corners of the patio to produce a privacy screen. Tuefel added a small planting bed for flowers and restored the remainder of the lot back to its natural state. As much as Amy loves her timber frame home, a major unexpected change in her life has caused her to offer the home for sale. Her recent marriage to a man with 40 acres and 40 chickens will result in her relocating to her new husband s property. Now that I have lived in a timber frame home, I fully intend to build another that is a reflection of my new life on an authentic mountain ranch property, Amy says. I feel good when people have a positive reaction to my home, and I am proud to have created something memorable but not over the top. In this home, I feel warm and connected. It s just so right. RESOURCES Cornerstone Design, (208) , Kretzmann & Sons Fine Cabinets, (208) MossCreek, (800) , Tennessee Timberframe Inc., (800) , Tuefel Landscaping, (208) top: Amy angled the wall between the bedroom and bathroom to prevent the master bedroom from feeling like a box. The Douglas fir posts and beams aid in visually dividing the room into two distinct spaces. Above:Glass tiles in the master bathroom give the room the feel of a spa. Lightly stained maple cabinets with contemporary lines create a fresh style. The soft tones of the travertine tile covering the walls and floor echo shades of summer. Web Extra: See a floor plan, MossCreek s design sketches and more at loghomesnetwork.com/timber timberhomesnetwork.com December 2007 Timber Homes Illustrated 57