Wraparound views

Families and groups of friends that are on vacation are likely to be more casual, relaxed and easygoing in their attitudes than they are at home.

When Bill and Katrine Formby remodeled an older four-story office building in downtown Telluride, Colorado, they saw its potential as a vacation home. It had 360° outlooks of the local mountains, and was a short walk away from ski lifts. Views from the upper levels were spectacular, so office space on the second floor was converted into a one-bedroom condominium, and the two top levels, one a hot tub in a shed, became a three-bedroom penthouse.

"We felt that when people are away on vacation, everyone wants to be together after the day's activities. The kitchen and living spaces need to be closely connected so people can communicate comfortably and easily," says Katrine Formby.

In both apartments, open-plan kitchens connect smoothly with living spaces.

"We chose curved islands between the kitchen, living and dining areas to soften the spaces, improve the connections and add charm to the design," says Formby.

The shape of the island is echoed in the gentle curve on the front of the range hoods at the back of both kitchens, in the stone wall leading down to the bedrooms in the penthouse, and in the cabinetry on the back wall of the smaller apartment.

"We also felt that with a backdrop of such spectacular views, the interior colors needed to be understated, subtle and natural," Formby says.

The color palette in the penthouse includes shades of black, white, gray and brown, while caramel and beige tones predominate in the apartment. Cherry-stained alder cabinetry is teamed with black granite countertops, and distressed walnut floorboards are a practical finish.

"We wanted the apartments to be warm, welcoming and easy to stay in. When you're on vacation, you don't want surroundings that are precious and easily damaged," Formby says.

Story by: Mary Webb