A Colorado New Build That Trades Rustic for Rhythm

A Mountain Home That Sounds Like Its Owners

There is a familiar script for the Colorado mountain house: heavy timbers, stacked stone, worn leather, and a palette of quiet neutrals. It is a beautiful script, and one we have long admired. But for the owners of this Lake Creek retreat, it simply wasn’t theirs. From the very first conversation, they wanted a home that felt distinctly like them rather than an interpretation of what a mountain home was supposed to look like.

That is where Colorado-based HONED Studio came in. Designers Bri Potts and Kellye O’Kelly, working alongside architect KH Webb and OCG, HONED’s sister construction company, shaped a 2,000-square-foot new build around the things their clients love most: color, art, personality, and above all, music. The project even takes its name from “Harry Hood,” the beloved Phish song, a fitting nod to the playful, personal spirit that runs through every room.

The team has a name for the result, too. They call it “mountain modern with soul,”. If we had to label it, we’d call it Aprés Lodge, meaning the evolution of modern mountain style.

Design: HONED Studio / Architecture: KH Webb / Construction: OCG / Photography: Kylie Fitts

Architecture That Frames the View

The architecture sets a confident tone before you ever step inside. A dramatic asymmetrical roofline, exposed structural beams, and warm wood cladding give the house a contemporary take on mountain design. Expansive glazing and windows on three sides pull the surrounding landscape into nearly every room.

With views like these, a restrained, neutral scheme designed to defer to the scenery would have been the easy choice. Instead, HONED let the interiors develop a personality of their own. Bri looked to the colors, forms, and textures of the 1970s and ’80s, building a palette of rich olive, rust, burgundy, chocolate, and ochre. Those tones echo the landscape rather than imitate it, creating a quiet dialogue between indoors and out.

What we love most is the balance. The rooms are expressive and full of character, yet calm enough that the view outside the window still feels like part of the design.

Rooms Tuned to Rhythm and Nostalgia

Music is the thread that ties the house together. HONED describes the home as inspired by rhythm and nostalgia, drawing on soul music and a well-loved record collection. That spirit comes into focus in the moody listening room, a space made for dropping the needle and settling in. Nearby, the game room keeps the energy light and social, a place for the whole household to gather.

Across the home, bold marble plays against slatted walnut, brass, and rich fabrics, a warm and polished foundation for all that color. In the kitchen, sleek Aperture pulls from Nest Studio Collection add a crisp, modern finish.

The primary suite leans into softness. A ruched dark teal velvet pouf adds a sculptural, slightly retro moment to the bedroom. In the primary bathroom, Bri created a stone-slab installation herself, lit by sconces from Allied Maker. The junior primary is grounded by a sage green wool rug from Beni Rugs, its garden-path pattern a gentle nod to the landscape outside.

In the bunk room, one of Bri’s own paintings hangs on the wall, a personal touch that makes the space feel like part of the family story rather than an afterthought. Throughout the house, custom pieces made with local artisans give every room a collected, authored feel.

Materials With a Point of View

HONED kept the clear references to Colorado: warm woods, exposed beams, tactile materials, and a constant connection to the landscape. Then the team paired them with choices that feel far more individual, from olive velvet and expressive patterns to sculptural furniture and lighting and unexpected artwork.

The walls carry much of the warmth. The entire house is finished in Color Atelier plaster in Wabi, applied as a tadelakt shower plaster, while the bathrooms use Color Atelier’s waterproof plaster in Soft Taupe. The soft, hand-applied texture gives every room a depth that paint alone could not.

A House That Belongs, On Its Own Terms

What makes this Lake Creek home so memorable is its sense of authorship. Between Bri’s original artwork, the custom pieces made with local artisans, and a palette pulled from decades of good music and great design, the rooms feel collected and personal rather than simply decorated. It is a home that belongs in the mountains without looking like every other mountain house, and we are so grateful to HONED Studio for sharing it with our community.