Designing
with
Favorite
Pieces
in Mind
Country house glows
with warmth
of artwork
and family objects
Written by MARY ROSS
Photography by STEVE GROER
Sometimes a woman buys a great
pair of shoes and then finds the
dress to match. Designing the
rooms of a family country house
around the homeowners’ favorite objects
can be a similar experience.
“Interest in a room is created by surprise.
Energy is created by difference,”
says the owner.
The homeowners found a little ranch
house with no landscaping but a lot of
land at the top of a hill that boasts spectacular
mountain views. Architect Don Ruggles, owner of D.H. Ruggles &
Associates, made sure the Eastern-style
shingle home had views and light from
all exposures. The wraparound porch sits
above the pool and barn with the Rockies
as a dramatic backdrop.
But even new houses evolve over time.
The couple collected unusual objects and
artwork from relatives as well as on family
trips with their four children. They didn’t
always know where these items were
going to fit into their new house, but they
took the chance that these loved objects
would find their place over time.
“Country houses don’t have to be uniform,”
says the owner, and true to the
sentiment, the varied collection of unique
art and objects has found a niche.
