Project Focus: Red Mountain, Behind the Bar
Design Context
The renovated home is located in Aspen, Colorado. In the open-plan living room, we designed a custom 260 sq ft bar area to serve as an entertaining hub for a family that loves to host and entertain.
Inspiration
This bar was designed with the same approach as the rest of the house, one drawing on inspiration from the surrounding landscape and incredible views of Aspen Mountain. The window behind the bar creates a frame of this view. We utilized materials traditionally found in mountain homes, but in a more refined and tailored way. Since the space is connected to the living room, it was important that it was be both sophisticated and functional.
The thoughtful juxtaposition of materials was crucial in this space, such as using chiseled stone against polished marble. Natural materials, like the stone and wood beams, bring an element of the indoors in and the strong geometry and clean lines keep the design modern.
Design Directive
The client had requested a bar area. This house is designed around entertaining and locating the bar as an extension of the more formal living area made for a grand entertaining space.
Design Challenges
The materials in the room had quite a contrast with the dark beams and cabinetry with light colored stucco walls. Initially, a simple neutral stone was selected, but our team had a change of heart when we took the client to the stone yard. The marble that was ultimately selected not only added more character and visual texture, but it tied in the light and dark tones in the room.
Looking Forward
Our team has had more requests for home bars from clients now that they are spending more time at home. With many clients re-invisioning and renovating their homes during the pandemic, there is an increased trend towards created spaces more conducive to entertaining from home.
Home bars are a great addition to any space. They can be an intimate retreat, separate from a large entertainment room where people can go after dinner. They can also be incorporated into a large living space to add an additional function for the room.
Explore the Red Mountain project.