Designing a Mountain Home That Reflects Your Lifestyle
Why purchase an existing house when you can build your dream home from the ground up? Building a mountain home offers a rare opportunity to craft a living space that truly reflects who you are. Unlike urban properties with space constraints and neighborhood restrictions, mountain homes provide the freedom to design every aspect of your environment according to your personal values and lifestyle preferences. Here’s our step-by-step guide to getting the design process started.
1. Understand Your Core Values and Lifestyle
Before you start designing a mountain home in earnest, you’ll want to identify the lifestyle factors and values you want to incorporate. Are you passionate about environmental sustainability? Do you prioritize family gatherings and entertaining? Perhaps self-sufficiency and growing your own food tops your list. Don’t forget to consider your daily routines, too. If you work from home, you’ll need dedicated office space with reliable internet. Active families might require mudrooms, equipment storage, and easy access to outdoor recreation areas. It all comes down to your unique needs!
2. Choose the Perfect Location
Now that you know the basics of what you want, choose a location. Take a look at local zoning laws, building codes, and any other restrictions that might limit your vision. You’ll also want to factor in practical concerns, like proximity to essential services, schools, and internet connectivity. If solitude and peace are your top priority, a modern mountain home in the mountains could be the perfect choice!
3. Research mountain Home Architectural Styles
Do you already have a style in mind, or do you want to explore your options? Fortunately, you have dozens of mountain home designs to choose from. Traditional farmhouse styles work beautifully for families who value classic beauty and craftsmanship, while modern minimalist designs suit those who prefer clean lines and low maintenance. Don’t feel bound by what your neighbors are doing—pick a style that truly reflects your preferences!
4. Get Started on the Inside of Your mountain Home
For many people, the interior design is the most fun part. Mountain home interiors come in all styles, and you should prioritize spaces that align with your lifestyle. If you have a large family, you might want the kitchen and dining room to take up a lot of real estate, but if you have numerous seasonal items, you might prioritize storage instead. Check online for photos of the inside of a mountain home design for inspiration.
5. Incorporate Outdoor Living
If you’re building a home in the Colorado mountains, you surely want to consider the outdoor spaces of your mountain home. Much of the time, mountain properties leave plenty of room to add a covered porch, fire pit, or wide-open backyard. Whatever you do, plan your outdoor spaces with the same intentionality as the interior rooms.
6. Add in Personal Touches
Everyone wants something different from a ranch-style mountain home, and building from the ground up allows you to tailor your space to your exact vision. Once you’ve considered all of the previous steps, you can add more specific personal preferences, including:
- Sustainable Design—Solar panels, geothermal heating systems, and energy-efficient windows reduce your environmental impact while lowering utility costs. If you really want to go the extra mile, use reclaimed or locally sourced materials during the building process.
- Natural Elements—Incorporating nature into your space is a great way to feel like you’re a part of the stunning Colorado landscape. Large windows, plants, and natural materials can all enhance your mountain home interior.
Turn Your Vision into a Reality
At Shoshana Ranch, we love helping new homeowners build the perfect space for their families. Creating a mountain home design that reflects your values and lifestyle requires patience, but the planning process is well worth the result. Schedule a call today to learn more about building in our beautiful Colorado community.