It Takes Two: Timber Frame House in the Mountains

Mark and Courtney Saldivar approach some of life’s decisions the same way they approach a Rocky Mountain ski slope: quickly and with abandon. Such was the case when they decided to move from Texas to Breckenridge, Colorado.

"We had been skiing in Breckenridge for 10 years and visited one summer and then had to return to 108 degrees in Houston," recalls Courtney. "When we got home, we made the decision to move. We sold our house and headed to Colorado—all within six weeks." Once settled in Breckenridge, they made another important decision: they’d serve as the timber home’s design and building team. Courtney is a licensed architect, and Mark has been in the timber frame construction business for nearly 20 years.

For five years, the Saldivars rented a historic home in downtown Breckenridge before moving into their mountain timber home. They purchased the land in April of 2004 and broke ground in September the same year. Two years later, they moved in. Mark and Courtney drew from their extensive homebuilding experience when designing their house in the mountains. Courtney, who works for Allen-Guerra Design-Build, Inc. in Breckenridge, designs mainly log and timber accent homes. Mark has built two timber homes in Breckenridge, and he’s been involved with many other building projects over the years. They wanted to create a warm timber framed home with a vintage feel, so they opted to use antique barn wood for the home’s exterior.

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The interior trim, doors and windows are made of knotty pine, the floors are made of oak, and the posts and beams feature Douglas fir. The inviting timber home has an interior with more than 4,500 square feet, plus an 800-square-foot outdoor living space. Since they share the home with their newborn daughter Isabella and two dogs, Kona and Hilo, and frequently entertain, they made sure to incorporate plenty of gathering areas in the layout. In fact, Courtney created three separate living areas in the home: a main living room, a sitting room off of the master bedroom and a media room. "I wanted a livable timber frame floor plan with spaces comfortable for one person or a big group"” explains Courtney. "We frequently entertain family and friends, either just for dinner or for weeks at a time."

The porch, which offers breathtaking views of the aspen grove and Tenmile Mountain Range, is also used for entertaining, especially in the afternoons. “My favorite feature is listening sound of the stream, which wraps around the porch,” notes Mark. “We chose this lot for its views and the porch takes advantage of them.” When asked about their favorite part about their new timber home, Mark and Courtney have a hard time coming to a mutual decision. While Mark enjoys spending time in the kitchen, with its easy flow and eating bar, Courtney’s favorite space is the master bedroom, where she enjoys waking up every morning to views of the sun-lit mountain peaks. But if there’s one thing they can agree on, it’s their love for the personalized design they now call home.