52 Jones.indd - Timber Frame Homes

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Ski Home
A timber frame home in the Catskills welcomes family and friends
after a day spent on the slopes
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Eastern white pine posts and beams set
atop cultured stone create a dramatic
kiosk-style entrance to the Jones home.
The oversized door on the left leads to
the foyer, while the divided-light door
opens to the ski and boot room.
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“The home feels so warm
and inviting in this
snowy environment
and adds something
so different to our lives.”
W
eekend ski trips to the Windham Mountain
Ski Resort in Windham, New York, are a
way of life for Bob and Barbara Jones. When their
children were younger, the couple purchased a town
home at the base of the mountain, where they could
escape the pressures of city life.
One of the highest peaks in the northern
Catskill range and relatively undiscovered, Windham
Mountain was ideal for the Joneses. Still, as their
family grew, they needed more space—especially
for entertaining their many skiing friends who also
enjoy a winter getaway.
Bob and Barbara purchased a new piece of
property and turned to the team that had created their town home: Eric Smith and Associates
(an architectural firm with offices in Boulder and
Steamboat Springs, Colorado), and builder Brainard
Ridge Associates. “We knew our new home would
be a product of the collaboration of the two firms,”
Barbara explains.
Home from the Slopes
Even though the Joneses had limited exposure
to timber frame homes, they were impressed with
those that had been constructed by Dick Jordan
and his crew at Brainard Ridge. The couple toured
several timber frame homes and fell in love with the
open feeling and what could be accomplished with
light and windows in a timber frame. They knew that
Dick worked almost exclusively with Woodhouse:
The Timber Frame Company, and were satisfied
that the positive relationship between Eric, Dick and
Woodhouse would result in a smoothly run project.
With his extensive experience designing homes
in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, Eric Smith has a
firm grasp of how to lay out a home to accommodate
a skiing family and their guests. Eric notes that care-
New York’s Windham Mountain is the setting for
this ski home, finished with cedar shingles. In
keeping with the Adirondack style, all three decks
(front, back and off the master bedroom) feature
cedar railings in an art deco design. Because the
front of the home faces the mountain, when the
family and their guests are lunching on the deck
they have a front row seat for watching the skiers.
Story by Teresa Wolff • Photos by Roger Wade
Styling by Debra Grahl
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Above: A close look at the entry hall mirror reveals it is constructed of antique skis. Marshall Watson commissioned the
mirrors with sconces, which feature stretched parchment shades and antique ski poles for supports, to blend with the
wood tones of the timber frame.
Opposite: With windows on three sides of the great room, the Jones family has a panoramic mountain and valley view.
Marshall adapted the custom-designed metal chandeliers, crafted by LaForge Francaise, based upon a similar fixture
hanging in one of Marjorie Merriweather Post’s homes.
ful consideration was given to the Joneses’ intended
use of the home during their weekend ski trips.
Two separate doors provide entry into the front
portion of the 6,600-square-foot home, depending
upon whether family and friends have spent the day
on the slopes or shopping. The main door leads to
the foyer and stairwell. To the left is the kitchen, to
the right is the dining room, and the great room is
straight ahead.
A second door opens from the front porch
directly into the ski and boot room, which also is
accessible from the garage. Eric explains the design
of the ski and boot room assures an abundance
of hooks and cubicles to store and organize each
person’s gear. Down the hallway to the left are the
guest bedroom and bath. Across the hallway is a
walk-through pantry that leads back to the kitchen.
“This floor plan allows our guests to shed their
ski gear and, if they desire, to head directly to their
room for some private time before joining everyone
in the great room,” Barbara says.
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The master bedroom suite, a sitting room, and
an exercise/fitness room are found on the second
level. The walk-out lower level is dedicated to the
younger generation and includes a media room that
opens to the lower patio and hot tub, and laundry.
The girls’ two-bedroom suite and bath are decorated in a light, feminine décor, while the third bedroom for their son on the opposite end of the house
is more rustic.
“Ski homes are unique,” Eric explains. “Most are
second homes, and the owners are looking for open
floor plans that can accommodate large gatherings
of family and friends. Owners are less worried about
the amount of closet space and cabinets because they
don’t plan to store a great deal of belongings.”
“Woodhouse integrated their beautiful timber
frame with Eric’s design, working closely with me,”
Dick says. The Woodhouse package included the
custom-crafted Eastern white pine timber frame,
along with the insulating enclosure system of structural insulated panels, windows and exterior doors.
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Right: Raised-panel cabinets give the kitchen depth to
match the ruggedness of the timber frame. The
perimeter cabinets are topped with granite, while the
center island is finished with a solid cherry countertop.
Marshall designed the backsplash using tumbled marble.
Below: Painted walls define the family’s formal dining room.
The oak table expands to seat a dozen guests. Hickory
chairs with slices of apple wood matting were purchased
at the Adirondack Museum’s Rustic Furniture Fair.
Opposite: The U-shaped staircase wraps around an open
shaft to allow for a view from the second story
into the walk-out lower level.
Strength and Beauty
Marshall Watson and Jeff Kilmer of Marshall
Watson Interiors in New York City designed the
interior to meet Barbara’s goal of a home that would
be inviting and yet withstand the type of rough
handling of children on a ski vacation. Barbara and
Marshall have worked together for so long that
achieving the exact balance of comfort and sophistication with an Adirondack feeling was almost effortless, she says.
“Many of the pieces were purchased at the
Adirondack Museum’s Rustic Fair, held each
September in Blue Mountain Lake, New York,”
Marshall says. “This is a fantastic resource for this
style of home.”
The flooring in the home was carefully planned
considering the flow of traffic from outdoor spaces.
Multicolored gouged slate was installed in those
areas where family and guests might walk through
with ski boots, such as in the entry foyer, boot and
ski room, kitchen, pantry, hallways and lower level
pathway from the hot tub. The great room features
distressed wide plank, old-growth pine. The remaining rooms are carpeted.
“We added reproduction Oriental carpets by
Saxony because they are ideal for brushing off the
dirt and snow from shoes and boots, and they with-
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stand stains,” Marshall says. “They also contribute
to the warmth and ski house elegance.”
The kitchen’s design allows the family to turn
out large meals effortlessly using commercial grade
appliances. Barbara says she can ski all morning and
come back to prepare lunch for 20 in less than 30
minutes.
“If one of the wives isn’t a skier, she will volunteer to stay at the house and cook the meals,”
Barbara adds. “I have very nice friends!”
Destination of Choice
Although the Joneses have only been in the
house two seasons, it feels comfortable and very
much a home. One thing that stands out though
for them (in addition to filling it up with family
and friends, weekend after weekend), is the wonderful fireworks displays each season at Windham
Mountain.
“Our front deck is on the mountain side and
is perfectly situated for viewing the exhibition.
Nothing is more fun than having everyone jump up
from the dinner table or the sofa, scramble for shoes
and parkas, and rush out to the deck to see the midwinter fireworks show,” Barbara says. “It thrills me
every single time!”
Barbara notes that Dick was filled with great
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Left: Honed marble and tumbled travertine
outfit the elegant guest bathroom. Judy
Mulligan takes credit for the hand glazing
that gives a rough texture to the drywall.
Above: Extending the timber frame into the
master bath make the rooms flow together.
Large handles accent the cabinets, which
are topped with granite. The snowflake
carpeting is an appropriate addition
to this weekend ski home.
ideas throughout, and that included the landscaping. He suggested they keep the grounds natural and
just replace the trees that had been removed during
construction. This would result in an almost maintenance-free yard—an idea appealing to the Joneses,
who would rather be enjoying the surroundings than
gardening.
Due to the busy schedules of their three children, the Jones family often isn’t able to leave for
Windham Mountain until after school is dismissed
or the children’s extracurricular activities are over.
However, they take advantage of the two-hour drive
from their permanent residence and head to the
mountains as many Friday evenings as possible.
“Because this is a second home, we installed a
pre-wired system to detect security, smoke, waterflow and cold temperature situations, in case the heating system fails,” Eric says. A monitoring company
will investigate any potential hazard, which gives the
The master bedroom feels like a retreat in the French Alps.
The four-poster bed is flanked by birch side tables, which
Marshall commissioned at the Adirondack Museum’s Rustic
Furniture Fair. Pinecone lamps and a metal chandelier by
Holly Hunt softly illuminate the walls and timber frame.
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Joneses the peace of mind that their property is safe.
“Throughout this project, Bob and I worked
with people we respected, and the end result is
exactly what we wanted,” Barbara says. “The home
feels so warm and inviting in this snowy environment and adds something so different to our lives.
We see it as a centering element for our family that
we hope will continue even after our children are
grown and come back with families of their own.”
RESOURCES:
Woodhouse: The Timber Frame Company,
(800) 227-4311, www.woodhouse-pb.com
Brainard Ridge Associates, (518) 734-5333,
www.windhamenclave.com
Eric Smith and Associates Architect,
(303) 442-5458, www.esapc.com
Marshall Watson Interiors, (212) 595-5995
Judy Mulligan Stenciling, (908) 672-9032
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