In the design world, because there are an infinite number of options and choices, choosing just the right item for the right purpose sometimes feels downright overwhelming. But from the beginning we thought a hefty carved stone sink would be perfect for the kitchen in the Timber Trails residence in Breckenridge. The theme of the house was European Castle reconstructed after World War II (yes, every house has a story) and this sink, or one just like it,  seemed to balance well with the massive rafters and beams and stone walls that would surround it. But because we were building this house to LEED “Sustainable” standards, we needed to source the sink from as close to Colorado as possible (LEED encourages local purchasing to reduce the environmental impact of shipping.) So, after some searching, we sourced this sink from Mexico, which is certainly closer to Colorado than Europe or Asia, which were other options. Sometimes choosing the “right” thing means more than just form and function. Especially if you are as concerned as we are about designing and building in a way that is friendly to the planet.

They were a tough lot. Some with scruffy beards, one with green hair, all with tattoos. They liked to drink and chain-smoked and it seemed they all rode Harleys. These were the men that had come to erect the timber frame for our first house. They were fearless. Kneeling down they would shoulder 200 pound posts and then stand and walk up a steep ladder then out onto a narrow beam twenty feet in the air. As the snow swirled around them at the peak of the roof they’d chat while smoking cigarettes waiting for the crane to lift the next post to them so they could place it, post and beams, lifted, one by one until the skeleton of the house was revealed. Some mornings the supervisor was hung-over sick, pausing to throw up as he directed the crew. The men would argue as they worked. They were tough men and loud and angry threatening to kill one another. By the end of the day they’d be laughing, talking about women and the beer they’d drink tonight. This went on for a coupe of weeks. When they finally left, the shell of the house was complete. And we would miss their camaraderie and expertise as we forged ahead with the construction, alone, just two brothers building their first house.

Frame Raising

Michael Rath, a Trilogy Partner, has co-founded The Haiti Orphan Rescue Program (HORP) to build permanent adequate shelter for Haitian orphaned and abandoned children.

Mike M January 2010

Joined by builders Mike Mahon and Andrea DeLuca of sustainable building company Adaptive Building Solutions in Ann Arbor, Michigan, HORP will raise funds and assist Haitian labor to construct multiple orphanage projects over the coming years. Haiti’s “children without family” receive no aid from their government, and Mike M and his family have years of experience in Haiti helping these most vulnerable Haitians and their caregivers with support and medical aid. The earthquake of January 12, 2010 left more than 500,000 children without family or government support, spurring the two Mikes and Andrea to establish HORP as a non-profit 501(c) charitable organization. The next project commences mid April when members of HORP will travel to Haiti to refurbish a damaged orphanage housing 20 children more than half with disabilities. Visit HORP to learn more about this worthy cause and to contribute through programs like the “Adopt an Orphanage” and “HORP Ambassadors.”

The first match of the World Cup will be played tomorrow as the home team of South Africa competes against Mexico.  Although soccer (football) isn’t as big in the United States as it is for the rest of the world, there is still much excitement and anticipation whenever the World Cup is played.

In gearing up for the big match that is taking place Saturday when our team, USA, takes on England we thought we’d share something we came across on Inhabitots.com.

“Just in time for the World Cup tournament, a group of enterprising women entrepreneurs has unveiled a soccer ball that captures and stores energy generated by play. Called the sOccket (a mashup of “soccer” and “socket”), the ingenious little ball was created by Harvard alums Jessica Lin, Jessica Matthews, Julia Silverman, and Hemali Thakkar with developing nations in mind….” click here to read the article in its entirety.

We thought we’d share some beautifully designed American Stables that we came across in the June issue of Architectural Digest for those of you who witnessed Drosselmeyer 13-1 upset in the 142^nd Belmont Stakes over the weekend.

Below are a few of our favorites.

This ranch in Montana was made out of recycled pine logs and native fieldstone.

This above stable in East Hampton, New York belongs to Steven Spielberg and his wife, Kate Capshaw.  The weathervane on top of the stable is in the form of a dinosaur reminiscent of Spielberg’s film Jurassic Park.

According to Architectural Digest this stable is one of “Kentucky’s showplace for racing and breeding thoroughbreds. Located in Lexington, the property has 847 acres of lavish pastureland and more than 40 buildings, including a 14-room residence, 15 white barns with red-trimmed cupolas, a sophisticated veterinary clinic, an equine swimming pool and underwater treadmill, two racetracks, a gazebo and a modest log cabin.”

AD: “Frank Lloyd Wright couldn’t design an ordinary-looking building,” says producer Joel Silver, who restored the little-known Auldbrass, Wright’s 1939 plantation in Yemassee, South Carolina. A crushed-brick walkway leads to the barn. “By folding the roof down and the corners of the doors back, Wright created something origami-like,” Silver notes.

The next Team Trilogy member we wanted to highlight is Melinda Fleming.  For those of you who have worked with Melinda, you know she is more than just our business manager.  She is instrumental in making sure Trilogy Partners runs smoothly and efficiently.  Read below to learn more about Melinda.

Melinda Fleming

I grew up in Oklahoma and every year my family vacationed in Colorado. I fell in love with Colorado and the mountains on these vacations. My husband and I moved to Colorado in 1998. I spent the first years in Summit County working for Vail Resorts and an internet company before joining Trilogy Partners in 2004.

My husband and I have a hot air balloon and we spend our spare time sharing the sport of hot air ballooning with friends. We enjoy being able to view the Rocky Mountains from our balloon, the best view in town. We also enjoy snowmobiling and snowshoeing in the winter. These are great ways to experience the back country and truly enjoy nature at its finest.

I love my job and I feel privileged to work with the team of people that makes up Trilogy Partners. The thing I enjoy the most about my job is working with our clients through the entire project. It is very fulfilling to be a part of the team that takes the designs and ideas of clients and turns them into a home. It is great to be a part of taking people’s dreams and visions and turning them into reality.

Breckenridge is now the place that I call home. I hope in five years that I am still here enjoying the lifestyle the county has to offer and I still want to be a part of the great team here at Trilogy Partners.

We recently read an article on Residential Design & Build Magazine about the growing need for custom built second homes.  RBD magazine has found that  builders are still “creating high-end vacation retreats designed with a family-friendly emphasis, and with budgets that often rival those of their owner’s primary residences.”   With second homes, buyers are are looking to build a home complete will all the amenities of their primary residence, but with a more casual look and feel.

Residential Design and Build also stated in their article that “Creating these comfortable, laid-back homes can be a deceptively stressful experience.  First, from a planning standpoint, the lots often are challenging… the high demand for access to water and views means building sites can be both expensive and narrow, so architects have to be creative to make the most of the scenery while also protecting privacy.

Also, in many cases designers and builders are working with either clients or design professionals from other states. This forces the team to create — and stick to — communication plans. It also can require educating both clients and remote building team members about local codes and practices that may differ from what they’re used to.”

That is why when building your second or vacation home, it is important to find a firm who will work closely with you on all aspects of the project.  At Trilogy Partners we partner with our clients to guide projects from concept through construction to completion.

We were recently featured in Architectural Digest for our design work on Trey Parker’s (creator of South Park) home.  Architectural Digest is known for their featured stories on the inside of celebrity homes and below are photos from AD’s Celebrities’ Favorites.

AD: “Orange is the happiest color,” Frank Sinatra said of his favorite hue, which showed up in his clothes and his homes. Sinatra bought a modest house at the Tamarisk Country Club in Rancho Mirage in the mid-1950s and lived there until May 1995. A caboose, a gift from some of his employees in 1971, became the compound’s main hangout. Inside the caboose—with it’s orange-colored walls and ceiling—was a full-service salon, complete with a barber’s chair, a professional hair dryer, a massage table, a scale and a sauna, at rear.

AD: The living room of Diane Keaton’s Spanish Colonial Revival house in Bel-Air reveals the actress’s enthusiasm and knowledge of California art and design. Canyon de Chelly, a work by Edgar Payne, left, joins a 1937 oil by Pete Martinez, center, and Maynard Dixon’s 1923 The Grim Wall. A hand-painted Monterey sofa and an art-tile table rest on a rug by Stephen Shadley, Keaton’s longtime friend and designer. Of Monterey furniture, Shadley observes, “Diane has the best collection anywhere.”

AD: Throughout her life, Marilyn Monroe occupied a series of residences, owned no jewelry and counted books, records and a picture of legendary actress Eleonora Duse among her most cherished possessions. Even after attention-getting roles in The Asphalt Jungle and All About Eve (both 1950), she still kept a modest, one-room apartment at the Beverly Carlton Hotel in Beverly Hills. “I’m not interested in money,” she once said. “I just want to be wonderful.”

AD: “I love the warmth of reds and yellows,” Woody Allen told designer Stephen Shadley, who created the interiors for the Manhattan townhouse Allen shares with his wife, Soon-Yi Previn. The second-floor landing (above) is richly decorated with a marble mantelpiece and a pair of plush red velvet armchairs.

Which is your favorite celebrity home?

At Trilogy, we not only believe strongly in sustainable or green building practices, but we lead by example and encourage our clients to embrace these philosophies.  This year we built the first Zero Net Energy home every constructed in Breckenridge, Colorado and are excited to see other architects doing the same across the country.

Project FROG, a green-building company founded in San Francisco in 2006, is leading the way by building energy-efficient modular systems, primarily in schools.  The best part is that Project FROG can build these schools more quickly and with a cost of about 25% less than permanent structured schools.

According to Inhabitots.com, “A two million dollar budget got Watkinson School 3,500 square feet of classroom space built from 50 percent recycled material. The building is outfitted with 60 solar panels that reduce the electricity costs to zero (in fact it produces more energy than the building uses). And because of the modular design, the project took only six months to complete.”

Project FROG was recently featured on Anderson Cooper’s 360.  Click here take a look at this short clip and see why Zero Net Energy is leading the way.

The International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) is going on now in NYC, and we have the latest products to hit the scene!  One of our favorite sites Inhabitat.com calls this event “the epicenter of New York Design Week” and we couldn’t agree more.  It looks like energy-efficient lighting and turning recycled materials into furnishings is still big for 2010.  Check out some of the trends coming out of the show so far from Inhabitat.com.

BRC Design has turned 350 retired Las Vegas playing cards into one unique lounge chair.  Available in Blue and Red playing cards.

We just love these chandeliers!!  We can’t believe they are made from draped ball chain.

How about Manuel Kloker’s “Private Cloud” rocking bed?  Talk about rocking one to sleep.