Cozy in Colorado—Mountain-Chic Estate in Steamboat Springs, Colo.

 
 
 

Fireplaces and landscape art add to this Colorado retreat’s mountain-rustic appeal.

Domenick and Joann Galluzzo like their home in Fairfield, Conn.—but they will tell you there are also fair fields in Steamboat Springs, Colo. Here, too, are the slopes of the Park Range for skiing and hiking; the Yampa River and Steamboat Lake for water recreation; Fish Creek Falls; hot springs at Strawberry Park; and their luxury community, The Porches, whose high-country lifestyle draws the couple (who’ve been married for 47 years), their three children and eight grandchildren as many as nine months a year. About five national carriers can fly them into nearby Yampa Valley Regional Airport, about 160 miles northwest of Denver.
After a year of planning and construction, they completed their 4,189-sq.-ft. four-bedroom getaway in December 2005. For the Galluzzos’ home and throughout the community, The Porches’ building team follows a mountain-rustic architectural theme recalling the ranch homes built by Yampa Valley pioneers. Distinguishing the homes are exterior paint color, roof pitch, layout and interior designs.
The city of about 9,000, the seat of Routt County, is the home of ranchers, cowboys and skiers, as well as families like the Galluzzos who have made it their getaway or retirement home. The area has produced 69 Winter Olympians, more than any other town in North America. They ski about 35 days per year here at the 3,000-acre Steamboat Ski Resort on 10,565-foot Mount Werner, about three miles southeast of downtown Steamboat Springs. “We enjoy all kinds of mountain activities—everyone skis—and there is no better town for this than Steamboat Springs,” says Dom who, like Joann, is a Connecticut native. In the summer, the couple can golf at four local courses, Joann and her daughter and grandchildren hike and bike as well as tube the Yampa. The area’s 6,695-foot elevation makes snow in the winter and cool summer days in the low 80’s.


Assisted by Porches staff and interior designer, Kay Combs, the Galluzzos designed the three-level home for their family lifestyle. The main-floor great room comprises the kitchen, living and dining areas—the centerpiece of the home as it offers flexibility and space to accommodate the demands of their multi-generational family. “The whole first floor is wide open, which is definitely the greatest feature of the home and is a reflection of the overall mantra of the community,” Joann says. “It has ample living and dining space, so the family can sit together while someone is cooking or eating at the bar.”
The lower level has a game room and beds for the eight grandchildren in the bunkroom and guest rooms. All four bedrooms, including the master, have flat-screen televisions and private bathrooms with Kohler faucets and fixtures. The master bedroom retreat also has a fireplace, and the bath has heated floors, a steam shower and other amenities.
Because of their large family, the Galluzzos wanted a professional-grade kitchen with Wolf ranges and Sub-Zero refrigerators as well as all the accessories necessary for a gourmet meal. Practicality isn’t the only item served here though, as the room features luxe granite countertops and custom cabinetry, too. The great room—the family favorite—is adjacent, with reclaimed birch wood flooring, as throughout the home. Here, the family lounges on oversize couches, and a gas fireplace serves as a gathering point. Of course, they also enjoy their porches: one covered, one uncovered. “We spend a great deal of time out there, and eat outside almost every day,” Dom says.
The interior designer, Combs, helped the Galluzzos find most of their furniture locally in addition to identifying color schemes, fabric coverings and window treatments that were both mountain-chic and modern. The art they selected reflects the Steamboat Springs landscape, all by well-known local artists. Much is local photographic art, including two large dining room pieces, one of Sand Mountain and the other Hahns Peak, from Colorado photographer Don Tudor. They also have several pieces by Steamboat artist, Larry Pierce, throughout the home.
The Porches team of co-developers, Bruce Shugart, Richard Dean and Shane Evans, worked closely with The Galluzzos— as they do with every Porches’ owner—to customize their home to their needs. Shugart sits with each owner and discusses every detail. With almost 100 years of combined experience designing high-end custom homes in Aspen, Vail, Snowmass Village and other mountain communities, Shugart, Dean and Evans envisioned The Porches as an exclusive community focusing on traditional neighborhood values and, at the same time, providing the finest amenities.


At The Porches, the Galluzzos own their home; whole ownership ranges from $1.7 to $2.6 million. Some of their neighbors have chosen Private Residence Club Ownership starting at $340,000—one-eighth shared ownership for six weeks of annual vacation, with additional access based on availability. They can choose four- or five-bedroom homes or townhomes, ranging from 4,026 to 5,019 square feet. With this, they obtain exchange privileges, allowing four of the six weeks to be traded for vacations in other premium destinations. “The Porches is successful because it offers gorgeous mountain homes in an ideal location that suits your family,” Shugart says. “In addition, it offers great service, amenities and a strong sense of community, so that each visit is an opportunity to create memories and
experiences that tantalize the senses.”
When the Galluzzo family isn’t on their porches, they’re often in the Barn—a 6,000-sq.-ft. onsite amenities center with floors made of reclaimed wood from an 1883 barn and a large stone fireplace, bringing together residents and guests. Outside is a heated pool with a view of Mount Werner, a Jacuzzi, a gas grill for cookouts and a gas fire-pit for roasting s’mores and enjoying the stars on cool high-country nights. An adjacent deck provides lounging and entertaining opportunities.
The Porches’ exercise facility provides Nautilus cardio- and weight-training equipment with a flat-screen television. A steam room is adjacent. In the facility, the Galluzzos can store their skis and other items. Their grandchildren, in particular, enjoy the game room with its television, DVD player, Wii and Game Cube. And, the adults have wireless Internet communitywide and an onsite business center with a computer station printer and fax.
Moreover, a resort-level concierge can coordinate activities like ballooning, hikes, bike rides, restaurant reservations, pre-arrival grocery shopping, tennis at the center in town, tee times at four local courses and other activities. A year-round private shuttle service takes the Galluzzos to and from the ski resort and into town for shopping or dinner.
The Porches staff is like family, says Joann. “They instill an atmosphere that’s so family-oriented. I think that’s why people enjoy [it] here so much; there’s such a low-key neighborly feeling. That’s what made us settle here. We wouldn’t have bought here if we didn’t think everyone in the family would enjoy it.”
Dom recalls: “One of my favorite memories of our Porches house is the time we had 18 people staying together under one roof for a holiday gathering. Despite all the people and chaos, it was still incredibly comfortable and joyful because there was enough room for us to all have our own space. My daughter made several incredible family meals, and we ate together in the dining room, played together in the game room and enjoyed the pool and Barn building. It was a rare chance to truly enjoy one another.”

Interior Designer: Kay Combs
Co-Developers: Richard Dean, Shane Evans and Bruce Shugart
Total Square Feet: 4,189