Elevated Elegance: Innovative Design Solutions Complement Breathtaking Views

The Colorado-based team at Elevation Custom Builders brought their expertise to designing an award-winning home located on over 100 acres of mountain property overlooking Lake Nighthorse and the La Plata Mountains in Durango, Colorado. For their clients, relocating from Texas, the vision was clear—a sophisticated, family-friendly sanctuary that maximized the breathtaking scenery. With Elevation Custom Builders, they found the perfect partners to bring their dream home to life.

“It’s so awesome when people come to us at the front end because we can think through the infrastructure,” says designer Kim Eisner of Elevation Custom Builders. The site’s steep, rocky terrain, combined with high winds and substantial annual snowfall, demanded innovative design solutions. Using 3D modeling, the team perfected the home’s placement to optimize views and functionality. Key questions about driveway positioning and sightlines were meticulously addressed to ensure a design in harmony with the environment.

The home’s secluded location allowed for dramatic scale and an uninterrupted connection to the landscape. Expansive windows frame panoramic vistas, blurring the line between indoors and out. “When you have this kind of scale—super tall ceilings, lots of glass—you have to work at creating intimacy and warmth,” says Eisner. “We wanted to make the most of the enormous views, but keep it cozy and livable.” To achieve this, the team employed a palette of warm woods, creamy white walls, and Cambria quartz surfaces—a standout feature throughout the home.

In the kitchen, counters are topped with Cambria’s Inverness Platinum with its deep ash debossed veining and gently textured appeal. A stunning quartz waterfall island and full-height backsplash create sleek, sculptural statements. Paired with graphite-colored stainless steel appliances and custom cabinetry, the space balances boldness with understated sophistication.

The primary bathroom carries this theme forward. Cambria’s Inverness Frost countertops are accented with brass drawer pulls, faucets, and lighting that add warmth. Wood, fur, and greenery elements soften the space and foster a connection to nature.

Thoughtful lighting design underscores the home’s balance of scale and intimacy. From the soft glow of three fireplaces to the carefully chosen light fixtures that complement each room’s purpose, lighting becomes both a functional and aesthetic element. Eisner notes that scale, lumen output, and placement of lighting can make a huge difference in how a space feels when you’re in it.

“We had the ability to take that love of being outside, but elevate it—literally—because of the location,” Eisner says. “I think every client wants that inside-outside relationship, but especially in Durango.”