Building with a sense of place

Work is underway on our newest Idea House, a contemporary, energy-efficient home that reflects its Rocky Mountain setting

- ROB WOTZAK

On a craggy hillside covered with granite boulders and dense stands of pine trees, with views of majestic Mount Evans in the distance, the foundation is poured and ready to support the three-story, 4,500-square-foot solar-powered home that will take shape there. Dramatic gable and shed rooflines will crown tall windows sited to take in the views and flood the interior with natural light. Exterior feature walls of wood and stone in an earthy palette of browns and grays reflect the rugged mountain environment, but there's nothing lodge-like about the house's contemporary lines. The goal of this build, located in the greater Denver area, is to combine clean, modern design with state-of-the art technology and advanced building science in a comfortable, energy-efficient home that reflects its natural surroundings.

Leading the project, which will be featured on Idea House: Mountain Modern, a new television show from the producers of This Old House that airs on The Roku Channel this summer-is the husband-and-wife team of builder Jared Phifer and interior designer Amber Phifer, owners of Revolve Design-Build. Controlling the construction process from the initial design phase through completion allows them to forge a tight bond with their clients, they say, and results in a seamless process. “When we just did home building and remodeling, we already worked closely with our clients on every detail” says Jared. “But once we brought in our own design staff and took control of the entire process, we realized that for us, this is the only way to build”