Colorado luxury ski resorts.
In 2007 this meant plaid, log cabin features, cowboy art, and a lot of leather. This design aesthetic is beautiful- evoking warmly shot Ralph Lauren ads and grandpa sweaters, but it’s been done before.
And that was the issue. Timbers Resorts was building a brand-new resort at the base of the mountain in Steamboat Springs. A cowboy town known for crazy white powder, a summer rodeo, and a casual relief from the opulence of Aspen.
When presenting the design concept for the resort Joni Burden plopped down a pair of painted cowgirl boots onto the boardroom table. She spoke not of the English-inspired high brow aesthetic that had dominated lodges- but about the spirit of the West. The bright reds of heritage barns that dot Steamboat’s hills, warm yellows of changing aspen leaves, whimsical paintings by western artists like Donna Howell Sickles.
Chasing Joni’s daughters into the house, Emily Sewell walked in the back door one summer day wearing hand painted cowgirl boots. All over the boots were colorful motifs of hearts, horseshoes, bursts of sunshine. The boots evoked freedom, creativity and wide open spaces. They were ethereal and unique but well-loved. There it was, One steamboat place.
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