An aspen grove wraps the three-level property, which was finished with a custom-stained cedar siding and buff stone. Photos by David Patterson.

Brian and Danielle Heit got a surprise when the doorbell of their new home in the Tree Haus neighborhood in Steamboat Springs rang for the first time.“We looked at the camera and couldn’t believe an elk was standing there,” Brian says. “It was obviously very curious.”

Wildlife visits are a common occurrence at the couple’s 3,100-square-foot custom home that they completed in 2023. The couple and their two teenage children spend a lot of time observing elk and bear through the windows of the house, which is set amid an aspen grove on a hillside backing up to open space. “It’s not uncommon to be laying on my bed and look out to see a bear foraging or scratching up against a tree,” Brian says.

Despite the close proximity to town, the property exudes a tranquil quality, more akin to a rural setting. “We’ve always liked Tree Haus, so when the land became available, we had it under contract on the first day,” says Danielle, who was raised in the Yampa Valley.

Brian, a partner with JSM Builders, had his own team build the house, which took a little under a year. The couple enlisted Adam Wright of Craft Architecture to draw the plans, but they had a very clear idea of what they wanted. “The lot really dictated the layout,” Brian says. “Luckily it’s a relatively flat lot despite being in such a vertical neighborhood.”

Built over three levels, the property offers four bedrooms, 3 1/2 bathrooms and a home gym. Most of the time is spent on the main level on the second story, where an open-plan kitchen, living room, game room and bar offer convivial living for the family of four. Multiple French doors to a rear patio and a covered deck afford a year-round connection to the outdoors and an extension of the living spaces.

Danielle curated the interior design, which is a tranquil balance of modern and traditional elements. Wide plank flooring extends throughout the home, with tile chosen for high traffic areas. Flat finish white walls with drywall wrap and a floating staircase allow light to flow, which floods in from the extensive windowscapes.

Contrasting black steel accents on the stair railing, window mullions and hardware accessories on doors and custom cabinetry, complement a statement fireplace wrapped in concrete-effect tile. Danielle used soft furnishings, brass and natural tone ceiling lights to add pops of color and infuse warmth to the sleek aesthetic.

Views abound from every floor, with the front of the home facing Mount Werner and the rear overlooking the aspen grove and a foliage-filled slope. “Most people don’t want to spend time at their kitchen sink,” Danielle says, laughing. An uninterrupted vista rewards anyone taking on dishwashing duties in the Heit home.

“It’s hard to leave the house sometimes,” Danielle says. “We have everything we could want right here.” It’s a sentiment clearly felt by the resident wildlife, so much so, they felt compelled to ring the doorbell.