Crafting Intimate Moments in a Grand Mountain Entertainer

When a client intends to regularly host groups of 16 or more—often all in the same room—Devon Tobin must think as much like a psychologist as she does an interior designer with more than two decades of experience. “Versatility of seating is key,” explains the principal at Denver-based Duet Design (duetdesigngroup.com). People, Tobin says, socialize best in groups of six or fewer. “We create all of these little moments.”

A 12,000-square-foot custom build nestled in a luxurious community near Winter Park Resort gave Tobin ample opportunity to design those cozy seating vignettes. In its great room, where ceilings soar to 30 feet, two Lee Industries sofas—one in warm camel top-grain leather, the other in soft taupe performance fabric—pair with navy boucle chairs near the stamped concrete fireplace. Nearby, a built-in banquette, upholstered in a bold, geometric ivory and ikat-style Harlequin fabric, adds a cozy nook for intimate conversation, while twin Thayer Coggin Blade loungers face a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows framing the Continental Divide. Wood tones and warm neutrals anchor playful pops of color in the floral Caldwell Snyder oil painting, one in a curated collection of conversation-starting artwork.

The thoughtful open floor plan designed by architect Peter Nelson (peternelsonarchitecture.com) allows the goings-on of the great room to flow gently into the bustle of the kitchen. There, against a backdrop of full-height walnut cabinetry, guests relax on rush-woven stools bellied up to a duo of white-painted islands separated by a custom mauve-and-purple Jamie Stern rug. In the formal dining room, a Taracea table in dark toasted Yukas wood seats 10. The home’s multiple bedroom suites include a nearly 1,000-square-foot primary wing with a private deck and spa, plus junior suites and a bunk room.

Every element, down to the materials and finishes, delivers a calm, unhurried and timeless aesthetic that’s a deliberate departure from mountain modern, while still promising durability and comfort at scale. When the owners told her the space “entertains perfectly,” Tobin knew the small moments her design inspired, together, had become something momentous.