Homes & Estates

MOUNTAIN WEST SPOTLIGHT

Pure Preservation BY DRESDEN SCOTT A RARE QUEEN ANNE MASTERFULLY MARRIES THE CHARM OF ASPEN’S HISTORY WITH THE DESIGN AESTHETIC OF THE HAMPTONS.

M uch has been written about Mountain Modernism in Aspen. Less widely known is the town’s rich Victorian architectural tradi- tion. Built by the mining barons, investors and entrepreneurs of the late 1800s, most of the historic Victorians are located in the West End. In the heart of downtown Aspen — what the locals simply call “the core” — Victorians are much more rare. One exceptional mansion, a charming Queen Anne resting on a large corner lot on Cooper Avenue, just three blocks to the gondola and one block to Lift 1A — was built in 1890 for miner J.M. Dixon. A designated landmark by the Aspen Historical Society, the unique square-shaped residence, with its wraparound porch, columns, spindle work and two- story bay window projection, immediately caught the eye of an artistically minded New Yorker who had been holidaying in Aspen for decades with her family and always dreamed of owning that house one day. “It belonged to a friend of mine who once hosted me there with my kids 20 years ago,” recalls Christy Ferer, a former TV correspondent, decorat- ing book author and media entrepreneur. When the

historic home hit the market in 2003, she jumped at the opportunity to own a place of her own in the core. “It reminded me of my childhood in the Midwest,” says the St. Louis native. “The core has this cozy, neighborhood kind of feeling, where the kids can walk to the slopes and everywhere, where dogs and families descend on Koch Park. It is my family’s tradition to be in the core.” Once she became the new owner of the J.M. Dixon House, one of her first orders of business was to reduce the smallness of many rooms — a classic calling card of so many Victorians built before the turn of the century. “Space is the ultimate luxury you can have,” explains Ferer. “I wanted to give this house a feeling of space, flow, light and happiness while working with its grand architectural bones.” However, she was not in a rush. After renovating homes in Manhattan and East Hampton, she also recognized the insight that time would provide. She lived in the home for nearly two years before embarking on an ambitious renovation that involved close collaboration with architects, engineers and master craftsmen who all had to work within the Aspen

Historical Society’s restrictions. Eventually, she settled on a design that married the charm of Aspen’s history with her casual, pared-down, Hamptons-influenced design aesthetic. The home was stripped down to its bones to reveal the architecture’s beauty in its purest form. Wooden floors, white walls, high ceilings, intricate molding and millwork were all carefully arranged to provide a breezy and modern atmosphere for display- ing art — and serve as the hallmarks that define the seven-bedroom house. A large addition to the original square structure brought the total square footage to 6,462, while an adjacent carriage house was con- verted to a separate guesthouse. Walls were care- fully taken down on the main level to make way for seamless entertaining areas that flow from the living room, open kitchen and family room. Other thought- ful modern-day touches include a screening room, sauna, outdoor spa and grand master bedroom with spectacular views of the mountains. The remodel was so painstakingly undertaken that the J.M. Dixon House earned an Aspen Historic Preservation Award in 2005. It was a proud moment for the owner – but not so proud as her latest achieve-

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