Peak Performance

When Kim Eisner of Durango-based Elevation Custom Builders was asked to design her clients’ dream home in the La Plata Mountains and featured in Cambria Style magazine, the first goal was to do the views justice. Set on over 100 acres overlooking the pristine valley surrounding Lake Nighthorse, the clients say it took “just one look” to fall in love with the property and commit to relocating their family there from Texas. The materials Eisner chose for the space are high quality but understated, with gargantuan windows capitalizing on a jaw-dropping overlook.

“We chose a neutral palette that really creates a backdrop to the seasons,” Eisner says. And from day one, she says, the clients were set on the durability and natural elegance of Cambria quartz surfaces. One of their first orders of business was to travel to a Cambria showroom to get a feel for specific slabs at scale. They fell in love with Cambria’s Inverness Platinum design, and the team opted to use it as the centerpiece of the kitchen. A waterfall countertop creates a calming gathering and cooking space, and a full-height backsplash along the perimeter creates a cohesive look.

Eisner brought in local 2180 Lighting and Design Studio to handle the quartz slab fabrication, some of the light fixtures, and tile and flooring work in the home. We connected with 2180 Showroom Manager Kelsey Bradford and Heather Klatt from the sales and design team to talk us through some of the practical considerations they make when outfitting a home like this.

Cambria Style: What do you think about when you’re creating a wall or waterfall quartz application?
Kelsey Bradford: It’s very important to consider the slab size, veining, and thickness of the material when using it in nontraditional applications. Also, in order to get excellent vein matching, it may take more material than normal to complete the job.
Heather Klatt: For wall or full-height applications, using a thinner profile (see Cambria’s 1cm thickness options) allows for a more sleek and modern look, and it is lighter weight, so it’s easier for the construction and installation process.

CS: Are you seeing more demand for nontraditional quartz applications?
KB: We are definitely seeing more demand for wall, waterfall, and full-height backsplash applications. This sleek style is becoming more popular because of the ease of maintenance and timeless design. These types of applications also protect the walls and cabinets from everyday stains and damage. So, there are both practical and aesthetic benefits.

CS: Why Cambria?
KB: For this particular project, the clients fell in love with Cambria and presented their selections to us to bring their vision to life.
HK: Our studio has been fabricating Cambria for many years now, and we love it because it offers bold and unique designs. The variety of Cambria colors, finishes, thicknesses, and slab sizes are great options for clients and fabricators. It allows endless design opportunities. Our fabrication team loves Cambria because the quartz is consistent, and no matter what edge detail choice is made, it always polishes out nicely.

Q&A with Designer Kim Eisner

We also asked Eisner, the visionary behind this award-winning home, to share some additional insights on her creative process, bringing the outdoors into residential spaces, and when to consider quartz.

CS: What are your go-to sources of inspiration?
Kim Eisner: We’re located in a rural mountain town. People come here for the scenery, so that’s a big inspiration! We definitely have to push to expose ourselves to what’s happening design-wise nationally and internationally. That’s something we take a lot of pride in—pushing envelopes, finding good inspiration, staying updated with trade shows and education. We’re continually perusing what’s out there, pulling ideas and creative solutions. We push beyond our small mountain town and try to stay really current. 

CS: How do you incorporate a local love for the outdoors into interior design?
KE: There are often practical considerations when you’re trying to make the most of sweeping views or a tricky lot—that’s especially true in the mountains! So, the ability for everything to be modeled in 3D in the design stage is enormous. We’re able to maneuver through the home, manipulate views, tweak the orientation of the house five degrees, change or expand a window, or change the scale of a room based on the views. It’s all so much easier than it was years ago.

This home in particular let us play with a totally different scale because of the privacy that 100+ acres gives you. We could do windows on every side. We had the ability to take that love of being outside, but elevate it—literally—because of the location. I think every client wants that inside-outside relationship. They want to enjoy the outdoors. It’s why people leave the city and come to Durango.

CS: What classic design trends do you believe will always have a place in modern interiors?
KE: I get people asking me this every day! They want to make sure we don’t put something in their home that they’re going to get tired of seeing every day. We try to balance warm and cool tones, because homes that go really cool or really warm tend to get a bit dated. I also love texture and neutrals, combining tones so things are more layered and collected, rather than trendy.

Here in Durango, clients are often coming from other areas. Sometimes we build primary homes, like this one, but we’re often working on secondary or tertiary homes. We’re managing expectations of what they’re used to. My job is to challenge clients a bit to accept an aesthetic that fits where we live and has staying power. 

CS: How do you communicate the benefits of quartz surfaces to clients, especially in terms of durability and maintenance?
KE: I love the low-maintenance durability. I appreciate the recycled content. Cambria is made in the United States by a family-owned company. Those are all discussions we’re having when making selections with clients. Then there’s the quality of the veining, the depth of the material. If clients don’t know about that, we point it out. Once they recognize it, that education helps them move toward quartz over other materials. Right now, I’d say 80 percent of solid-surface countertops that I’m involved with are quartz. This industry has come so far, even in the last five years.

CS: In this project, what made Cambria the perfect material for that design?
KE: The client led this specific selection. They traveled to see the full slabs, and early on in the project, those became an inspiration for the cabinets and flooring. Sometimes in the design process, we get kind of a “chicken or the egg” thing. But I ask clients to fall in love with something, and then we build around that. This home, and these spaces, were really led by the quartz.

CS: How do you approach selecting the color and pattern of quartz surfaces to suit different design aesthetics?
KE: We’re constantly asking how we can work with our natural environment to create something long-term. Here, we chose some bold Cambria styles, but nothing busy. With the scale of the kitchen, if we had chosen a very busy quartz pattern, the eye would hardly be able to move off of that.

I often coach my clients a bit. I remind them that they’re going to be looking at this countertop from 6am to 10pm. “What feels good to you?” I ask them. I ask how they like to serve food—on colorful dishes, or more neutral or natural pieces? I ask them to consider cleanliness. If they cut bread on the counter, will the crumbs blend in and make the kitchen hard to keep clean?

If you’re not sure that you’ll be able to use the dishes that you love because the countertop is so busy, then choose something else. I also liken home design to clothes, since it’s easier for people to understand. How many patterns can you wear before you’re overdone? With women especially, we might see a dress we love, but it doesn’t mean it would fit for us forever or be adaptable enough to bring into our closet. Cambria countertops are a big investment. They’re not going to wear out. Especially for clients like these, who wanted the design of the home to really showcase the view of the outdoors, more understated designs were the way to go.