One of the best times of the year to live in Colorado is the fall with the cooler temperatures and incredible foliage.  There are a number of festivals that happen around the state throughout the fall season, but one worth mentioning is the upcoming Breckenridge Craft Spirits Festival, which will be taking place the weekend of October 5th-7th.

The event will take place at Riverwalk Center, and festival-goers will get to enjoy a grand tasting of handcrafted spirits and vote for their favorite cocktail.  Admission is $20 and buys you craft cocktails, a complimentary tasting glass, and delicious appetizers.  Other highlights of the festival are outlined below:

• Poker Run
• Historic Saloon Walking Tour
• Breckenridge Distillery Tours
• Live concert by Honey Gitters (Bluegrass)
• Hangover Brunch and Brunch Drink Specials
• Local restaurants will be offering entrees for the historic rate of $18.59.

Have you pre-ordered the new Apple iPhone 5 yet? With iPhone’s latest installation hitting stores tomorrow, Friday, September 21st, it seems that the iPhone 5 craze is reaching an all time high. We have already heard about the iPhone 5’s new features- larger screen (4-inches), lighter weight, A6 chip, 8-megapixel iSight Camera with panorama, iOS 6, iCloud, 4G LTE and more.

Photo via Apple

But what really seems to be causing a stir is the new Lightning interface, an eight-pin, all digital connector. Many loyal Apple customers are unhappy with the prospect of paying close to $30 for an adapter so that they can use the new iPhone 5 with all their docking stations. According to the Wall Street Journal, business owners are having a hard time shallowing the Lightning connector as well. For the hotels and gyms that outfitted their facilities with the old docking station and charging docks, the logistics of figuring out their best, most cost-effective option is causing quite a headache.

What do you think of the new iPhone 5? Are you looking forward to this latest edition?

Saturday, September 8th, British industrial designer, William Moggridge, who designed the Grid Compass, the first portable computer, died at age 69.

Photo via Dezeen

Moggridge’s foldable design, created in 1982, revolutionized the way we use our computers. Up until the Grid Compass, portable computers weighed close to 20 pounds and were about the size of a sewing machine.

Photo via Dezeen

Bill also co-founded IDEO, the award-winning global design firm and was director of the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum in New York.

Caroline Baumann, associate director of the museum said in a statement, “Beloved by the museum staff and the design community at large, Bill touched the lives of so many through his wise council, boundary-pushing ideas and cheerful camaraderie.” He will be missed.

We are once again drawing inspiration from homes across the Atlantic. This time we take a closer look at this Dutch home, which is embedded in the moorland. Designed by Dutch architects, Denieuwegeneratie Architecten, this home is literally built halfway into the ground.

According to the Dutch architecture firm, “The thermal mass keeps this warmth and cools the house in the summer.” The glass facade allows natural night to filter in and also provides heat during the daylight hours.

Photo via Cush Design Studio

Photo via Cush Design Studio

This shelving unit gives new meaning to repurposing. The engine and roof were removed from this Jaguar to create the shelving.

Photo via Cush Design Studio

Skateboard stairs, another great job repurposing.

Photo via Cush Design Studio

We love the openness of this home.

Photo via Cush Design Studio

We’d love to hear what you think.

As builders of custom mountain homes in Colorado, we are always interested in seeing how the rest of the world creates homes that beautifully reflect their rugged landscape. This mountain retreat in Switzerland, featured on Architizer, is a contradiction between the traditional style exterior and its more modern interiors.

Photo via Architizer

According to Architizer, the mountain home’s exterior is a mix between concrete and wood, mimicking the nearby homes found in the village. Inside the home, the sliding walls allow homeowners to play with the floor plan.

Photo via Architizer

Photo via Architizer

This view is pretty incredible. We love the simplicity of the space with the mountain taking center stage.

Photo via Architizer

What do you think of this Swiss mountain home? Do you think it would fit in here in Colorado?

Looking to create your own mountain modern home? Give Trilogy Partners a call at 970-453-2230.

We were saddened to hear of the loss of Neil Armstrong on Saturday, August 25th. For many Americans, Neil Armstrong is the epitome of a hero. His determination and dedication to space exploration made him the perfect candidate for taking those first steps on the moon.

In honor of Neil Armstrong, the first man who walked on the moon, we thought we’d go lunar today in our design inspiration. Here are some great lunar inspired designs perfect for the explorer in you.

Photo via Joss & Main

Photo via Fresh Design Blog

Photo Interior Design News

Photo via Trendir

Photo via Freshome

Although we were too young to remember the actual footage of the landing, his landing became a significant part of our generation highlighted every time you turned on MTV. Armstrong will always be remembered for generations to come, even as we continue to explore other planets in our solar system like Mars.

It appears that IKEA, the largest furniture retailer in the world, is venturing into the hotel business. The global retailer plans to build a budget-conscious hotel chain across Europe in hopes to offer travelers a way to travel in style without spending the big bucks.

Photo via Architizer

Although IKEA is behind the project, the 100 or so hotels will not bear the IKEA name. Why is IKEA getting into the hotel chain business? According to Harald Muller, senior executive at the property unit of Inter IKEA, “Budget designer hotels’ is today the fastest developing hotel segment.” He also states that the hotel will not feature any IKEA furniture.

The boutique style hotels will target IKEA’s existing fan base and will “mix high design with modest pricing.” Architizer writes that “IKEA also has plans to develop an 11-hectare site near London’s Olympic Park into a mixed-use residential/office/retail neighborhood. It would include several seven-to-eleven story buildings as well as a walkable main street.”

Would you stay at an IKEA hotel?

In today’s technology-crazed world more and more people are getting their news on their readily available tablet.  Now you can also get the latest in design trends and interactive floor plans with the flick of your finger. Architectural Digest is bringing their incredible library of inspirational designs and editorial features right to your iPad, Kindle Fire and NOOKTablet.

“Developing the tablet edition of Architectural Digest has been so exciting, because it’s enabled us to completely transform our editorial features for a new platform,” says Margaret Russell, editor in chief of Architectural Digest magazine. “This isn’t a basic PDF replica of our pages—we’ve redesigned our September content specifically for the iPad and other tablets. Our readers can experience the lush photographs AD has always been known for, but the tablet edition also offers exclusive images, interactive floor plans, and special videos. Now readers can access the world of AD in print, online, and on the tablet—literally anywhere and at any time.”

The digital version is FREE to current print subscribers and just $5.99 to download the latest issue for non-subscribers. To learn more about this great new Architectural Digest App for your iPad, Kindle Fire and NOOKTablet, head on over to architecturaldigest.com.

One of the major principles of modern architecture is that form follows function. Here is seems that form and function blend to create livable art.

Photo via dornob

What would you do if you could change the way the outside world views your home. One minute an abstract painting of sorts appears, a spectrum of colors.

Quickly the scene can change, the facade disappearing, and the inside of your home is put on display.

Your home is actually a livable work of art.

To learn more visit dornob.com.