HOMESTEAD IN THE HILLS by Pam North An earnest round of polishing, scrubbing, tidying and vigorous vacuuming might prompt any homeowner to remark, in jest, that his home was ready for the whole world to see. Although such an idea is a flight of fancy in most instances, one Gilpin County couple has just had the thrill of seeing their home grace the pages of a nationally distributed magazine. Their unique home is currently featured in the November, 2001 issue of Log & Timber Style. Sharon and Reno Hall's log home is a marriage of rustic simplicity with a deft touch of whimsy. A blend of their diverse, nostalgic tastes emerges in a clever mix of sleek and stylized advertising art and worn primitives cloaked in their faded patina of the past. The effect is a culmination of years of antique-seeking that comes alive in the profusion of artfully displayed mementos and artifacts. Safe beiges and low-key decor are not the keynote here; instead color runs tastefully but cheerfully rampant amid the harmonious warmth of pine -planking floors, timbered ceilings and board paneling, resulting in a succesful fusion of the eclectic and the classic. Form, function and fantasy interplay; imagination tames funky clutter into cohesive, fascinating groups that tempt the curiosity and startle the observer with pleasant surprises in niches and corners. The people behind this attractive home are equally as intricate and encompassing in personality as the residence they have built and now occupy. Sharon comes from the nomadic life of the military (her parents were both Marines). She has now accumulated twenty years of experience in conservation picture-framing, realizing that museum-quality framing was difficult to find in the retail market and determined to offer this service. She apprenticed with the Nelson Gallery in Kansas City, and has since built up her experience doing the exacting framing required for important private collections. She is also expert in the repair of textiles and beading, applying her talents to the restoration of Native American objects and vintage clothing and accessories. Another of her specialties is the construction of footstools, tables and frames that accomodate needlework pieces, an endeavor in which her husband often lends able assistance. Reno is a veteran of the music business, now turned aircraft mechanic and private pilot. His previous studies of architecture and construction have served him well in the design and building of their home, and his carpentry skills are evident in the kitchen cabinets and the stair railing that leads to the second floor. The couple met in Kansas City, and traveled together extensively before deciding to settle in Colorado. The dry climate of the Rockies gave relief to their allergy problems, and the natural beauty of the mountains satisfied their aesthetic sensibilities, and gave them ample opportunity to indulge their affinity for outdoor activities such as cross-country skiing and exploring old mining areas. Their common interest in antiquing has netted them many great "finds." One of their first, in a burgeoning collection of metal advertising signs (many of which adorn their home's exterior), was an enormous oval Standard Oil sign, rescued from a hangar. A Majestic stove, found in an Eldora cabin, graces their front porch, and a green Gasco stove, circa 1929 and from a cabin in the Ozarks, lends presence to their kitchen. A vintage Hoosier cabinet is another acquired jewel from their treasure-seeking jaunts. Even a black walnut tree, the blown-down victim of a Kansas tornado, has found a new life as furniture pieces for the living room. Family heirlooms are mixed in as well. A muffler that her grandfather always wore hangs as accent to pairs of vintage ice skates. A wooden folding chair that, divested of its deteriorating upholstery, yielded up the surprise of being a superb advertising collectible with a tobacco logo, is a legacy from Sharon's great-aunt. Sample cards of silk colors and embroidery thread, once belonging to her grandmother, are perfect companion pieces to an antique treadle sewing machine, and a cedar chest in the upstairs master bedroom once did duty as Sharon's toy box. Old quilts and embroidered pillows are relics from their childhoods. Memories abound in the collections, connecting the Halls with their families and their pasts, and providing them with a sense of history and continuity. Whimsy introduces itself in shaped cutouts in the wood, stencil adornments and chunky metallic stars (a symbol dear to Sharon's heart). Framed orange crate labels hang neatly on the walls. Old wooden skis now function as narrow shelves for bits of stray memorabilia. A strange-looking ancient shopping cart holds dented buckets of dried flowers. This is a home that tries not to take itself too seriously. The fact that the Halls' home made the pages of a magazine was a bit of a fluke. The friend of a friend is an editor for Mountain Living and for Log & Timber Style, and she initially visited the Halls just to escape city life and to share a casual meal of homemade chili. The editor became increasingly intrigued with their home and its combined representation of mountain life and artistic expression, and over the next year developed the idea to use their home in the magazine. Sharon was excited about the invitation, and was pleased with the finished article. The project entailed considerable effort and cooperation on her part as well, however. Each of the article's pictures took at least an hour to shoot, and an entire day was devoted to the photography session. While the photographer's professionalism and expertise contributed greatly to making the process go smoothly, Sharon was kept busy responding to the various preparations for each shot. In plain terms, it was a lot of work, but ultimately worth it in her opinion. In many instances the houses featured in magazines end up seeming somewhat lifeless, devoid of real human habitation and little more than models. The Halls' residence looks markedly different. The warmth and personality that is so vibrantly evident in real life spills over onto the pages of the magazine, testifying to the fact that, for the Halls, this is a real honest-to-goodness cozy, livable home. Anyone can see that.