By Gena Fischer

Steamboat Springs, CO -Without a doubt, One Steamboat Place is one of Steamboat Springs’ premier addresses. With its slopeside location at the base of the ski area and no-holds-barred amenities, these 80 condominiums define five-star living. For one young family from the East Coast, their condo at One Steamboat Place is more than a luxury resort; it's a refuge from their hectic city life.

Dan Honeker, who works in finance in New York City, and his wife, Kim, a busy stay-at-home mom of four young kids, fell in love with Colorado as newlyweds. They first came West on a ski trip. Wanting to stay away from the glitz of Aspen and Vail, they decided to buy a home in Steamboat. They love the simpler lifestyle they found here. "In the city we go 100 miles per hour all day long, but here it's more like 2 miles per hour," Kim Honeker says. "I can sit here and talk to my son for 45 minutes about a fish he caught. That just doesn't happen back home."

When the couple heard about One Steamboat Place, a Timbers development which coincided with the beginning of the base area’s revitalization, they were quick to buy into a fractional ownership. Last year, they decided to upgrade and purchase a four-bedroom condo they could use year-round. After obtaining full ownership, Honeker knew right away she wanted to make the condominium her own. She sought out Kim Romick of Romicks Into the West to help her design the remodel.

"I didn't want our place to be like all the other units, I wanted it to be very unique. It had to be ours, and I wanted to have my fingers all over the whole thing," Honecker says. Striving for a Western feel that was also functional and completely kid-proof, Romick and Honeker worked together on almost every inch of the space to create what Romick calls a "very playful, young, not-so-common Western place."

 Whimsical antler-mount wallpaper, grass cloth walls and acorn dresser handles are just some of the small touches that make this place fun, along with cowhide rugs, nailhead mirrors and other unusual pieces. Local artists added their touches: Von Wilson did iron work; Eric Edelstein built custom bunk beds for the kids; and painter Andrey Hudson created contemporary Western pieces for the walls. In the living room, round cowhide pillow stools are perfect for little ones to roll around on, and a huge window nook filled with puffy pillows makes a great place to take an afternoon nap. There's a cozy fireplace, too.

Romick added wood ceiling beams and lush drapery that frames the stunning south valley views. "Dan just fell in love with these views. We just love them,” Kim Honecker says. “We have the valley to the south and Gondola Square to the north, two completely different feels."

An office with padded walls provides a quiet oasis for Dan to work, and the ladies added Western-style nailhead trim to make sure he remembers he's in Steamboat when he’s busy on the job. Down the hall are two guest rooms and a special bunk room for Hudson, 8, CeCe, 6, Bowen, 4, and Duke, 2. "The bunk room is super fun," says Honeker. "The kids absolutely love it. Everyone has their own little self-contained space with lights, and under each stair they have cubbies to stash their toys. On each bed are little cowboy pillows. Actually that’s three little cowboy pillows and one little cowgirl pillow."

Honeker says one of her favorite rooms is the master bath, which sports earth tone tiles and granite, two vessel sinks, a large tub and views that go on forever. “Sometimes I never want to leave the bathroom,” she laughs. The attached master bedroom is just as appealing with a glass fireplace, built-in cabinetry, beautiful views and a Western contemporary vibe.

The upscale kitchen off the living room and dining area provides a favorite gathering spot for the family. The Honeker kids love to sit and color at the granite breakfast bar on furry cowhide bar stools – the same spot where Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners are now traditionally prepared. Penny backsplash tile and custom metal accents create a “not in your face” Western tone in this modern kitchen, and the custom light fixtures provide mood as much as light for the space, Romick says.

Honeker says that the amenities at One Steamboat Place are definitely an extension of their home, and the family enjoys “every single inch of the property.” There are common gathering places where owners can mingle with their friends and family, a huge wine room and bar, a ski locker room that feels more like a log cabin where owners can stash their ski boots on a boot warmer, and a fully equipped gym where indoor and outdoor exercise classes are offered 365 days a year. “The spa is just fabulous,” says Honeker, “and the kids spend hours at the pool. I just wish we had a door from our place that was attached to the game room, because that’s where our kids spend most of their time. There’s always other kids running around they can play with. They always have a great time,” she says.

The Honekers say this is the place that provides them with uninterrupted family time, something that’s a scarcity back home. “It’s our quiet place where we can all be together and just hang out. We ski, hike, bike, the kids go to camp, we do it all,” Kim Honeker says. “Then we all pile together on the couch at night and watch TV. Life is good, and we know we are fortunate. We want to keep this place in our family for a long time. It’s our little slice of heaven.”

Gena Fischer is a freelance journalist who built her own dream home in Steamboat 15 years ago, with her husband (an architect). “The one thing I love about writing home stories is getting to the heart of what makes a house tick, which is the family. The family is what turns the stories into home stories, instead of house stories,” she says.