Balancing biophilic elements with rugged durability, Mountain Modern style living spaces are recognized by expansive window views, exposed timber framing, natural materials and colors, and textured finishes. Exteriors heavily emphasize solid and sawn wood, hewn and full-size stone masonry, sturdy metal connections and framing, and earth tones.
Built to withstand an alpine environment, pronounced overhangs further define this architectural style. Deep roof extensions protect the home from the high-altitude sun and storms while expanding indoor and outdoor living. Beneath the overhangs and eaves, large windows and entrances open to fresh mountain air and frame dramatic views.
Architectural aluminum products with durable finishes can combine the desired appearance and necessary performance for these demanding environments. Selecting a suitable finish for these windows and doors involves an aesthetic choice of color and a practical decision to protect the framing material in harsh mountain climates.
Purple mountain majesties
If a mountain home’s color palette includes purple, it most likely tends toward a deep burgundy. A broad range of purples are available in painted coatings, and experienced architectural finishing providers may offer rich bordeaux or copper as anodize options to complement these nature-inspired designs.
Anodize finishes are typically available in metallic tones. Dark bronzes contrast with lighter stone surfaces, while lighter bronze tones harmonize with surrounding woodwork. Clear anodize, which registers as a silver, can be used for ultra-modern mountain homes.
Anodized and painted, black color finishes add a bold outline to frame impressive views. A spectrum of brown, beige, gray, yellow-orange, blue-green and other grounded tones let the fenestration framing fully integrate with its modern mountain setting. Reminiscent of snow-capped peaks, white-hued finishes allow interior framing members to disappear to prioritize daylight and outdoor vistas.
Textured wood grain finishes can replicate numerous species to match the feel and look of local or exotic species. Terra cotta and spatter coat finishes can mimic clay or stone’s visual and tactile qualities. Micas and metallics enhance painted finishes that sparkle and shimmer in the mountain sun.
Peak performance
Because of the high elevation at which mountain homes are built, they face weather and temperature extremes and need a finish to match.
Anodized finishes are highly durable, with surface hardness comparable to sapphire, making them excellent for extreme environments. When specified to meet AAMA 611, Class I anodize provides the highest performance for continuous outdoor exposure. Anodized aluminum is an inert, noncombustible material, is 100% recyclable, and poses no health risks, fitting in with the Mountain Modern design preference toward natural materials.
Painted 70% polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) resin-based coatings specified to AAMA 2605 also meet the requirements for mountain applications. Both 70% PVDF coatings and Class I anodize finishes retain their color and other properties under intense ultraviolet rays in high altitudes. These versatile, high-performance finishes also protect the metal in wet, snowy conditions or dry, high-desert climates.
Finished aluminum windows and doors ensure a long-lasting, carefully curated appearance for Mountain Modern style homes when properly specified, applied and installed.
