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Art and Architecture Home Tour this weekend

Special to the Sky-Hi News

Tour five exceptional Grand Lake homes during the ninth annual Art and Architecture Home Tour, on tap for 1-5 p.m., this Saturday, June 30.

From a lakefront log home on Grand Lake to an architectural gem on Shadow Mountain Reservoir, to a cabin on the hill with super views, this year’s tour promises to inspire and entertain.

An interesting home on the tour is the Engelhardt home in Grand Lake – or the Little Cabin that Grew. In 1954, the cabin’s original owners came to Grand Lake with the dream and desire to build their home on the side of a steep slope overlooking the town. The home’s origins are a cabin totaling 310 square feet. consisting of a kitchen and a bedroom, and as was customary, a bath out back.



In the 1980s, a brain surgeon and his wife from the Denver metro area, Dr. and Mrs. Lllihie bought the cabin as their mountain retreat. They began the remodeling process, adding 1,040 square feet, a second bedroom, a balcony and even an indoor bath.

In 1996 Pat and Vicky Engelhardt, the current owners, moved in New Years Eve of 1996. In the summer of 1997 they began the remodeling process again. They took the current home from 1,040 square-feet to just under 4,000 square-feet, including four garage stalls. During the excavation process, they hit the tip of an enormous rock, and since there was no good approach on how to remove it, they left the tip hang out of the garage floor, creating quite the conversation piece.



In 2000, the Engelhardts began the remodel process again. The cabin grew to its current state, which includes six bedrooms, six and one-half indoor bathrooms, five fireplaces, a game room, a sauna, a jacuzzi, steam shower, tanning room, workout facility, elevator, gourmet kitchen and ample deck area for entertaining, not to mention the garage suitable for the family’s toys. During the second renovation, they spent nearly two weeks removing the top of that granite rock, drilling, splitting and hauling one piece at a time.

Like many people, the Engelhardts fell in love with Grand Lake. They lived full-time in the house for many years, but now the house is back to being a second home. The memories they have made in the house with friends and family will never fade.

The Art and Architecture Home Tour culminates at 5 p.m. with a “tour gathering” at the Sagebrush BBQ and grill. But the tour does not have to end there. Those who buy a ticket to the Sixth House Dinner are treated to a residence on multiple acres that used to be part of a ski area. A beautiful custom log home will be the location of a multi-course gourmet meal with wine and beer pairings for each course. The tickets for the dinner and the tour are $150 per person.

Tickets for both events can be purchased at http://www.grandartscouncil.com, or at the Grand Lake Art Gallery. The Art and Architecture Home tour has become a major fundraiser for the Grand Arts Council and a favorite event for tourists and locals alike. The Grand Arts Council supports the artist in the county by sponsoring classes, concerts and plays to help showcase the talent of our local artists throughout the year.


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