THE PANACHE OF SUZANNE DAHL

I met a woman of infinite style at a social at a luxury home in Mountain Village this summer. I could not help but be impressed by her poise and sense of place. Many gathered around her listening to the stories behind the wonderful accent pieces that perfectly adorned this 7,000-square-foot home. She was so engaging that a dozen-or-so of us followed her from room to room as if we were children of her brood. She made it comforting to be under her wing. We, in turn, received a magical chronicle on the architectural fashion of the newly completed home. As we went in and out of the many bedrooms on the top floor, the socially adept side of Suzanne Dahl became abundantly apparent as she brilliantly found the time to become acquainted with each individual and made everyone feel welcome on the home tour.

Instantly, I surmised Dahl was a woman in her element, doing what she was meant to do. Interior and architectural design flow through her veins as fluidly and consistently as the waters of the San Miguel River flow from Bridal Veil Falls . "When I was 14-years-old, I gutted our kitchen and remodeled our living and dining rooms. It has always been in me to design. I thrive on it!" Dahl is a self-professed Army Brat. Her family resided in Texas , Kentucky , New Finland, Maryland and Oklahoma while her mother was alive. "We moved to Tulsa , Oklahoma , after my mother was diagnosed with brain cancer so she could be near her sister. We had a lovely year with her there. After she died, my little sister Valerie, then 6, I, then 9, and my father moved to Healdsburg , California , where we could be by my mother's sister, Ruth and her husband. Dad knew Aunt Ruth, an English professor and Uncle John, the owner of the local Ben Franklin store, would provide us with a healthy family environment. Therefore, every Friday night, Dad brought us to my aunt and uncle's vineyard so we could get a dose of the "mom and dad" thing and spend the weekend at what we called the Little Ponderosa," Dahl fondly recalls. "I have great memories of riding my 16-hands-high roan quarter horse, Sonny, through the Russian River where we'd play friskily.. He behaved more like a dog than a horse sometimes," she claims.

Though Dahl lost her mother at a tender age, she still views her family life as strong and tightly knit. Dahl affirms that her father's military background was instrumental in instilling the idea that you can be anything you want to be in America as long as you apply yourself. She further claims that the military influence she was reared in taught her the importance of being proper, polite and disciplined. "I live by the Golden Rule, 'Treat others as you would like to be treated and live life with a strong sense of values.'" Dahl enlisted in San Francisco 's Rudolph Scheaffer School of Design and the Academy of Arts after graduating from high school in Santa Rosa , California . This is where she refined her passion's calling. She quickly collaborated with a classmate and started a design firm and furniture manufacturing company represented across the country for 20 years. Together, Jerry Barich and Dahl created lavish living spaces for such big names as Dudley Moore, Lily Tomlin and Disney Development. Nine years ago, Dahl began feeling the gridlock of California 's growth, so she moved to Telluride and met her soulmate Bob Dempsey. Dempsey has been the San Miguel County Coroner for over 25 years. Dahl says she could not imagine anyone more suited to her than Dempsey. He shares her passion for creating one-of-a-kind living situations as well as yachts and boutique hotels.

Together they formed the Black Diamond Partners, which is an architectural design firm and a development company. Dempsey's post is that of the chief financial officer, overseeing the fiscal responsibilities. The development side of the company builds magnificent spec homes. Their highly skilled team of professionals consists of several in-house talents: architect Steve Fisken, interior designer and media art director, Judy Hall, special effects artist, Nancy B. Frank, Ben Dempsey as head administrator and, of course, Dahl herself. Each plays key roles in streamlining the design process and fine-tuning the unique quality of every project. Each associate brings their vast repertoire of knowledge and resources to Black Diamond Partners. I gathered from meeting with the team as well as one of their prominent clients that said, "It's all about comfort, livability, quality, elegance and having the confidence to blend the best of many eras, not just one." The Black Diamond Partners are so keenly adept at doing so, they often have furniture and accessories custom-made; utilizing the pool of local talents to boot. Judy Hall says, "Don't tell Suzanne it's impossible to do something as she will find a way to get it done." Resourcefulness and creatively are what have given this company a five-star rating.

A signature of Dahl's professional life has been, in her words, "Few and significant." This motto, if you will, transcends every aspect of Black Diamond Partners in that the interior decor most always employ few and significant accents pieces, the spec homes they render and develop from concept to completion fit that mold as well. They generally range in size from 8,000 to 37,000-square-feet. Journey's End is a Telluride spec home started in '99. It sold before it was completed. Finishing-out at 26,000-square-feet, Journey's End was touted as one of the West's most regal and sumptuous residential architectural undertakings. "To my knowledge, Journey's End is the most significant residential development project in this part of Colorado ," stated Dahl. Currently the team is working on a 37,000-square-foot classically designed Tuscan compound in Indiana . The Old World limestone exterior envelopes an interior that reflects authentic Italian tradition.

Of late, they completed a penthouse in Big Sky, Montana , high atop the new exclusive Moonlight Lodge. Their commissions take them everywhere and there is nary a detail that is overlooked by Dahl and her team. Wisely and regularly, they bring each subcontractor to the specific site, to scrutinize and analyze the progress. Construction monitoring takes up large segments of time, but does ensure quality workmanship. Dahl simply sees it as part of the joy in seeing the luxury homes come to life. At the top of their game, Dahl and the Black Diamond Partnership have an impressive portfolio of architectural and design achievements. Carrying the past into the present, creating moods in rooms and weaving in the owners' tastes, art collections and overall vision into the upscale addresses are some of the daily challenges Dahl and the Black Diamond Partners face. Now, if only the petite, demure powerhouse, Suzanne Dahl, could talk the love of her life, Dempsey, into the puppy she so badly wants.