There is no image of Taos as characteristic and unmistakable as the summits of Pueblo, Kachina and Wheeler …

We asked two Taos architects to describe what it's like to design homes in Taos.

"The light here is so incredible. It’s like you’re outside when you’re inside," said homeowner Judith Kendall.

Imagine driving to your home, the serpentine pathway lights twinkle as you arrive. The garage door opens, and the surrounding …

“Old, sad homes … run down and beat up. We beautified the soul of the house, we made someone’s day and bettered their life.” These are the words of Daniel Gonzales who said he fell in love with the flooring business as a young man.

Or its nickname, anyway. The way I see it, this isolated part of northern New Mexico has always been a pioneer on the cutting edge of sustainability even if it didn’t know it.

Enchanted Homes posed the question, “So, you wanna go solar?” to two solar energy companies in Taos County and came away with a primer on the who-what-where-when and how of delivering energy from the sun into your home. Here’s what Charlie McGarity of PPC Solar and Mark Jackson of Sol Luna had to say about how homeowners can get into solar energy.

An earthship is a passive solar house made of natural and recycled materials. Many of these sustainable homes dot the Taos area.

It wasn’t that many years ago that folks here didn’t give a thought to home planning.

Making improvements to your home can add comfort and satisfaction to your life. “If you plan to live in your home for another five or ten years, then it is worth it to make major …

A feeling of possibility pervades the greenhouses at Petree Nursery. While it is cold outside, the greenhouses are warm and humid. In the front greenhouse, where the garden supplies are found, …

I am a design engineer by background. When I first came to Taos I worked in real estate and started Taos Properties. I wanted to be a builder and did …

A beautiful, welcoming home brings out the best in people. One such home is available in the Weimer area of Taos.

Clearly, one of the most recognizable sounds of Christmas are the “jingle bells” on the harness of a horse-drawn sleigh.

At Taos Ski Valley, beginner skiers (and now snowboarders) have learned the ropes on the two hills...

Red River is a picturesque mountain valley. Located at 8,671 feet above sea level, the town is home to an eponymous river and ski area...

Small homes are becoming a rage in many parts of our country – some of it out of economic necessity, some of it due to life choices.

The entry courtyard soothes the senses with a trickling channel of water surrounded by blooming flowers in a myriad of colors. The flowing water comes from captured rainwater. There is a sense of harmony and peace here. The courtyard leads to gardens, greenhouses and a small, extremely energy-efficient and beautiful home.

A mosaic of color and texture floods the senses as you enter Alhambra de Taos. Rugs, antique tables, cabinets and mirrors in rich reds and golds fill the store, which is located just south of Taos …

Architect Joaquin Karcher is the owner of Zero E Design (http://zeroedesign.com/). He specializes in the design and build of  “net zero energy” homes. The total amount of energy used …

Walking into the home of Angie and Steve Spady, you are welcomed into their lives. The home holds a collection of their life experiences, including furniture, fabric and art collected from around the …

Most of the high-end homes in Angel Fire are still owned by the people who built them, so they haven’t come on the market yet. According to Montee Sue Miller, a resort and second home property specialist with REMAX Mountain Realty, the “sweet spot” in sales in the area ranges between $300,000 and $400,000. But from time to time, a gem of a luxury house comes along. That is the case of the Bontke home, a mountain chateau perched on 17 groomed acres of Angel Fire’s Aspens subdivision, adjoining the Carson National Forest.

Brigid Meier on permaculture: revolution disguised as gardening

Our society tends to label folks and put them in boxes. It also tries to place our tastes and preferences into handy compartments. So we hear about city folks and country folks, beach people and mountain men and women. Most of us have clear preferences, whether they are built into us genetically or come about from the environment in which we live and grow as humans.

The simple truth about design is it takes a certain amount of prosperity for it to be an issue in one’s life. Absent enough money to have choice, a home is more about function. Our …

Designing a home for oneself allows a person to fully express their creativity in the most important place in their lives: their home. In this design issue of Enchanted Homes, Dimond …

The allure of this Angel Fire home comes from its innovative combination of modern and mountain styles. While the overall design recalls the sleek homes of the mid-20th century, there are rustic …

Green homes and alternative lifestyles take center stage for many people who live in Northern New Mexico. The sunlight offers outstanding opportunity to invest in solar …

One would think that living in what 101.9 KTAO-FM calls “the solar capital of the world,” Taos would be quick to adapt to new technologies in the green construction arena, but …

Taos Ski Valley is the first ski resort in the world to become a “Certified B Corporation.” The sustainability recognition attests to the company’s commitment to its community, …

Some people find their true calling later in life and after much soul searching. But Justin Simpson, owner of Natural Building and Design, became interested in sustainable practices at a very young …

Tell us about your upbringing.I grew up in Kentucky. I was the middle kid of four. My father was a milkman, and my mother stayed at home to take care of us. I first went to college in southern …

When you buy a house, sometimes everything is in place and the way you want it. Just sign the papers and move in. Other times, you call the contractor and get to work. For Kellie Harris, it was …

1. How did Vargas Tile come to be established? Vargas Tile Company was founded by our parents, Roberts and Martha Vargas, in 1961. Our dad was a woodworker and opened up a cabinet shop at the …