Dreary to Dreamy in Colorado

What do you do when you find a home in the perfect location, but hate the way it looks? Do you take the risk and gut-renovate and to make it a dream home? My Colorado client grappled with this very question alongside his wife as they stood amidst a dark, dated living room outside of Golden. With an eye for adventure, he was convinced that given the location and price, they had to pounce. His bride was a little less enthusiastic….perhaps it was the heavily speckled granite, the painfully traditional and recently replaced cabinetry, or the MASSIVE central brick fireplace dominating the center of the main living area. Apparently the central hearth complete with built-in smoker was all the rage circa 1987 in mountain home design.

Unsurprisingly, the trend died off with 80’s excess giving way to open concept and more livable floor plans. This aspect alone was enough to scare off previous potential buyers. I can’t say I blame my client for her early apprehension—it was an aggressive leap. For many homeowners and clients, the most overwhelming aspect of the project is trying to visualize how it will get from point A to point B. Many people feel overwhelmed at the thought of even trying to wrap their heads around all the moving parts, let alone envision what the result will look like. That’s when I got the call.

This type of transformation is really the ideal type of project to sink my teeth into. It requires equal parts creativity and out of the box thinking. It’s the type of project where you have to view problems as opportunities, but it’s also the kind with the greatest return.

To bring this home up to speed and style, it needed to begin with a literal facelift. Working alongside a local architect, we rose the roof to 20’ and opened up the circulation between the dining and kitchen area to give the family a more usable space for family and entertaining. This new floorplan allowed them to maximize day light and create an open concept that keeps the kids in view, but also allows for some separation and flexibility.

To bring this home up to speed and style, it needed to begin with a literal facelift. Working alongside a local architect, we raised the roof to 20’ and opened up the circulation between the dining and kitchen area to give the family a more usable space for family and entertaining. This new floor plan allowed them to maximize daylight and create an open concept that keeps the kids in view, but also allows for some separation and flexibility.

It also needed a fresh palette of materials. The couple’s transitional style needed something modern but still warm. We played with different tones of warm grays to open up the space and great a larger feel. Texture is key for monochromatic projects. We brought that in with handmade barn wood, locally sourced beetle kill pine, and custom zinc countertops. And because no client can go hungry, see my homemade carne empanadas against the new zinc countertops. We created a patina through a chemical application process and sealed them for added durability.

26” industrial pendants bring down the scale of the space and counter to ceiling subway tile draws the eye upward. The project really comes to life through hand-picked vintage goods. Local touches like a moose rack, Native American Snowshoes, cowhide, antique phone, and other found options create a story that is totally unique to this project and family. Not only is vintage a sustainable option that involves reusing and repurposing found objects, it ensures a space that cannot be duplicated. There’s something special about picking just the right pieces and knowing they are one of a kind. It brings a unique perspective to modern design and the clean palette allows these objects to shine.

#residential #interiordesign #rennovation