Behind The Renovation Of A 1912 Georgian-Style Denver Abode
Designed as a formal entertaining space, the living room is anchored by an antique Swedish mantelpiece flanked by vintage floor lamps, all finds from Emerson Bailey. Artwork is by David Bates. The marble coffee table is RH.
The 1912 Georgian Revival-style residence was long overdue for restoration when the homeowners first set eyes on it. “It almost reminded me of Grey Gardens,” recalls the wife, “but it was sited on this beautiful property, and we saw the potential.” Part of Denver’s historic Country Club neighborhood, it had been awkwardly renovated—more than once—throughout its 113 years of existence, but a photo captured of it in the past paid tribute to its former glory. “I knew we could get it back to its original charm,” the wife affirms. To do so, the couple tapped their friend, residential designer John Mattingly, alongside firm interior designer Regan Mattingly, to reimagine the home for their family of five.
John is no stranger to requests like this in Country Club. He and his design-build studio are known for “new old homes,” and had renovated the house across the street and his own home around the corner, to name just a few. And he’s passionate about renovations that stay true to the district’s historic nature. “Our drive was to recreate a residence rooted in history but with fresh eyes and fresh inventions,” he says. The house certainly begged for such. Prior renovations had shifted the main staircase, rearranged the layout and altered the façade, plus a boxy addition had been tacked on. John proposed removing the addition and stripping the house down to the raw brick, uncovering its skeleton and footprint. “When you see the original shell, it gives you direction,” he comments. Under his watch, the entry staircase was recreated and placed back at its initial post, and the layout was reconfigured within its rectangular footprint (and a new addition) to live in a more contemporary and cohesive way for the owners. “We weren’t trying to do anything necessarily historic; we just wanted to compose spaces that felt more timeless,” John explains. The interior is wholly rejiggered—the house is essentially new construction save for three exterior walls—but you’d never know. “It’s all new walls, trim, everything,” he points out, “yet it really seems like this house is a step back in time, refreshed solely with a coat of plaster.”
Home Details
Architecture:
John Mattingly, Chalet
Interior Design:
Regan Mattingly, Chalet
Home Builder:
Mike McNeill, Chalet
Landscape Architecture:
Erik Knudtson, Weston Landscape & Design
Another angle of the living room showcases a curvaceous Pierre Augustin Rose sofa via R Hughes grouped with three vintage chairs from Galerie Provenance. A framed Navajo rug hangs above the sofa while the far wall features George Dunbar artwork.
Viewed through the butler’s pantry, the living room’s gaming area is formed with Ochre’s oak-and-bronze table and leather-wrapped chairs. The art is by Ashley Longshore and the shearling sheep are from Gorsuch.
Designed as a formal entertaining space, the living room is anchored by an antique Swedish mantelpiece flanked by vintage floor lamps, all finds from Emerson Bailey. Artwork is by David Bates. The marble coffee table is RH.
An antique worktable contrasts with the modern kitchen’s Macaubas quartzite backsplash and counters. The dining chairs are Carl Hansen & Søn and the stools are Thomas Hayes Studio, topped off by a Lindsey Adelman Studio for Roll & Hill chandelier.
The mudroom’s millwork and custom cabinetry, installed by Distinctive Cabinetry & Designs, is coated in Benjamin Moore’s Wrought Iron. The counters are soapstone, with clé tile underfoot. The pendant is Visual Comfort & Co.
A glimpse of the dark-walled pantry is visible through the kitchen. A vintage-inspired Blueprint Lighting sconce adds illumination above a framed sketch by Alexander Stolin. The range is Wolf and the faucet is Delta Faucet.
Awash in Benjamin Moore’s Narragansett Green with coordinating Pindler draperies, the study doubles as an entertaining parlor. Leather Josef Hoffmann chairs face a Knoll coffee table backdropped by a Ralph Lauren Home desk. The photographs are Herman Leonard and the pendant is Apparatus.
Returned to its original position, the entryway’s rebuilt stair sports a wool-and-silk ombre runner of Rosemary Hallgarten carpeting. Art by Richard Johnson hangs in the passageway and a piece by Dr. Fahamu Pecou oversees the hall’s end.
In the owners’ bedroom, an RH bed rests behind chairs and a settee—all three are vintage pieces from Galerie Provenance—with a Studio Como table and rug. Benjamin Moore’s Kendall Charcoal fills the walls. The chandelier is Roll & Hill and the art is Stephanie Patton.
Imagined as a restorative retreat, a Kohler tub with Waterworks hardware nests into the primary bathroom, lined with soft-pink Bisson Bruneel linen draperies. The custom white oak dual vanities are topped with fluted Calacatta Viola marble.
RH pieces were selected for a covered patio dining room and fire-pit area that step down to a yard and pool, with landscaping by Erik Knudtson. The pendant and sconces are Bevolo Gas & Electric Lights gas lanterns.
It took effort to get the renovation to feel so seamless, of course. For instance, as deconstruction commenced, general contractor Mike McNeill discovered that the structure needed considerable shoring up, structurally. And upon removing old stucco added to the façade in the ’90s, he also found that the original brick below couldn’t be saved and that the eave details pictured in the old photograph of the home had been destroyed. McNeill’s team cut each of the replacement eave brackets by hand, while natural stucco now revives the exterior. “We used a nonsynthetic, earthy product that tends to show little cracks and fractures, so it still has that authentic 100-year-old look to it,” he explains.
The baton then passed to Regan, who took charge of the interiors. As the owners were bringing in some beloved antiques—note the aged worktable that serves as a casual dining space in their kitchen—and distinctive artworks, she found a collaborative partner in the wife. “She’s stylish, into design herself and had a vision, which is so helpful in this process,” Regan notes. “She wanted to integrate antiques with modern pieces and make it all flow.”
An immersive use of color and contrast helps both with that flow and establishes a “this isn’t grandma’s house” vibe, the interior designer continues. Many of the rooms are monochromatic, with coordinated wall and window treatments for an elegant, fresh and modern look. The public areas of the home are light and bright, while a moodier aesthetic is reserved for secondary spaces. See the teal-drenched study, the soft-black mudroom, the primary bedroom’s blend of grays. The tone-on-tone effect feels of the moment, matched by a thoughtful peppering of antiques. “The vintage fireplace surround, one of my favorite things in the home, looks so cool against more modern upholstery in the living room,” Regan opines.
The result is a home that feels rich, layered and enlivened by references to different eras in a way that helps it transcend time. As John reflects, “The lesson learned from this project is just how refreshing playing with history can be.”
Awash in Benjamin Moore’s Narragansett Green with coordinating Pindler draperies, the study doubles as an entertaining parlor. Leather Josef Hoffmann chairs face a Knoll coffee table backdropped by a Ralph Lauren Home desk. The photographs are Herman Leonard and the pendant is Apparatus.