"I knew immediately that this was where we were supposed to be—I got the ‘ding,’ ” recalls the owner of the first time she arrived at the near-acre-sized Cherry Hills Village property where her house now stands. What caught her eye wasn’t the existing 1977 home, which begged for an overhaul, but the large mature trees that had taken root and grown up around it. The daughter of a celebrated landscape architect, her father taught her the importance of the natural landscape framing a house and of trees as a symbol of history. Any changes made to the home, she quickly determined, needed to honor and preserve them.
She and her husband tapped architect John Galambos (who had designed their Aspen getaway 13 years prior) to consider their options for the residence. “It was a one-story rambler, a sprawling house on a large footprint,” he remembers of the original structure. What was first imagined as a renovation ballooned into new construction—or nearly. The architect, with general contractors Jonathan Crabtree and Dave Denton, utilized much of the foundation, adding square footage (plus a pool and adjacent pool house) in places where tree roots wouldn’t be disturbed. “Our big goal was do something classic but clean and timeless,” says Galambos of the new home that arose. The owners’ punch list included the ability to live primarily on the main floor, having the space to welcome and entertain their four sons and eight grandchildren, and the presence of two porches, the front one serving as a connection to the friendly community.
“They didn’t want another mountain home, nor did they want a contemporary city home, and they didn’t want to do boxy or modern,” the architect notes of the dwelling they eventually settled on. Architecturally, it reads as a farmhouse-style residence—exposed beams and timber trusses against white walls and ceilings evoke a simplified converted barn structure—yet some of the stonework “still leans a bit mountain-y,” the owner comments. Per their wishes, the primary suite is on the main level, with three upstairs bedrooms and another in the basement to accommodate family and guests. There’s also a lower-level bar and recreational entertaining space. “We tried to strike the right balance of simplicity and traditional,” Galambos goes on to say, “while also making this house feel as if it had been there for a long time.”
Home Details
Architecture:
John Galambos, Galambos Architects Inc.
Interior Design:
Emily Lindemann, Coeur Cabinet + Curated Interiors
Home Builder:
Jonathan Crabtree and Dave Denton, AJ Kirkegaard Contractors, Inc.
Open to the kitchen, the family room features timber trusses and a limestone fireplace surround. The linen-slipcovered sofas and armchairs are Quatrine Home. The antique wooden console is from John Brooks. Doors from Sierra Pacific Windows connect the yard.
Reclaimed French doors, an antique coffee table and rustic bench bring texture to the living room. The mohair sofa is from John Brooks and the chairs are Lee Industries. Work by Ralf Winkler hangs above the fireplace.
The kitchen is amplified by bespoke cabinetry of stained oak and a customized white hue, complete with Colonial Bronze hardware, Waterworks faucets, marble counters from The Stone Collection and Visual Comfort & Co. pendants. The runner is from Azari Rug Gallery.
An Iatesta Studio bed from Town Studios is flanked by an antique bench and painted nightstands in the primary bedroom. The chairs and ottoman are Quatrine Home. The curtains are Genesis Custom Drapery and the two artworks are Daisy Marguerite Hughes.
In the primary bathroom, marble tile from Decorative Materials forms a mosaic beside a soaking tub fitted with antiqued-brass hardware—both are Waterworks, as are the double vanity’s faucets and sinks. The sconces and pendant are from Visual Comfort & Co.
Designer Emily Lindemann first stepped in to helm the cabinetry design (“The amount of detail that went into the kitchen is among the most extensive I’ve ever done,” she stresses), then her role grew to include the finishes and furnishing curation in close collaboration with the homeowner. “She knew what she wanted from an aesthetic standpoint and is intuitive, decisive and creative,” says the interior designer of her client. “I helped execute her vision by bringing her requests to cohesion.” The overall color palette is neutral, with warm woods and natural materials that create a clean canvas. Antiques and art, many of which are collectibles representing precious memories for the owners, then provide layers of personality. “I like to introduce old pieces, like an aged Chinese table and antique French doors in the living room, with simpler new furniture,” says the homeowner, adding that she relied on Lindemann’s eye and sensibilities to create the right juxtapositions. “There’s refined moments with rustic elements; there’s the intentional pairing of texture with brass and bronze; there’s moments of compression and expansion,” the designer notes of each room’s editing. “Our main call was to create classic spaces—nothing trendy, nothing fussy—that allow the unique furniture pieces to be the stars.”
“There’s a bit of whimsy mixed in, too,” shares Galambos, pointing to a buffalo weather vane presiding atop the house that nods to the mascot of The University of Colorado Boulder, where the couple attended college. It, alongside the home’s eclectic collection, is a direct reflection of their travels and passions. “Every room feels like them: warm, inviting, comfortable and also interesting,” muses Lindemann.
The homeowners, their three dogs and their frequent guests, family members and grandchildren often gravitate to a casual family room off the kitchen, where a trio of doors open out to a grassy expanse of lawn that rolls into the pool terrace, lined by gardens and the trees the design team took care to save. “And she’s just perfect,” says the owner with a laugh, referring to her house. “I think she’s so pretty. She’s everything I wanted her to be, and more.”
The kitchen is amplified by bespoke cabinetry of stained oak and a customized white hue, complete with Colonial Bronze hardware, Waterworks faucets, marble counters from The Stone Collection and Visual Comfort & Co. pendants. The runner is from Azari Rug Gallery.