How Music Inspired The Rhythm And Mood Of This Denver Home

The property near the Denver Country Club was empty when architect Sarah Broughton first laid eyes on it—but that didn’t stop her and her clients, a music industry professional and a model, from picturing a world of possibilities. “From the start, they wanted something very distinctive,” the architect says of the couple’s plans for their Colorado home. “The idea of a ‘timeless contemporary masterpiece’ kept coming up in our meetings.”

As the homeowners are jet-setters—the husband, for one, is an internationally renowned DJ and music producer who is frequently on the road—their taste encompasses countless cultures and styles. So for Broughton, working closely with project architect Rahul Mohare and designer Leslie Cope, the brief called for whipping up a home on par with a high-end hotel, but warmer and more personalized. This led them to go for a contemporary riff on the Prairie style of architecture made popular by Frank Lloyd Wright and prevalent in the Mile High City in the early 20^th century. “We always consider the historical context of our projects,” Broughton notes.

The resulting house, brought to life by general contractor Cress Carter, emphasizes broad horizontality, flat rooflines and expanses of glass offering a direct connection to the surroundings. And to respond to the lot, which is flat in the front and slopes down to an abutting golf course, the residence embraces multiple outdoor areas, such as the rooftop deck and large back terrace off the lower-level spa and indoor lap pool.

The homeowners themselves, and especially the husband’s musical background, soon became another source of inspiration for Broughton and her team. “We strive to understand what drives our clients,” the architect explains. “We studied the way electronic music is made, and what he’s thinking about when he’s creating music.” In the process, they learned about Musical Instrument Digital Interface, or MIDI, a technology which transforms sound into a digital grid of visually represented notes. Varying patterns of MIDI notation informed the offset heights of natural sandstone veneer on the home’s exterior, while, on the roof overhang, bronze fascia panels and Kebony wood soffit boards complement the palette. Music grids also inspired the custom-made walnut-and-steel screens by the home’s entry and in the spa. 

Such attention to detail set the tone for the interiors, too. “They wanted glam, glam, glam,” recalls Cope. “In every room, whether it had more of a ‘wow’ factor or a serene vibe, we included eye-catching moments.” Throughout the home, sumptuous materials and textures bring a richness to each space. “The spa has gold Brizo showerheads, and gold bases help swivel chairs pop in a lounge area,” the designer notes. Another example is the sourcing of stone for the pair of two-sided fireplaces acting as dividers between the kitchen, living and dining areas. Cope flew to Italy to scout marble for the surrounds. After she tagged a block of beautifully veined Arabescato Orobico Grigio, the homeowners followed with their own visit to approve her selection. Now the slabs read as standalone art. “Our designs tend to be pure and clean, so it’s nice to layer in something this bold,” Broughton comments. And to soften these interiors, Cope designed oversized, velvet-upholstered sofas with swooping curves which, she explains, “draw your eye more serendipitously through the space.” 

Sight lines through the fireplaces offer a sense of continuity to the rooms, which all connect via LaCantina sliding doors to a sizable terrace with distinct dining and lounging areas. “A hallmark of our design style is open architecture that creates a flow through the house,” Broughton says. “There are multiple ways to enter each space.” Guests can wander through the living room out to the terrace, then slip back inside through the dining room doors. And from there, they might even go on to the wine room to pick up a glass of chilled Chardonnay. 

The tenets of timeless design matter, insists Broughton, noting that this one-of-a-kind house is nonetheless “rooted in the true elements of proper scale and proportion.” Despite its vast size, the home exudes warmth and comfort. The architect credits the project’s success to a close collaboration between her team and the owners. “They were so good at guiding us in our decisions while still respecting our vision,” the wife concurs. Looking back at this harmonious abode, they all agree that it deserves a standing ovation.