A Colorado Home Puts a Modern Twist on Farmhouse Living

Nestled among trees and apple orchards, this warm and inviting family home makes the most of its peaceful wooded plot.

Inspired by historic American farmhouses, this modern dwelling is sited at the base of the Rocky Mountain Foothills in West Boulder, Colorado. Designed by Boulder-based firm Surround Architecture, the 6,800-square-foot property features a unique layout that makes the best use of its one-acre site, while also responding to its long driveway access. 

Built-in storage compartments for firewood are conveniently located in the living room.

Built-in storage compartments for firewood are conveniently located in the living room.

The exterior is designed as a simple, geometric structure and houses a stylish, modern facade with an agrarian character. Inside the home are customized iron and steel structural trusses, T&G painted wood ceilings, European oak floors, and two-panel wood doors that give the space a contemporary feel and elegant allure.

The kitchen features an elegant, rustic vibe.

The kitchen features an elegant, rustic vibe.

The two-level property includes two outdoor patios and a 720-square-foot garage. "With the intention to keep vehicular access as limited as possible, the garage structure sits forward on the lot, allowing the home to make good use of the wooded areas in the body of the property," says Dale Hubbard, founder of the firm.

The home is composed of limestone masonry and structural steel accents.

The home is composed of limestone masonry and structural steel accents.

An elevated breezeway connects the structures, allowing a historic ditch to flow underneath the property. The house’s simple form is oriented to the front and backyard.  

The Blue Dot sofa is from Restoration Hardware.

The Blue Dot sofa is from Restoration Hardware.

The interior areas flow toward the outdoors in all directions, and thanks to the use of bi-fold Dutch doors, as well as movable glass walls in the living room, the home is able to maximize its connection to nature.

A fully glazed corridor allows the owner to enjoy the autumn foliage outdoors.

A fully glazed corridor allows the owner to enjoy the autumn foliage outdoors.

Upstairs, the layout is clean and simple, with a loft area connecting the master suite and children’s bedrooms.

Large glass windows bring in ample amounts of natural light.

Large glass windows bring in ample amounts of natural light.

"The interior concept is envisioned as a bright, simple, and functional family space, expressed with natural materials and glass. The home needed to be efficient, not just in terms of energy, but also with respect to implementation, and it also has to cater to the needs of ever-changing family life," explains Hubbard.

The chairs pictured above are from Room and Board.

The chairs pictured above are from Room and Board.

The kitchen bar counter extends out to the patio, creating a great space for entertaining.

The kitchen bar counter extends out to the patio, creating a great space for entertaining.

Inspired by historic farmhouses, beams are left exposed in the bedroom ceiling.

Inspired by historic farmhouses, beams are left exposed in the bedroom ceiling.

A closer peek at the kitchen. Here, you can see how the counter extends to the outdoor patio.

A closer peek at the kitchen. Here, you can see how the counter extends to the outdoor patio.

The home features a beautiful garden, designed and landscaped by Marpa.

The home features a beautiful garden, designed and landscaped by Marpa.

Project Credits:

Architecture, lighting and interior design: Surround Architecture

Builder: Morningstar Homes

Structural engineering: Ascent Group

Civil engineering: Sanitas Group

Landscape design: Marpa

Sound engineering: AVCrafters

Cabinetry: Bruce Jaffe Design

Custom fabrication: Coalesce 

Architectural timber and steel manufacturers: Spearhead

Michele Koh Morollo
Dwell Contributor
Michele Koh Morollo is a journalist who has been writing about design, lifestyle and travel for the last twenty years.

Published

Last Updated

Get the Dwell Newsletter

Be the first to see our latest home tours, design news, and more.