The architects did away with the open-air approach to the front door to create an indoor entry hall for more room to receive guests.
To preserve the character of their home midcentury home originally constructed by well-known local architect Roland G. Roessner, Tracey and David Hime wanted to sensitively update the structure to meet their needs. The Himes hired Paul Clayton and Emily Little of Clayton & Little Architects on the recommendation of a relative. Architect Emily Little’s involvement was particularly fitting—her childhood home was on the same street, and she had been familiar with the house most of her life; in fact, her parents were friends with the original owners. As part of the renovation, the entryway was updated and altered; photovoltaic panels were added above the carport and the new guest "casita" behind the carport. The tall sconce at the entry is an original light fixture.
Deciding to buy a home comes with its own unique set of pressures. Oftentimes, it’s seen as a seal of adulthood, an acceptance of permanence, and perhaps most importantly, it also means that you’re about to spend a large sum of money; it makes sense that no one wants to go about it in a casual way.
For the new addition, new brick syncs with the old, while blackened steel provides a modern counterpoint to the historic facade.
The rough brickwork at the front entry was also retained, however a high fence was removed and replaced with a concrete bench that’s offered as a welcoming rest spot to the community.
The new and old parts of Deco House meet at the hidden side entry—now the main entrance—on the shared driveway. It opens to the home’s sole double-height space with the living areas in the new extension to the left and the main bedroom in the original 1930s cottage on the right.
Hoff says she and Cobb saved about 40 to 50 percent of the house’s existing elements—notably the original brick facade, which now contrasts with new solar roof tiles from Solteq.
The living room holds a Mags Soft Low sofa from Hay, a Mara coffee table from Article, and a Jotul woodstove.
The firm modeled the home’s interior after typical seaside houses, with a light palette meant to provide a canvas for dramatic plays of sunlight.
Whitewashed Tasmanian oak slats line the ceiling of the kitchen, which is designed to be hard-wearing for a family with a passion for cooking. Custom joinery surrounds the space.
Wood paneling, floors, and other accents like the bathroom vanity continue the use of natural materials throughout the home.
Seattle-based Robert Hutchison Architecture worked with the homeowners to design an addition to the residence that respects its original post-and-beam construction.
To make an open-plan kitchen and dining area feel both connected and distinct, Dublin suggests using lighting from the same collection, but with different finishes—or furniture with the same materials, but different designs (like these Rye stools at the island and Kelso chairs under Rejuvenation’s new Oatfield table). Another new piece, the Illingsworth rug under the table creates a visual separation between the dining area and the kitchen.
Rejuvenation offers collections that use the same design language and finishes across lighting, hardware, and plumbing to allow you to create a cohesive look in your home. In this kitchen, Blair pendants and sconces have been paired with Blair shelving, Blair cabinet hardware and Blair faucets to create a kitchen with strikingly geometric elements inspired by 1940s industrial design.
As with the rest of the rooms, the kitchen is neutral and inviting, with details like locally sourced terracotta tile adding texture to the space.
There’s a one-foot level change down to the primary bedroom, which is Shaker in spirit. Instead of closets, each bedroom has a set of deep, built-in drawers. “The architects kept us to our word that the house is meant for short-term stays,” the husband says. Lachapelle sourced the Ethnicraft bed and side table from Fiore Home in Portland, Maine, and the vintage velvet Ligne Roset chair from the Brimfield Antique Market.
In the entry, a high interior window borrows light from the bedroom wing and a woven wood screen in the kitchen lets the owners see who’s at the front door. Kalon Studios crafted the bench from a single ash log. “It will split a bit over time,” Lachapelle says.
DeNiord designed a simple concrete bench with a honed top to run parallel to the randomly sized concrete pads that lead to the covered entry. He planted blueberry bushes behind the bench and a river birch tree behind the boulder. To conjure a wabi-sabi feel outdoors, diNiord poured concrete around a boulder. “It represents the interruption of perfect geometry,” he says.
DiNiord collaborated with craftsman Ken Hood to design the concrete bench with firewood storage and detachable wood back. Douglas fir columns along the walkway creates a colonnade. The mono-sloped roof is a nod to the long roofline of the original house that stood on the property. “Reducing the angles also reflects the strictness to budget,” the wife says.
“Metaphorically, the cabin’s exterior is like a cut log,” Lane says. “The black-stained Western red cedar is the bark, and the Douglas fir siding under cover is the exposed wood once the log has been cut.” Beyond the house and native sod gardens, a meadowscape blends into the mature pine forest at the lakefront. “We wanted a woodland garden quality,” landscape architect Soren deNiord says.
Interior designer Heidi Lachapelle chose unfussy furnishings with clean lines. “Nothing should feel decorative or unnecessary,” she says. “We looked for things that would age beautifully to speak to the wabi-sabi concept.” The oak daybed is by Bautier, the indoor/outdoor rug is by Dash & Albert, and the trapezoidal cushions on the concrete bench nod to similar ones that the wife saw at Georgia O’Keefe’s home and studio. The Scandinavian-inspired fireplace throws heat from two sides.
A peek at the office area located in the guest suite upstairs.
"We love that our multipurpose space can act as a venue for productivity and collaboration in The Loft, while The House invites rest, relaxation, and connection as guests unplug at a quiet retreat in the woods," says Tarah. "The cherry on top is that we can do this from our own backyard, with our kids playing a special role in maintaining the property and hosting guests alongside us."
The main entrance to the property is on the lower level and leads directly to the living area of The House. The entrance is marked by a vintage rug, and the timber walkway shares the same material as the upper level deck that extends out from The Loft.
The living area is oriented around a floating window seat crafted from oak. "We wanted a place for guests to comfortably sit, read, and reflect in the beautiful Colorado surroundings," says Tarah. "We sourced the perfect slab of white oak from a local mill. We kept the edges raw and used a light, matte finish that highlighted the natural beauty without it being over saturated. I wanted it to feel as unfinished and natural as possible."
Pyatt's office is the sparest room in the house, with the straw panels "left raw to give a sense of the monolithic nature of those walls," according to Pyatt.
To further improve the acoustics of the open floor plan, a walnut-slatted, acoustic felt-backed dropped panel with integrated LEDs hangs above the kitchen island.
The entry door opens up to direct views of the central courtyard. "This view replaces the traditional accent wall, or piece of artwork, with a glass opening framing the sky and exotic plants (with a 500-year-old ironwood tree focal point) drawing your eye through the courtyard, expanding the feeling of the space," note the architects. The black lighting fixture is from Restoration Hardware.
Dan and Leah’s bedroom features a custom platform bed by Unruh Furniture and Cypress sconces by Cedar & Moss from Rejuvenation.
John Saunders Chase stands in front of his family home in Houston, Texas, with two of his three children, Anthony and John Jr. The home is characterized by its low-slung brick form, and an experimental central courtyard that shifted the paradigm for Modernist architecture in Houston.
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