The bucket list reads like the amenities at an exotic resort: Japanese Onsen spa with ofuro bathroom, veranda, gourmet kitchen, rooftop lounge, bamboo garden and pool, leisure areas and modern and elegant architecture, with an integrated interior/exterior, which borrows from Japanese and Scandinavian design traditions.
But Brett and Julie Mosley, the authors on this list, did not have extensive, complex-style land at their disposal. They had an empty 37. 5-foot-wide lot in Denver’s South Pearl Street neighborhood, which was the right length for the 1,300-square-foot Bungalow that in the past occupied the site for more than a century.
Fortunately, the couple also had an artistic architect who could be a genius. “They gave me the flexibility to make the elements they wanted,” says Katrina Eckelhoff, director of StudioHoff Architecture, “and allowed me to be more artistic as I worked. to a consistent design. “
When faced with a narrow urban lot like this, “most visitors need to expand the space as much as you can imagine, to make the garden bigger,” Eckelhoff says. North aspect of the land, create a courtyard in the south aspect and wrap the space around it?It gave us more connection between inside and outside, more [windows] and actually created outdoor spaces [including a pool buried in a container] an extension of the space.
But the fabrics the Mosleys chose to line their new home — thin, dark bricks and soft vertical-grained cedar — are encouraged by the architecture the couple found on a trip around the world. “Julie and I love Japanese and Scandinavian aesthetics; the simplicity of designing and using herbal fabrics,” says Brett, who has developed and built many homes in Denver through his company, HIWA Development.
With the help of designer Angie Graham of Compliment Design Interiors, the couple incorporated some of the elegant finishes into the house, where black brick covers the fireplace wall and warm white oak defines the woodwork and flooring. “Angie also advised that we use the same collection of plumbing fixtures from the house, lighting from the same brands, and subway and penny mosaics in just a few colors and finishes, so that everything is connected,” julie explains.
But if simplicity was a goal, austerity was not. “We also love color and fun,” Julie adds, “and we bet on flowers. “In the bathroom, a wall cladding with a tangle of tropical flowers completes the glossy black tiles. In his daughter Isla’s room, a mural depicts a meadow of spring flowers. And in the basement playroom, interior designer Kate Carroll of HUT Collective created a traditional tree house and climbing wall, on which she painted giant tropical leaves.
Carroll also helped the owners design furniture made with herbal fabrics that give a lot of visual interest. “to the stools on the kitchen counter,” explains Julie. “It’s not a direct correspondence, but sophisticated connections. “
Vibrant textiles and local art add more color to the mix. Family favorites come with a traditional portrait through street artists Pedro Barrios and Jaime Molina, a sandstone mural through Adriann Leigh, and illustrated portraits of Isla and his younger brother Calvin through photographer Sara Ford.
“I love the fact that we commission local art; I’m proud of that and the local women’s design professionals represented here,” says Julie. “There was so much intentionality in each and every selection we made,” Brett adds. The wish list was long, but we looked for each and every detail as they spoke to us. “
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