OPEN LIVING The home site features spectacular views of the mountains, an aspect of the build that drove the design. Few window coverings were incorporated, so the outside—the light, sky and mountains—is allowed to come in. Photo by Anna Hudson.When Margarita Bravo was first contacted about designing this home in Castle Pines, she soon discovered that there was no home in which to work. “There was just dirt,” she says, and the soon-to-be homeowners wanted help with everything from the ground up. They were relocating from Chicago, and having decided on Denver, were not about to miss out on those very un-Midwestern mountain views. “We have a lot of big windows around the house to make sure that nature and light come in,” Bravo says. “We decided to leave a lot of windows without any drapery or window coverings to make sure we can definitely enjoy that view.”
Bravo and her clients met in person no more than two or three times—working mostly through email and videoconferencing—to select furnishings and finishes to maximize the space and the feel of the family’s new home. The result is a master class in balance— contemporary and rustic, neutral and colorful, calm and exciting—throughout the house. “They were not afraid of colors and materials,” Bravo says, “and putting fun palettes together.”
SHADES OF GRAY The Homeowners love to entertain, so the kitchen is completely open to the living room. The various gray hues that make up the tile backsplash are echoed in the cabinet colors, countertops, and fabric choices throughout the space. Photo by Anna Hudson.The heart of the home is the open-concept living/ dining/kitchen space with 14-foot ceilings and a dramatic stone fireplace. “We selected a natural stone from our vendor in Italy,” says Bravo, who then created a pattern effect with a single material. “To bring a little dimension, we used the same stone in the same color but mixed the finishes. We have a portion of polish, a portion of honed, and then another portion that had some dimensional texture on it.”
This space flows seamlessly with the outdoors. Doors open to a deck with a dining table and sitting area with another stone-enveloped fireplace, and downstairs there’s another outdoor space ready for entertaining with a firepit and that same breathtaking view. “They’re empty nesters,” says Bravo. “I kind of envision them sitting in these chairs, just looking out at the view, enjoying it, having some wine.”
STONE-FACED The stone work that surrounds the fireplace on the upper deck defines one of the several sitting areas that invite outdoor living in this home. Photo by Anna Hudson.Playful contrasts continue in the master bedroom. The bed itself features a contemporary chrome outline filled in with soothing gray velvet. “The bed and the nightstands are very calm, very simple,” says Bravo. “Then you have this striking chandelier with black glass that definitely has that modern feeling.” She also felt the space needed an even bolder statement, and soon came across a patterned console that practically dances in place.
To demarcate the master bath is a striking barn door. The sliding closure, Bravo says, “is, again, mixing and matching a very sophisticated panel with a more rustic metal handle on the barn door. It’s that intersection between contemporary and a rustic mountain feel. You see how well they can work together.”
MOD MOOD The focal point of the master bedroom is a gorgeous custom pendant lamp. It’s a very classic shape made into something much more modern by the use of black glass. The wall behind the headboard is a suede-finish wallpaper that adds subtle texture to the room. Photo by Anna Hudson.The downstairs space is intended for fun and games. The homeowners are ping-pong aficionados, and space for the table was of primary importance. Bravo rounded out the lower level with a bar table set for three. “Whenever they have guests and they decide to play ping-pong, they have a little seating area to have drinks and appetizers and enjoy the space.”
Nearby is the media area. The neutral sofa proudly wears a fun pattern on its back although comfort is key. “The sofa is designed to hug you,” says Bravo. “As soon as you sit on that, you don’t want to leave that space ever again.”
HERE’S LOOKING AT YOU A snug and inviting velvet sectional allows for easy movie viewing. The buffalo artwork adds a pop of color. Photo by Anna Hudson.The textured tile on the far wall—in addition to framing the eye-catching buffalo—continues into the bar, again tying the spaces together, driving home Bravo’s intentions for the entire home. “This house is about integrating the spaces and enjoying them all at the same time,” she says. “It’s designed to entertain and to have fun.”
