Photo Credit | Dane Cronin
Architect | Joseph Vigil
Interior Designer | Ulla Lange
General Contractor | VPC Homes, Vaughn Paul
This partial remodel re-envisioned the house’s exterior, kitchen, and main living spaces while leaving the bed and bathrooms untouched. From the start, the owner knew that he wanted a kitchen redesign, as well as a place to display his guitar collection. His favorite color is orange, so it was incorporated into the exterior and interior.
The original living and kitchen space was poorly lit and claustrophobic. The Owner wanted a much more open feel, so the center wall between the kitchen and dining spaces was removed and a sliding glass door was added.
The Owner had two major requirements for the interior of the project: a great display wall featuring reclaimed wood for his guitars and an island in the kitchen where his two children could hang out. In addition we moved the laundry from the garage to the kitchen behind a seamlessly integrated cabinet. We also created a study space off the dining room large enough for two people to use simultaneously. The desk was designed to match the kitchen cabinetry and hide the tangle of wires.
The kitchen design is based on a modern aesthetic. The Owner knew he wanted grey counters. We specified grey quartz which is very low maintenance unlike natural stone because it doesn’t need to be sealed. It also allows for a thickened counter edge.
The cabinetry is rift cut white oak veneer chosen for its linear grain. Its natural warmth pairs nicely with the grey counters. We brought some color into the kitchen via a mosaic backsplash of soft, muted teal and olive green tones in a frosted finish.
The Owner didn’t want any upper cabinets so instead there are floating shelves in the corner and glass shelves near the window. There is also a pullout pantry. The Corner cabinet has a pull-out tray rather than a lazy-susan.
The walls are painted a subtle grey. The accent wall and the pendants over the island bring a splash of the Owner’s favorite color — orange.
replace windows, front door and garage door
reconfigure the kitchen and dining room
moving laundry room from the garage into the kitchen area
repaint the exterior
added insulation
air sealing
add photovoltaic system
The original home was typical 1960s construction with a vented crawlspace, poor insulation (R11 in the walls) and standard single pane windows.
Sustainability improvements included: testing for radon, insulating the crawl space, installing a plastic barrier on the crawl space floor, removing exiting attic insulation, air sealing the attic and re-insulating the attic to R50; adding a heat recovery ventilator (HRV).
1,992 residential square feet
$171,200 Construction Costs; $85.94/SF Construction
450 Lipan Way, Boulder CO 80303