By Hope Hamashige

	Click for more images Architect: Elizabeth Metz Architect Click here to read more from the architect for this project. Interior design Madison Interiors Builder: New Life Construction Landscape design: Landmark Design

One couple’s search for a new home ended exactly where it began. After making the rounds of real estate open houses, the pair concluded that while their 1,200-square-foot ranch house was too small for a growing family, it did occupy a glorious site. Perched atop a slight hill and surrounded by towering pines on a quiet lane, the property had the secluded feel of a mountain retreat, despite its proximity to Denver’s crowded thoroughfares.

Even though they never anticipated building from the ground up, the longtime Mile High City residents knew right away who they wanted to do the job. “We’ve seen dozens of renovations and only twice asked who the architect was,” says the owner about their search. “Since they both said Elizabeth Metz, we knew we had to hire her.”

The dream home they described to their architect is a little like Denver itself: urban and sophisticated on the one hand, cozy as a mountain lodge on the other, and built as solid as the Rocky Mountains. The result is a home that is modern in form, traditional in its use of materials and building techniques, and as at home in Colorado as a quaint Victorian. “The idea was that it should have a lot of modern elements but they should be interpreted so that they have local color,” says Metz.

To achieve the right look, the architect chose Colorado buff sandstone for the exterior, and for the modern lines desired by the owners she interchanged rugged stone with flush stucco. Throughout the two-story, five-bedroom home, modern lines are tempered with organic materials to create a warmth that some contemporary homes lack. In the main living spaces natural materials, such as sandstone for the fireplace and exposed Douglas-fir beams along the ceilings, add a cozy touch, reminiscent of a mountain cabin.

One of the owners is a gourmet cook, so commercial-grade stainless steel appliances dominate the large kitchen, where cherry wood cabinets warm the cold steel and make the family gathering place feel homier. Two dining spaces adjoin the kitchen: on one side is an informal breakfast nook, while a self-contained formal dining room is accessed through a door at the other end.

To both the architect and owners, there’s no question the windows that dapple every room with natural sunlight are the true centerpiece of the home. “Light was very important to the owners and it’s very important to me,” says Metz. “When the light’s not right, you don’t use the space.”

The focus on light and fenestration starts in the foyer. Here, two stories of windows cascade down one side of the entrance while two rows above the door create an interplay of light and shadows found throughout the home. A pair of steps descends into the great room and family room, where the owners, who have two small children, wanted a grand but welcoming space flooded with light from the outdoors for their frequent gatherings of friends and family.

To maximize the light, Metz lifted the ceilings to a towering 10 1/2 feet. Rather than oversize glass, she chose divided-light windows to cast patterns of light throughout the day and create warmth. “Windows that are too large are cold and impersonal,” she notes. “It’s worse at night because they become dark blank spaces unless they are divided.”

When it came to decorating their new home, the owners told interior designer Martha Gart that, like the architecture, the furnishings were to be spare but not cold. Playing off the architect’s blending of styles, she chose eclectic pieces whose common denominator is comfort. “They wanted something livable and unpretentious,” says Gart, who filled one section of the living room with an oversized leather chair placed next to a textured sofa. “And I think the contrast of materials makes it less formal.” The earthy palette of browns, greens, and reds is intentionally reminiscent of a fall day in the San Juan Mountains in southwestern Colorado, one of the couple’s favorite vacation destinations. Gart added Asian touches to create a layer of contrast and to remind the owners of their honeymoon in Nepal.

Everyone involved in the project agreed that quality needed to take precedence over quantity. “The term we used was ‘livable in the long term,’” says Gart. “We all agree that this home will be comfortable and stylish 20 years from now.”