Beautiful Greenwood Village Home Connects with Landscape in New Renovation
An improved floor plan gives this renovated Greenwood Village home a connection to the landscape
Exterior About the Cape Cod style home that was originally painted gray, homeowner Charlotte Gillespie says, “Painting it white was a real game changer. It allowed the inside and outside to act like one cohesive piece.” | Photos by Emily Minton Redfield
Charlotte and Rob Gillespie were in the market for a half-acre lot where they could build a home that supported their love of entertaining, featured adequate room for a pool, and promoted an easy indoor-outdoor lifestyle. At the urging of a friend in real estate, they toured an existing property in Greenwood Village with ample outdoor space to accomplish their goals but with a Cape Cod- style house that didn’t quite grab them. “It had a big covered porch on the back and a three-car garage with a guest suite,” recalls Charlotte about the plus side. “What didn’t appeal to us was the dated Tuscan interiors with its heavy stone and wrought-iron light fixtures.”
Dining Room Relocating the space allowed it to open to the backyard. The walnut wall provides a textural backdrop for the dining table and Sputnik-style chandelier, both from HW home. The chairs are from Arhaus, and the rug is by Artisan Rugs.
Bar The new layout made way for this room. Regarding the choice of dark walls Charlotte explains, “We call it ‘the snug,’ which is a British term used in England for a cozy bar space.” The velvet swivel chairs are Mitchell Gold.
After much consideration and many visits to the property, the couple decided to forge ahead: Thanks to her background in interior design, Charlotte Gillespie had a pretty clear vision of what needed to be done to the residence to make it theirs. Joining forces with builders Scott Kirkegaard and Dave Denton of AJ Kirkegaard Contractors, she initiated a total gut remodel and vanquished the Tuscan features. But reworking the floor plan to better honor the indoor-outdoor connection she craved was a challenge.
Kitchen The home’s core black-and-white color scheme is on display here with a soapstone island and cabinets by Coeur Cabinet + Curated Interiors. The counter stools are from Arhaus, the stove hood is by Raw Urth Designs and the floors are European white oak.
“There was a huge dining room near the front entry, and I wanted a space with doors that opened to the patio on the back. But I couldn’t figure out how to make that happen,” she admits. On Kirkegaard’s advice she contacted Emily Lindemann, owner of Coeur Cabinet + Curated Interiors who also works as the director of interior design at Ruggles Mabe Studio. She determined the solution was to relocate the dining room to what would become the pool side of the house.
Entry The white oak doors open to reveal an intricately carved chest from HW Home, an antique Persian rug, and burnished brass sconces by Circa Lighting. “It’s a good representation of the elegant style of the rest of the house,” says interior designer Emily Lindemann.
In addition, Lindemann says, “We created a more pronounced entry space, made the kitchen bigger, and transformed a previously underutilized breakfast nook by vaulting the ceiling and putting in skylights to brighten the space.” In the new dining area, a paneled walnut wall was introduced to conceal an adjacent pool bathroom and provide hidden storage for china and linens. “It’s a wow moment that looks like art,” Lindemann adds.
Indoor-Outdoor Originally a huge dining room was located near the front entryway, but Lindemann suggested moving the dining room to the pool side of the house to reinforce the indoor-outdoor connection.
Primary Bathroom Oversize divided-light windows guarantee a garden view from the Victoria & Albert slipper tub from Ultra Design. Leathered Taj Mahal marble adds an elegant touch to the walnut vanity by Coeur Cabinet + Curated Interiors. The ceiling fixture is by Circa Lighting
Describing her design style as classic with a modern twist, Charlotte Gillespie deftly combined new and existing pieces to establish a fresh neutral palette and a modern farm- house feel. In the entry, for example, a carved South American chest, antique Persian rug and an Art Deco-style glass-and-brass ceiling fixture offer a representation of what is to come. In the great room, a steel fireplace brings an edge to the upholstered seating, and in the dining room, an abstract rug and Sputnik-style chandelier featuring blown-glass orbs are modern touches. Meanwhile, Lindemann added details to further complement the new aesthetic.
Living Room The thin slate fireplace wall is from Porcelanosa. “It provides a modern moment in the transitional space,” says the designer. The custom sofas wear a durable polyester/linen blend with a protective coating, and the swivel chairs are 100% polypropylene.
The new dining area now opens to the covered porch, the latter providing a natural focal point for the re-creation of the landscape. The Gillespies turned to landscape designer Joshua Ruppert and Juan Monarrez from Sketch Design Studio, who, Charlotte says, “walked outside and started sketching and everything fell into place.”
Fire Pit With the emphasis on outdoor living, a cozy fire is a welcome sight on cool summer and fall nights. Both the fire pit and sculptural chairs are from Creative Living. Just beyond, dining al fresco takes place at a table and chairs from RH.
Two new long steps following the outline of the porch provide access to a hot tub on one side and the pool directly ahead, and a raised deck on the opposite end of the pool at the same elevation as the covered porch creates additional lounging space. The elevated area is backed by a multifunctional stone wall with a vertical fireplace in the center, which both hides the pool equipment and works as a visual centerpiece. “In the evening, or in the dead of winter, we see this beautiful lit- up stone wall,” she adds.
Outdoor Living Room Sofas from the homeowner’s collection are covered with Sunbrella fabrics. The coffee table made from a quartz remnant features a powder- coated custom base, and the side tables are topped with Neolith remnants. On the opposite side of the pool, the sofas, coffee and side tables are from RH.
Pool Thanks to the addition of long steps on two sides of the covered seating area, access to the hot tub and pool is a breeze. White loungers fashioned from molded plastic that can be moved directly into the pool are from Floating Luxuries.
The combination of simplified design inside and a variety of outdoor living areas gave the Gillespies exactly what they wanted. As Lindemann explains, “Together we created a workable plan that celebrates their love of entertaining and the outdoors.”
Primary Bedroom A sliding glass-and-metal door separates the sleeping quarters from the primary bathroom, providing privacy as needed. The Bernhardt bed from the Columbine showroom features soft hues to create a calm environment. The mirror is from Arteriors, and the lamp and nightstand are from the owner’s previous home.
DESIGN DETAILS
INTERIOR DESIGN Coeur Caboeur Cabinet + Curated Interiors
BUILDER AJ Kirkegaard Contractors
LANDSCAPE Sketch Design Studio
PHOTOGRAPHY Emily Minton Redfield
