Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2019/January 2020 i 5280 Home

WHEN I MOVED TO DENVER from the south side of Indianapolis almost seven years ago, the city was, of course, very different from the sleepy cow town that I’ve heard so many natives reminisce about. But compared to what our cityscape looks like now, there may as well have been tumbleweeds rolling across the streets back then. In less than a decade, empty city blocks and neglected neighborhoods have been transformed by the addition of posh hotels reviewed by the New York Times, sprawling food-and-retail halls, hip boutiques, and award-winning restaurants. Mikhail Dantes, a longtime local interior designer and co-owner of the new MOD Design furniture showroom (page 21), summed up the shift nicely during our recent phone conversation: “With the influx of people moving to Denver, you can see…

If you believe the adage that every home should tell a story, consider Capsule your new go-to decor source. The vintage art and furniture shop—opened in July in a 1903 brick-walled building once used as a horse-tack room—offers a tightly curated collection of pieces representing the last 90 or so years of North American and European design. In other words, you might find 1960s chartreuse velvet sofas, a Mexican onyx table, a sculptural Lucite lamp, Danish-modern case goods, and blush-pink-and-chrome midcentury chairs. “We have a lot going on in Capsule,” says founder Kelly Meeks, who also owns the nearby shop (and Denver favorite) Meek Vintage and offers design services out of Capsule. “But I really love to mix things. I don’t like it to be all midcentury or all Deco.”…

1. Howl Mercantile & Coffee Purveyor of Corvus coffee, artisanal goods, and local art in a hip, minimalist setting. 130 W. First St., 719-207-4600, howlmercantile.com 2. Little Red Hen Bakery A staple for wood-fired bagels, breads baked from heirloom grains, and legendary cinnamon rolls. 302 G St., 719-539-2401, littleredhensalida.com 3. Benson’s Tavern & Beer Garden Go for the dive-bar classics: a dimly lit corner, some green-chili cheese fries, and a local beer. 128 N. F St., 719-539-9391, bensonssalida.com 4. Little Cambodia Serves Southeastern Asian fare and pho, best enjoyed on the killer patio. 300 W. Sackett Ave., 719-539-8502 5. True Vintage Finds & Homegoods A treasure trove of antique furniture, kitschy retro art, and collectible relics. 140 W. First St., 719-239-2000…

Mike Blea & Breton Lujan CO-FOUNDERS, RAW CREATIVE About six years ago, Mike Blea and Breton Lujan—who met while attending the graduate architecture program at the University of Colorado Denver—took a flyer on a fresh idea: They would open a one-stop shop that could design a building, construct it, and then fabricate its custom furnishings and interior architectural details. The realized firm, called Raw Creative, is now responsible for some of Denver’s most beautiful commercial spaces, including restaurants Señor Bear and Morin (pictured). 5280 Home: What makes this concept work so well? Mike Blea: We’re control freaks—in a good way. We can retain unique design concepts that might intimidate someone else and bring them to life. The lack of familiarity with fabrication can drive some designers not to push the…

Dining Room THIS DINING ROOM’S COMPLEX CHARACTER— sophisticated but bold—is a perfect match for its owner: “She is elegant but fun, so we knew we could get away with a few really dynamic pieces,” says designer Beth Armijo of Armijo Design Group, who furnished this space—and every other room in the Cape Cod–style new build in Cory Merrill. Here, that approach started with a Regina Andrew pendant chandelier, “which is kind of like the jewelry of the room,” Armijo says. “As soon as the homeowner saw it, she was game.” Even with such a distinct focal point, the room maintains a tranquil mood, which Armijo set with a Casamance wallpaper. “It’s a bold, colorful, strong wallpaper,” she says. “We loved it because it has a landscape feel and looks like…

The face of INTERIOR DESIGN MARGARITA BRAVO, LLC Margarita Bravo is a luxury interior designer and decorator, remodeler, furniture curator, and creator of experiences based in Denver, Colorado. As an industrial engineer turned interior designer, Margarita brings a unique approach to the field. Her firm is a one-stop shop for all interior design related services. They act as the liaison between the contractor, the architect, and the owner—therefore streamlining the project and allowing clients to be worry-free and hands off. Margarita is an entrepreneur at heart. Born in East Venezuela, Margarita moved to Denver with her husband years ago and immediately fell in love with the city. It was when they began to build their first house here, that Margarita made the decision to solidify her passion for interior design…

Chayce Lanphear PHOTOGRAPHER Chayce Lanphear’s passion for photography budded when he was 17 years old, after he bought an old Ricoh Singlex II camera. Since then, he’s shot portraits, weddings, families, and events—first as an assistant, and now at the helm of his own business. When not on the go, Lanphear resides in a live/work studio in Denver. “Since it’s an open concept, I guess the whole studio would win the top design award!” he says. For “Fresh Perspectives” (page 33), Lanphear shot portraits of a group of local design innovators—and got another dose of creative inspiration. Hilary Oswald EDITOR-AT-LARGE “The best designers are problem-solvers,” says editor-at-large Hilary Masell Oswald, who interviewed six design innovators for “Fresh Perspectives” (page 33).“For example, the founder of Noho makes ergonomic furnishings from upcycled…

For Colorado artist and designer Stephen Gulau, just playing around in his shop has yielded a diverse portfolio of unconventional, experimental furniture designs that straddle the line between functional objects and fine art. “In the past, I’ve done a lot of commissioned work built for a specific client and space,” says Gulau, who also spent years teaching wood shop and fabrication at art schools in Chicago and San Francisco before returning to his Clear Creek County hometown in 2018 to focus on his own design practice—currently based in a 6-by-10-foot cargo trailer adjacent to his portable, solar- and wind-powered tiny house. “Now, 90 percent of the stuff I make, I make for me out of my own curiosity,” he says. (Gulau still welcomes commissions, and also sells select pieces through…

ABEND GALLERY You’ll find a broad spectrum of mediums—think oil paintings, encaustics, and mixed media—from local, national, and international artists at this large, well-lit gallery. (A robust inventory practically guarantees you’ll find something you love.) Tuesday–Saturday noon–6 p.m.; 1412 Wazee St., 303-355-0950, abendgallery.com ARTWORK NETWORK This airy two-level gallery is all about connecting artists and collectors. Plus, businesses can get fresh art every 90 days as part of Artwork Network’s Art Rotation program (the gallery even installs the pieces). Monday–Friday 9 a.m.–5 p.m.; special hours First and Third Fridays; 767 Santa Fe Drive, 303-388-7420, artworknetwork.com BALEFIRE GOODS Located in the heart of Olde Town Arvada, this jewelry gallery showcases contemporary wearables crafted by artists, metalsmiths, and jewelers from around the world, as well as pieces made in house. Monday–Thursday and…

Vivid colors and elaborate patterns are not typically associated with the work of Denver designer Mikhail Dantes. At the helm of D&D Interiors, Dantesalongside his brother, Ron—has created muted, minimalistic spaces that exude timeless elegance for more than 30 years. But when Dantes first discovered emerging British designer Kit Miles’ collection of textiles and wallcoverings (pictured) in London, “I was drawn to the vibrancy and life,” he says. So began Dantes’ latest endeavor: MOD Design, a to-the-trade showroom that brings a slew of makers and artisans never before represented in the Denver area—in addition to familiar favorites—to the Denver Design District. “The taste level is being elevated [here],” he says. “There’s such great talent out there, and to have more options is every designer’s dream.” mod.design…

Salida’s Poor Farm has served several purposes throughout its 127-year life: The brick farmhouse on the banks of the Arkansas River was built as a refuge for the area’s have-nots—hence the name—before operating as a dance hall, a grange, and today, an Airbnb rental. Owners Shae Whitney and Brady Becker, the wife-husband duo behind craft beverage producer Dram Apothecary, purchased the structure in 2017 with plans to renovate its interiors while keeping its storied past alive. “It was hard to know what direction to take it in,” Whitney says. “We scraped everything that wasn’t historic and wanted the house to show its character without being overly hokey or fussy. The previous owner had taken the Victorian theme too far.” Ultimately, the pair—who live in a separate on-site cottage and grow…

Good news, Denverites: Get the Gallery is investing in a “local first” initiative that aims to connect subscribers along the Front Range with artists in the Mile High City. “It’s the farm-to-table idea,” co-founder Joe Clark says. The company benefits from reduced shipping costs and a lower environmental impact—plus the intangible bonus of building the city’s network of artists and potential collectors. For subscribers in Denver, this approach means quicker delivery: Artworks selected early in the afternoon arrive by courier before the day’s end (with no shipping charge!). We call that a satisfying and speedy solution to bare walls all over the city.…

If Her Name Was Charley—better known as Charley Co.—has anything to do with it, the age of dull Office Space–esque workplaces (greige, sterile, and filled with cubicles) is nearing an end. The women-only coworking space kick-started by Denver entrepreneur Bryn Carter is the exact opposite of meh, with saturated colors and sculptural shapes at every turn. Opened in July in the Source, Charley Co. looks like something director Wes Anderson might dream up—if he were a she (note the on-site salon and mother’s room). In fact, the design of the 5,200-square-foot, two-story interior was devised by the lady-led team at Davis Partnership Architects, and Abigail Plonkey, chief experience curator at local creative agency Maximalist. “I was drawn to the fact that Bryn didn’t want it to be this really frilly,…

First came love, then came hygge. At least, that’s how it happened for Alexandra Gove, who became acquainted with the Danish word for cozy contentment after moving to Amsterdam in 2012 with then-boyfriend, Koen van Renswoude, and taking a trip to Copenhagen a year later. Their time abroad led to their marriage, a blog called Hygge Life, a retail shop in Avon (the Colorado town they now call home) of the same name, and, as of this past September, the coffee table book Dwell Gather Be ($35). Penned by Gove, the book brims with photos of inviting minimalist decor, but also serves as a reminder that hygge is as much about people as it is about plush sheepskin throws. “Home is a place for ourselves,” Gove says, “but it’s also…