High Points: From Floors to Curry
Our gal in the know browses, buys, eats, and shares her discoveries from around the state and beyond
Our gal in the know browses, buys, eats, and shares her discoveries from around the state and beyond.
BROWSE
Madelife started as a gallery and retail showroom featuring Colorado artists and has now morphed into a launchpad and incubator (with workshops) for up-and-coming creative folk. Its 6,000-square-foot space combines a large storefront with furniture, small home accessories, art, jewelry, lighting, and fixtures as well as two galleries with monthly exhibitions for local artists curated by Leah Brenner, Madelife’s managing director.
Visual highlights from my visit: the scrap-masterpiece Colorado flag created by Boulder artist Aaron Foster using real Colorado license plates (34 inches x 56 inches, $1,500); custom tables and benches by the Steamboat duo Artifact that combine steel, wood, resin; and these ceramic bowls by Boulder artist Liz Quan:
Photo by Jennifer Olson
“There’s an eclectic, modern and unique aesthetic that we bring to the community. The acceptance of new artists is really what we’re doing here,” says Brenner.
2000 21st St., Boulder; madelife.com
HOME
Vail flooring company Arrigoni Woods is getting a lot of attention around town. Laurie O’Connell, owner of the chicest women’s and children’s clothing stores in Vail (Perch and Skipper & Scout), says the Valley is abuzz over this flooring importer. Arrigoni Woods specializes in European wide-plank, old-growth harvested wood floors (trending now is gray-toned aged oak), as well as reclaimed wood for architectural details around the home. A carpenter by trade, owner Balz Arrigoni left his native Switzerland in 1995 to teach skiing in Vail, but quickly saw a business opportunity in imported flooring. “You walk into someone’s house in Vail,” says O’Connell, “and you say, ‘Holy crap, these floors are amazing.’”
888-423-6668 arrigoniwood.com
BEST
It may only be one shade of gray, but Benjamin Moore’s Revere Pewter (HC-172) is one that won’t disappoint. There’s a reason why it’s one of the most-searched colors on the company’s website (out of 3,400 paint colors). Think of it as a utility player—its neutral shade satisfies both beige and gray tones while unifying the whole house with a calming sense of zen.
benjaminmoore.com
Photo by Jennifer Olson
BUY: Water glasses
Save: West Elm Bormioli Rocco Bodega glassware. Crafted in Spain of tempered glass, these highball glasses have a simple, clean design and feel for everyday. Dishwasher safe.
$36/set of 12, westelm.com
Photo by Jennifer Olson
Spend: Reidel H2O stemless water glasses. Finely cut, lead-free glass makes these delicate water glasses just right for water, juice, or wine. The balanced shape is urban cool, while the feel is uniquely elegant. Dishwasher safe; made in Bavaria.
$25/set of two, beveragefactory.com
Photo by Jennifer Olson
Splurge: Zalto Denk’Art tumbler glasses. Freakishly thin and light as air, with clean, precise angles “influenced by the axial tilt of the earth.” These ultra-delicate glasses are function in rare form. Still unsure? Check them out at Frasca in Boulder: Word on the street is that the restaurant just replaced all of its stemware with Zalto. Mouth-blown, lead-free.
$258/set of six, wineenthusiast.com
PAMPER
Who doesn’t need a skin super-hero to battle the havoc Colorado dryness wreaks? Sunday Riley’s Luna Night Sleeping Oil is a groundbreaking retinoid oil high in azulene that’s made to reduce pore size, improve the appearance of damaged skin, and help fight wrinkles. Made with organic, cold-pressed oils (avocado, chia, and Concord grape-seed), this calming serum sinks in deeply and does wonders overnight. Loveland native Heather Hach-Hearne, an L.A. screenwriter (“Freaky Friday”), discovered Luna this spring and is now obsessed: “I love that my skin laps it right up, and it took exactly one day to wake up dewy (as dewy as my 40-something skin gets). It’s the bomb.” The high price-tag is worth every blue drop.
$105, sephora.com
EAT
Biju’s Little Curry Shop in Denver has become a must-stop for Southern-style Indian curry. Chef Biju Thomas redefines a meal in a bowl by offering customized curry bowls with a base of rice (biryani or white), a protein or veggie, and a variety of toppings—fiery chutneys, toasted coconut, crunchy cashews, roasted Brussels sprouts, special slaw, chutneys, and more—all made from scratch. Fast and affordable with fun décor (think chalk art), a casual atmosphere, and super-friendly staff.
1441 26th St., Denver. Open 11 am- 9 pm; littlecurryshop.com
