A Successful Kitchen Transformation Inspires these Denver Homeowners to Redesign the Rest of their Home

A Denver home gets an elegant update, with clean lines and classic good looks

August 25, 2023

Laura Beausire,

Living Room Designer Kim Layne and her team created a formal living area with a silvery sheen of sophistication and cool blue tones. A white velvet sofa and mirrored coffee table, both by Bernhardt, join armchairs and a chaise belonging to the homeowners that Layne had reupholstered. | Photo by Emily Minton Redfield

It all started with a broken dishwasher. That one little problem inspired a big, beautiful solution for a Denver family: “We went looking for a new dishwasher, and that ended up being an entire new update of the house,” says the homeowner.

Dining Room Soft teal hues shine in the dining room, where the designers reupholstered a set of end chairs already belonging to the homeowners and added Phillip Upholstered Dining Chairs from Classic Home and textured wallpaper by Kravet. | Photo by Emily Minton Redfield

Their 2001 home had a heavy, dark Tuscan style, and the owners were eager for a change. They started by bringing in Denver’s Exquisite Kitchen Design (EKD) to give the kitchen a simple, modern makeover. Then, they had a wall removed between the kitchen and great room to open up those spaces and allow light to flood in through massive windows.

Breakfast Nook For the kitchen’s inviting breakfast nook, Layne designed a cozy, custom banquette and a pair of benches upholstered in a zippy houndstooth fabric. For convenience, they can slide underneath the faceted table, cleverly crafted by artisans at Denver’s Where Wood Meets Steel. | Photo by Emily Minton Redfield

Energized by the transformation of their kitchen, the homeowners contacted Kim Layne, founder and chief creative officer of Denver-based Kim Layne Interiors, to help redesign the rest of the home. “We wanted a classic, refined type of look,” Layne says. “We zeroed in on trying to elevate the level of it, lighten it up and give it some upscale, beautiful touches.”

Great Room Tall and flooded with natural light, the white and welcoming great room offers ample seating thanks to a generous Derring Sectional sofa by Kravet. The X-shaped Privet Lane Coffee Table is also by Kravet. | Photo by Emily Minton Redfield

Together, they settled on a classic, contemporary style that would outlast trends, incorporating elevated materials for durability and elegance. With a white, steely gray and blue color palette, the refreshed rooms are crisply tailored yet unfussy. “We have a pool in the backyard, and we wanted the cool tones of blue throughout the whole house, like the theme of coolness and water,” says the homeowner. Layne obliged by layering in a range of blue hues, from teal to navy, in each room.

Kitchen An open, new layout allows the kitchen to share space with the breakfast nook and great room. Designers made a point of incorporating elevated materials to provide both timeless beauty and durability. The Menlo Swivel Counter Stools are by Palecek. | Photo by Emily Minton Redfield

The sunny breakfast nook presented a design challenge. “We’re both big booth people,” says the homeowner, “but we didn’t know what to do about the table.” Fortunately, Layne put them in touch with a Denver custom furniture studio, Where Wood Meets Steel, whose artisans crafted a wood table in a faceted shape that’s a perfect fit.She added custom banquette seating and a pair of oversized stools that can tuck underneath the table. Now, it’s a cozy and welcoming space year-round.

Primary Bathroom Elegant marble tiles and shades of pearlescent white create a tranquil atmosphere in the pristine primary bathroom.Sleek plumbing fixtures, a sculptural tub, plush ottoman, and contemporary chandelier all combine to create an extra level of luxury in the light-filled retreat. | Photo by Emily Minton Redfield

Layne added sophisticated furnishings with a subtle sheen to the formal living room, and, in the airy great room, the designers painted over the dark beams and added a plush velvet sectional and contemporary chandelier. They covered the fireplace with a layer of Venetian plaster for a clean, new look.

Upstairs, the home’s original four bedrooms were converted into three, with a concealed entrance leading from the primary bedroom into the husband’s closet. “When it’s closed, it looks like just a normal bookcase in our bedroom, but you could push it open and it’s like a secret door,” the homeowner says. “We call it a man cave.”

Primary Bedroom Deep navy blue grasscloth wallpaper by Kravet sets a relaxing mood in the primary bedroom, where a blue- and-white Crossing Circles Heaven Jar lamp from CAI Designs rests atop a dignified Bernhardt Auberge chest beside the bed. | Photo by Emily Minton Redfield

Much more than a conventional closet, the room is a private retreat, complete with a massage chair and television. The designers also reimagined the primary bathroom, formerly a dark space with a sunken bathtub and yellow, water-stained marble, as a haven of pearly-white tranquility, adding luxurious new fixtures and finishes.

Today, the home is a perfect place for entertaining family and friends, with an open floor plan and lighter, brighter décor. “It’s so much more easy on the eye, and just comforting,” says the homeowner. “It’s a little oasis for us now.” And how about that new dishwasher? “Best dishwasher ever!” says the homeowner with a laugh.

RESOURCES

INTERIOR DESIGN: Kim Layne Interiors

KITCHEN DESIGN: Exquisite Kitchen Design

ARCHITECTURE: Don Goerig

CONSTRUCTION: Haley Custom Homes

PHOTOGRAPHY: Emily Minton Redfield Photography

PRODUCT GUIDE

REUPHOLSTERED FURNITURE FABRIC: A&B Riley

GREAT ROOM LAMP: Arteriors

LIVING ROOM COUCH AND TABLE: Bernhardt

PRIMARY BEDROOM CHEST: Bernhardt

HAND-BEADED FLOOR LAMP: CAI Designs