Retro to Refined: A Condo’s Modern Transformation

A small 1970s Aspen condo receives a modern makeover to accommodate a growing family.

9 hours ago

Suzi Mitchell,

Kitchen A ceiling light by Hector Finch and counter stools in hickory and woven leather by Grandin Road combine style and functionality in the custom kitchen by Tharp Cabinetry. | Photo: Dallas + Harris

Caitlin Dirkes’ late grandfather has a lot to be thanked for. Among his family legacies was the decision to buy a condo two blocks from the gondola at Aspen Mountain in the 1970s. “He bought it without consulting my grandmother, which she wasn’t thrilled about at the time,” Dirkes shares. The two-bedroom abode became a favorite family getaway spot, with memories spilling through the next generations.

In 2020 Dirkes’ parents thought they needed something bigger. They’d inherited the place in 1982, had done little to it, and were thinking about more space for their two daughters, son and grandchildren. A lengthy search ensued, with visits to many other mountain towns, before the family decided to keep the place and renovate.

Living Room Rozel fabric by GP & J Baker covers an accent chair and throw pillows on a custom sofa by Vanguard. A rug from Isberian Rugs and Hancock & Moore footstools complete the look. | Photo: Dallas + Harris

“It was like living on a boat; everything was so tiny,” recalls Dirkes, who runs her own interior design firm, Caitlin Dirkes Design. Originally built as a modular in Florida and resurrected in place, the building was lacking modern building materials.

“It was dark and a bit claustrophobic, with low ceilings to accommodate forced-air heat,” says Barry Gereb, principal designer at BG Architecture + Design. “The kitchen was constrained, and a wood-burning stove in the main living area occupied too much space.” The idea was to modernize the condo and make it more livable. “There were a lot of opinions when we started talking about how we wanted the place to look,” Dirkes says.

Dining Room A custom dining table by Holland MacRae and Monfumo terracotta chairs are framed with blue linen drapes by Cowtan & Tout. | Photo: Dallas + Harris

Initial visions of salvaging the retro 1960s fireplace failed due to its placement, and the electrical all had to go. “Every time you turned on a light, you’d get shocked,” she continues. Gereb drew up plans to take the place back to the studs, raise the ceilings more than a foot, and install radiant heat. “To keep mom happy,” Dirkes says, a gas fireplace was included, along with an entirely new lighting plan. Says Gereb, “That changed the whole atmosphere.”

The family enlisted Camille Seybert of CCS Project Management to oversee construction, which took about a year to complete after a lengthy wait for the permit. “There were definitely a lot of challenges given the age of the building, but in my experience any older remodel in the area is going to be interesting,” Seybert says. Constraints meant the two bathrooms could not be significantly changed, but they were given a facelift, and the original plumbing was replaced. Doors and closets were relocated and both bedrooms reconfigured, allowing them to live larger than the footprint.

Hallway Area A leather swivel chair from Hancock and Moore anchors the corner of the living space. | Photo: Dallas + Harris

The family commissioned Aspen Bunks to make a custom queen and twin bed arrangement for one bedroom to maximize space when the family is in town. A pull-out sofa chosen for the living room adds to the coveted sleeping spots. “We wanted it to feel like a home away from home,” Dirkes says. “I love texture and color, and so do my parents.

I found a fabric we liked with a Western take of blues, greens and reds and used that as a starting point for the design scheme.” Sage-green cabinets by Tharp Custom Cabinetry and soapstone countertops were chosen for the kitchen. Knotty pine interior doors add to the sense of place. “It is still small, but we are so happy we chose to keep it,” Dirkes says. No doubt her grandfather would agree.

Bedroom A twin and queen configuration bed with built-in drawer units was custom made by Aspen Bunks and finished in Saratoga Springs 1669 paint by Benjamin Moore. Rejuvenation sconces infuse soft lighting. | Photo: Dallas + Harris

Caitlin Dirkes’s Personal Story About the Process

My grandfather, Dick Dirkes was an avid skier since his start of training with the 10th Mountain Division during World War II. He would sometimes train in areas close to Aspen, which was around the time he was introduced to the incredible terrain of Aspen Mountain. He was riding one of the Aspen Mountain lifts around 1970-71 and he got to talking with his riding companion (the lifts were very slow then). His riding companion said he had a condo in town to sell and my grandfather agreed to buy it then and there.

Photo: Dallas + Harris

My grandmother had never seen it and was quite furious for purchasing it without her approval as it was a bit of a strange design. It was a modular unit built off site in Florida and brought in. My grandmother had a decorating business in NY and she quickly got busy over two seasons getting the condo fully decorated in true 1970’s form with orange shag carpeting, tomato red leather chairs and avocado countertops. My family inherited the condominium in 1982, we have spent countless Christmas, spring and summer breaks enjoying Aspen up until the present day.

Photo: Dallas + Harris

Now that myself and my two siblings each have their own families, the two bed, two bath unit can have its spatial challenges. My father agonized over selling it for a larger place elsewhere in Colorado, or Utah where we can all have our families together to enjoy the mountains. But we all agreed that our family memories in Aspen are unlike no other and to those that know Aspen there is no place like it elsewhere. We then decided to renovate to make the unit more comfortable for all of us to enjoy (it still had the same avocado countertops and shag carpeting my grandmother installed from the 70s).

We applied for our construction permit with CCS project management in 2022 and my father and I collaborated together on all the design decisions. We thankfully align quite well on most things, and we knew we wanted to have the beautiful environment of Aspen reflect the interiors. We chose knotty alder interior doors, green, blue and aspen leaf yellow hues. We had to make use of every little inch we could, as this condominium is about the size of a boat.

Photo: Dallas + Harris

So we brought it back down to the studs to raise the ceiling as far as we could and push any boundary to make the spaces feel larger. We wanted to make sure there were enough beds for 3 kids in the guest bedroom, and having the back walls angled does make it straightforward. We enlisted Aspen Bunks to help us create a twin over double bunk with ample storage for 3 kids’ ski clothes. All in all, the renovation took over 2 years, but it was a labor of love and at times a family struggle as having 5 different opinions can be challenging to please.

The condominium has been completed for a year and a half now and I can happily say everyone is more than pleased with the final result. Each family thoroughly enjoys spending time in all the rooms, especially the now massive kitchen, compared to the half galley it was before.