The Editor’s Picks

We feature excellence in every issue of this magazine, but our annual Circle of Excellence is special. It’s our highest honor and a profound thank-you to design professionals who have been raising the bar here for a very long time.

I look forward to the day when I can join this crew unmasked for a very tall glass of expensive bubbly. Until then, we offer a heartfelt congrats to the class of 2021: Regan and John Mattingly of Chalet, Susan Hall of Susan Hall Studio, Steven Perce and Chris Gray of bldg.collective, and Todd Kennedy of CCY Architects. Thank you all for your dedication to creating elevated designs for living in Colorado.

Teamwork CH&L art director Eleanor Williamson and photographer Jennifer Olson at the Circle of Excellence portrait shoot.

I also offer a major salute here to photographer Jennifer Olson and our art director Eleanor Williamson, who continually work their magic to create portraits and packages that highlight our award winners.

As always, we’ve got multiple stunning homes around the state. We’re excited to show the work of Joe McGuire Design, Cook Design House and Mandil Inc.

Our market editor, Eliza Karlson, has curated a superb roundup of accessories with mountain homes in mind. And we are thrilled that Boulder artist Jennifer Hohlfelder left her full-time bookkeeping job to paint instead.

We also introduce a lovely young woman who is doing her best to keep Colorado in cocktails (bless her). Looking forward to an in-person (!!) toast soon.

What I’m Loving

SUPERFAB BOULDER DESIGN STORE

Creative talent and Boulder mom Elizabeth Prentiss has recently opened my now-favorite in-town home store, Wildflower Nation.

Prentiss’s curational thought process was inspired by the home of her 103-year-old grandmother. “She hasn’t changed anything in her house in 75 years,” Prentiss says. “It’s so special and speaks to the timelessness of good taste and joy in your home.”

Prentiss’s love of vintage intertwines with her belief in green living, reusing, recycling and purchasing pieces that last. Every inch of the store attests to a talented eye, mad panache and a love of whimsy.

Art, vintage finds, unique home goods and textiles. A must-stop when you’re in CU territory. 2023 17th St. in Boulder. Open 12–4, Tuesday– Saturday, or by appointment.

A SAMPLE THAT STICKS

In the “why didn’t I think of that” category: Samplize makes 12″-x-12″ peel-and-stick paint samples ($6.95–$7.95 per sample), with two coats of actual paint so you can see and feel what a certain shade from Sherwin-Williams, Benjamin Moore, PPG or Farrow & Ball will truly look like on your wall throughout the day.

Traditional swatches aren’t made with real paint, so the colors can be off. And unlike painting multiple blobs on your wall, these samples peel off easily.

BRITISH DESIGNERS IN SITU

I adore loads of pattern and comfy spaces that look like they’ve been well loved over the ages. All of the above made it impossible for me to resist British Designers at Home (Hardie Grant, 2020) by Jenny Rose-Innes, which includes interviews with 24 designers—Penny Morrison, Veere Grenney, Rita Konig and the like—and photographs of them in their own homes.

The “What makes a home?” chapter lends itself to especially thoughtful reading. Scrumptious with or without a cup of tea. $50.