A Renovated Boulder Cabin That Embraces the Good Life

It’s only 20 minutes from downtown Boulder, but this 40-acre swath of land in the foothills above Chautauqua Park is a slice of nearly untouched Colorado wilderness. And it’s clear—as you peer out the floor-to-ceiling windows of the property’s impeccably renovated 2,700-square-foot home—that the local wildlife appreciates all this open space: Herds of elk wander through in the autumn, joined by bears, mountain lions, bobcats, and the occasional moose. Wild turkeys graze in the meadows, which are dappled with wildflowers, ponderosa pine, Douglas fir, mountain cedar, and old-growth blue spruce. Unobstructed views of Boulder’s Green and Bear peaks and the Sacred Cliffs make it easy to watch storms roll in and out. It’s the kind of place where a person can find some real peace, which is exactly why the homeowners—a couple who recently launched a math-education app after nearly 20 years of working in the science and tech industries—bought the property in 2015.

During the remodel, the home’s dated and weathered timber exterior was replaced with a contemporary mix of stucco and steel siding, which will continue to patina over time. Photo by David Lauer

An updated and expanded bridge leading to a patio space off the kitchen is tailor-made for four-season indoor/outdoor entertaining. The gray standing-seam steel roof, aluminum-clad sliding door, and rusted-steel siding provide a modern take on historical mountain architecture. Photo by David Lauer

A ceiling paneled with whitewashed rift-sawn oak gives the main bedroom a cozy, cave-like feel, while a row of handmade, blown-glass pendants by Vantot add sparkle. RH’s Italia platform bed (in charcoal textured linen) is topped with Matteo bedding and flanked by custom steel-and-oak side tables from New Collar Goods. The sconces are Mantis BS5 SW from Design Within Reach. A privacy wall and step-up separate the suite’s bedroom and bathroom while keeping the space open and bright. Photo by David Lauer

“Talk to anyone with a ‘co-founder’ title at a startup and you’ll find one trend: Free time is nearly nonexistent,” says architect Harvey Hine, whose Boulder firm, HMH Architecture & Interiors, transformed the couple’s 1970s-era timber cabin into a rustic-modern retreat. “They chose this home as an escape into a quieter life; [a place] to relax and recharge.” The homeowners are self-described students of nature and avid bird-watchers, and purchasing the property made it possible for them to pursue those interests right from their backyard.

Hine and HMH interior designer Leah Civiok reimagined the choppy, honey-oak-accented, popcorn-ceilinged cabin without adding any square footage. “Our goal was to enhance the [existing] architecture, rather than erase it,” Hine says. To wit: The team preserved the V-shaped prow of the living room (reminiscent of ski lodges of the 1970s), and in the main bedroom, they kept the less-than-ideal shallow ceiling slope but added interest by incorporating a floating wall behind the bed. “We believe the architecture is the reason why the house is so uniquely attractive. It is not a design one would see built from scratch.”

Their most dramatic move was relocating the kitchen from a dark corner with a drop ceiling to the center of the house, where sky-high vaulted ceilings create an airy feel overhead. Two hardworking and handsome blackened-steel islands are now the “command center,” Hine says. An expanded outdoor bridge that leads to a patio, a minimalistic living room, and a dining room with a sit-and-linger fireplace surround the new kitchen on three sides, making the home the ultimate space for entertaining.

The exterior remodel removed the dated stained-pine siding that gave the home a generic log-cabin look; in its place is a mix of neutral-colored stucco and weathered steel, which “will continue to rust for years to come, creating a dynamic experience,” Hine says. “It is rare for a house to mature for the better over time.” A gray, standing-seam steel roof and set of new aluminum-clad windows hint at the sleek, modern interiors while offering a nod to mining-era architecture.

The original house was designed with the entry on the lower level and the primary living space above. “It is difficult to design a quality entry experience when one has to immediately walk up a flight of stairs,” Hine says of the unorthodox layout. “So we designed a stair that is as sculptural as it is functional.” The lower set of steps are made of black concrete with recessed LED strip lights, while the upper flight consists of glass and steel—one grounded, the other floating. Photo by David Lauer

A small, bookcase-lined study displays mementos from the homeowners’ travels and acts as an elegant transition from the main bedroom to the great room. Photo by David Lauer

B&B Italia’s Ray sectional sofa with a burnt-orange stitching detail is the perfect perch from which to take in the knockout views of Boulder’s Bear and Green peaks through the living room’s floor-to-ceiling windows. A pair of Ercol Marino armchairs and Lapalma’s Kipu poufs and Brio Fix side table round out the modern vignette. Photo by David Lauer

In the main bathroom, a custom concrete countertop and sink by Concrete Visions top a walnut vanity by Aspen Leaf Kitchens. The metal surround creates a place for the mirror and light fixtures to live. “I love the way it disguises the switch plates and lighting and allows the beautiful walnut and concrete materials to stand out,” architect Harvey Hine says. The faucets are by Watermark, and the flooring is thermally modified poplar from Cambia. Photo by David Lauer

The home’s indoor-outdoor connection is on full display in the main bathroom where, from the soaking tub and glass-paneled shower, the homeowners can enjoy private, floor-to-ceiling views of the Colorado wilderness. Fun fact: The initial design for the bathroom, Hine says, allowed for the tub to telescope into the outdoors via a moving floor—but that idea was ultimately scrapped. Photo by David Lauer

Floor-to-ceiling windows invite nature into the updated dining room, where an oversized fireplace—clad with custom, board-formed concrete tile by Concrete Visions—warms the space. RH’s Concrete Pier table, Room & Board’s Cora chairs, and a custom console by Denver’s New Collar Goods make up the dining set. A David Weeks Studio Saurus mobile adds interest overhead. Photo by David Lauer

A pair of blackened-steel-clad islands—with suede granite waterfall countertops—takes center stage in the showstopping kitchen. Six oil-rubbed-bronze pendants with brass interiors (Haleigh by Rejuvenation) illuminate the space. The ceiling’s white-oak planks and cold-rolled-steel beam were designed to mimic the home’s original timber rafters, but with a contemporary twist. Photo by David Lauer

Overall, the remodel’s guiding design principle was to create a home in tune with its natural surroundings and that embraces wabi-sabi, the Japanese way of living that celebrates the beauty of imperfections. “With this home, we created a balance of raw, industrial materials and softer, natural materials full of texture,” Civiok says. “The finishes we highlighted were concrete, warm wood tones, and lots of rich metals.” When employing this palette, the designers worked to expose the craft behind each material: “The stone counters are leathered, the metal welding is exposed, and the wood ceiling has a dense repetitive pattern that lets you really [see the craftsmanship],” Hine says.

The result is a house that feels right at home in the Colorado wilderness. “Often, when we remodel a house, it feels like we’re making the house the way it was always meant to be,” says Hine, “like we allowed it to breathe again”—and, by extension, its homeowners, too.

Design Pros
Architecture: Harvey Hine, HMH Architecture & Interiors
Interior design: Leah Civiok, HMH Architecture & Interiors
Construction: StyleWise Construction
Cabinetry: Aspen Leaf Kitchens