For the fifth year running, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver (BGCMD) is offering you a chance to win a Denver dream home while you also help support 14 safe neighborhood clubs that function as “second homes” for 2,000 community kids each day. Raffle tickets let you vie for a variety of prizes (cars, vacations, cash!), including the grand prize: a $3.25 million, 7,400-square-foot fully furnished dream home in a gated Cherry Creek neighborhood or $2 million in cash. (Yup, you read that correctly.)

The dream house raffle is a gamble you can feel good about, as proceeds benefit the BGCMD and its mission to help youth ages 6 to 18 “achieve academic success, live healthy lifestyles, and develop good character and citizenship.” The deadline to be eligible for Early Bird II bonus cash prizes is this Friday, March 22. The final day to purchase tickets to win the grand prize dream home is Friday, May 17. (Click here for details on the drawings and to purchase your tickets.)

The contest odds of winning any prize aren’t bad, at 1 in 183—but for those of us who don’t come out on top, we caught up with the dream house’s interior designer, David Loveland of Morgan Loveland Interiors (303-377-7168) in North Country Club, about his aesthetic and how you can recreate it in your home.

Entryway
“The entry sets the tone for the house. This home was a remodel/redecorate. I always start by looking for the architecture details, and the house has an Italian influence. I also feel that ceilings are really an important part of design. When most people go into a space, they look down to see where they’re walking. Then, the next instinct is to look up. That’s where the frescoed ceiling comes in—it’s a great way to add detail in a small space. You can get a lot of impact from ceilings.”

GET THIS LOOK: Start by looking at architecture and travel books to decide on an overall style or look for your home. You can borrow Loveland’s idea for spicing up ceilings with molding, wood, or plaster. On a budget? Most building supply stores can now source Styrofoam beams that are made to look like real wood. Loveland says it’s hard to tell the difference when these are used for ceilings. He also suggests creating a terra-cotta look for less with ceramic tile.

Kitchen
“Kitchens are the center of the house—the gathering place. Lots of great discussions take place here; the party always seems to happen around the kitchen island. So I try to make it very warm. I prefer wood cabinets because they are very forgiving for a family (as opposed to lacquer or laminate, which you have to repair by replacing). We went with a lighter color granite, which gives an airy feeling but still sticks to the rustic, country Italian theme. The room might feel elegant, but it’s very family-oriented.”

GET THIS LOOK: If granite is out of reach, Loveland suggests a wood countertop or manufactured tile with a tumbled edge (like bricks whose edges have been softened and worn down over time) for an earthier, more aged look. He recommends leather-topped stools, like the ones here, for easy cleanup (no shampoo required).

Master Bath
“Lighting in a bathroom is very important; I want a woman to look the best she can in her own bathroom. There are several types of lighting in here (both natural and artificial). The use of mirrors is very important. They can reflect that light back and forth and really expand the space.”

GET THIS LOOK: Go for oversized mirrors, and instead of visually cutting the bathroom in two by hanging a mirror in the middle of the wall, find a line closer to the ceiling to align the top of the mirror with (such as the top of the shower, a doorway, or windows). For maximum light reflection, mount lights in the mirror itself by asking your supplier to create holes in the mirror where you want the lights to go.

Gym
“The luxury of this room was having the space to let the machines stand apart. I didn’t want to over-furnish. It’s important to allow for movement here. I think that the more organized and cleaner you can keep this space, the better, so it doesn’t interfere with your function. The built-in storage area is great. Jump ropes, stretch bands, discs for the TV, exercise tapes…it’s always nice to have a place to put those, and this is one of those rooms that needs to have very minimal clutter.”

GET THIS LOOK: A stimulating wall color, bold contemporary art, and the large mirror expand and brighten this basement room. Loveland says to try easily accessible open shelves for a home gym; baskets or fabric-covered boxes are an attractive and inexpensive way to organize.

—Images Courtesy of Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver

Follow copy chief Jessica Farmwald on Twitter at @JessicaKF.