A 1920s Mansion Evolves Into A Modern Home

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A 1920s Cherry Hills Mansion...

A 1920s residence in Cherry Hills Village is thoughtfully revived for the 21st century.

A 1920s Cherry Hills Mansion...

In updating a historic estate in Cherry Hills Village for a young family, designer Beth Armijo and builder Dan Fuller hightlighted some of the structure's original character-filled elements. In the entry, the staircase's metalwork was refinished and revived with paint, while new limestone floor tiles from Decorative Materials ground the area. The Emerson Bentley Covington console is from Hoff Miller.

A 1920s Cherry Hills Mansion...

In the living room, Armijo arranged a Vanguard Furniture sofa from Highlands Design Resource and two Burton James wingback chairs from C.A.I. Designs around a new limestone fireplace surround from Materials Marketing. A floor lamp by Arteriors and a chandelier by Visual Comfort & Co. lend metallic accents to the room. The coffee table is by Kravet; the carpet is from Floor Coverings By CPA.

A 1920s Cherry Hills Mansion...

Striking stained-glass windows depicting peacocks on the stair landing were refurbished along with the house's intricate millwork. Carpet from Floor Coverings By CPA lines the space; the chandelier is by Visual Comfort & Co.

A 1920s Cherry Hills Mansion...

A Jim Thompson Fabrics wallcovering from Egg & Dart adds shimmer to the dining room, where Precedent side chairs from Chuck Wells & Associates surround a custom table by Ryan Schlaefer Fine Furniture. Currey & Company wall sconces hang above a Helios credenza by John-Richard from C.A.I. Designs. The Ironware International chandelier is from John Brooks Incorporated, and the painting, Nest Beatrice, is by Elaine St. Louis.

A 1920s Cherry Hills Mansion...

Existing beams accent the breakfast room, where the designer incorporated furnishings from the homeowners' collection to create an informal dining and gathering spot. The durable jute rug is from Floor Coverings By CPA, and the chandelier is by Visual Comfort & Co.

A 1920s Cherry Hills Mansion...

The kitchen had been redone previously, and the Wm Ohs cabinetry and walnut floors were kept intact. Armijo freshened the walls with Benjamin Moore's Golden Straw paint and hung a custom window covering made with a sheer Romo fabric.

A 1920s Cherry Hills Mansion...

A pair of Hancock & Moore chairs from Hoff Miller and a tufted ottoman wearing a Pindler fabric create a cozy sitting area in the master bedroom, where another of the home's original fireplace surrounds was retained. The bed is by Century Furniture; the chandelier is by Visual Comfort & Co.

A 1920s Cherry Hills Mansion...

In one of the children's bathrooms, walls painted with Benjamin Moore's Beach Plum provide a colorful backdrop for a Fairmont Designs vanity sporting a Caesarstone countertop. The subway tile along the wall and the mosaic floor tiles are from Decorative Materials.

Strictly speaking, young people seeking real estate favor low-maintenance houses with open floor plans and big kitchens over rambling estates with acreage and outbuildings. But one couple with three small children was determined to preserve a 1920s mansion replete with pergolas, pools and fountains and transform it into their family home.

To make it happen, designer Beth Armijo and builder Dan Fuller fearlessly faced down crumbling walls, disintegrating moldings and windows in total disrepair. Fuller hired skilled artisans to reskim walls and restore windows, while Armijo spearheaded peeling back decades of wallpaper and paint from walls and paneling.

With the Cherry Hills Village, Colorado, home stripped to the core, the designer introduced furnishings meant to honor the property’s history while standing up to young family life. In the living room, clean-lined wingback chairs upholstered in a durable wool cotton blend fabric strike the perfect formal/informal balance. Similarly, the wood coffee table makes a traditional statement, but the metal base can be kicked with impunity and, “You can do puzzles on it,” notes Armijo who also used metallics in a variety of ways.

“There were so many salvaged silver and bronze door knobs and hinges that we decided to make metals a secondary design theme.”

The result? A house that shimmers with new life.