HighCraft transforms dated house into award-winning custom home
By Becky Jensen
For years, Carrie Pelton, husband Aaron McCurdy and their children Corbin and Blake, enjoyed living on Lake Loveland, but their 1970s ranch-style house was in desperate need of a makeover.
“It all started with an ugly fridge,” says Pelton, as she describes the first step in a longer journey that eventually led to building a brand-new home with HighCraft Builders.
“When we shopped for a new refrigerator, nothing we found would fit in that space,” she says of the original house. “If we replaced the old refrigerator, then we knew we would have to remodel the kitchen.” And once the couple decided to remodel the kitchen, they figured it was probably a good time to update the rest of the house, too.
Pelton and McCurdy’s list of renovation must-haves quickly grew to include an open-concept floorplan for entertaining, higher ceilings, smart-home technology and a spacious master bedroom suite. They also wanted larger windows to capture views of the lake and to flood the house with natural light.
As their wish list snowballed, the couple wondered if it made more sense to remodel their current home, buy a larger house in a different neighborhood or scrape their old house and build new. So, they reached out to HighCraft Builders. 
“Our team had in-depth conversations with Carrie and Aaron about the pros and cons of all three options,” says HighCraft project development manager Zach Larrick. “We involved our architect, structural engineer, interior designer and project manager in the process, which helped Carrie and Aaron make an informed decision that was right for their family.” In the end, the couple decided to raze their old house and build a new home on the existing foundation.
“The lake and the neighborhood are the reasons we stayed,” Pelton adds. “We like to throw parties and spend time on the lake with friends and family. And there’s something about living on water that is very relaxing.”
When asked to define their design style, Pelton says, “Contemporary rustic,” describing it as a clean and minimalist look, but not stark and ultra-modern.
HighCraft interior designer Jill Arnhold guided Pelton and McCurdy through the design and selection process. “Carrie and Aaron love the lake and its calming tones, so we incorporated different hues of grays and blues throughout the house. They also understood the importance of preserving calm, neutral spaces so the accent colors and patterns would pop,” she says. “Together, I think we struck a good balance creating bold focal points within a clean, cohesive design.”
HighCraft project manager D Walker led the construction team that delivered the finished home one full month ahead of schedule. “Being able to produce this house, and have it come out so close to the architectural and interior design vision, is rewarding. I think it’s right on the money. It’s neat to look at a rendering for six months, and then see that picture come to reality. And doing it for such an awesome family is icing on the cake.”
The five-bedroom, six-bath, 4,135 square-foot custom home checks all the boxes for this young Northern Colorado family. And what do Corbin and Blake think about their new house? “The kids tell me almost every night before they go to bed how much they love it,” Pelton says.
When asked about the value of trusting their project to HighCraft, Pelton is adamant when she says, “Huge. It was huge. You have to be willing to trust your team. There were certain decisions we made early on, and others we made along the way. That’s what shines through the project for me. It’s not [only] the things we decided up front, but things we decided along the way that pulled it all together at the end.”
The result is a stunning home that won multiple awards during the 2019 Parade of Homes, including Best Overall Workmanship from the Northern Colorado Home Builders Association.
“There’s something soothing and reassuring about living on Lake Loveland,” Pelton says. “We feel the same way about working with HighCraft Builders. Through each phase of the process, HighCraft put the right resources on our project and brought professionalism to the job.” When asked to identify one area of satisfaction, Pelton doesn’t hesitate. “All of it. HighCraft never fell short of our expectations.”
To learn more about this and other projects by HighCraft Builders, explore the company’s blog and gallery at highcraft.net. If you or someone you know is thinking about remodeling or building new construction, contact HighCraft for a free consultation.
