HighCraft draws inspiration from the outdoors in this Horsetooth Reservoir remodel
By Becky Jensen
Whenever HighCraft remodels a room or builds a custom home, they work hard to capture as much natural light and as many stunning views as possible. And when asked, the team loves to bring nature-inspired elements into the design.
This kitchen remodel, located on the shores of Horsetooth Reservoir, shows the power of leveraging natural light, and bringing the outdoors inside, to transform a home.
“Our clients had an amazing inlet location, but their home’s wood-heavy kitchen was dark, cave-like and trapped in the 1980s,” says HighCraft lead interior designer Jill Sanchez.
Photos by CassiHise Photography
The homeowners wanted to enlarge, brighten and modernize their 112 sq. ft. kitchen without expanding the home’s footprint. They also needed more storage, wanted better views of the water, and asked HighCraft to open up the kitchen to the nearby dining room and fireplace sitting area.
The design-build team raised the roofline, added new windows and doors, and nearly doubled the size of the kitchen by capturing 100 square feet from an adjacent room. Today, the views are incredible and the home is flooded with light.
“That’s probably one of my favorite things about this project,” says Jill. “The natural light that comes into this home now is amazing.”
Earth-inspired finishes, like quartz, stone, leather and hardwoods, bring natural elements into the design. HighCraft also used melamine for the kitchen cabinets and refrigerator panels, and as a veneer on the floating shelves and built-in dining banquette, for more earthy texture.
In the kitchen, the quartz accent countertop, with its waterfall edge and layered grain, makes this island a showstopper. Another focal point in the kitchen is the new gas range and stainless hood, set against a ledgestone wall. The same ledgestone is used in an outdoor living area, creating the illusion of one single wall of stone that connects the indoor and outdoor spaces.
When it comes to interior design trends in 2022, “It’s all about earth tones,” says Jill.
“We’re moving away from cooler grays, and gravitating toward warmer whites, beiges and earthy neutrals, especially terra cotta,” she adds, pointing to this kitchen’s leather-backed bar stools as good examples of the latter. The seat cushions on the dining room bench – in a stunning teal jewel tone – honor the green-blue hues of the reservoir, and complement the neutral color palette.
“I love how monochromatic the overall design ended up being,” Jill says about the project. “The different shades and layered textures of one neutral color really create a subtle beauty in the finishes. This kitchen is bright, it’s earthy, it’s modern. It reflects so much of what we love about Northern Colorado.”
