By Kira Koldeway | Photos by CassiHise Photography
Mike and Karen love their home in Fox Acres, the mountain golf club community in Red Feather Lakes. Built in 1989, their house was designed by renowned architect Don Brandenburger, who is famous for creating Napa Valley wineries and resort homes across the country. The couple’s house is beautiful and solidly built, boasting an expanse of tongue-and-groove vaulted ceilings with beams, local stone integrated with warm wood, and abundant windows that flood the home with natural light.
“It drew us in,” Karen says, describing the first time they walked through the front door. But after owning the house for nearly a year, the couple realized their aging home needed a lot of work. In addition to an old electric cooktop that had seen better days, they needed to replace the failing HVAC, plumbing and electrical systems as well as every inch of flooring.
Karen, a retired interior designer and custom home builder, knew it made sense to tackle all of the system repairs at once. And while they were at it, the timing was ideal to remodel other parts of their home that were worn, outdated and didn’t reflect their style.
Why they chose HighCraft
When it came to choosing a building contractor, Karen admits she and Mike had high standards. Having worked in the industry for decades, she wanted a remodeler with a good reputation, exceptional quality and impeccable customer service. After interviewing multiple local companies, they chose the design-build team at HighCraft Builders.
“They listened intently and nailed the design that we wanted,” Karen says. “I wanted a lot of vertical features, like slatted walls and vertical tile.”
The couple sought a minimalist, Scandinavian feel to their home that also elevated its existing mid-century modern aesthetic. When choosing finishes, they appreciated HighCraft’s in-house design studio, where they could compare samples in one convenient location rather than drive between multiple vendor showrooms.
“HighCraft’s process is incredible,” Karen says. “They wanted every detail perfect. It was like they were remodeling the home for themselves.”
The remodel, room by room
The kitchen’s tiny island lacked counter space and seating, and the awkward 1980s passthrough doors to the dining room had to go.
“We were ready to gut the kitchen,” Karen says, describing the room as a closed-off space that made a cook feel isolated during get-togethers.
HighCraft’s solution was to remove a wall and desk area, refurbish load-bearing columns into a stunning architectural detail, update countertops and cabinetry and install a much larger island with generous seating.
In the dining room, HighCraft refinished the bay of base cabinetry and replaced the old slate countertop with gorgeous, leathered granite to add texture and eliminate glare.
The updated great room celebrates Karen’s love of mid-century modern design. It also showcases the original fireplace and hearth for a true mountain home vibe. New slatted door fronts were added to existing built-in shelves on either side of the stone fireplace to preserve hidden storage. The new mantel, cast in noncombustible concrete, could easily pass for a rustic beam of reclaimed wood.
In the powder bathroom, new mid-century lighting, a minimalist mirror and floating vanity with vertical detailing create elegant tie-ins to the home’s interior design plan. The original dark and dated study received a light and bright refresh, and the primary bedroom’s existing built-ins benefited from new reeded slab doors.
In the primary bath, Mike and Karen enjoy modern melamine cabinetry, vertical tile wainscoting that frames the freestanding tub, a marble-look porcelain shower surround and warm accent lighting throughout.
The takeaway
What does the couple love most about their remodeled home in Red Feather Lakes?
“Every part of it,” Karen says. “I cried happy tears when I first saw the finished project and wondered, ‘How on earth were they able to pull this off, in the timeframe they said they would, and on budget?’”
The couple appreciated HighCraft’s fixed-price contract and guaranteed completion date. As a former builder, Karen is doubly impressed.
“I know what it takes to make that happen,” she says. “HighCraft went above and beyond.”
When asked to describe their HighCraft remodel in one word, Karen doesn’t hesitate.
“Breathtaking,” she says. “It’s just breathtaking.”
\Whether you’re ready to develop plans for a custom home or want to reimagine the space you have with a remodel, HighCraft’s experienced design-build team can navigate every detail of the planning and construction process for projects of any size.
