New Construction under 4,000 Square Feet – Cantilever House
Resting on a narrow, steep lot north of downtown Boulder, the Cantilever House is constructed on a site that was deemed by many to be unbuildable. It took months working with City Planners to interpret the complex zoning regulations. In the end, our goal was to design a modern, livable home within these constraints that took advantage of panoramic views in every direction.
The main influence in the design is the essence of simplicity, its composition, and purity of form. While the home has a definite geometric elegance, there is a hidden playfulness found within. The design places the primary living zones, encompassing the dining room, kitchen and living room on the upper floor that cantilevers out over the lower courtyard, 2 stories below. Accessed from a beautiful entry sequence, the front door opens to an eye-catching view through the skylight over the main stair. The sculptural staircase uses a thin profile and open treads allowing light to pass through all three stories.
The living room offers a front row seat to the Flatirons view through the vast swathes of windows. The monolithic yet understated ceramic fireplace wall makes a serious visual impact, emphasizing clean modern lines and a placid, artful aesthetic. Its neutral color and texture plays well with the custom wood built-ins and furnishings.
The serene dining room is central to the home, located as a threshold between the kitchen and living room. An impressive wall of windows looks out to a row of Aspen trees providing a privacy screen from the neighboring house. The room strikes a balance between minimal lines and soft curved textures from the sheer drapery and custom light fixture.
Equally important was providing the homeowners, who are avid cooks and seasoned hosts, with an efficient, well-appointed, dine-in kitchen that would serve their culinary skills and complement their modern lifestyle. This kitchen achieves just that – 48” of refrigeration, appliance garage, 36” range, double ovens and over 10 feet of uninterrupted counter for rolling dough and preparing the longest homemade pasta you’ve seen. The island floats like a piece of furniture between the perimeter washing and cooking stations, and includes a 2 person seating area for an intimate dinner or casual weekend brunch.
The owners’ primary suite occupies the middle floor – still elevated enough to catch mountain-tops – the room focuses toward a wall of windows framing the views. The primary bath exudes personality, incorporating a playful retro-patterned tile and a neutral palette.
The lower level was designed to be the ultimate entertaining space! To achieve this, the team incorporated a bar, built-in media wall, and a game area. A glass wall opens all of the way, expanding the area to the outside, featuring a stone patio and custom water feature wall.
The Cantilever house lays emphasis on an indoor/outdoor lifestyle while also maintaining privacy. Metaphorically, the house is an oxymoron, serene and cool, with minimalistic decor, yet simultaneously, adventurous in its design approach.