After months of construction, (see last week’s post) we were on our way to install the furnishings. Hubby John, daughter Kirby, and I went up there for a whirlwind 3 days to install all the furnishings and to see the unit in person for the first time.

It was especially nerve-racking for me as I was unable to visit the job site during the entire renovation process. All details were relayed by texts and emails. Well hang on, it’s quite a change! Here is the entrance before.

Welcome to my re-vamped Colorado home!! In order to make the small entry appear larger, we found some new flooring at, yes, Home Depot for $2.44 per square foot(Mondo Ash 12 by 24) and replaced the slate and wood floors to the first step leading into the living space. Before, the part with the bench was slate and the small area towards the first step was wood. TOO many surfaces for a small space! Painting all the trim and walls the same color, Benjamin Moore Classic Gray, gave a contemporary, brighter feel to the previously dark and more “Colorado Traditional” space. I purchased the painting from Segreto’s own, Stacy McNair.

What it doesn’t show is the new light fixture for the entry!  It looks like icicles to me!  It is the Sparta 6 Light Semi Flush by Hudson Valley Lighting. It is 28 inches across point to point.

Looking back towards the door we hung a wrought iron piece that I had removed from on of my exteriors doors in Houston! Lucky I am a pack rat! I also added a cow hide rug in the entrance.

I was thrilled the way the new color of the refinished floors turned out!! The antique skis, hung like art, were a Father’s Day gift from the kids to their Dad who is an avid skier!!! He was a ski instructor in Vail after college and at 68, he still can master the mountain. The mirror hides a breaker box. There was an amazing home store in Avon down the street, Home Outfitters, where I was able to pick up missing accessories and furnishings! They were so sweet and helpful there and now they carry my books!!! Thanks Gals!!!

Right before the steps to the left is the powder bath!  Here is the before picture!

This was quite a change!  With the new floors and sink basin and plumbing fixture from Acero Bella I didn’t have to add much more!  The mirror I purchased from Restoration Hardware, and the painting which I had originally bought for my daughters room was from Z Gallerie! Finding gold baskets to put underneath was not easy-I finally found them at Walmart!

Because there was no room to put soap and towels on the basin, I purchased the shelf  from Restoration Hardware. The hanging above is something I have had like forever that I got from??????–I like mixing the old with the new!

As you come up the steps, you enter the living space which combines the breakfast kitchen and den. I love banquettes and finally would have a space where I could have one of my own. I wrote a blog on different options for the space here if you missed it and another on banquettes in general here. Thanks to all who helped with their choice on banquette style!!

The staircase balustrades and posts were stained to match the floors and the carpet was replaced. I wanted the first step to be wood but that got lost in translation somehow. If you go back to the before pictures you can see the carpet rolled over the bullnose on the steps. By stapling the carpet tight under the treads, the staircase looks much more finished!

The floors can be cold in the winter so we added a cowhide rug. I purchased it on a flash internet sale for $299!

I think my favorite part of the place is the custom banquette. It gave so much more space and is super comfortable. It also gives a separate lounging area to watch TV and hang out when I’m in the kitchen! The table was one I found at Marburger Farms in Round Top Texas, which I had purchased years ago for my daughter’s apartment. The cowhide bench (found discounted online) was slated for the bunk room but I liked it better here than the chairs that I had originally planned. I found all the fabric reasonable priced at Interior fabrics and repurposed the pillows from my den in Houston. The painting which reminds me of snow and ice is from Blakely Bering, who is also represented at the Segreto Gallery! I originally wanted a cafeteria curtain over the banquette to give it more of a separate room feel. I felt lucky that my measurements for the banquette turned out perfectly and didn’t want to test my luck with the custom curtain rods that would need to be installed. Long distance design is challenging! I opted to use the same shades as we purchased from Rugs Benedict for the rest of the space (shown above in the picture with the cowhide).

The kitchen has a few things that I just didn’t like: there was little counter space with the bar ledge, the oven was really a wall unit shoved into a bottom counter to look like a range, the cabinets were dark and the granite top was constructed from small pieces of tile! It just didn’t fit the Mountain Modern look I was going for.

Although the hardware is not yet installed, I was thrilled with the extra counter space! The Ariana light gray fabric swivel counter stools were purchased online from Euro Style Lighting. Because we are planning to hangout here with family and friends, I looked hours and hours for a roomy stool that would able to double as comfortable seating with large groups that swiveled to watch TV or visit with friends in the den. Although I really am happy with the color  of the Raw Concrete(4004) counters by Caesar Stone, and purchased them because they are supposedly indestructible, I am finding they show dirt easily and are hard to clean.  Something else lost in the translation was to have mitered 2cm edges.  This material is 3/4 thick but by mitering the edges and wrapping a piece down they would have appeared to be 2 cm. The same happened in my master bath!  OH WELL! It still looks great.

A slip-in range definitely looks so much better and gives me extra pan storage which I didn’t have with the wall oven. I loved accessorizing the kitchen and found such a wonderful shop called Kitchen Collage in Edwards which is right down the street. The marble lazy Susan was perfect to house a collection of olive oils and balsamic’s and spices! I know it says Bon Appetit, but do you think I will really cook?

I even set up a little coffee station! The marble cutting boards from Pier 1 Imports and Kitchen Collage boards hide the plug. I was so excited when I found the deer serving dishes also from Pier 1! They had platters, chips and dip pieces and large bowls!

No room for a bar cart? This tray from Home Outfitters set on the counter will do!!

Although this does feel cozy, it was definitely crowded and didn’t leave room for a desk area that I needed for working away from home!

The next time we were all coming up would be Christmas Day so I purchased these faux fur stockings from Restoration Hardware and had them monogrammed! The TV was mounted over the mantle which was stained darker to match the floors leaving room for a small corner desk and chair to the right.

When accessorizing with photos I like keeping the frames the same–these were from Ikea!

This bookshelf found at Nest Furnishings, a resale shop in Avon (scored for $300) looks great accessorized mostly from items from the Segreto Boutique! The chair used here and the desk on the other side of the fireplace were two of the three chairs slated for the banquette! The other found a home in an upstairs bedroom.

The best part of this picture is the snow! I can’t wait to see it this year!

We took this picture at night so the room looks all gray! It does have infusions of pale blues as well! The chair, coffee table and ottomans were repurposed from my den at home! We purchased the Willow sofa and love seat at Crate and Barrel. They were not my first choice but the practicality of them pulling out and making extremely comfortable air mattress beds won out!!! They are well priced and the slipcovers can be removed and washed!  And…most of all…hubby John thought they were comfortable! (That is an endorsement for sure! See the post for couch shopping and my new Barbie couch if you haven’t.)

I know I posted this pic last week, but here again is a better picture of the rug from Madison Lily which shows the colors of the room.

The side tables were very inexpensive and purchased online and the two lamps were from Marshalls Home Goods!

We all had so much fun together!!  Really what the house is all about!

Here is John, Sammy and Kirby on the slopes! yes I went too-taking the picture and the need for speed Matthew is already down the slope!!

I hope you join me next week when I post the reveal on the bedrooms and baths! And if you are near Dallas or coming to market I would love to see you at the Aidan Gray  showroom Sat. from 3-5!

Come see me this Saturday in Dallas at Aidan Gray!! 

Dallas World Trade Center, 10th Floor, Suite 10009

I hope everyone has a wonderful week!!!