TRADITIONAL
GETS A MAKEOVER

Family home is enlarged
and updated for living
and entertaining

By ELLEN GRAY
Photography LINDA HANSELMAN

When you drive through the tree-lined streets of the Country Club district in central Denver, you cannot help taking notice of the beautiful homes, with their majestic architecture that makes each stand apart from the others. Nestled comfortably within this serene setting is the elegant home of Pam and Patrick Hatcher. From outward appearances, this substantial house tells a tale of tradition and history, but step inside, and you immediately sense an entirely different yet pleasantly surprising tale, which reflects a work of labor and love.

The Hatchers purchased the home two years ago from Patrick’s parents, who had lived in it for 36 years. The couple’s challenge was to preserve the home’s integrity while creating an atmosphere that was uniquely their own.

According to Pam, the couple knew from the outset that entertaining would be a priority in their new home, so any design would by necessity incorporate this lifestyle component into the architectural plans. What results is an open design that beckons the outdoors and ushers sunlight into virtually every room in the home. Even the basement, an area normally darker and often overlooked, was redesigned to look out into a lovely bricked-in garden patio.

As in many older homes, the original concept was marked by smaller rooms and walled-in spaces, which portrayed a more boxlike design. The owners decided to open up the entire front of the house, taking out walls and adding nearly 4,500 square feet of living space throughout. The extensive remodeling, which took nearly one year to complete, reflects the couple’s vision of a family home that is filled with natural light and provides an ideal backdrop for entertaining.

Indeed, the only rooms left intact following construction were the dining room, foyer and living room. All other living spaces were enlarged, updated or built from the ground up. The result is a traditional-style home with a uniquely contemporary flair, where meticulous planning and style meld together to create an enticing and welcoming aura.

Working with decorator Georgia Gallagher, the owners successfully created a setting that blends a medley of neutral tones, creating an ideal backdrop to the colorful artwork and richly woven fabrics that adorn each room in the home.

The kitchen is a stunning space, where concrete flooring and countertops complement beautiful walnut cabinetry, giving rise to an effect that beckons visitors into its midst. Glass tile backsplashes and hues of beiges and grays complete the look, enhanced by sleek stainless steel appliances that line the walls.

One of the most remarkable rooms in the home is the solarium, a wide-open, window-lined expanse that generates a feeling of being outside all year long. Nana doors can fold all the way back to entirely open the room, and it’s obvious this is a space that is highly enjoyed by the home’s occupants. Throughout the house, a stateof- the-art sound system pipes music into the rooms, and electronic blinds can instantly bring privacy and warmth.

Artwork found throughout the home is varied and tasteful, in many instances serving as the focal point of a particular area. In the dining room, two large Chinese paintings are actually decoupage prints obtained from a London gallery and are remnants of a burned-down studio. Look closely at the paintings, which outline the head of Mao, and you bear witness to an intricate tale of a particular era, incorporating music, lifestyle and the eventual uprising of the Chinese people.

Another wonderful piece of Chinese art hangs in the foyer, bringing life and vivid color to the room’s serene blue-gray walls. Many rooms in the home are punctuated by differing shades of pale blue, softened by the light beiges and browns of the fabrics, countertops and furnishings. This color is used most dramatically in the nursery, where a fabulous robin’s egg blue covers the walls, set off by a cheerful combination of tans and white, and all brought together by an amusing fixture that hangs in the center of the room.

Each of the bedrooms is larger in scale than is typically found in many homes, and many boast large walk-in closets replete with shelving and racks. In a unique twist, the owners took advantage of a nicely shaped unfinished space, actually a third story within the home, and turned it into an office and storage area. To bring light into the dark room, a large skylight and windows that follow the roof’s natural slope and pitch were installed, providing a cozy, private haven for inhabitants.

The basement is a source of pride for the owners and houses a myriad of rooms, including a space for entertaining, large guest quarters, workout area and wine cellar. Decorated in chocolate browns and tans, this area of the house is welcoming and fun and provides an ideal setting for serving guests.

One of the larger rooms in the basement, covered in concrete flooring, was fashioned around an impressive state-ofthe- art temperature-controlled wine cellar, a tribute to the owners’ passion for collecting. A large bar flanks one wall of the room, and at its end is an oversized table where friends can gather for wine tastings or even dinner parties. A stunning fixture hangs above the table and is lighted by soft electric candles rather than bulbs.

Clearly, this is a home that reflects a labor of love and beckons all who enter to enjoy its beauty.