Just Enough

Boulder, Colorado

This North Boulder renovation is an attempt at preserving the scale of the ranch style typology, while bringing new life to a home for new empty nesters. As property values in such Boulder neighborhoods drive building “more & bigger” – often by going both out and up – it becomes almost counter intuitive to build with restraint. In this case, the client had already experienced the “bigger is better” approach, and now was convinced that a simple ranch made more sense than ever.

The design concept we pursued was one of preserving the existing rectangular foundation, and adding the new vaulted living to the rear corner of the lot to form an L-shaped plan that embraces an outdoor room. This extension encourages inside-outside flows, while also intercepting late-afternoon summer sun. Clerestory windows invite southern sun for passive solar warmth and balance the daylight in the center of the living. The desire for togetherness and interaction is constantly at play in the shared spaces, while bedrooms are tucked away in the original footprint. Warm, simple finishes bring balance to a modern, open impulse with a quiet but lively vibe both inside and out – an example of “just enough”.

Photos by Will Barrett