Denver Life Magazine September 2018

It’s so satisfying to watch a house being built from the ground up. That’s what our amazing team did once again this year for the 2018 Denver Life Designer Showhouse (see story, page 100). What started out as lines on paper (by home designer David Paauw) and an empty, muddy corner lot in Wash Park quickly transmogrified (thanks to Caliber Construction) into four walls and then into a classic, contemporary home. Well, that makes it sound a bit too easy. A new build like this involves hundreds, even thousands, of decisions, from the major to the minor: Quartzite or soapstone countertops? Sconces or chandeliers? Nanawalls or sliding doors? Curtains or shades? Fireplace or no fireplace? The top Colorado interior designers who signed on for the project made each room a…

… GREAT BOOKENDS A longtime reader, I have shelves crammed full of books. When I want to display my favorite books, not just for my pleasure but for friends to notice (and borrow!), I look for perfect bookends, like the kiwi above. Page 176. … AN INSPIRATIONAL BOOK Photo books on Colorado are always great for your coffee table, but Whispers in the Wilderness, by Estes Park photographer Erik Stensland, is even more, adding wise words, too. Page 35. … A COOL NECKLACE We’re longtime fans of Boulder ceramicist Liz Quan’s exquisite chandeliers and bowls. We also love her ultra-cool ceramic necklaces, so much so that we feature them in our story “Denim Dreams.” Page 158. … ART FOR YOUR HOME Is this your lucky day? It just might be, thanks to the Museum of Contemporary Art’s…

denverlifemagazine.com inside scoop CAYLIN ENGLE Showhouse designer What is your favorite part of designing a house? Picking out tile; there are so many fun options out right now. I also love how many patterns you can create with just a simple subway tile. What current design trends are you most excited about? I am excited to see the return of bold colors. You can add so much interest with a little pop of color—for example, base cabinets in a kitchen or brightly colored bath tiles. Which design trend are you happy to see disappear? The overuse of reclaimed wood. It had a good run, but I will be happy to see it go. But a little touch of wood here and there is okay. What is the biggest mistake DIY designers make? Not knowing when to call a pro. Sometimes the…

Time for a change of scenery? Escape on a two-night stay for up to four at Arizona’s Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, the longest-running AAA Five Diamond resort in the state. At the resort (when you aren’t in your Fairmont room), kick back at the new Sunset Beach pool with 9,000 square feet of white sand, schedule tee time at two 18-hole championship golf courses, de-stress at the spa, and feast at five top-ranked eateries and bars (Richard Sandoval’s La Hacienda is first on our list). The certificate also includes a $100 resort credit. Plan to explore away from the property? Sedona and the Grand Canyon are a short day-trip drive away. Don’t forget the camera! fairmont.com Make room in your calendar for a trip to this desert oasis. Visit denverlifemagazine.com for complete…

inspirational book NATURE’S CATHEDRAL “The mountains are calling, and I must go.” If those words from John Muir resonate with you, you’ll love Erik Stensland’s new book of photos and essays, WHISPERS IN THE WILDERNESS, which has been named “Best Inspirational Book of the Year” by both the Independent Book Publishers Association and the National Indie Excellence Awards. Stensland, a longtime Rocky Mountain National Park landscape photographer based in Estes Park, wrote much of the book while on hikes in the park, when he had “a chance to reflect on life and what is happening deep inside of me.” The book, which he says aims “not to explain nature, but to explore our inner lives through the window of the natural world,” is meant to be read slowly—a couple of pages at…

“Everybody looks good in a Wallaroo hat.” So says Stephanie Carter, CEO of Boulder’s Wallaroo Hat Company, which launched in 1999. “My favorite thing to do is help someone who comes up to one of our booths at a trade show saying, ‘I look horrible in hats!’ I say, ‘Just wait. Just wait. Let’s try a hat on.’ You get the right hat on somebody, one that matches the shape of their face, the length of their hair, their stature, and they look in the mirror and get this little smile, and realize they actually look good.” Carter, who last year bought out friend and founding partner Lenya Shore to become sole owner of the business, is proud to say that today, Wallaroo sells on Amazon, Shopify, and its own…