Inside An Elegant Denver Home With Scandinavian Touches

"They definitely had a vibe in mind for their new home,” muses Jaqui Seerman of her clients, entrepreneurs from Los Angeles who relocated to Denver seeking space, seasonality, scenery and more. The newly built property they selected in Washington Park—a clean-lined, window-filled modern farmhouse designed and constructed by Patrick Pan and Daniel Leyshon of Pan Pacific Development—was the ideal tabula rasa, primed and ready for personalization. The owners enlisted Seerman after admiring her renovation of a Beverly Hills home with warm, layered indoor-outdoor spaces, elements they envisioned emphasizing their Mile High City abode. “They wanted their home to be refined, feel luxurious and not be overly colorful,” explains the designer, “though they weren’t afraid of hues and patterns.” But to fit the lifestyle of the creative couple, who run their business from a home workspace and studio, parent three young children, frequently host overnight guests and entertain regularly too, the dwelling needed to work—and work hard.

Since the residence would backdrop pretty much every aspect of their lives, the creation of what Seerman calls a “mature and beautiful space that operates at peak performance” became the objective. As the house was brand new, the owners opted to keep finishes like the kitchen’s attractive dark quartzite counters and backsplash intact, as well as the existing high-end appliances, bathroom vanities, tubs and tiling. Seerman’s role focused on taking an interior envelope that was generally excellent and elevating it further.

She immediately introduced touches of gray and off-white paint to the main spaces. The addition of a creamier hue with a hint of yellow in the living room, for example, gives the space a sunnier disposition, enhanced by buttery linen draperies. Similarly, coating the kitchen in an appealing greige helped tone down white custom cabinetry. “By warming up the paint color throughout the house, the interiors became a bit more Scandinavian and a little softer, which resonated with my clients’ preferences,” Seerman comments.

Furnishing the spaces with pieces that not only look sophisticated but would hold their own against young children is a cornerstone of her design. “Our goal was to give them a laid-back aesthetic—polished but not too serious—with refined spaces that are lifestyle-friendly, kid-friendly, touchable and enjoyable,” she shares. The chic living room is a prime example of how Seerman planned for little ones yet kept the look decisively adult. To wit, a curvaceous sofa that nods to midcentury styles is upholstered in a performance fabric; another white sofa is fitted with a slipcover that removes easily for washing. A mix of sculptural stone and sturdy oak tables, weighty ottomans and accent chairs were selected and spaced “so that a toddler could pull themselves up and cruise around the room,” the designer says. “The chairs have rounded backs and all the tables are super stable.” Even the rug, in a unifying shade of oatmeal, is soft on sensitive feet and knees.

In the nearby dining room, double-height windows bathe the space in light and offer sweeping views of the decidedly Coloradan surroundings. The space leans more formal, but comfort still factors in thanks to the dining chairs’ curved backs and plush bouclé fabric. Off the kitchen, Seerman transformed the casual breakfast nook by removing open cabinetry along the back wall (which the owners imagined could too easily become cluttered) then wrapped the room in warm white oak paneling. A cork board, cleverly integrated into the panels, provides space to display the kids’ artwork or photos, while a pint-size play table adds an extra area for snacks or activities.

Throughout the house, the use of pattern is restrained and leans classic. In addition to the paneled walls, see the basketweave of the kitchen counter chairs, the checkered print peppered into the rugs and drapes of the children’s spaces, plus the lines of slatted wood in the kitchen, all of which inject just the right amount of visual action. More minimally executed is the owners’ bedroom, a serene sanctuary where a camel cashmere bed frame, white linen sofa and khaki draperies comprise a relaxing, tonal palette.

Now that the family is settled in, Seerman ticks off what they’ve expressed they love about their Colorado home: the bright main areas, the kids’ spacious play spaces, the offices, the proximity to great parks, schools, all the outdoor activities… “It’s as if they had a wish list of everything they wanted, and Denver gave it to them,” she concludes.