For Denver-based Factor Design Build, marrying form and function is a guiding light that strikes the path for the team throughout each of their projects. It’s a principle that is put on particularly stunning display in one recent home remodel in Denver’s South Park Hill neighborhood—the revamping of a historic Tudor-style home to better match its inhabitants’ styles and everyday living needs.
“The homeowners came to us to help create and execute a vision for their home,” says Josh Fiester, co-founder of Factor Design Build. “They were looking for real cohesion between the design and construction phases of the project, which we specialize in.”
The goals for this home remodel included maximizing the abode’s functionality—adding more usable spaces and more purposeful areas to facilitate effortless daily life such as a finished basement, home office and true primary suite. Additionally, the team looked to modernize the home’s style and embrace the Scandinavian influences and design concepts that the homeowners gravitated toward. Meanwhile, the team was also conscious of ensuring that the home remained true to the surrounding neighborhood, not sacrificing the historic charm synonymous with its locale.
“We wanted to keep the street presence of the house in tune with the neighborhood,” Josh says. “We kept the existing brick façade, roof line and front door in place, adding our really modern elements to the back of the home. We didn’t want to butcher the old house and instead focused on restoring and modernizing it.”
The Factor Design Build team set out to achieve these goals through a number of purposeful, strategic design elements. The main living area now ties into the kitchen with new solid oak beams and modern windows—helping to breathe volume into the space. A second story was added, which includes a primary suite with vaulted ceilings, a bright, loft-like feel and a custom barn door. The mudroom is tucked beneath the enclosed glass, solid metal stringer staircase with three-inch floating rises—a striking statement feature of the home—and the kitchen boasts custom walnut cabinetry.
“All of these elements are made from classic, very durable materials put together in a very modern aesthetic,” Josh says. “We were able to achieve a beautiful Scandinavian feel while respecting the restored nature of the house.”
In all, 1,400 square feet were added to the home, plus the addition of a larger garage. It’s a process that the Factor Design Build team and homeowners collaborated on extensively—a process that Josh notes was attentive, enjoyable and resulted in a brilliantly livable abode.
