BY SHALEEN DESTEFANO
We were instantly drawn to the style and aesthetic of Denver Interior Design Team, Form Studio. Founders Amanda Larrimer and Madison Graney have a deep appreciation for historical architecture and a love of playful and bright modern design elements. We love that they honor the homes they’re designing with a flexible and responsive approach. As people with very blurry vision when it comes to interior design, we were grateful to sit down with Amanda and Madison to learn more about their process.
Let’s start at the beginning. How did you and Amanda meet and decide to start Form Studio? What was life like before?
Amanda: We met while taking design classes. We both had a serious passion for design and we incorporated it into our everyday life and decided we should be doing this full time. Prior to opening Form, I had a women’s boutique in Sunnyside which I opened in 2015. While I was running the boutique I had a variety of design jobs, including home staging. Which I loved! Styling a space isn’t all that different from merchandising a shop.
Madison: Amanda and I met while taking interior design classes. We both went on to continue working in the industry independently, but remained friends. It was a big draw for me to find people who really had a passion for interior design and be able to get together often to discuss our favorite trends over a glass of wine, or two! I was working mostly freelance at the time and the topic just kept coming up over our many, many dinner chats of “should we start something together?” Eventually the time was right and we decided to start our own design firm. Form Studio took shape in the fall of 2019 and we opened our brick and mortar on Tennyson St. in March of 2020 one week pre-pandemic . . . that’s a much longer story for another time!
Tell us a little about your philosophy and aesthetic.
A: We strongly believe in blending high and low items to help curate someone’s space. We love antiques, and the art of blending them with new items really offers a way for someone to showcase their personality. We love the originality in the older Denver homes and always make sure to pay tribute to the era of the home.
M: Our philosophy as a design firm is to be collaborative with our clients. At the beginning of each project we make sure we take the time to do a client interview. This helps us to understand the goals and hopes for each home we enter into. Both Amanda and I have our own personal design aesthetic, but when entering into a project with a client our main goal is to help them achieve the feeling they want to curate within their home. Each project/client has been unique and I think you can recognize that through our budding portfolio.
Where do you find inspiration?
A: We find inspiration all over the place. I’ve always loved all things pop-culture. As a kid when I watched movies or tv, I was really looking at the set; how the room was laid out, the furniture, more than paying attention to the actors. Currently, I get inspiration just from being in Denver and going to restaurants and shops.
M: I really gather my inspiration from art and nature. I find myself drawn to the bright colors in a field of wildflowers, all the different colors and tones of a river and the earthy greens, browns and whites of the Rockies. A day spent wandering around the Denver Art Museum or skiing in the mountains are two of my favorite ways to rest and recharge. Days off are often when an idea or concept for an upcoming design project will spark.
You’ve worked on so many projects, do you have a favorite you can tell us about?
A: This is a hard question to answer, we really do love all of our projects. However, one of my all time favorites was a furniture project in Colorado Springs. The home was a beautiful mid-century modern home with incredible views. The clients had a true appreciation for design, were fun to collaborate with, and they trusted our vision, which included some very rad chairs with a mid century modern interpretation of a traditional Chinese chinoiserie print.
M: This is a tough one, we love them all! It has been so fun to work with our clients locally in the Berkley neighborhood and throughout Colorado. If we have to choose one to tell you about we can tell you a little more about the photos featured here! We absolutely loved working with a young family on our “Wolf St. Kitchen” project. This neighborhood has so many older bungalow style homes and this one was no exception; small closets, funky walls, divisions of space, and an addition we weren’t sure was up to code. We worked to create an open first floor so that their family could grow into the home for years to come. We removed the wall separating the existing kitchen and living room, utilized that open space for a larger peninsula to incorporate more storage and seating. In collaboration with our clients we were able to land on the beautiful Chloe back-splash tile, a durable white quartz counter-top, and a mixture of painted emerald green cabinets with natural wood. We are so thrilled with how this kitchen turned out and our clients on this one were nothing short of wonderful to work with!
Everyone can envision their dream home. Tell us what yours looks like.
A: This is hard, I have like three . . . but probably a very stylized mid-century modern home with great indoor/outdoor living. Although I don’t have much of a green thumb, I would love a wonderful large garden.
M: Oh, wow! I also have a couple dream homes. One would be a Victorian Era home with lots of natural light, unique niches, a large garden and one that needed a little TLC so I could put my own air on it. The other would be a stone cottage in the countryside somewhere, close to mountains for hiking & skiing, with a big fireplace to enjoy in the winter months.
If you had to choose three items in your home to save in a fire, what would they be?
A: First would be my vintage Rin Tin Tin statue, all of my grandma’s paintings (and small rocks she painted) and lastly my first purchase when I moved to Denver, a vintage rattan table set with bucket chairs with robin blue leather cushions.
M: I would save my jewelry box with several family heirlooms, the first painting I ever made, and I collect little elephant statues from my travels so I would try to grab a few of those – a couple from studying abroad in Italy might be my favorite.
For us, we find constant solace and comfort from art, books and music, especially when it feels like the world is on fire. What are you reading right now and what’s spinning on your record player?
A: Ha, welp I just ordered 5 books to read, that cover a wide range of topics! Since the pandemic started, I spend a lot more time listening to podcasts than music. Conan O’Brien’s podcast is a good way to escape the stress of the day (or when the world feels on fire).
M: Couldn’t agree more. I am currently hooked on the fantasy series by Sarah J Maas. It is a total departure from my day-to-day life. The first in the series is called A Court of Thorns & Roses, I’m already onto the second . . . hmm and listening to? I am always listening to something! Right now it’s a lot of soulful female vocals. I am loving Yola, Lake Street Dive, Yebba Smith & of course, Adele.
Speaking of art, have you had an opportunity to collaborate with any talented local Denver artists?
A&M: We have been fortunate enough to collaborate with several local artists! Mostly in featuring them in our studio space on Tennyson & we usually host an artist or two during First Fridays Art Walk. We are always looking for new talent that fits the aesthetic of what we have created within our showroom space. A few of our favorite artists are; Kimberly Wolff, Kristen Abbott, Jack Ludlam, and a newer artist group, J & M Art Collective – they are creating really textural pieces that many of our clients are gravitating towards right now.
What can we expect from Form Studio in the future?
A&M: Our hope for the future of Form Studio is to keep doing what we love, and collaborating with clients who see the value of design in a world full of chaos! We hope to make our client’s lives a little more organized utilizing form & function in their homes. For us, being creative and finding solutions for our clients is very satisfying. We hope to continue providing valuable advice to our clients while keeping the integrity of the homes in Denver. We do have several larger, full-scale remodels in the works, so it will be fun to see those come to fruition! Be sure to keep up to date with us via Instagram or our website.
Thank you both so much for taking the time to offer a glimpse into your work. We love the collaborative process you maintain with your clients. If you’d like to learn more about Form Studio, visit formstudioco.com or in person at 4234 Tennyson Street.