WHERE MODERN, CONTEMPORARY AND HISTORIC MEET
BY BRANDI KRAUSE
2020 really did a number on all of us, and one of the many voids it left behind was the Wash Park Home Tour. After a three year hiatus, the Steele Elementary PTA is proud to bring this treasured community event back. On Saturday, May 13th from 10am-2pm you will be able to visit four distinctively beautiful East Wash Park homes that you’ve most certainly driven past and fantasized about taking a peek inside. Now’s your chance to feed that craving. In addition to the homes, there will be a Street Fair on the 500 S. block of Race where you can eat local foods and visit a variety of artisan vendor booths just in time for Mother’s Day.
Here are a few highlights from this years featured homes:
• 303 S. Gaylord is best described as a creative, contemporary new build on an expansive 13,000 square foot lot. While incredibly spacious, this home was designed in a way to feel warm and welcoming with thoughtful, traditional elements such as giant glass wall partitions that create a stunning indoor-outdoor oasis. From the chef’s kitchen, to the lower-level entertainer’s dream, to the sizable outdoor space, this home is a must-see.
• 302 S. Vine (pictured here), triumphs when it comes to harmonizing perfection of scale, intriguing volumes and purposeful design. It is literally an architectural masterpiece. Designed by the owners, both renowned architects, this home is a habitable work of art that blends incredible materials, such as cedar, limestone, brick, and metal in a purposeful design evident in every inch of the interior and exterior of this home. The intention of the architecture draws visitors to embrace the south facing full height glass panels, drawing attention and opening to the courtyard and landscaping on this oversized lot.
The open kitchen features custom cherry cabinets with appliance garage, integrated mudroom door, and geometric Ann Sacks tile that serves as a backsplash and complements the tones of the Nuvolato quartzite countertops.
An open riser staircase showcases the mixed materials and is highlighted with a unique organic glass light fixture with illuminating copper undertones. The view from the landing to the lower level is as dynamic as it is when looking up. From here, you can see the architectural details such as the band that divides the floors and aligns with the limestone of the fireplace.
The sightline to the primary suite showcases the sculptural forms of the free-standing Kohler soaking tub with glass panel surround. From the deck off of this bedroom, guests have a view of Pikes Peak and evening views of the uplit Williams Tower at the University of Denver. This quintessential Wash Park home is unlike any that has been featured on previous Home Tours.
• 501 S. Race feels like a marriage of modern design and old Italianate architecture, with its traditional brick, arched windows, and flat aluminum roof. The interior was designed around a three-story opening through the center of the home topped by skylights that bring incredible light into every floor of the home. Every corner you turn provides a uniqueness in design and local art throughout. Don’t miss the outside patio with an impressive retractable pergola – a fantastic solution to enjoy Denver’s ever-changing weather and elements.
• 550 S. York is a historic Tudor that is hard to miss. An iconic bubblegum pink front door against the traditional white brick exterior gives you a taste of this designer’s playground inside. Try to pick your favorite wallpaper, as you wander through this fun, colorful home that blends textiles with fantastic aesthetics, and has a perfect flow, re-worked by the owner. This home will simply leave you feeling happy.
Aside from appeasing our voyeuristic needs, the Wash Park Home Tour not only provides the perfect opportunity for our community to gather, but it also offers a huge contribution to our beloved Steele Elementary. Without it, the robust arts program including Drama, PE, Art and Music would be on the chopping block. Along with special education and classes for highly gifted and talented students, they also focus on special cultural celebrations such as the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah, the Hindu festival of Holi, and the Muslim holiday of Eid. Teachers, coaches, friends, and neighbors shape the daily lives of our children here in Wash Park… and for many of us, it all began at Steele Elementary School where every student is celebrated and both their academic as well as their social emotional needs are met.
Finally, the Steele Community Cares program provides financial support for families in our network who are facing an unexpected crisis or need, and we do this will full anonymity. In addition, a portion of the money raised is directly given to support The LOVVE Project, which provides fresh food, hygiene products, warm clothing, school and cleaning supplies to more than 200 families in Virginia Village each month. Needless to say, this is an event that holds immense importance.
To find community in a large city, means learning to carve out your own “small town” within the area where you live. For all of us who get this magazine delivered to our doorstep, our community is Wash Park. And, for many of our local kids and their families, its Steele Elementary School. Steele is a school where kids move beyond their family and inner circle to find a sense of trust, belonging, safety, and caring for each other. It’s both a feeling and a set of relationships and Steele takes community-building very seriously. It all begins with the educators and a strong PTA supporting the school with time, talent, and financial resources. Everyone knows that strong schools equal strong neighborhood communities and Steele Elementary School is a cornerstone of Wash Park.
This is our connection in action; the mutually beneficial relationships between the greater Wash Park community, local businesses, and Steele Elementary. Here is where we depend on each other for prosperity. Please join the fun by inviting your friends, family and fellow neighbors to enjoy and partake in the day! To see photos of the featured homes and purchase your event tickets please visit washparkhometour.org