fine design
by Carol Brock

Like many 1960s-era homes, Toni Smokler’s north Boulder abode needed an extreme makeover. Dark cabinets and flooring paired with old windows made her home cheerless and predictable. Enter Boulder designer Roxanne Capaul, whom Smokler enlisted to update her home into a contemporary haven with Asian touches.

“Toni wanted a monochromatic color scheme to enhance her overall Japanese theme,” Capaul says. To accomplish that, Capaul changed the home’s color palette from peach and brown to tones of gray with black and white accents. She then replaced Mexican tile in the entry and kitchen with honey-colored hardwood flooring. The original tan carpet in the main living space and master bedroom was replaced with a plush gray pile, while a contemporary gray berber was selected for the lower levels.

The most difficult design challenge proved to be the master bath and kitchen. “They weren’t huge, so I had to design every bit of each space to get the most functional use out of them,” Capaul says.

To accommodate a steam shower, Japanese soaking tub and an enclosed toilet in the master bath, Capaul came up with an angular design that makes the most efficient use of space. The design incorporates various textures, including concrete countertops and gray-slate floors and walls. A moon-shaped light fixture adds calming ambience, while a white vessel sink, skylight, bamboo and accent tiles reflect Asian elements.

In the kitchen, Capaul redesigned the aging cabinetry for a more minimalist, yet elegant appearance. Kick-plate drawers, a built-in spice rack, sliding pot drawers and task lighting make the space both beautiful and functional. Honed black-granite countertops accommodate a large corner sink, and stainless steel appliances complete the contemporary look. The home’s redesigned staircase includes panels of textured glass that match glass panels in the kitchen cabinets. The staircase’s most illuminating aspect is the way light flows from the entry through the glass panels to the previously dark den on the lower level.

The Asian theme is carried throughout the house in Capaul’s selection of furniture and accents, including hand-carved wood above windows and doors in the master bedroom, and a framed kimono artwork she
fabricated for the master bedroom entry.

“It was an interesting project,” Capaul says. “Not only was I involved with the interior design, I also managed many of the construction aspects. The chance to work with local craftsmen of such high skill to fulfill this vision was very satisfying.”

Roxanne Capaul is editorial art director of Boulder County Home & Garden Magazine. Contact her at rotire@earthlink.net.

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