The home's majestic setting in Pinebrook Hills dictated the kitchen and dining room's contemporary design, where shapes and windows maximize views.

This contemporary-style kitchen is shaped like an octagon, with an octagonal dining room to match. Twenty-foot-tall ceilings make the space open and airy, but architect Doug Baumgartner included prominent cabinet tops to keep the kitchen on a cozy human scale.

a tale of two kitchens

Kitchens come in nearly as many flavors as ice cream. Yet, two of the most popular tastes are “traditional” and “contemporary.” What makes a kitchen one or the other? We visited two local homes to find out.

By Wendy Underhill
Photos by Ron Forth

coolly contemporary

From a plain meal to a festive feast, kitchens are the gathering spot for family and friends. This chic, contemporary kitchen is no different. It’s the heart of this multitiered home perched high up in Pinebrook Hills.

Because a contemporary floor plan favors open rooms, a kitchen this size could easily feel cavernous—especially with the 20-foot-tall ceiling that this one possesses. So architect Doug Baumgartner, of Baumgartner Enterprises in Lafayette, brought it down to human scale through an octagonal design with a prominent cabinetry top that suggests a diminished ceiling.

Although the home’s overall feeling is bright, light and airy, the kitchen sports dark, cozy colors, cherry cabinetry and Paradiso granite. These dusky colors “ground” the kitchen and establish it as a separate space, says the homeowner, Lynn (who requested anonymity).

Three sides of the octagon compose the primary cooking and preparation areas—the range, fridge, counters and cabinets—and the shape is repeated in the ceiling, island and adjacent dining room, three steps up from the kitchen. Here, wood floors surround an octagonal carpet and the room’s modest, intriguing shape assure an intimate meal, Baumgartner says.

But octagons aren’t just cozy; they invite in views—an essential factor on this sloped property where every compass point offers a rapturous sight.

Together, the kitchen and dining room represent one hallmark of contemporary architecture: “The site itself becomes part of the design,” says Baumgartner, who incorporated prominent windows to capture the sweeping cityscape and mountain vistas.

What else makes these two spaces contemporary? Both are flooded with natural light and augmented by high-tech artificial lighting, including a soothing red light that runs the perimeter of the coffered ceiling. “It’s very relaxing at night,” Lynn says.

The spaces’ many smooth surfaces create an overall effect of grace and ease, and they’re easy to care for, as well. Metal is another important design element. Appliances are stainless steel—no surprise in a contemporary kitchen—but diamond-shaped, grape-themed metal accents add contrast and interest.

It’s just these personal touches that make Lynn’s kitchen a warm and welcoming place.

Nini and I. V. Rosenberg invited their friends over to help demolish their 1960s ranch house. After the smashing party, the Rosenbergs built this crisp, clean, traditional home in its place.

Subtle features, like the yellow-diamond backsplash, checkered tablecloth, and chandelier, give this "traditional" kitchen a cozy, homey feel. Tables, stools and a large island offer lots of space for guests to relax.

A Twist on Tradition

Some say the test of a pleasing home is whether it begs guests to relax, eat, drink and be merry. By that measure, Nini and I. V. Rosenberg’s east Boulder home is absolutely pleasing. Friends drop by and quickly find themselves ensconced in merriment in the couple’s traditional-style kitchen. “It’s such an inviting place to be, why would we go anywhere else?” Nini says.

It all started when the couple decided to completely renovate their 1960s ranch home. In fitting Rosenberg style, the renovation began with a demolition party: friends and family members wrote on walls, wielded bats and smashed windows, walls and doors. “We had a blast smashing everything up and not even worrying about it,” Nini says.

During rebuilding, the Rosenbergs paid special attention to the kitchen. They covered the basics of good kitchen design, of course: excellent flow, maximum storage, natural and high-tech lighting, and ample room for guests. Beyond that, they wanted to create a place that spoke to their personalities—a kitchen appropriate to their 2-acre country-style estate.

“We both grew up in traditional houses and wanted something along those lines, but not exactly,” Nini says. “Call it ‘tradition with a country twist.’”

So the Rosenbergs planned an island with plenty of stools, an expandable kitchen table, extra counters, and a large pantry area. But instead of being closed-off, their wraparound pantry doubles as an entryway to the dining room and boasts a buffet counter for entertaining.

The kitchen is separated from the family room by a change in flooring materials and wall angles, but is still connected enough so the chefs can watch a Broncos game as well as their company can.

But what, specifically, makes this a traditional kitchen with a country splash? I. V.’s sister, Margie Linnen, an interior designer with Professional Décors in Denver who assisted with the design, says the hallmarks are “the finishing touches that make it feel cozy, decorative and comfortable.” The trick, she says, is to not overuse them.

Thus, the Rosenbergs’ kitchen has sunny yellow wallpaper paired with classic white cabinets; a white tile backsplash with yellow diamonds and peacock-blue checkers; birdhouses, plants, clocks and other homey items atop the cabinetry; hooked rugs; colorful artwork; and a red-and-white checkered tablecloth. Floral valences, wainscoting and bay windows round out this comfortable kitchen.

“You won’t find any cold, hard materials in our house,” Nini says. “That’s just not us.” To keep their kitchen on the warm side, the couple chose light ash flooring and painted the wooden cabinetry white. But the abundance of white and light doesn’t deter from the magnificent landscape outside the large windows.

“Nothing should compete with the view out there,” says I. V., who spent years designing and constructing the incredible yard that includes hundreds of mature trees, a large lake, gazebos, a waterfall, garden art and resting spots to enjoy the immense Flatirons views.

“The most important thing about the kitchen is how I feel when I’m working here,” Nini says. “I literally feel uplifted.”

Now, if all of us could say that about our kitchen, the world would be a happier place.

Wendy Underhill is a freelance writer whose kitchen is always filled with friends and family, just the way she likes it.

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