Fast and Furious East Aspen Townhome Remodel

Published: March 5, 2021

Matter was contacted by Regan Construction in Aspen for a fast and furious remodel in East Aspen over the summer and fall of 2019. An LA couple on a tight timeline wanted to transform their dated townhome as quickly and efficiently as possible. Avid adventurers and athletes, the design brief was based upon the quintessential and dynamic Aspen experience—elevated living for mountain lifestyle. Walkable to the downtown core, the townhome is both a hub and a retreat. The goal was to reveal an understated and sophisticated respite from daytime adventures before heading out at night for a gourmet meal downtown.

Design Strategy

With tight time constraints, the real challenge for our team was how to merge existing features of the townhome with updates for an efficient and beautiful remodel both on time and budget. The townhome was architecturally underwhelming but had great natural light and a functional layout overall. The major design hurdles were cosmetic. Our team quickly determined to work with the existing layout, the hardwood floors, interior doors, the kitchen and general existing electrical and plumbing locations. Stripping down instead of amplifying was our strategy from the onset.

The existing hardwood floors had been coated with grey paint, hiding the natural grain and texture. When stripped down, we were able to return the wood to a more natural dark brown oak and expose the grain again. White paint throughout as well as black trim and dark interior doors contributed to a quiet, crisp and cohesive backdrop. In the kitchen we combined two small islands into one large island, adding storage and better flow. The white raised panel cabinet doors were replaced for a grey wood shaker and the busy mosaic backsplash was discretely hidden using large sheets of painted glass. Black leathered granite countertops anchor the palette.

Understated Master Bath

The team tackled the master bathroom by removing the saloon style French doors, floating the vanities, enclosing the shower in glass and the toilet room in frosted glass. Marble from Marble, CO was sourced for the walls paired with the same black leathered granite from the kitchen for efficiency in sourcing materials and less waste. Small details such as matte white sinks and bathtub, LED strip lighting details and the floating shower bench add to the elevated and understated design.

Furniture Statement Pieces

Furniture items with typically long lead times such as the dining table, the sofas, the entry console and mirror, nightstands and dressers were all made locally through Kremer located in Denver, CO to accommodate the short timeframe. The client agreed to splurge on key statement pieces such as the marble coffee table and master bedroom chaise for added drama. The color palette is based in neutral greige, creams, and grey accents in light blue and lavender in the living room and master. The guest suites were designed to feel like hotel rooms with crisp linens from Parachute, decorative lighting from Allied maker and luxurious baby alpaca throws.

While the end result accomplished all of our goals, on time and on budget—this project was all about collaboration, teamwork, communication and strategic planning. The success of this remodel was a direct result of the teamwork, collaboration and positive attitudes on the jobsite with Regan Construction. There were many unforeseen challenges that we met along the way that we tackled thanks to Regan’s proactive approach. It was a true pleasure working alongside Pedro our foreman and Mark Regan on this gorgeous home!