Ranch House Makeover in Denver

The future meets the best of the past.

What do you call a midcentury remodel that transformed a 1954 ranch-style home into a three-level 5,100-square-foot modern home? If you’re Sunset magazine, you call it the 2015 Idea House.

“When we chose a 1950s ranch house in Denver to remodel for our 2015 Idea House, the response was passionate and mixed,” says Sunset home editor Joanna Linberg. “Some people said we should leave a good thing alone. Others pointed out that the house, which wasn’t exactly iconic, could use an update. We understand both perspectives.”

Categories

Remodel
Classic Line
Series 9500
Series 670
Windows
Bi-fold door

Location

Denver
Colorado

Huge windows bathe the living room in natural light.

The Sunset team tapped Jonas DiCaprio of Design Platform to devise a remodel that “left intact the best of the existing details (like the fireplace) while adding more space and some of the midcentury features (like custom built-ins) the original home lacked.” Interior designer Megan Hudacky of cky design was charged with updating the home’s vintage style.

Energy-efficient aluminum doors and windows keep the heat in during Denver’s cold winters.

Western Window Systems provided all the windows and doors for the Sunset Idea House, including the award-winning Series 9500 Bi-Fold Door, an accordion-style door leading to the home’s outdoor kitchen and patio. Other products included sliding glass doors and windows, fixed, casement, and awning, from the new Series 670 Hinged Window line. The innovative products are showcased in key remodeling phases that merge the interior and exterior, such as moving the kitchen from the front of the home to the back and opening it up to the yard and adding a second level with a master suite and rooftop deck.

Oversize pieces of glass are a specialty of Western Window Systems.

A handsome sliding glass door opens this dining space to the lush backyard.

Fixed and operable windows cover every wall of this home, bringing natural sunlight into every room.

The Idea House was featured in the November 2015 issue of Sunset magazine.

“We didn’t want to see the same old ideas you can find in any showroom,” says Sunset editor-in-chief Peggy Northrop. “We wanted innovation. We wanted durability. We wanted ideas any homeowner could use.”

With the bi-fold door open, the total living space increases exponentially.

A combination of fixed and operable windows add life to this bedroom.

Sliding glass door and sliding windows let fresh Colorado air course through the open floor plan.

Customized door and window sizes add a unique look to the outside of the home.

For more information on the 2015 Sunset Idea House, including floor plans, before and after photos, and a meet-the-team video, visit the Sunset website.

Architect Jonas DiCaprio, Design Platform

Designer Megan Hudacky, cky design