European Eclectic

About This Eclectic Interior Architecture Project

This extensive interior remodeling transformed an existing residence into a highly personal setting for the homeowners’ remarkable collection of European antiques and architectural artifacts. The wife, a former antique dealer, brought a particularly individual vision to the project, incorporating imported stone sinks and fireplaces, antique furnishings, decorative tile, lighting, and other objects collected over many years.

Denver Architect Robert Larsen worked closely with the homeowners to create an architectural framework that would complement these unusual pieces while giving the remodeled home a sense of age and authenticity. Reclaimed timber beams, rustic stone floors, polished plaster walls, steel-framed windows and doors, custom mahogany doors, wrought-iron hardware, and masonry arches establish an intentionally Old World character. Polished plaster extends directly to floors, doors, and windows without conventional baseboards or wood trim, providing a simple background for the richly textured materials and furnishings.

The remodeling extended into the basement, where new brick arches, exposed floor joists, custom woodwork, and a large bar continue the European-inspired vocabulary. Throughout the project, new construction was carefully detailed to feel as though it might have evolved over generations—creating a home that is distinctly eclectic, deeply personal, and unlike any other.

Breakfast

A shaped plaster opening frames the Breakfast Area, where rustic stone flooring, antique furnishings, wrought-iron lighting, and a decorative panel of Portuguese azulejo tiles introduce the eclectic European character found throughout this extensively remodeled home.

Kitchen from Breakfast

Looking through the dining area toward the remodeled kitchen, massive reclaimed timber beams and rustic stone flooring establish the Old World character of the interior. A shaped plaster opening provides a transition between the spaces while framing the view toward the kitchen and its expansive steel-framed windows. Antique European furnishings, blue-and-white ceramics, decorative lighting, and a large antique cabinet create an intentionally eclectic composition reflecting the homeowner’s years as an antique dealer. The remodeling was designed to integrate these distinctive furnishings and artifacts into an architectural setting that feels collected over time rather than newly created.

Kitchen

The remodeled kitchen reflects the homeowner’s love of European antiques and rustic materials. Massive reclaimed wood ceiling beams and a matching timber range hood introduce an intentionally aged, Old World character. Particularly distinctive are the deeply textured antique stone sinks, imported from Europe and incorporated into the new kitchen design. Black steel casement windows, an antique-inspired range and chandelier, stone flooring, and a collection of European furnishings and accessories complete the highly individual, eclectic interior.

Kitchen Sitting Nook

This view of the remodeled kitchen and adjoining sitting area illustrates the homeowner’s highly individual approach to interior design. Massive reclaimed timber beams, aged stone flooring, a carved stone fireplace, and black steel doors and windows establish the rustic European architectural character. An eclectic collection of antique furnishings, decorative objects, pewter, ceramics, and hunting trophies reflects the homeowner’s background as an antique dealer. Rather than creating a conventionally coordinated interior, the remodeling was designed to provide an architectural setting for a collection of distinctive objects gathered over many years.

Dining

The formal Dining Room expresses another facet of the homeowner’s eclectic European aesthetic. Decorative wood moldings applied to the white walls create a geometric paneled effect, while the dark wood parquet floor and steel-framed doors and windows provide contrast. An extraordinary collection of antique furnishings, carved statuary, gilded candlesticks, and an elaborate hanging lantern gives the room its distinctly Old World character. The restrained architectural background was designed to complement rather than compete with the homeowner’s richly detailed collection.

Living

The Living Room combines the homeowner’s collection of European antiques with a deliberately restrained architectural background. The massive antique stone fireplace was imported by the owner and required reinforcing the existing floor structure to support its considerable weight. Polished plaster walls extend uninterrupted to the wood flooring without baseboards, while the plaster returns directly to the steel door and window frames without conventional casing or trim. These simple architectural details provide a quiet contrast to the richly carved furnishings, antique lighting, ceramics, and other decorative objects collected by the homeowner.

Stairway thru Arched Opening

As part of the basement remodeling, a new brick arched opening was constructed at the stairway to suggest the character of an original masonry structure. The substantial brickwork, rustic floor tile, exposed timber beam, and simple wrought-iron stair railing continue the home’s European-inspired vocabulary. Dark-stained wood stair treads contrast with the white plaster walls, creating a passage that feels as though it might have evolved as part of an old European house rather than being newly constructed.

Stairway

The rustic floor tile, exposed timber beam, and simple wrought-iron stair railing continue the home’s European-inspired vocabulary. Dark-stained wood stair treads contrast with the white plaster walls, creating a passage that feels as though it might have evolved as part of an old European house rather than being newly constructed.

Bar

The basement Bar was custom designed by Denver Architect Robert Larsen as part of the extensive interior remodeling. Brick arches at the back bar repeat the historic structural character introduced elsewhere in the basement, framing open display niches and arched wood cabinet doors. The large paneled wood bar and countertop provide generous seating, while the homeowner’s much-prized beer taps occupy prominent places behind the bar. Existing floor joists were cleaned and left exposed rather than concealed by a new ceiling, preserving valuable ceiling height while contributing to the informal Old World character of the space.

Typical Interior Door

Interior doors throughout the remodeled home were custom fabricated of 2½-inch-thick mahogany. This face uses traditional stile-and-rail construction with rustic wood panels, while polished plaster returns directly to the opening without conventional wood casing.

Typical Interior Door with Strap Hinges

The opposite face of the same door has the character of an old European plank door. Custom wrought-iron pintle strap hinges were fabricated by D. C. Mitchell of Wilmington, Delaware, with the door latch finished to match. The natural grain, knots, and irregularities of the mahogany were deliberately retained as part of the handcrafted character.