RADAR / SCENE
#INSTACRUSH
@annabode
WHO: Denver resident Anna Smith, who turned her lifelong passion for design into Annabode + Co., a business that helps homeowners across the country create peaceful modern living spaces. WHAT: Consider this feed your instruction manual for conveying “simplicity with character,” which is Smith’s goal. She achieves this in her designs and on her feed by marrying a limited color palette and streamlined furnishings with organic shapes and textures in warm neutral hues. WHY: Smith loves calm spaces that feel connected to the earth, and you’ll find yourself sharing her passion. There’s substance here, too: Smith’s 41,000-plus followers love her decorating tips, her willingness to answer questions and share sources and the chance to offer their advice when she’s faced with a design dilemma of her own. IN HER WORDS: “Put very simply, good design makes life better.”
SHOPS + SHOWROOMS
Winter is the perfect time to tackle those home decor projects put off when warm weather beckoned, and Denver’s latest shops are ready to help. For instance, Furniture Row’s high-end spin-off, The Showroom @Furniture Row (5445 N. Bannock St.), boasts 170,000 square feet of luxury pieces from brands like Henredon, Christopher Guy, Hancock & Moore and Bernhardt. In Cherry Creek North, the California Closets Design Studio (2950 E. 2nd Ave.), shown, lets clients create custom storage solutions using technologies like a floor-to-ceiling projection wall for 3-D CAD renderings. The Tile Shop’s new showroom (14175 E. 42nd Ave., Building A) displays its inventory of more than 4,000 designs in roomsize vignettes. And the makers in the River North Art District now have a collective place to sell their work at RiNo Made (Zeppelin Station, 3501 Wazee St.), which is filled with sculptures, stationery, apparel and more; look for pop-up trunk shows and classes, too.
THE INSIDER DAISY PATTON
“As an artist, my primary goal is to re-humanize people who have been forgotten or ignored,” Denver artist Daisy Patton says of her multidisciplinary work, which explores themes of history and memory. “I have found that even within those personal histories, my audience can always find aspects of their own autobiographies.” Her latest collection, for instance, is a series of oil paintings atop enlarged photographs. Here, Patton introduces us to some local artists and galleries who are making waves in Colorado—and beyond. daisypatton.com Where she finds inspiration: I appreciate the thoughtfulness and risk-taking at the Museo de las Americas, the Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities and the Center for Visual Art. I also enjoy Leon Gallery and Michael Warren Contemporary, and I’m excited about my new gallery, K Contemporary. As a collector: I tend to buy work I wouldn’t make myself, such as a piece by Ashley Eliza Williams that depicts a rock covered in delicately painted colorful moss. I also have work from local artists Suchitra Mattai (mixed-media “drawings” and installations), Libby Barbee (mixed-media images and interactive sculptures) and Jodi Stuart (digital and plastic sculptural works). Ones to watch? Frankie Toan’s plush sculptures and interactive works, 2-D and 3-D prints by Sarah Fukami, Jennifer Pettus’ mixed-media fiber art, book arts by Sammy Lee and Alicia Bailey, paintings and drawings by Stephen Batura, sculpture and installations by Laura Shill and Amber Cobb and Ian Fisher’s large oil paintings of clouds.
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WRITTEN BY CHRISTINE DEORIO
instacrush photos: courtesy anna smith. the insider photo: courtesy daisy patton. open house photo: courtesy california closets.
OPEN HOUSE
DATE BOOK CASPER LUNDEMANN
Design lovers heading to the Mile-High City can find inspiration and a sense of home at Halcyon, a boutique hotel in the heart of Denver’s Cherry Creek North neighborhood. Most of this is courtesy of Johnson Nathan Strohe, the notable local firm that completed the architecture and interior design of the structure, which sits on the site of a former post office. Opened in 2016, the hotel boasts 154 modern rooms and 10 suites, a rooftop pool and partnerships with nearby restaurants, shops and boutiques. To further connect guests with the area, Halcyon imports “hosts,” who work as baristas, bartenders, concierges and gear-rental experts, from various cities and industries to offer familiar service and fresh perspectives on Denver and design. For instance, “I grew up surrounded by 1700s architecture, modern minimalism and midcentury-inspired interiors,” says Casper Lundemann, the hotel’s concierge, who hails from Copenhagen. Here, we tapped the Scandinavian host to lead us on a tour from Halcyon to the River North Art District and back. halcyonhotelcherrycreek.com 9 a.m. Guests can check out a bicycle from Halcyon’s complimentary Gear Garage and ride along the Cherry Creek Trail to Black Eye Coffee’s Capitol Hill location for breakfast. The attention to detail in the Art Deco design is amazing, and the coffee and food are fantastic. The avocado toast with eggs and bacon is the winner on the brunch menu. 10 a.m. A visit to the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver is always a good idea. Check out the current exhibition: On display are paintings, sculptures, pottery pieces, woodwork and metalwork produced by 25 artists from Jalisco, Mexico, between 1915 and today. 12 p.m. Cycle to the River North Art District, where you’ll find the Denver Central Market. Order a cup of Novo nitro cold-brew coffee at Crema Bodega and a wood-fired pizza at Neapolitanstyle eatery Vero—it’s one of the best I’ve had outside Europe. 1 p.m. Go to the Denver Botanic Gardens. While there, peruse the beautifully landscaped grounds as well as the 134 / luxesource.com
exhibits—like the display of works by students from the property’s School of Botanical & Art Illustrations. 3 p.m. Walk around RiNo and take in the amazing street art, galleries and boutiques. RedLine, a nonprofit art center where pompousness is nonexistent, is a fantastic stop if you are interested in contemporary art or just want to experience some local culture. 5 p.m. Make your way back to Cherry Creek North and explore Room & Board’s newly expanded showroom, a mecca for fans of midcentury furniture and design. The stunning facility will make you want to redesign your home; don’t miss the rooftop deck. 7 p.m. End the day at Quality Italian for a filet mignon with grilled asparagus, and save room for an affogato (mascarpone gelato drenched in espresso) for dessert. Afterward, head to the Halcyon’s rooftop bar, Departure Elevated, for a stunning view of the city as well as a taste of Japanese sake— give one a try.
date book photos: portrait, courtesy artizians; vignettes, courtesy halcyon, a hotel in cherry creek.
RADAR / SCENE