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NEW GUARD GUEST HOUSE
098 / luxesource.com
top photo, kylie fitts; bottom photos, brandon lopez.
In 2016, when entrepreneur Alex Ryden was selling his bag brand, Age Carriers, from the living room of his Denver townhouse, he noticed that many customers had more questions about his sofa than his sleek, stylish bags. Inspired, he swapped out his furniture for pieces from local makers, then opened his doors to shoppers who jumped at the chance to see how the furnishings looked in an actual home. A business was born: Today, Guest House decorates homes for real estate agents, developers and homeowners in Denver and Boulder, using locally made furnishings, ceramics, rugs and original artwork that evoke a relaxed modern lifestyle. Local interior designers are tapped to create a unique look for each house, which opens to shoppers for weekend events and open houses until the property sells. Customers can make purchases on the spot or via Guest House’s website or Instagram. This spring, look for a shoppable townhouse on Boulder’s Pearl Street, plus goods from a fresh crop of local makers. guesthouseshop.com
WRITTEN BY CHRISTINE DEORIO
RADAR / SCENE
OPEN HOUSE SHOPS + SHOWROOMS
A new crop of Denver design showrooms offers goods for every room in the house, in stylish spaces designed to inspire. At her space in the Art District on Santa Fe (870 Santa Fe Drive), Andrea Schumacher—principal of Andrea Schumacher Interiors—offers up her glamorous style in the form of Turkish pillows, Moroccan rugs and unique jewelry. Roth Living’s flagship (742 S. Broadway) displays luxury appliances in cutting-edge kitchens by Boffi, Bulthaup, William Ohs and Downsview Kitchens. Town’s Denver Design Center showroom (595 S. Broadway, Suite 100E) offers a curated mix of decor items by Phillip Jeffries, Romo, A. Rudin and John Pomp, plus boutique collections from Jiun Ho, Rosemary Hallgarten and more.
CLARITY FORNELL
What happens when a traditional loom falls into the hands of a weaver with a brave, experimental style? In the case of Aspenbased artist Clarity Fornell, you get custom wall hangings, wool rugs and baby alpaca pillows with a cool, contemporary edge. Here, Fornell shares what drives her irresistible designs. clarityelisewovens.bigcartel.com Why is weaving your artistic expression of choice? The possibilities on a loom, as far as textural dimension and pattern, are endless, and I love trying something new. My tool, the floor loom, allows me to produce on a large scale in a fairly short amount of time. I can complete a blanket—one of my favorite things to weave—in four days. How would you describe your style? I have two very distinct styles: My interior goods have a simple, Scandinavian style and are inspired by architecture or a client’s interior design. My fine art is bold, graphic and experimental, and often inspired by music, contemporary art, nature, even Eastern European tattoos. I’m also beginning to learn fashion construction and upholstery. What colors and materials catch your eye? I always use natural materials because they exude luxury. My current palette features neutral colors because they are on trend, but who knows what will come in the future. I love developing color stories for each new collection. 100 / luxesource.com
LAUNCH
ANGELA HARRIS FOR PHILLIPS COLLECTION “My love of design comes from the notion that things are meant to be beautiful, and our intention to find and create such beauty comes through collaboration,” says Angela Harris, founder, CEO and principal of Denver-based design firm Trio. Harris recently partnered with Phillips Collection, a to-the-trade furniture manufacturer known for organic-contemporary furnishings, to create three collections that marry clean lines with artful details: The Ladder collection’s linear chairs, sofas (shown) and tables with metal ladder backs and bases play with negative space. Intersection’s boxy wood coffee tables are inlaid with crisscrossing metal bands. And the Bordo Collection’s channel-tufted-leather sofa and chair seats seem carved into sleek cubes of suar wood. phillipscollection.com/angela-harris
meet the maker photo: claire tweedy. open house photo: emily minton redfield. launch photo: courtesy phillips collection.
MEET the MAKER