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MEET the MAKER
TALKING SHOP SJOTIME INDUSTRIES
At first glance, the handcrafted pieces that comprise custom furniture company Sjotime Industries’ first line of ready-made residential furnishings are striking in their simplicity. Crafted of white oak, these modern tables, seats and accessories rely on subtle details—notched tops that expose the end grain of subtly angled legs, the linear quality of rift-sawn wood—to catch the eye. But according to Sjotime (pronounced “show time”) founder Dan Sjogren, this style, which takes cues from Scandinavian furniture designs, is anything but simple. “The attention to detail, the primacy of materials in their natural state and the elegance of execution and composition…is a very challenging aesthetic to achieve,” he says. To pull it off, he and his team use modern technology and time-tested techniques to build each piece. The finished products are sold online and, as of last summer, at the Sjo Room, a storefront in Denver’s Golden Triangle neighborhood that Sjogren designed to feel like an apartment. “There’s an uncluttered, Scandinavian vibe to the interiors that’s meant to highlight the personality of each piece while giving customers a feel for how the furniture and artwork might work in their own homes,” he says. sjotime.com
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Close your eyes and wrap your hands around a perfectly imperfect tumbler or pot by Boulder-based ceramicist Steffanie Woodward and you’ll find that her porcelain creations feel just as good as they look. Perhaps that’s because the founder of Lera Ceramics often makes her one-of-a-kind pieces with her eyes closed. “There is something about ceramics that is visceral to me,” she says. “It’s almost meditative.” Woodward encourages that feeling by handbuilding each functional object—without a potter’s wheel and using minimal tools—in her Airstream trailer-turned-studio using the techniques of pinch, coil and slab before finishing them with soft white glazes and doodle-like line drawings. “My work isn’t perfectly symmetrical, straight or smooth,” she says, “but the combination of simple and minimal with the added beauty of imperfection is special.” Shop for Woodward’s designs online or locally at Meek Vintage, the Artisan Center and at Guest House shoppable homes, and stay tuned for new items to covet, including ceramic and woven wool wall art. leraceramics.com
WRITTEN BY CHRISTINE DEORIO
talking shop photos: courtesy sjotime industries and kylie fitts. meet the maker photos: steffanie woodward.
STEFFANIE WOODWARD
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POST MASTERS WHO: Studio Thomas, a Denver design firm helmed by industry veteran Kristen Thomas and known for residential interiors that are tailored, timeless and luxurious in their striking simplicity.
WHY: You’ll gain a new appreciation for neutral colors, natural materials and classical architectural details, as well as the “less-but-better” design philosophy the Studio Thomas team espouses.
WHAT: Thomas and her team take cues from fashion (think: Ralph Lauren and other classic labels), architecture, nature and international travel when curating interiors, and you will find the styles and spaces that inspire their work—as well as gorgeous mood boards, vignettes and entire rooms they’ve created for their many Colorado clients—on their feed.
IN HER WORDS: “We don’t want to just show a pretty home; we want to capture the feeling of the kind of life you’re going to live in that home. We hope our followers will find inspiration to live well, to choose quality over quantity, and to curate their home with an intention that’s centered around the lifestyle they want to live, rather than the popular trends of the moment.”
BLUEPRINT
FOUR SEASONS RESORT AND RESIDENCES VAIL It may seem like just yesterday that the Four Seasons first brought its unique brand of luxury to Vail, but in 2020 the property is marking its 10th anniversary with the completion of a two-year, phased redesign project led by hospitality design firm Jeffrey Beers International, which brings a lighter, brighter, more contemporary style to nearly every nook and cranny, starting with the reimagined lobby (below), a relaxed, open space where guests can meet with concierge staff to craft the perfect stay. Guest rooms, suites, residence club units and private residences are appointed with clean-lined furnishings in neutral hues. Even the resort’s 8,500 square feet of meeting and event spaces sport a fresh take on highcountry style, ensuring that every stay—be it for business or pleasure— meets the needs of mountain travelers in style. fourseasons.com
CHECK IN LIFE HOUSE
When Rami Zeidan launched the Life House collection of hotels in 2017, he envisioned residential-style accommodations with design details closely tied to the history of each property’s unique neighborhood. This spring, when the first guests settle into Life House’s fourth location (and the first in Colorado), they’ll get to know the Lower Highland neighborhood’s cool mix of historic and modern architecture. Taking cues from Western frontier dwellings and Victorian-era opulence, the design merges warm wood tones, textured glass, patterned textiles and pops of yellows, reds and blues. Sixteen guest rooms and suites are appointed with Victorian-style wardrobes, leather-upholstered headboards and vintage-inspired Marshall speakers. For the ultimate group getaway, book a suite with a bunk room, where up to six full-size beds dressed in luxury linens are curtained for privacy. lifehousehotels.com 092 / luxesource.com
post masters photos: courtesy studio thomas and pete eklund. check in photo: courtesy life house. blueprint rendering: courtesy four seasons resort & residences vail.
@studiothomas
portrait: callie hobbs. bloom by anuschka photo: courtesy bloom by anuschka. aillea photo: courtesy aillea. cooper lounge photo: rebecca todd. hotel teatro photo: courtesy hotel teatro.
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DATE BOOK JODI COOK
Interior designer and Wisconsin native Jodi Cook brought a breath of fresh air to Denver’s design scene when she launched Cook Design House in 2016; since then, she’s lightened the mood in countless Colorado homes with a style that’s as easygoing as Cook herself. “A luxury product is often defined as something that’s rare and expensive,” she says, “and we want to redefine it to mean beautiful yet livable.” With that in mind, Cook infuses her projects with handmade and heirloom furnishings, natural materials, and fabrics and finishes that can stand up to kids, pets and lively gatherings. Her warmth and taste for all things timeless inspired Luxe to ask where she likes to spend time when she’s not on the clock. Here, she shares a Denver day tour of the spots that speak to her style. cookdesignhouse.com 9 a.m. First stop: Vert Kitchen on South Pearl Street is a charming French bistro that’s the perfect place to grab breakfast or brunch. Their Croque Monsieur is amazing! I like to add a fried egg and make it a Croque Madame. 11 a.m. Drive to nearby Cherry Creek North for some shopping— Bloom by Anuschka (top, left), one of my favorite spots, has a playful mix of stylish and cheeky home decor, but don’t forget to check out their jewelry. I own a couple of pieces from Alex Fitz (a jewelry designer Bloom features). They also usually have a piece or two by Dallas-based painter and interior designer Kelly O’Neal, whose work I admire. 12 p.m. Grab lunch at True Food Kitchen, a health-focused restaurant in Cherry Creek North and one of my go-to spots, particularly if I’m doing a 094 / luxesource.com
cleanse. I love the earthy, organic vibe of the interiors, especially the wall of birch tree branches. 2 p.m. Head downtown to appreciate a bit of old Denver. On the way, drive through the Country Club Historic Neighborhood and ogle the gorgeous old homes. The architecture in this neighborhood makes it one of my favorites—I particularly love the Colonial and Tudor Revival-style homes. 4 p.m. Larimer Square is a go-to not only for shopping and dining but also because it’s Denver’s oldest block. It was saved from demolition in 1965 by developer and preservationist Dana Crawford and was named the city’s first historic district in 1971. I always pop into Aillea, a “clean beauty” store (top, right), to pick up some of Maya Chia’s The Super Couple Serum.
5 p.m. The last stop needs to be Union Station (center, right), which was originally built in 1881 and reopened in 2014 after redevelopment. The Beaux-Arts architecture is stunning and is best appreciated from the mezzanine level at the Cooper Lounge. Their cocktail list is out of this world and has something for everyone. My favorite is the Black Manhattan. 9 p.m. If it gets too late, you can stay at the Crawford Hotel at Union Station, or visit the nearby Hotel Teatro (right), a luxury boutique hotel and my favorite in town. I love the building, which is in the Renaissance Revival style and was built in 1911 to house the city’s public transportation system. The current vibe inside is tailored and masculine, with a bit of an industrial/vintage vibe.