Name: Danny and Christy
Location: Barnum/Villa Park, Denver, Colorado
Size: 3,200 square feet
Years lived in: 9 years

I came across Danny and Christy's amazing home online while hunting down lodging for a few funky-fresh out of town visitors we were expecting. I wanted to find them a place that was fun, unique and totally unexpected — a place that would represent Denver's arts and design community and possibly encourage them to move! Once I'd laid eyes upon this hundred year old church/Masonic lodge/Mexican restaurant/burrito factory/home, I knew I had to share it with the Apartment Therapy community. 

Enter House Tour

The space in its entirety is so rad and full of history, but if I had to narrow it down I would say my two favorite elements are the commercial Wolf stove (with a 24" griddle!) and the Skeeball arcade game. When I was touring the home all I could think about was how much bacon would fit on that griddle and how I could hone my Skeeball skills and become a world champion. And since you only need one hand to play, the other could be reserved for holding bacon! In short: I wanted to move in ASAP!

Danny and Christy successfully created a space they would have loved to live in as kids. They decided to decorate with furniture inherited from grandparents and toys from the 80's, including a soap box car, a Skeeball arcade game, a Lite-Brite, and an Apple lle computer, just to name a few. The house matures as you move from the toy packed entry to the super chic master bedroom in the back, while keeping playful elements, like a hidden Space Invaders tile design in the shower. I truly admire this space because its is exactly what Danny and Christy want, and nothing less. 

Enter House Tour

Apartment Therapy Survey:

Our Style: We are drawn to vintage, odd, industrial and eclectic items. We love to combine all of those and then add modern touches like our Bensen couch or our Blu Dot Nook Bed.

Inspiration:  Bringing together all the stuff we wanted in a house as a kids. Remember that awesome loft apartment with the trampoline in the 80’s classic movie BIG?? It’s kind of like that...

Favorite Element: The Hot Tamale sign! Danny found it face-down on the roof (from when the building served as a Mexican Restaurant). It’s now a sliding door to our bedroom. We also love the original hardwood floors!

Biggest Challenge:  This building has had many past lives. It was originally built in 1906 as a community church. It then served as a Masonic lodge for many decades. After that, it was a Mexican restaurant. We needed a way to make this open space feel like a home. By dividing the area into different sections and putting the kitchen in the center of the space, we made it into a home that feels cozy and functional. Also, the bedroom in the back gives us a retreat from the high energy of the main space. 

What Friends Say: HOLY SHIT! You live in an old Church/Masonic Lodge/Mexican Restaurant/Burrito Factory? 

Biggest Embarrassment: The brick is over 100 years old, and there have been little cracks that have let to the occasional snow drift in our bedroom! 

Proudest DIY:  Building the house! It was a shell of a building when it was purchased. The walls were collapsing, there were no windows left, and the joists were sagging by almost a foot. Look at old pics here. 

Biggest Indulgence:  Spending money to heat the house!! 

Best Advice: Only bring things into your house that make you smile. Don’t over analyze — if you love something you’ll make it work with the space.

Dream Sources: Mod Livin', secret estate sales and our Grandparents basements!


Enter House Tour

Resources of Note:

ENTRY

• Soap Box Derby Car: Craigslist treasure

• Skeeball Machine: Estes Park Arcade

• Blue Dot Chicago 8 Box: Mod Livin’

• Typewriters: Garage Sales

• Ice Chest: Came with the building We now use it to store craft    supplies

• Apple IIe: Childhood

• Table with the Apple IIe: Inherited from Christy’s Grandparents

• Marilyn Monroe painting: Scot Lefavor

• Photographs: Justin David Cox

• Piano: rescued from a friend who was moving

• 1964 Sprint 150 Silver Vespa 

LIVING ROOM

• Bensen Couch: Mod Livin’

• Red Fluffy Pillows-Treasure found by our friend Becky Mayer  

• Danish End Tables and Lamp: Inherited from Danny’s Grandparents

• Record Player Table: Inherited from Christy’s Grandparents

• 2 square paintings: Scot Lefavor Artwork

• Paintings on bookshelf: 

Sara Ford

• Super 8 Cameras: Rescued from the University of Colorado film  department

• Fake Eames Chair: Craigslist

• Bookcase: Ikea

DINING ROOM

• Danish dining room table: Inherited from Danny’s Grandparents

• Danish coffee table: Inherited from Danny’s Grandparents

• Old Sign Letters: Craigslist/Ebay/Antique stores (the “D”  is from an old McDonald’s sign!)

KITCHEN

• Charlie Brown and Lucy Wall Art: Inherited from Christy’s Grandparents

• Wolf Stove (6 burners, 2 ovens, 24 inch griddle!!): Restaurant Auction 

• Vintage Metal Cabinets: Rescued from a house in Wash Park

• Door table: It’s an old door we found in our alley, and then converted into a bar/table with some galvanized pipe

BEDROOM

• Blu Dot Nook Bed: Mod Livin’

• Green Velvet Chair: Inherited from Christy’s Grandparents

• Antique Steamer Trunk: Amazeballs Craigslist Treasure

• Blue Velvet Chairs, Side Tables, Pink Ottoman & Yellow Damask Rug: Treasures found by our friend Becky Mayer 

• Ladder to the tree house: IKEA

• Painting behind the bed: 

David Kurtz

• Vintage Hat Boxes: From Danny’s Aunt Lisa

BATHROOM

• Danny tiled the bathroom himself, and there is a hidden space invader design in the shower

• Mirrors/Sinks/Cabinets: A magical place called IKEA

Enter House Tour

Thanks, Danny & Christy!

(Images: Ashley Poskin)

• HOUSE TOUR ARCHIVE: Check out past house tours here.
• Interested in sharing your home with Apartment Therapy? Contact the editors through our House Tour Submission Form.
• Are you a designer/architect/decorator interested in sharing a residential project with Apartment Therapy readers? Contact the editors through our Professional Submission Form.

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