Name: Kristy Socarras Bigelow, Mitchell, Giana & Leele (Brian, a.k.a. daddy, is missing from the photos on account of his refusal to have pictures taken)
Location: Bonnie Brae, Denver, Colorado
Size: 3,500 square feet, with finished basement
Years lived in: 1 year
The bulk of my visit with Kristy and her amazing family was spent in the entryway. Upon stepping inside, the Colorado sun seemed to collect in the fabulous yellow wallpaper and dance around the silver metallic ginkgo leaves. I halfway expected a tropical breeze when I finally set foot into the living room.
Kristy grew up in Miami and spent a large part of her childhood in the Bahamas. After living in Colorado for a few years and missing all the Cuban culture and delicious food she had grown up with, Kristy and her husband Brian decided to take action and open a place of their own. Ten years and three happy kids later, they own the best place in town to order Ropa Vieja, and have successfully managed to bring all the color and light of the Caribbean 5,280 miles above sea level, to one of the driest climates in the US.
As you walk through their house, each detail gets better than the last. If you are drawn to fresh sea-breezy colors, bold patterns, Lego tunnels and secret hideaways, well, prepare to be delighted.
Apartment Therapy Survey:
MY Style: A little modern, a little urban, a little farmhouse, a little Caribbean, a little kiddo'd out, a lot eclectic and mostly cozy.
Inspiration: I am a first generation Cuban American raised in Miami. I spent much of my childhood in the Bahamas, and these experiences are a constant in how I design my houses and my restaurants. When I am dining out, I find myself scoping out the design of the place before I even think about food and cocktails. My favorites are French bistros — there is something so great about the style of authentic French bistros.
Favorite Element: The original crown molding, the openness of the main floor, the Cuban tile we put up in the kitchen, the colors and bold wallpaper.
Biggest Challenge: Designing my husband & son's BOY cave (in the basement, thank goodness) — my goal has yet to be achieved.
What Friends Say: "It's like you're taking us on a vacation to the Caribbean."
Biggest Embarrassment: The front yard and the backyard. I have not yet begun to tackle the landscape and trying to incorporate a tropical feel on the outside — other than my front door, which I painted aqua.
Proudest DIY: My daughters' little butterfly room. There is a tiny entrance from their bedroom into the guest closet, which was transformed into a girl's mini paradise.
Biggest Indulgence: Light fixtures.
Best Advice: Never be afraid of a little color. Stay focused on comfort and items that catch your attention that will bring you happiness — it's all in the details. When choosing who to work with on your home, choose someone that understands your vision. In our case, we were lucky to work with Jonas DiCaprio from Design Platform. He held my hand throughout the entire project and made it come to life.
Resources of Note:
PAINT & COLORS
- • Living Area: Peacock Blue/Benjamin Moore
• Dressing Area: Silver Shimmer/Benjamin Moore
• Master Bedroom: Black Beauty/Benjamin Moore
• Guest Bedroom Wallpaper: Susie Mendive (best friend and best designer)
ENTRY
- • Silver skull: Z Gallerie
• White book case: Land of Nod
LIVING ROOM
- • Silver poufs: One Kings Lane & Z Gallerie
• Aqua & pearl chandelier light fixture: Benson's Lighting out of Miami (Corbett fixture)
• Couch: Restoration Hardware
• Table/cart: Ebay
• Printed chair: Lulu's
• Cow hide: One kings lane
• Chaise lounge: Design Within Reach
DINING ROOM
- • Dining table: Posh (extra table leaf painted and distressed & placed on the wall--a little bit of art!)
• Chairs: Guiry's
• Aqua armoire: El Paso Imports
KITCHEN
- • Tile / Cuban Tropical Tile
• Lillet bottles: One of my daughters was named after the french aperitif, Lillet, so we collect the bottles and showcase them in the kitchen.
• Light fixtures: Home Depot
• Large light fixture in the nook: Guiry's
• Vintage glassware: grab it when you find it — they are special finds
BEDROOM
- • Round brass pendent: Serena and Lilly
• Bedspread: Dwellstudio
• Curtains: Anthropologie
• French bistro table: Lulu's
• Silver dresser: Z Gallerie
• Mirrors: One Kings Lane
• Photograph by James Hoard & glossy black frame by Jonathan Adler
Thanks, Bigelow Family!
(Images: Ashley Poskin)
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What a fun house!
I don't know where you're finding all of the awesome house tours lately, but please keep it up.
Perfect. Exactly what I'd want for my own house if I had the talent, time, and access to the amazing array of finishes and tchockes.
Peacock Blue walls? Really?
I think I love you. Can I move in? :)
Seriously, fun house is a perfect way to describe it, especially the kids room - I would have loved that growing up.
Your home is so relaxed and full of surprising items Thank you for sharing.
I am in love with this house. So fun, so colorful, so interesting & inspiring to look at all the different and unexpected combinations.
I'm glad she likes her home. We should all love where we live. She is certainly brave with the color combos. I really liked the second of the two bathrooms, but the rest of the house not so much.
Fun, cozy home! Where did you get that awesome wall mounted bathroom sink with the chrome basket/rail underneath?
What fun! Love the bright colors! Wonderful place for a young children to grow up.
WOW, that master closet!!!
Not something I would do but I agree with the rest of the folks that posted; I really enjoyed this tour. Love that they are not afraid of color. The kids room were my favorite.
Question: No kitchen cabinets that I could see of so where does everything live? Are those drawers enough?
I love this house!
@LyonStill, drawers are sometimes just better all around. A lot of them look very deep so I think plenty of things could fit in there.
the tiles. the tiles. the tiles..
and everything else for that matter.
Gorgeous and fun!
ditto above and the child door made me laugh
I love every single thing about this wonderful home. You're right Kristy, it is "all in the details" I'm having a hard time with the "(Brian, a.k.a. daddy, is missing from the photos on account of his refusal to have pictures taken)". I think that should be his business, not ours. Just sayin'
Love the bright colors. The happy front door and that wonderful little white shelf in the entry = Perfect!
I wouldn't read too much into it. It's just that some people are shy. If I had a house tour on here, you would not see me in any of the photos.
oh my goodness i need that porcelain gun tray in my life!
Love not only the use of color but that the vibe of your house is so welcoming. Thanks for an inspiring share of your home. And I might just love the most that you announce it with that aqua door...in Denver where using bright colors is not that common. (I also live here)
Really gorgeous! And really I love seeing something so customized to a family's taste... I'd just be afraid to do it myself since we don't know (and may never!) whether we're staying put indefinitely. I always have it in the back of my head that everything I do, I'll have to reverse to mass-appeal when it's time to sell.
I would have liked it better if it hadn't been billed as a Tudor. You can make a Tudor's exterior look only so tropical. Since the exterior is as camera-shy as the husband, we are left to our imaginations. I'm not seeing many ways to transition between a Tudor exterior and what's going on inside. On the inside, the Tudor flavor has been extinguished except for the shape and hardware of the front door. On the outside ... well, it might be fantastic but I can't see how they could pull it off.
The house is very pretty--love the colors. I don't get the entryway shelf at all. It looks like something that belongs in a bedroom, especially with the alarm clock. I don't get that at all.
There are tons of lower cabinets, shelves and drawers... not sure what else they would need?
I LOVE all the color in this home! It's so playful and somehow not overdone. Great job!
Do the master bedrooms from yesterday and today's house tours have the same bedding? I very pretty. The rest of the house is not my flavor and I gotta say does not evoke tropical in my mind. But the bones of the house look lovely.
i wish i could see the exterior of this home! beautifully done on the inside though....the nook in the kitchen is probably my favorite space in the house.
The girls' room is my favorite, really fun. Beautiful family.
Love your house. Couple of questions. Where did you find the wallpaper, love it. Also, where did you purchase the kids' beds.
Where did that amazing midcentury modern credenza come from (with the vee legs and the white lacquer cabinets?) I must know!
Very cool, thanks for sharing.
The tile wall is awesome!
Plea #12,037 for a floor plan or at least a description, i.e. first floor - L/D/K, second floor - master bedroom + bath.
I really like this house BUT what I love about it is that it is a home that caters to everyone in the family. Brilliant!
Not really my personal style, but really, really fun. Looks like such a warm and happy home.
I'm really curious about the source for the wall-mounted sink and polished chrome shelf/ towel bar thing in the kids' bathroom. (Can't tell if those are connected or two separate pieces.) Thanks!
The kitchen nook is fantastic -- fun and oh so practical. I dream of a nook like that...
What a fun home.
What an antidote to a gray New England day! Spirited and casual and well lived in. As many others have said, this isn't the way I'd decorate, but what a treat to be able to see it.
So fun to randomly stumble upon the house tour of someone I know!! Kristy is just as warm in person as her house is. If only you could eat her restaurant's famous steak sandwich - then you'd get the full effect!
It figures that they have a great restaurant...their home is delicious! I'll have an order of that wallpaper with a side of tile and please just drizzle it all in Caribbean colored sauce.
Simply lovely.......this tour really made me smile!
The kid/dog door is super sweet, how fun!
wall tiles are the best thing I have seen on AT, etc. for a long time!
And excellent pillows in the kitchen and girls room.
I don't comment often on house tours, but that was a slam dunk! Although the living room was a little spartan I loved everything else, I think no upper cabinets is fantastic if you have the drawer space to accommodate it. Loved EVERYTHING about the kids rooms, to die for! Also that master bath shower combo was fantastic! The nook placement, kitchen configuration was also quite clever!
Wonderful way to grow up - what a gift to the children. Spirited and imaginative!
Very beautiful and sunny. If I didn't know this house was in Colorado, I wouldn't have guessed.
yes please - a source for the fantastic yellow wallpaper?? thanks for sharing!
I introduced the topic of tile in the breakfast nook over dinner last night. I've already found enough of our local variety of vintage art noveau cast offs on ebay to begin this project. Inspiring -- thanks AT!
What a brilliant display of colour and texture! Inspiring.
I like the kids rooms - the only rooms not sourced out ?? Where is the bed with wheels from?
I would love to know the source of the yellow wallpaper as well.
Thanks
Kristy has to be my soul sister. I have the same color scheme and style going on in my house, right down to the paint colors.
truly awesome!
Denver represent!
I love this house!!! I just wanted to comment on it so I can go to my history on here and make sure I can see it again and again and again! Great spaces for the kids...love it!!!!
A really fun house tour, I especially like the bright entry, the kids' room, and the mirrors. Not my personal style but really fun to see. I wonder about the everyday dishes with a family, don't they get pretty heavy in drawers? And on house tours, I really like to see the exterior and the interior because to me they need to be congruent and meld/flow to at least some degree. Colorful and imaginative!
wow! Dreamy! I love this house!
Your house is so magical, so spectacular, so breathtaking. I love that it is influenced by people, places, and things you love. I love that it looks like you don't spend a fortune to have all the latest trends. Simply put, I love your house. I will use it as inspiration to turn my own home into a colorful sanctuary that reflects my family.
great use of color contrast and metallic/reflective materials!
Love it! Beautiful colors and whimsy.
Fun way to put our sensational cement tiles together! Thanks for the inspiration. All the best from Granada Tile.
I may be mistaken, but I believe the wallpaper is Leone from York Wallcoverings. Here's an image from The Old House.
Without a shadow of a doubt. BEST housetour ever! 'Nought said!
Love the kitchen and the girls' room.
Really fun use of Granada Tile here!
I am pretty sure this is the house tour I loved best in the past few years...
What an unexpected mix with functional beauty. Three little kids and nice decor, not a small feat.
Having been the designer and builder on this renovation, I can tell you we poured our hearts into it. The essence of this family is perfectly portrayed in the images and story Ashley wrote. Thanks to everyone for the wonderful warm comments. Its humbling.
True dat!
What's the restaurant?
Love it. The perfect combo of elements...
Would love to see a floor plan too...
A wonderful, "homey" and well loved house with alot of love of each other - shows.
If you have time... (ha - sure) can you tell me how life is with a "wet room"? I'm thinking of putting one in to save space. Our house burned down in late October so we're starting from scratch. Our architect is pushing for the "wet room" but it looks like it could get cold, and really, really wet.
I'm sure your yards will be as great as your house. You've got the "eye".
Thank you,
Vicki
Amazing! My life feels richer for having seen this house tour.
cuba cuba, denver
:-)
thanks ! so glad you saw it!!!
and it looks terrific at cuba cuba sandwicheria too--- check it out-- pics on facebook an the website.
thanks for the kind words..
the wet room works out well for us-- make sure the glass separator is long enough so that the water doesn't sneak past it and all over your floor.-- if you decide to have a separation (which i recommend) we also have a step up between the bathroom floor and the shower floor-- helps as well.
in denver it is super dry so the bathroom feels dry all of the time-- no problems with "wetness"
hope that helps
good luck--
I am a kitchen freak, and I LOVE this kitchen. Can you tell me what material and.color the counters are? I am painting my lower cabinets black but haven't decided on counter color yet. Thank you.
This comment is a little late... I just got around to touring this home and I LOVED it! Colorful and stimulating and happy. I loved the Cuban Tile wall. Thanks for sharing.
for the kitchen cabinets i used a non glossy black(i have to find the shade-- and i distressed it in parts so it would get the weathered look.
i put a sander to it-- with super light weight sandpaper and went to town in parts--
LOVE this house tour!! Your use of color is inspiring. I have to know- where did you get the gun jewelry dish? Anyone know who makes it?
For those asking about the toddler beds, it looks like they're from Ikea:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S19827958/
Does anyone know where the toddler bedding is from? It's too precious for words!
A perfect house made even more perfect by the Drew Brees decal. :)
Did I miss the name of the dining room wall color?
the bedding is serena and lilly-- they have great stuff for kids