«Return to Portfolio ListingRevealing the view and creating a family gathering place
This home is situated relatively close to downtown Santa Fe in an enviable small, gated community with startlingly beautiful long views of the Sangre de Cristo mountains. A young family purchased the home and invited Green Star in to address a long list of needed repairs, to improve the overall energy efficiency and to help match the aesthetics to the new owners’ tastes and functional needs. Karla was hired to suggest and coordinate the finishes for the update.
The “before” photos capture some of the aesthetic issues: the dated charm of the faux Italian farmhouse interiors (stencils, faux wood finishes and bucolic murals) faded long ago and felt fussy. Instead, an affinity for clean Scandinavian-inspired design informed the overall remodel with its simple light interiors, natural wood finishes and connection to nature.
An overly large fireplace – faux painted to mimic stone – obstructed the marvelous views in the great room. Karla suggested that Green Star remove the fireplace and install new insulated glass panels of tall sliding doors to reveal the expansive view. The owners are thrilled with the result. That room was originally darkened by a brown painted ceiling. Green Star sandblasted the ceiling and beams down to the natural wood, adding light and natural texture.
The main bath suffered from 80’s finishes in pink and blue tile, bright brass plumbing fixtures and fully mirrored walls. Along with these choices, small and ill-placed windows neglected an opportunity to take in another million-dollar view. Green Star fully revamped the floor plan and window layout and added a signature detail: a long window directly above the main bath mirror. The effect adds natural light without sacrificing privacy.
The kitchen needed a lot of TLC. It was originally divided awkwardly into two rooms with a thick plaster banco and an enormous corner kiva fireplace. The busy family of four could not gather comfortably on either side of the kitchen. Cleanliness and efficiency were highly important to this family, who moved to New Mexico for the father’s job at Los Alamos National Lab. Working together with our cabinetmaker, the new kitchen design is both highly ergonomic and simply beautiful. New, well-placed windows visually connect the kitchen and seating area to the views, and a new sliding door connects to a spacious outdoor barbeque area.
