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Before & After: West Vail remodel keeps some key elements for notalgia’s sake, but updates the overall feel of the townhome

Kim Fuller

A UNIT IN PTARMIGAN Townhomes in West Vail recently received an interior upgrade, all in the hands of Slifer Designs. The residence was built in the 1970s, and the clients wanted the full remodel to keep some of the home’s sentimentality intact, including some of the space’s original vibe, artwork and memorabilia.

At the same time, they wanted to bring in a more modern style, lightness and comfort, and to make the small space more functional.

“They’ve had this townhome in the family for years, and wanted to update, but keep part of the nostalgia alive,” explains Francis Karsh, lead designer for the project. “So we worked with original dark beams and posts and kept a semi-retro look, but made it current, incorporating some industrial elements and modern pieces.”



The clients wanted the space to feel fun, with bright use of color — like the lime greens and bright oranges that seeped into 1970s, but with a style that could stand alongside organic materials and wood furniture.

The wood table in the dining room from Environment Furniture adds a rustic edge to the hip complements around it, and the round chair in a fun fabric from Mitchel Gold ties in modern with nostalgia.

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Karsh’s favorite aspect of the remodel was the railing on the stairs, she says, which successfully gave the elevated structure an airy feel. The wood flooring and lighter porcelain tile on the floors throughout bring in a more natural, mountain aesthetic, balanced perfectly with all the home’s new modern elements.

The Newport brass faucet in the powder room makes for an antique touch, and the rift oak cabinets in the bathrooms soften the trendy tone. The kitchen, complete with Ceasar Stone countertops, was transformed with stainless steel appliances, and a very inviting color palette on the Beyond the Tree cabinetry.

“The soft blue-green color of the kitchen cabinets, with the very quiet, off-white subway tile backsplash, was a transitional approach,” Karsh explains, “so it feels modern and bright, but stays with that retro feel.”

The clients were “extremely happy with the results,” says Karsh.

“They had a lot of participation in the design, adding some ideas themselves,” she says. “They liked that it had a fun, retro vibe, but was still modern and fresh.”


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