Mountain House Remodel

This home is unlike any other. Originally designed by prominent Boulder architect Hobart Wagener as a seasonal spring and summer retreat, the hexagonal structure sits tucked into the mountains near Nederland: striking, architectural, and never intended for year-round living.

When our clients purchased the home, they fell in love with its uniqueness. Animal lovers at heart, they envisioned a space where they (and their beloved dog!) could live comfortably through every Colorado season. But the house wasn’t built to withstand mountain winters. High winds caused flexing and bowing, and the interiors felt dated and disconnected from how they wanted to live.

As part of this Boulder home remodel, our design approach was rooted in preservation and evolution. We maintained key architectural features, including the original brick fireplace, while refreshing the interiors with a thoughtful blend of mountain warmth and mid-century modern appeal, a style close to their hearts. We whitewashed the tongue-and-groove ceilings to brighten the interior while keeping the structural beams rich and dark, allowing the architecture to shine.

Durability was equally important. Flooring and finish selections were made with their furkid in mind, ensuring beauty didn’t come at the expense of practicality. The result is a carefully balanced aesthetic: mountain home meets mid-mod retreat, designed for real life.

Transforming a seasonal hexagon home into a structurally sound, year-round residence required significant intervention. This was a full interior gut as part of a comprehensive home remodel Boulder project.

To address structural movement caused by extreme mountain weather, we reinforced the home with substantial vertical beams along key load-bearing walls and throughout the lower level, wrapping the beams in custom 40-foot alder. These additions provide critical stability while doubling as striking architectural elements. Much of the structural work focused on the west-facing walls, where exposure to wind was most intense.

Reconfiguring the stairs presented another challenge. Limited space required creative problem-solving, including obtaining a variance to install new custom-built white oak treads for the stair system that met functional needs while respecting the home’s footprint. Throughout the build, our role as a design build firm was essential, integrating engineering solutions seamlessly into the aesthetic vision.

Today, our clients’ once-seasonal retreat is a fully functional mountain residence: structurally sound, architecturally preserved, and thoughtfully tailored to the way they (and their dog) live. This Boulder home remodel honors the past while ensuring the home stands strong for decades to come.