The Denver studio home of Philip Chavez is filled with energy and opinion. For Chavez, a design consultant for Denver-based furniture merchant HW Home,”ambiance is all” when it comes to decorating his cozy 700-square-foot space. He loves hosting only a few guests at a time and dining in, also it was quite important to him to create a home friends would find comfy and inviting. See the way he did that with creative uses of the floor space and gathered objects rich in meaning.
At a Glance
Who Lives Here: Philip Chavez
Location: Santa Fe Art District Denver, Colo..
Size: 700 square-foot studio on the second story of a 4-unit construction surrounded by trees
Lauren Mikus
Natural light floods in to the bedroom out of two directions, creating the sense of an uplifting and cozy lounge. To the best of this bedroom is the bathroom, and to the left, the living room and backyard. A splurge in this room: high-thread-count sheets.
Lauren Mikus
Above the bed hangs an original painting Chavez created five years back. Chavez’s next job is a habit tufted seat, but for now the painting makes a dynamic statement behind the bed.
Lauren Mikus
The dresser to the left of this mattress was a Craigslist discover that serves as functional bedside storage and nightstand. On top of this 4-drawer dresser is a set of silver vases, some favorite novels, and a shrub scultpure out of Albuquerque. “I am most motivated by found objects,” Chavez says. “Almost every bit I own has a story attached to it to make the bit an extension of my personality.”
Lauren Mikus
When you go into the living room from the sleeping area, you are greeted with ample views of the neighborhood park. That is really where Chavez feels most at home. His family heritage is prevalent in this room as the trunk-turned-coffee-table was passed down from his grandparents. Patterned linen panels playfully highlight a neutral colour palette, and a Barbara Cosgrove table sits in front of the window.
Linen panels: West Elm
Acrylic lamp: Goal
Thrifted oversize mirror: Z Gallerie
Lauren Mikus
In front of this mantel sit library chairs from the 1940s. Chavez capitalized on his living room space to concentrate on creating an environment for intimate parties and dialogue. The locally-made back spent several decades with his great grandparents in New Mexico prior to making its way back to Colorado. Situated in the fireplace is a sculpture of St. Francis of Assisi, his favorite family artifact.
Lauren Mikus
Chavez discovered an abandoned piano on the side of the street and determined that the keyboard are the ideal statement piece for his mantel. Symbolizing his love for music and the arts, it provides an element of visual intrigue to the space.
Lauren Mikus
This handmade St. Francis retablo sat beneath Chavez’s great-grandparents’ bing cherry tree when he was a child. Now it decorates his fireplace. This is the very first piece he would catch if his house caught fire.
Lauren Mikus
The sensed floral pillow is a repurposed Anthropologie rug. Chavez says,”When you are tired of standing , why not sit on it?” This was a resourceful approach to continue to an investment piece. Most of his buddies are designers by trade, and have helped him along the way when he needed a set of fresh eyes. Behind the gallery settee stands a classic gun cabinet from the early Craftsman movement. The cabinet holds his art jewelry and supplies design tools.
Lauren Mikus
Since Chavez uses the gun cabinet for storage, he also generated transparency sheets of some of his favorite Vogue photos to detract from its initial purpose. This image served as inspiration for one of his favorite paintings that displayed in November in Rooster & Moon Coffee Pub in Denver’s Golden Triangle neighborhood.
Lauren Mikus
Chavez uses built-in shelving as an impromptu pub and a place to store collected items, such as framed postcards of several favorite paintings he found in Spain. His favorite element is that the mirrored tray which holds a chunk glass, his sunglasses, and a carved wooden box for mixed bar necessities.
A couple of years back, Chavez spent months in Spain vacationing with friends and drawing on inspiration for his paintings and jewelry designs. One of the additional insights he brought back from his travels was an appreciation for the allure of a slower paced lifestyle.
Lauren Mikus
To create a sense of openness in a slim kitchen, Chavez knew he’d need a mirror. A stunning hand-carved mirror from Santa Fe, New Mexico has been an ideal choice.
The studio unique color palette, crimson red with accents of buttercream, left much to be wanted. When asked how he picked his wall colour, he says,”I am most drawn to colours that change their colour discreetly from sun-up to sundown. I used a trendy blue with a slight touch of taupe which has been discovered in my regional Habitat for Humanity store. It was just what I needed.”
Lauren Mikus
The rear door opens to a second-story balcony overlooking the neighborhood park. This defining feature is the thing that gives his studio a nest-like quality, as he is located among branches which change colour with the seasons. This view gave him that love-at-first-sight feeling that compelled him to opt for this studio. The park serves as a calm divider between his neighborhood and downtown Denver. Chavez enjoys his balcony annually around, but the true festivities are sparked by the warmth of summer.
“I adore that Denver is a bit big town,” he says. “The art, music, vibrant stores and stunning mountains… How can it get any better than this?”
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