My two least favorite home designs (Victorian & Modern) smashed into one - yikes!

Seems they could have updated the Victorian beautifully without going full tilt into modern. However, for a vacation rental I would have no problems staying in a place like that and maybe that was the point when the house was gutted?

"My two least favorite home designs (Victorian & Modern) smashed into one - yikes!"

I had to chuckle when I read that. Bingo!...exactly what I was thinking, although I have to admit I'd take the clean lines of modern over Victorian any day.

I can't figure out which house was ruined. Is the first house supposed to be a Victorian? Looks like almost every tract home in this area, except for the pseudo-Colonial ones. I didn't expect any particular interior style, same as the rest of the homes that look the same around here. Maybe that's the problem.

A few more photos of the rooms and the guest house here:

http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/photos/13997250_zpid/

Here is a link that might be useful: Zillow

From Zillow: Monthly Payment: $ 31,987 ...

Holy freakin' CRAP, Batman!
=:-O

Love that guest house-inside and out-although I do prefer a warmer color hardwood for the floors!

Don't you agree if you were out looking to buy a house and after you saw the exterior picture and loved it, which would mean you'd like that style of house to begin with, then got inside to see the contemporary (space age to me, lol) interior, you'd think they ruined it?

I would certainly be disappointed, or feel a house had been ruined, if the interior were gutted and redone in a completely different style as this one has been. The interior is surely nothing like one would expect to see in a home like that, so Would be misleading to someone browsing the market or browsing the market for an old home or Victorian (unless this is common to Aspen, and they were aware).

At first glance, however, the exterior windows on this one are a dead giveaway not to be expecting the integrity of the house to have been admired or respected.

There are a huge number of people, Oakley, who would feel as you do about these things.

I replied earlier but it's gone. Meg, you honestly think that house looks like it belongs in "tract housing?"

I think the house is around a 100 years old, at least. If it's a regular ole house like you imply, I sure would like to see a picture of your's, it must be beautiful!

Do you want to see what it looked like *before*?

http://www.gretluhl.com/aspenhouse/

They are apparently proud of what they did to the house.

"Gretl's Aspen House was built in 1888 and is on the National Historic Register. Gretl & Sepp bought the house from Walter Paepke in 1957 and the family has owned it ever since.

When Gretl passed away in 2002, her children made renovations which deliberately retain the characteristic coziness of the original crooked house while upgrading and updating the practical features of the house for comfort.

Many of the family heirlooms have been left in place with trust that guests may respectfully enjoy this house as their home-away-from-home while experiencing the locals' original quiet atmosphere of Aspen's historic west end."

--

The listing shows a 3BR/2BA and the current listing is for a 5BR/7BA which would include either an addition or the guest house?

Here are more photos of the interior in the *before* but apparently *after* one major remuddle:

http://www.gretluhl.com/aspenhouse/details.html

Here is a link that might be useful: Before

I still don't see why they couldn't restore it to its former glory. It's not a modern house.

Dilly, that's amazing! Pictures tell the story! Definitely not ruined ... but given new life!

I found a pic of the house in 1957. Not a very good one though.

I think the house looks (IMHO) far better today than it did in the "before" link. In the before link it looked shabby, to say the least. The Victorian's exterior charm is very evident in the new renovation. I can't say it looked nearly as sweet in the photos that dilly posted.

I agree squirrel, it could have been restored to it's original interior. I guess the owners don't appreciate history which is so sad in this era because we're losing so many fine homes to modernization.

So to me, it very much IS ruined because you can never restore the history they demoished.

I had to LOL at this comment from the website.

Yet, for those who wish a quiet family residence for their stay in Aspen with restful old world charm..

Whatever makes them happy. :)

Dilly, I can open the website but the smaller pictures won't come up.

They've plowed down most of the old farms where I grew up, too, Oak. Lots of people fought it for a long time. And there are so many great old homes around this neighborhood that have been trashed over the years. It's always such an inspiration to see someone take one of the old places and restore it to its original rendition and styling, even If some of it has to be 'new' again, due to previous rip-outs and changes.

Too bad the house specifics have been posted now, as the proud renovators (and they should be proud if they're happy with their creation) might stumble across this thread now.

Maybe they'll even stop by ; )

Natal, if you had read my topic you'd see I'm not talking about the exterior of the house. It's the interior. I did not say the exterior was ruined.

dilly, thanks for the pictures, I'm glad they didn't mess with the exterior. :)

I was referring to the interior, Oak.

"I guess the owners don't appreciate history which is so sad in this era because we're losing so many fine homes to modernization."

That's a pretty assumptive statement and one that you can't be certain of. You don't know what they can or cannot appreciate. American artists started the abstract movement to break from the European influence. Does that make them less appreciative of art that is considered traditional or classical? Nope. It does make them more likely to appreciate and to have a deeper understanding of all art.

Two more photos from its days as a B&B.

---------------------

This has been ripped out of the house to "modernize" it.

---------------------------

The first redo of the place shows rooms that are either lackluster or OMG fugly. The current rendition of the interior just does not go with the house although it is pretty and looks like they installed some quality furnishings. They could have upgraded the house and still kept the Victorian ambiance if they had tried.

The first try at the kitchen dining area:

.

This was the sole source of heat until the last remodel. They did not highlight this nice feature.

.

Oooph:

They should have consulted a designer who would have known how to paint and decorate with Victorian charm:

.

For what they were charging for occupancy they could have done better than this:

.

I shop for everything at thrift stores and even I could have come up with a better room with real Victorian charm than this:

{{gwi:1528508}}

.

This photo appears on their former B&B page. This is suppose to entice people to pay $6,000/mo to stay there:

Here is a link that might be useful: More older photos of house.

Aspen is VERY trendy!!!

I understand that in Europe & Australia, modern design is ALL the rage!!!! I picked up a paper in Australia with homes for sale....modernism is prevelent. :0)

Purchased for 3M in 2006 and put back on the market in 2009 for 8M.

I am assuming the price jump was due to the "improvements".

http://www.trulia.com/property/1079865398-320-W-Hallam-St-Aspen-CO-81611

Here is a link that might be useful: Trulia

Suero--From "Sleeper", right? :-)

I think they did a wonderful job with transforming the exterior. By all appearances there wasn't much historical significance left of the interior after the last remodel. (Perhaps anything of historical merit has been long gone, hard to tell with out a photo history).

It could well be a lot of the original woodwork was not salvageable (e.g. termites). That's hard to say to, we just don't know the story.

Maybe they didn't do a "true" restoration because it was prohibitive on several levels, including tracking down materials that basically would have to come from salvage of another Victorian or at least wood of the era.

But if this is primarily designed as a rental unit, they're probably going to shoot for market appeal over historical accuracy. Especially if Aspen is as trendy as Nicole says. IOW all the modern amenities in a quaint Victorian body. It just might have been the most effective way to recoup an investment in rehabbing in that particular market.

The interior is not necessarily my cup of tea, but I don't feel they ruined it. Structurally the interior and exterior actually looks like a nice improvement. I'd rather see it still standing that razed and replaced with a monstrous modern day design.

Yes, you got the orgasmatron correct. That house is visible from I-70 here in Colorado, much closer to Denver than Aspen is. It is pretty funky inside, too. Google "sculptured house" for more info...

"I'd rather see it still standing that razed and replaced with a monstrous modern day design."

But that's exactly what they did, minus removing the exterior shell in the front. The guest house is modern, the inside is modern, it's only a victorian skirt draped over an industrial arse...completely out of place :(

The first redo by the kids was bad, but left plenty of options for restoring the joint. We've seen much worse than that in our search. But this place, much like one other we went into, peeves me off just looking at it. People just don't respect history...which is quite sad. It would have been easy to make that place a victorian luxury home (easy because you can clearly see in the remuddle that they did spend some major cash on it so the money was there). Hunting down the parts isn't hard if your budget is large. Finding a good designer isn't either, but they didn't make that effort.

It would be akin to me ripping out the stair case in our victorian and putting in some modern metal and stone thing. Sure it could be pretty...but it would be a total sin!

jboling....yes, Woody Allens Sleeper. It's near Idaho Springs, outside of Denver Colorado. It sold several years ago, the new owners had to wire it for electricity. :0) They then put in multiple patios, it made it to the local decorating magazines and newspapers.:0)

Didn't you all hear....Charley Sheen was arrested in Aspen? Goldie Hawn & Kurt Russel live there. Barbie Benton, from Hee Haw lives there, her architect husband built a multi-pod home with his & her lap pools, each heated to different levels. :0) Yes.....VERY trendy!!!!

This is where Donald Trump got caught cheating on Ivana with Marla. The little confrontation on the slope.....?! Remember.....this place is "high style"!

Here is a link that might be useful: Barbie's $25 million home

But that's exactly what they did, minus removing the exterior shell in the front. The guest house is modern, the inside is modern, it's only a victorian skirt draped over an industrial arse...completely out of place

No, they didn't raze it all to the ground (not in the way I meant, as in the whole shebang completely bulldozed down). The guest house in the before pictures looks like an old gardening shed or perhaps a former garage? (My browzer's zoom feature is on the fritz, can't tell all that well.)

And yes, the inside is modern, but as I said, tho it's not my cup 'o tea, it appears to be an improvement (to me) over what was there.

Would it have been better redone completely Victorian? Yeah, I think it would have been a much better fit. But to say they 'ruined it' comes across as being a tad presumptuous imho, because we don't know all the reasons why they didn't go Victorian. Maybe they've got some very valid ones. And that also says that because they didn't do it the way someone else thought it should be done, then it's wrong. Which goes against the mantra "do what you love". Much as what some people do might make us cringe, the deed is in their name at the end of the day. If it had true historical significance, why didn't the local historical society latch onto it?

Another benefit of it not being razed (the main house, at least) is if the next owner should be so inclined, all is not lost and they can restore it. (Exterior looks more Victorian to me now that it did in before photos.) So at least it's still standing. Once it's gone, it's gone for good.

Posted by nicole__: "Didn't you all hear....Charley Sheen was arrested in Aspen?"

This is the house he was arrested at. The one he is renting.

I think going modern is fine, but I still think the inside and outside of the house should relate in some manner. The one room with the vaulted ceiling and the window trim (but the contemporary furniture) is what I'd like the whole thing to look like. Instead, the inside is completely different than the outside. There appears to be virtually no relationship between the two. It's like putting heavy crown molding inside an adobe house.

I'm not saying two (or more) vernaculars can't be mixed, especially when -- as appears to have happenened here -- the interior has already undergone previous renovation. It doesn't need a PhD in historic preservation to redo such a house. But it does need a talented designer of some sort, and I don't see that here. Mixing styles is spectacular when done well, but if not done well, it's pretty bad.

There is certainly a lot of cutting edge building going on in Aspen, a mixture of the modern and lodge styles is really the most common that I've seen. Lots of stone and wood, but not the cabin look anymore. But that's new construction. I just think this particular example didn't work.

It would be akin to me ripping out the stair case in our victorian and putting in some modern metal and stone thing. Sure it could be pretty...but it would be a total sin!

I just thought of something else. Your point above is a good one IC, but your house is world's away from this one. So yes, I'd agree if you yanked out a stunning staircase and put in ultra modern in your house, it would be a baaad move. ;) But the house in this thread didn't look anything like yours as it's starting point. (I mean if you really want to bean somebody for trashing it, you might have to go back a few generations. Seems like it's gone through quite a few evolutions.) So in reality, they were upgrading on top of what was already a more modern upgrade, rather than destroying pristine Victorian like yours.

Hope that makes sense, cuz my brain's going in 20 different directions and this is to divert me! I'm not trying to be argumentative (you know I love antiques), just looking at it from a different angle is all. ;)

posted by dilly__dally...This is the house he was arrested at. The one he is renting.

Yeah....high style! I was just reminding everyone that this is the current trend "rich" hoity toities are following.....paying money to rent. Modernism is "in".

Yes, I know other styles are still "in". Donald Trumps place is Louis IV. But....in Aspen....right now.....in Colorado.....

In Europe, where there is 'old' housing stock that makes a Victorian look like it was built yesterday, it's completely accepted to build modern inside, say, 13th - 16th c. buildings. You see them in AD etc. all the time. Folks don't want to tear down the beautiful outsides, but they don't want to have to live in a 16th c. farm house's technological or safety era, either.

But whatever :)

That doesn't mean they're all done well, though, Fly. Simply stuffing an old house with the modern home of your liking isn't the same thing.

Posted by segbrown: "Google "sculptured house" for more info..."

Google "Deaton House" for more results.

Here is a link that might be useful: Deaton House

I wouldn't go as far as to say "ruined" given what it looked like before but I do not think that the treatment given to this house was the most successful example of the melding of modern and historic that I have ever seen - not by a long shot. IMO juxtaposition can create a very interesting space but you miss the mark when there is a completely different language used on the exterior as on the interior. To me it's a little too twilight zone to be standing out on that porch and then walk into that kitchen for example. I would much rather see some sort of narrative that tells the story of the history of the home on the interior - the room that actually still has the original mouldings but treats them in a modern way for a clean and neutral backdrop to whatever else is going on in the room starts to get there but doesn't quite make it for me.

It's hard being able to pull off that juxtaposition but without it, the huge disconnect between exterior and interior feels very very wrong to me. I would not say "ruined" - I would say "took the easy way out of just blowing away the context and putting whatever you feel like in its place." Modern and antique play nice in many ways but it does take understanding and familiarity of both to pull it off. Maybe clean lines and a modern aesthetic to the casework but in richer historic tones rather than those blonde tones would help, and the master bedroom (or what I assume it is) looks like generic 4 star nyc hotel room that has been renovated in the last 5 years. I don't see it as a wonderful example of modern design at all but rather pedestrian, personally.

The one shot I DO love and that DOES look like I'd expect a well done juxtaposition between modern and antique is the shot of the dining area + stairway. Love the rich burled wood and thick chunky proportion yet clean lines on the table and the way the chairs are classic yet straight edged and the window seat in the background, the white moulding on white walls and richly colored floors, love the lines of the chairs and the sculpture and the light fixture - just love it all. If the rest of the house had that same feeling as that one little corner I would be more convinced - but sadly it does not (and for the pricetag, it should.)

The rest of it leaves me feeling very "eh" though.

I like what they did to it. I do own an old house (not a victorian) and I don't like victorian interiors. I would never buy a victorian for several reasons. Too many rooms that are way too small. There are no closets and very few windows. Typically the exterior is the best thing going for these homes and they kept the exterior energy very victorian.

I am not crazy about that brick work around the old stove. It was so not original.

I am not sure that I would be attracted to a house like that personally, but what they did was well-executed and that is always important in my book. The existing interiors were not particularly exciting--they didnt remove a Moorish revival fantasy in quartersawn oak or anything to get where they ended up.

One of the things about natural growth of a building is that the improvements or changes are in a *newer style than what they are replacing. So, it is natural that the remodeling (since it is not a restoration) is more contemporary. At least it acknowledges the original proportions of the house. What is "unnatural growth" (and I beat this dead horse regularly) is a remodeling that tacks on an older style to a newer building...thats going backwards.

So, a Victorian with a contemporary interior --sure, why not? Its not everyone's taste, but it makes sense, temporally. A contemporary house tricked out inside with Victorian details? ...not so much.

I don't think that modern design on the interior "ruins" the home. Does it ruin the historic nature? Sure. But the whole home? Nope.

I love to visit and read blogs about historic homes here in Richmond, Va. What I know for certain is that many of the older Victorians lost their splendor many years ago to termites and rats. Ugh. If someone is willing to take on a home of this type and put in the blood, sweat and tears over several years to make it livable again, then I applaud their efforts no matter what design style they prefer. I've come to appreciate a multitude of what might be deemed designer "sins" on this forum after seeing the whole story. After all, it would be incredibly boring if all of the hundreds of Victorians in Richmond had a classic Victorian interior. I once visited a Victorian that had been converted to a duplex years ago; the renovator maintained the duplex architecture but made one side modern and the other classic Victorian style. Since the two sides were mirror images architecturally, it was a fascinating tour.

Oh, of course not, squirrel...but then, 'respecting' the Victorian by populating it with faux Victorian from Home Goods or another SGG cookie-cutter inset white cabs/soapstone kitchen (not all white/soap kitchens are this, but some are) isn't well done either...

So do you think the new design was 'stuffed' into this house? I don't. I think it works rather beautifully. But again, chacun a son gout.

Many years ago they passed ordinances to retain original build in historic CO mining towns. Apparently this got pushed a bit with approval of additions and interior changes.

These towns are so expensive to live in or stay that those who work there have specific buses allocated for transportation from outside of the area. Every inch of land in these towns and a home's sq ft are gold. Think revenue in taxes too. Those who go there would most likely not be up to a small victorian scheme, they want what we are seeing in the transformation. 'Tis their lifestyle and they are willing to pay for it.

Not that I like what they have done. But the means to the end is money for the city, bringing in people, tourists, ect.

The other end of the spectrum is what has been done to some of the mining towns by changing them into gambler's paradise. Original exterior, but tacky gambling mess. Income for the towns again. Guess they at least have the ability to retain them.

I probably should have written "Ruined the historic nature" of the home. No, the house isn't ruined but it's IS like walking into "The Twilight Zone" as KG stated.

Emagineer, yesterday I was thinking about the house again before I read your reply. I think you nailed it. The bottom line is money and getting people to rent the house or buy as a second home for skiing.

Except when I think of snow, I want to come inside to a cozy home that makes me feel warm. This one would make me want to turn the heater on high. lol.

Donald Trumps place is Louis IV.

Ooh, tell me more! lol. Is there a picture of his house on the Net?

oakleyok....I saw Donald's home on TV when he was interviewed with his new wife Melania. His penthouse. It was gaudy & gold, even the ceilings were gaudy & gold.:0)
Nothing I can find on the internet about it. Donald is selling a beachfront property & very little is shown. This link is for a decorator who did the Taj Mahal for Donald, http://caroleyesit.com/fireplace.html

Here is a link that might be useful: Trumps Florida mansion is for sale, see it......

chacun à son goût

I love it when I learn something new ... even if I won't remember how to pronounce it after today. ;)

When they invite people over for dinner do they serve eggrolls on top of Yorkshire pudding? Squid with chocolate ice cream? Some things are just not meant to go together.

ff, eggrolls over the yorkshire pudding = mainstreamed asian fusion ? lol...

Goldie you've been in the wrong victorians honey :oP I can't say as I've been in one with tiny rooms and too few windows. I'd say quite the opposite...too many windows often (which means cold and drafty if they're original). And as to tiny rooms...well that's a matter of opinion I guess. I was just saying how much I love my walls :) I love separate rooms but many don't. Oh and the two victorians we were going to buy both had closets (they came into vogue about 1889). This one had a walk in closet (a small room actually).

What bothers me about this place is they've taken a national register home and turned it into nouveau riche trash (when you consider what the national register is all about). Both the inside and the outside are actually lovely, but I think lisa put it best...it takes a great designer to mix two very differnt periods well. And it can be done to sublime perfection. This is not an example of that!

Scenario: I was brought into the house blindfolded, had a chance to look around the interior,and then was blindfolded again and taken outside down the street. With blindfold removed, I would never find my way back based on how the exterior of the house looks! I would just be wandering up and down looking for the modern house!

Well now Sue...to be honest, I've had difficulty finding my way back to a house party I've left in the past as well...but i think it was the wine that caused the issue, not the decor :oP Don't tell me this is any different for you....

well, now Dawn, that does raise an interesting point.,,,