The view from the 29th floor is spectacular. It’s why John Rowland and Sarah Broughton bought the 1,900-square-foot residence in downtown Denver’s Four Seasons. Through the southwest-facing windows, the Pepsi Center and Sports Authority Field at Mile High dot the foreground, while the Rockies serve as a serene backdrop often lit by fiery sunsets.

As if seeing Pikes Peak on a clear day wasn’t reason enough to choose the condo, the space had one more thing going for it: It’s just blocks from the Denver branch of the couple’s architecture firm, Rowland + Broughton Architecture and Urban Design.

Until 2012, the husband-and-wife team, both principals at the firm, lived full time in Aspen, near their other office location. They purchased the Denver condo to cut down on the stress of traveling back and forth. “We never lived with a view before,” Broughton says. “We’re constantly drawn to the window to see what’s going on outside. It’s fun to be that kind of active participant in your city.”

It took the couple five minutes to decide on the condo but months to decorate it. Broughton refers to the space as “developer-done,” meaning it was one of several cookie-cutter setups the Four Seasons offered. “How do you take an off-the-shelf condo and customize it? I’m amazed at how, with just a few moves, we changed it so it’s unique,” Broughton says.

The space already had modern bones, which the duo focused on enhancing while incorporating some approachable personality. Clean, crisp lines and shapes in a neutral palette are paired with bright, bold accents. The resulting look is a blend of contemporary and midcentury modern aesthetics that give the home a tailored—but lively—vibe.

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Design Notes

Interior Design:
John Rowland and Sarah Broughton
Rowland + Broughton
Architecture and Urban Design, 1830 Blake Street, 303-308-1373, rowlandbroughton.com

Contracting:
Paragon Contracting and Consulting, Idaho Springs, 303-218-6070

—Image courtesy of Jennifer Koskinen