Fifty years ago, a sculptor, Jean Neufeld, moved into a new home at 40 South Bellaire Street in Hilltop. The home, designed by a noted passive solar Denver architect, was both her house and her studio. Today the home is a piece of sculpture – a testament to the original architect’s artistry; and amid the towering, new, custom homes of Hilltop, is a reminder that small things can be highly prized. The ‘U’ shaped, 2100 SF existing house was designed to focus on a south facing courtyard. When recently purchased by the new owners, it still had its original red metal kitchen cabinets, birch cabinetry, shoji screen walls, and an earth toned palette of materials and colors. Much of the original owners’ furniture was sold with the house to the new owners, a young couple with a passion for collecting contemporary art and mid-century modern era furniture. The original architect designed a house that speaks of economic stewardship, environmental quality, easy living and simple beauty. Our remodel and renovation extends on these intentions. Ultimately, the goal was finding the right balance between old and new by recognizing the inherent qualities in a house that quietly existed in the midst of a neighborhood that has lost sight of its heritage. Photo - Frank Ooms