Popping the Top for Views and Space
This Martin Acres pop top addition in South Boulder was a very rewarding project. First off, the homeowners were amazing and fun to work with. Second, they were pregnant and needed more space pronto. Third, they love their neighborhood and it’s gratifying working on a home that we know the family will live in for decades to come.
The original house had already been remodeled which was a mixed blessing. On one hand, the house had a terrific boiler and in-floor heat system and a well built arts and crafts style front porch. On the other hand, the previous homeowners had converted a bedroom into a second bathroom and we had to unstitch all of the work for the new layout. We also had to avoid touching the cool front porch or the mechanical room with the fancy boiler and piping.
In the end, what our clients wanted was a primary suite upstairs complete with a small office, bathroom, walk-in closet, and a balcony facing the Flatirons. On the main level they wanted to open up the floorplan, make it bright and modern and highly functional.
All in Proportion
The homeowners were 100% onboard with our philosophy of making new spaces and rooms in proportion to the rest of the house. The primary bedroom is the biggest bedroom in the house, with the best views, but it’s not overly gigantic. We believe bedrooms should feel safe and intimate. Likewise, the upstairs home office is small and cozy with big windows and lots of light. At the top of the stairs is a small loft space that opens up to the west-facing balcony that provides direct views to Skunk Canyon and the Flatirons.
On the main level we did two atypical things that truly revolutionize the feel of this mid-century ranch. Most Boulder ranch homes have 8’ ceilings and are approximately 24’-26’ deep from front to back. For this project we extended the walls to create 9’ ceilings. This extra foot of volume really opens up the space and also allows the new windows and exterior doors to be taller which allows for more light and views from everywhere in the public main level.
Go Deep
The other trick we employed to open up the main level was to add an 8’ deep addition onto the back of the house, in essence making it wider from front to back. From the moment you enter the front door your eyes carry to the back wall which is 32’ feet away. This affords more space for the kitchen, a walk-in pantry, the open stairs, and a mudroom. Intuitively, when you see the taller, deeper main level it immediately sets the house apart and makes it unique.
There are many reasons why this is a unique case study on what you can do with a pop top on a standard Boulder ranch. Perhaps my favorite one-of-a-kind thing we did was to build a coffee bar area and hardpipe in our client’s amazing coffee machine. If you ever find yourself in this home, do ask for macchiato or cappuccino. You won’t be disappointed!