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Paradise with a
Golf Course View

The essence of Colorado
is embodied in Cherry
Creek Country Club home


Written by ELLEN GRAY
Photography by LINDA HANSELMAN

The gates of Cherry Creek Country Club open onto one of Denver’s most pristine communities. Located within this sprawling enclave, built on a beautiful Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course, is the 6,000-square-foot home of David and Sandy Evans. Completed just one year ago, the home is a wonderful dwelling for entertaining and everyday living.

Before entering, designer Cyndy Fyke stands outside the home, pointing out the inviting design that evokes drama and comment. “Look closely at the structure,” she says. “It’s designed to look like a person wrapping his arms around you, inviting you to come in.” Indeed, from the moment you step inside, you understand that on some level, this is a home that is made for laughter, love and lots of fun.

The home also is a source of light, which is ushered in through the huge windows that overlook the golf course. A great mix of natural materials, including several varieties of woods and stones, was used throughout to lend a feeling of Colorado comfort and style.

Entertaining is a key theme in the home, which features two magnificent bar areas that easily allow a crowd to circulate and mingle. The first, located in the upstairs great room, is surrounded in custom solid natural-edge claro walnut and glass shelving. But it’s the downstairs bar, in a setting reminiscent of “upscale Vail,” that is a true showpiece. From the custom-built wine room that holds more than 500 bottles of wine, to the walnut bar topped with real river stone, the area provides a focal point that is unsurpassed. The bar’s interior features a custombuilt restaurant-style speed rail, designed for faster, more efficient service. Volcano granite covers the back bar and backsplash, and custom knotty alder cabinetry is finished in a dark
rubbed cappuccino finish. The door that leads into the wine room features a window with an aspen tree etched into the glass, and the room itself is lit to highlight the beautiful design.

In keeping with the theme of entertaining in style, the dining room provides an elegant and warm setting. Here, custom- built cabinets and mantle are offset by an eye-catching marble-topped buffet, which is built into the wall. Dramatic crowned ceiling and custom tapestry drapery finish the room.

The smallest details that make certain homes so special and interesting are evident in each room of the home. It is these special touches, this painstaking attention to detail, that truly separates this home, both inside and out.

The home’s entryway offers a first glimpse of the delightful touches located throughout. Here, an Oshkosh marble medallion is inset in the floor, and one’s eye is immediately drawn to a massive window across the great room, which overlooks the stunning 10th hole of the golf course.

Indeed, no detail was overlooked in the design process, and flooring was no exception. Upgraded walnut wood floors give the home a comfortable feel, and special details, such as the downstairs’ powder room, with tumbled red travertine accented by small geodes, or the Sahara gold marble in some of the bathrooms, lend a sophisticated look to the overall design.

A special feature of the home is the clever and extensive use of wrought iron, a material that is particularly effective on the custom designed railing, featuring oil rubbed finishes, and in the upstairs powder room, with its beautiful base cabinet highlighted by wrought iron accents. A hand-painted gold leaf burnish adds a unique and interesting touch to the piece.

Each of the home’s bathrooms was carefully designed to stand out as more than a convenience. In the downstairs powder room, near the home’s central entertaining space, a natural wood tree sink base and granite bowl are a unique feature. Matching plumbing accessories incorporate a customdesigned mirror encircled by iron pinecones and branches, a slab granite shelf and handmade wrought iron towel and paper holders.

The master bath is also a showpiece, with its George IV faucets and a steam shower featuring 10 flat body sprays in the wall and ceiling. Throughout the room, and in the shower, listelle marble accented by hand-cut noce marble trim finishes the stunning look. Surrounding the room, which has a Zen-like spa feel, is a barrel ceiling accented by a beautiful chandelier and custom knotty cherry cabinetry finished with black glaze.

The hallmark of any great entertaining home is a fabulous kitchen, and the Evans’ home is no exception. Here, knotty cherry cabinets are hand-rubbed in a natural finish and enhanced with black glaze. Appliance garages hide unsightly gadgets and keep the workspace clear. A large island is covered in volcano granite, and giallo Portofino granite highlights the back countertops. Solid copper flower inserts bring an added flair to the granite backsplash. The kitchen’s two sinks are hand-forged hammered solid copper, and puck lights provide soft night lighting to create a warm, cozy effect.

When designing and building the home, an equal amount of attention was paid to the exterior, where the large downstairs houses a custom-designed eight-person hot tub, featuring two waterfalls that cascade down the back wall. Blue and tan tiles cover the back wall, and the deck is set in golden sandstone with a random stone pattern. In the bottom of the spa feature, which is controlled by an LED lighting system, a wonderful dragonfly inset adds a whimsical touch. To ensure privacy from golfers, a fabric curtain and wrought iron railings encase the area.