Holiday Gift Guide: Tectonic’s Favorite Boulder Brands We Can’t Live Without

Written By Alexandre Pinto

Artisan Goods 

The New Local
A local nonprofit championing women and nonbinary artists in Boulder
An inclusive space where art, innovative design, and education connect the community

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Kristin Abbott Art
A nature-inspired artist whose art brings life to every space
Her mixed-media original artwork draws inspiration from the scenic landscapes of Boulder

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See Saw Ceramics
Uniquely crafted ceramics made for the home
Colorful, handmade wares from a design-forward duo in Colorado

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Home & Living 

The Refinery
A local nonprofit championing women and nonbinary artists in Boulder
An inclusive space where art, innovative design, and education connect the community

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Mika Woyda Home
Your trusted design experts to improve the overall function and aesthetic of any space
Offering everything from full home renovations to simple kitchen spruce ups

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Boulder Furniture Arts
Our place for meticulously crafted, modern furniture
Built from unmatched American hardwood and designed for lifelong joy

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Sistain
Our fave non-toxic marketplace for the home
Providing products that are free of toxins and sustainably made for a better planet and healthier life

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Public Wine
A boutique bottle shop that carries a curated selection of retail wines from around the world
Old World selections focusing on natural wines from across the US West Coast and beyond

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Health & Wellness

Vasu Skin Solutions
The best Medspa offering custom solutions to your skincare problems 
Using the latest technology, equipment, and products to target your unique skin needs 

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Little Yoga
Cultivating our healthiest selves at this beautiful Boulder studio
Building bridges in the community through meaningful yoga classes

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Boulder Pilates
Boulder’s best female-owned pilates studio
Group and private classes offered by experienced and dedicated teachers and coaches

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Portal
Your dedicated place for cold plunges, saunas, and fitness classes
Chill, sweat, and connect in this Scandinavian-inspired recreation space

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Outdoor Adventure

Satellite Boardshop
Fav outdoor retailer for all things snow and skate 
Locally-owned skate and snowboard shop stacked with shoes, streetwear, winter apparel, boards for all seasons, and ski and snowboard wax and tune-up services 

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Amundsen Sports
Your premier destination for outdoor clothing and apparel for all four seasons 
Norwegian technical sportswear made with the spirit of adventure in mind

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Sports Garage
Best place for mountain bikers to buy, rent, repair, and demo bikes  
Specialty, full-service bike shop dedicated to alternative surface cycling

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Children’s Gifts

Into the wind
Best place to find the most beautiful, locally-made kites  
Creativity abounds with the shop’s selection of kites to fly and stocked with classic and inventive toys

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Grandrabbit’s Toy Shoppe
The iconic independently-owned stopover for kids’ books and toys 
Get lost in the magic of their hand-chosen, educational, and fun toys for gifts, holidays, and birthdays

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Liberty Puzzles
Only place to find hand-crafted wooden jigsaw puzzles that expand the imagination
Heirloom-quality wooden jigsaw puzzles designed, manufactured, and distributed right here in Boulder

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The Read Queen Bookstore
Best independent, women-owned bookstore to find new and used books
Where community is built through a love for literature

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Fashion & Accessories

Eleanor
Premier place for classic and contemporary women’s fashion, jewelry, and apothecary  
A curated collection of contemporary goods from well-known and local designers

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Jones + Co. Mercantile
Your go-to for thoughtfully selected collections of slow fashion, clean beauty, and ethically made home goods 
Made by indie designers and artisans from around the world

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Acme Fine Goods
Your one-stop clothing store featuring brands selected for everyday wear and tear
Taking a modern twist on classic pieces from brands including Desert Dweller, Salt & Stone, and Topo Designs

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Walters And Hogsett
The premier destination for fine jewelry, wedding bands, and Swiss timepieces
Collections from the most prestigious brands including a range of Rolex watches

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Services

Be Boulder Photography Services
The best woman-owned and inclusive business for professional photo shoots
Creating safe spaces for their clients to express themselves fully and be captured authentically 

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UnclutterCO
Our trusted luxury organizers who elevate spaces to be both beautiful and functional 
Professional organizing service to unclutter and re-arrange for a more harmonious day-to-day life

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Willow Home
The best in the biz for home maintenance services and seasonal home care
Their high-end home concierge services include project management, access to reliable handymen, and home check-ins when you’re out of town

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Pet Lovers

Flatirons Natural Pet Market & Wash
Boulder’s beloved place for pet care and healthy pet foods 
Their homegrown business offers expert insight to get your cat, dog, or small animal the most biologically appropriate pet products

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PC’s Pantry
The best spot for specialty pet foods free of artificial ingredients and preservatives
Biscuits and meatloaves baked fresh everyday with only human-grade and natural ingredients 

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Woof Gang Bakery Boulder
Our fav neighborhood pet store with a full grooming service and exclusive gourmet treats
Expert groomers treat every pet as family, giving them the special care they deserve and leaving them looking fabulous

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Tis the Season of White: Tectonic’s Favorite White Paints, Tiles, and Stonework

Written By Kate King

Selecting the perfect paint colors, finishes, and stones for your remodeled home is not for the faint of heart. There is a dizzying array of options to choose from and yet is one of the most important design choices you can make. This season, we are turning the spotlight on the color white. As your healthy home builders in Boulder, we embrace the beauty of white for its ability to brighten, expand, and create a backdrop for both artwork and architectural features. This versatile color reflects light to help a space feel more open, which is especially helpful in a small space or one with limited natural light. It also supports a wide range of textiles and textures as it pairs well with just about everything.

How Tectonic Applies White in Interior Design 

Our design build services range from custom woodwork to residential remodels led by our exceptional team of architects, interior designers, and carpenters  who bring to life our clients’ dream homes.

For our renovation of Newlands House, we updated the space using a clean and sophisticated palette of neutral colors, including a gorgeous white Neolith Estatuario stone in Ultrasoft for the kitchen countertops. This extremely durable and heat- and stain-resistant material from 5280 Stone brings a sophisticated and transitional look to the family home. Over at the modern mountain estate of Ridge Road House, we utilized neutral whites throughout to complement the stately Alderwood beams, ceiling-height stone fireplace, and abundant natural light to create a picture of pristine beauty. 

White becomes a powerful color choice when emphasizing the characteristics of an older home. For the Spring Gulch property, we used white for the wall paint to embrace the home’s unique features and allow other distinct color selections to be on display. For the bathrooms and kitchen backsplash, we used clean, white tiles punctuated by polished nickel plumbing and hardware for an antique elegance. The overall result is brightly lit rooms that showcase custom tilework and the home’s unique architectural design. 

Discover our Full Portfolio of Contemporary, High-Design Homes

Which rooms benefit the most from white paint?

When it comes to selecting white for the rooms of your house, consider the natural lighting and the mood you want to set. Rooms that don’t have an abundance of light or that you intentionally want to feel brighter would benefit from being painted in a shade of white. You should also consider whether you want to showcase artwork or a statement piece within your selections in a certain room. 

Shades of White 

• 1 type - Warm Whites

• 2 type - Cool Whites

• 3 type  - Neutral Whites
  

Tectonic’s design build services are executed by our talented team of interior designers, whose experience with a range of clients and their residences, makes us experts in the art of color selection.   

We always select paint colors last because the shade of white we choose depends heavily on the overall design elements and feel of the space. To create a visually cohesive space, we consider the tile, hardwood, cabinetry, accent finishes, and lighting before choosing a white wall color. The lighting of the room plays an integral part in color selection because this is an element of design that changes throughout the day. It’s all about how our clients will feel in their space and how we can support that through thoughtful design choices, including cool versus warm tones and minimalist versus an uber rich and cozy ambiance. 

Learn More About Our Customized and Creative Design Build Services

Which white paint shades are most popular?

At Tectonic, we understand the positive impact that a whole home remodel can have on our clients, giving them a fresh beginning and a new approach to everyday living. The color white also symbolizes this sense of renewal while bringing a timeless look that transcends trends. When it comes to interior design choices, there are infinite options for color schemes, types of molding, and cabinetry that require expertise and a team that understands your unique vision for your home. Alongside Tectonic’s interior design team, we can guide you in making the nuanced choices between paint colors and how to apply them creatively and cohesively. 

Tectonic’s Top Whites 

• Benjamin Moore Simply White

• Benjamin Moore White Dove

• Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace

• Sherwin Williams Pure White

• Sherwin Williams Greek Villa
  

How do you choose between different shades of white paint? 

Let’s get shady for a second. When talking about the shades of white, we are referring to a darker color than the original “hue”, which has a huge impact on the overall feel and mood of a room. When deciding how dark a white needs to go is a conversation with our clients that focuses on their intention of a space and how each shade of white blends with the rest of the home’s selections. We pride ourselves in creating cohesive residential spaces whose design communicates with the entire home, including the exterior. Because paint is so personal, we spend time carefully looking through paint swatches, taping them to the wall, and even painting a portion of the room so our clients can see and feel the impact of the color. 

Unlock the Power of White Through Design 

To thoughtfully incorporate the color white into your residence, our interior design team provides excellent communication, personalization, and access to premium materials from our partners, including 5280 Stone, custom lighting from Visual Comfort, and innovative windows and doors from Pella Windows. Together, we elevate your spaces using color and design into a well-crafted and harmonious home. 

Spotlighting our Favorite Local Boulder Design Brands in the New Tectonic Studio

Written By Kelsie Michelson

Collaboration is at the heart of what we do at Tectonic Design Build.

To create our custom home spaces, we partner with only the best Colorado has to offer, including vendors and home furnishing brands that speak to our ethos of sustainable luxury and superior craftsmanship. 

Creative Collaboration

The Tectonic Studio is a space of impeccable design, but it is also a place thoughtfully intended to connect us with our Boulder community. So much of what we do is focused on how we can uplift other local Boulder businesses and the incredible creatives and entrepreneurs driving them. We do this by amplifying their unique offerings through collaborative partnerships and hosting educational and engaging community events with an ethos of sustainable luxury living. 

Design Obsessed 

For our recently completed Tectonic Design Studio, we partnered with home furnishing brands and vendors to showcase the beauty of high design and healthy home-building. Obsessed with the details, our design and production teams flexed their imaginations while pouring themselves into every element. The result is a meticulously crafted studio that serves as an open invitation to the community to re-think the home, holistically.

Furniture anchors a room and informs how people will utilize a space. For our conference room, we partnered with Boulder Furniture Arts to custom-build a stunning white oak table to ground the room and bring optimal functionality along with timeless design. We sourced a large-scale piece of art from local artist Serge Goldberg whose dynamic and equally compelling work was selected partly to complement the underlying green hues in our rug, creating an overall cool-toned ambiance. 

For all of the countertops throughout the Studio, we sourced from our long-time manufacturer 5280 Stone. Our shared vision around sustainable construction makes them an ideal partner. For example, their stocking program allows us to procure only what square footage we need, instead of having to buy an entire slab we might not need. Avalon Cabinetry serves the greater Denver community with high-quality custom cabinets and we are proud to have them on display in the Studio. Their endless options for door styles, colors, and finishes allowed us to showcase their diverse selections to our clients. 

Our crown jewel of the Studio has to be the modernly appointed, all-black kitchen that explores the power of a monochromatic color scheme. To compliment this unique space, we worked with local artist Haley Persichette Art whose minimalist, neutral abstracts perfectly reflect Tectonic’s design ethos. Her piece “Ore in Taupe” softens the dramatic beauty of the kitchen with its texture, tone, and dimensionality. 

When we build our healthy, holistic homes, we consider the impact of every choice, including opting for upcycled materials to reduce waste. We were thrilled when The Refinery opened its doors last year to the community. With a similar vision of upcycling and reducing waste, they offer curated home goods, art, decor, and furniture that are all second-hand. Paula’s love for restoring existing pieces is apparent and we loved bringing that upcycled energy into our new Studio. Another revolutionary local business focused on waste reduction is Meno Home. They integrate circular product lifecycles, efficiently use raw materials, and keep those ingredients and materials out of waste streams to reduce the carbon footprint of the furnishings industry. The founder Jerri has an impeccable eye for design and we appreciate everything about the future she is calling us all to. We love grounding our Studio with Meno Home’s beautiful non-toxic candles and are excited to offer their candles to each of our Tectonic clients, spreading the gift of sustainable living into their lives.

Harmonize with Natural Elements 

When creating healthy homes in Boulder, we select materials that are non-toxic, sustainable, and safe for our clients and the planet. This includes consciously sourcing products and decor from brands that prioritize healthy living. We also work with local plant experts who have infused our residential spaces with custom florals and live plants to create a deeper connection to nature’s healing elements. 

For the Tectonic Studio, we enlisted our favorite biophilic plant designer, Root by Design, to select plants that support our aesthetic while exploring ways to utilize the natural light abundant in our space. We chose concrete planters that blend seamlessly with the overall earthly design. Fascinated with florals, we had to bring in the beautiful minds of Boulder Blooms, who adorned our entryway with Manzanita branches for a distinctly natural feel the moment you walk through our doors. 

We loved continuing our collaborative work with Andrea, the founder of Sutï Co, whose Boulder cafe and shop is filled with home goods from small-batch artisans from around the world. We selected thoughtful Hygge pieces for the Studio that offer a soulful touch to each space, including hand-crafted ceramics, stoneware, and these unique purple glass bubble vases. We also sourced incredible pieces from our friend and collaborator Jaclyn from Sistain who is leading the way in luxury and sustainable home goods. From a pop-up to a new storefront in Cherry Creek, she has become a force in this industry, and for good reason. We adore her high-end tableware, which is exemplary of her sustainable practices and dedication to non-toxic goods, making them the perfect Tectonic partner. The timeless curators over at Jones & Co provided their holistic designs rooted in minimalism and modernity—a style after our own hearts. We especially love their handmade white ceramic vessels from Svetlana Durel to ground our atrium. 

Whether we are remodeling an entire home or building a custom addition to an existing residence, the interior details and decor are what make a space feel like a home. With each of our partners, Tectonic looks for brands and vendors that prioritize sustainability in their design, home, and lifestyle, so that together we can build a community that is as beautiful as it is balanced.

A Stunning Transformation of Boulder’s Craftsman-Style Bluff House

Written By Kate King

Transforming this craftsman-style Boulder home into a luxurious and elevated sanctuary was a process of creativity, customization, and communication. 

The Bluff House was built in 1946 with a unique quality and character that we paid homage to throughout our remodel. Our goal with the client was to create a modernly-appointed family home with functional storage and more spacious interiors that still felt intimate. We work closely with our clients during every design-build service to ensure their personality and lifestyle are represented in their homes. 

The first stage of this luxury home design involved refurbishing the flooring into bright hardwood oak, which instantly refreshed the interiors. We followed this with custom lighting from Visual Comfort, state-of-the-art appliances in the kitchen, and customized living spaces to achieve a more refined aesthetic.  

How the Feel-Good Space of Bluff House Inspired This Fashion-Forward Icon

Elevated Luxury Lives in The Details

As luxury custom home builders, our clients’ kitchens become the hub of the house and a reflection of the rest of the home’s interior design. To create a more open-concept design, we removed an unnecessary wall around the stove so the space flows seamlessly into the living room. The countertops were done in a beautiful Black Pearl Granite with a luxurious Leather finish from Tectonic’s select fabricator 5280 Stone. This natural product has a high resistance to heat and stains and if sealed regularly is low maintenance despite everyday use. To brighten the interiors without white-washing the space, we went with two-toned painted cabinets in a light grey and a moody thunderous green color for the kitchen island. 

A moment of high design can be seen in the living room. We wrapped the Marquis gas fireplace from the local company Hearth House in the same oak hardwood used throughout the home for a non-conventional waterfall effect. For the facade, we used the same black granite in the kitchen countertops with flecks of gold to bring out the warmth in the wood for subtle continuity. We wanted to give the family a cozy, multi-use space for their young kids, so we built a dining nook with a custom bench seat and bookshelf serving as a vignette for collections and cherished items. The cabinetry and bookshelf are painted in the same palette of green and tie in the tones of the native Colorado trees out the windows.

Our design and construction teams at Tectonic came together to craft a beautiful custom staircase that bridges modernity with detailed wood craftsmanship. Featuring the same oak hardwood as the floors, we added modern black balusters complemented by Newell posts with a groove reveal on the top cap. These small but impactful details reflect the home’s original decorative character but with more contemporary materials.

From Design to Production, Learn More about Tectonic’s Collaborative Home Build Process

Customization Is Key

Excellent design is revealed in the details. To elevate the craftsman-style home into a more modern aesthetic, we used our creativity paired with materials of superior quality. One of my favorite design moments was working with the client to select the metal finishes in the home. They preferred polished nickel for the hardware and plumbing because of its warmth but they also liked the look of all black. I love mixing metals to expand beyond monotone and bring a more multi-dimensional aesthetic, so we leaned into this concept of blending both. The result is a dynamic expression of metals that look incredible against the green and grey colorways and tell a strong yet cohesive visual story. 

To celebrate the thriving wildlife around this beautiful Boulder home, we used gorgeous greens throughout to bring a nurturing ambiance indoors. We painted an accent wall in the primary bedroom to emphasize the vaulted ceilings and expansive arched windows. The cozy and brightly lit room feels like a luxury tree house balanced in the high branches of the surrounding firns and pines. In the kids’ bedrooms and bathrooms, we incorporated cool, blue tones that honored our natural color palette. The blue tile in the bathrooms complimented the herringbone tile flooring and the countertops that feature flecks of a similar blue to harmonize the whole space.

One of my trusted approaches to design is stacking colors together to create visual uniformity, which you can see throughout the design of the Bluff house. In the primary bathroom, we continued the theme of greens using a tile with high variants of color that extended up the walls to create a luxurious, spa-like moment. The orange undertones of the cabinetry gave warmth to the green for a beautifully balanced feel. In the primary and kids’ bathrooms, we used plumbing from Delta fixtures and glass splash panels from GCS Glass.  Since we wanted to lean into the original character of the home in other rooms, we focused on the bathrooms being decidedly modern and transitional. 

Discover Tectonic’s Dynamic and Diverse Design Services Today

Realizing Your Vision Through Virtual Collaboration

We work intimately with each of our clients through collaborative conversations and transparency throughout every process. Working on Bluff House was an experience I will never forget, as this home was remodeled while the clients resided in Japan. With 95% of our communication done virtually, it was imperative to build a strong trust between us. 

From design to production, I was the client’s main line of communication to translate their ideas into a reality while staying within budget, on schedule, and being available for weekly feedback and questions to ensure their vision came to life appropriately. This type of personalization and high-level communication is why working with a design-build firm is far superior to a traditional construction company. 

Walking through the home upon completion was an emotional experience for me as I witnessed our collaborative efforts come alive in the smallest details and expressed in the customization of each unique room. This is the feeling that reminds me why I love what I do. 

Articulating a Modern Industrial Sanctuary through Architecture and Design

Written By Graham Ouwerkerk

Our goal with the Newlands House renovation was to elevate the home to look anew with a distinctly modern aesthetic. Together, our design-build firm remodeled an exceptional residence, emphasized by a contemporary façade and custom landscaping design. 

This project was done in close collaboration with Kate King, Tectonic’s Interior Design Director, to bring the client’s vision to life with striking detail. Together, we brought our architectural and design perspectives to the table to create cohesion from the exterior to the interiors. The outside of the home features smooth, white stucco punctuated by black metal standing seam siding, along with a dark wood from ReSawn Timber in the color Nero from their Adobo collection. 

We continued the metal siding up to the rooftop to complete the aesthetic and bring to life an older home that now looks brand new. We didn’t make any significant structural changes, instead focusing on material selections that would emphasize the industrial elements. We wrapped the new Pella windows continuous window system with black metal to create dramatic modern lines, along with black metal fascia and soffits done in a mix of wood and black metal. We made the simple but impactful choice to use a square gutter system with square downspouts instead of the more traditional style. This helped us to achieve cleaner lines throughout the exterior, resulting in a luxurious and modern aesthetic.

A Legacy of Luxury: Explore the Design Inspiration Behind the Newlands House 

Collaboration Breeds Creativity

Kate and I had a strong congruency on the aesthetic we wanted to create. Our communication during every project allows us to problem-solve and re-imagine home spaces through the lens of architecture and interior design. Our clear and detailed understanding of the client’s vision is always the priority, which we express  in every aspect of the project. 

“The exterior and interior go hand-in-hand,” says Kate. “When we were working on this home, we had an established interior design that reflected the same variety of textures on the outside of the home. To create depth throughout the interiors, we used a palette of white, black, and warmer wood tones. Rather than matching the exterior’s materials exactly, we created more interest by harmonizing with the overall design vision and color scheme.” 

Working collaboratively with the Tectonic team allows for direct and clear communication between all aspects of a project, whether it’s a whole home remodel or custom woodwork for a space. Our design-build services are also customized for every client to reflect their unique lifestyle and needs. 

“During the Newlands House remodel, I suggested that we not expand the window size from an interior perspective to fit the client’s specific furniture. Graham made sure to achieve this while also ensuring the windows were up to his design standards from an exterior perspective,” says Kate. “There is nothing better than working with someone who pushes the boundaries to create something beautiful and this project with Graham reflects that.”

Why Architecture is the Foundation of a High-Design Home

Transformation Through Recomposition

Building healthy, holistic homes includes integrating natural elements whenever possible through biophilic design and live plants, optimizing natural light indoors, and utilizing sustainable materials. For this home, we wanted to bring more light into the main living area and open up the views to Boulder’s natural beauty. The structure had an existing vaulted ceiling but the windows didn’t follow the vault. Capitalizing on this missed opportunity, we designed peak windows that perfectly frame the foothills beyond and bring an abundance of light to the interiors. 

This architectural and design choice transformed the living space and the exterior aesthetic through the recomposition of materials all without having to do a laborious and material consumptive remodel. This proves that our design-build process can offer simple solutions that have great impact. 

Choosing a Design Build Firm over a Traditional Construction Company

Landscaping Meaningful Moments

The high design of the Newlands home doesn’t stop at the back door. We coordinated with a landscape designer to articulate our vision of a modern masterpiece that utilizes concrete retaining walls, sidewalks with natural elements weaving throughout, and a water feature to bring a biophilic and sensory experience to the outdoors. 

From a visual perspective, we wanted the exterior to have a cleaner look, create a seamless view of the greenery beyond, and make it easier for the clients to move around the home. A half-wall was taken out and replaced with steps for them to access the backyard and the side of the home more seamlessly. We also minimized a thick stucco column that took up too much space to offer better visibility to the outdoors. 

Luxury in home design can look many ways. For this property, we focused on creating meaningful spaces throughout the exterior to offer moments of relaxation as seen in the firepit area; a dining place to gather with friends and family over food; and a peaceful space to enjoy the famed foothills from the front yard. After all, great architecture and design is only as good as it makes you feel. 

Celebrating the New Tectonic Studio with Our Boulder Community

Written By Alexandre Pinto

Last month, we had our inaugural debut of the new Tectonic Design Studio, welcoming our beloved Boulder community into our world of sustainable luxury. Located in the heart of town on 30th and Pearl Street, the studio is both a place of ideation for our home design projects and a place to connect with clients and the community. 

From the curated finishes to the custom furniture and uplifting ambiance, we designed a space that holistically represents Tectonic. To celebrate the Studio, we invited our clients, vendors, local partners, friends, and family to enjoy what we have created together and to forge more meaningful relationships that propel our vision of holistic and elevated design.

We were grateful to co-host the event with local business Boulder Lifestyle and one of our continued partners because of our shared values and vision to bring elevated design and architecture to the community. We also brought in the female-owned company, Calluna Events, who supported us on the day of the event and helped bring our vision to life. In true Tectonic form, we prioritized working with local and sustainable businesses that reflect our ethos.

Conscious Collabs

Community always comes first. To showcase the newly finished space, we collaborated with exceptional creatives in our community to offer an immersive experience representative of our business. We integrated florals and gorgeous greenery to the studio’s outdoor space paired with farm-to-table culinary treats and custom gifts for every guest. 

Honoring our dedication to building holistic home environments, we enlisted the female-owned, luxury staging company, Ivy Lane, to create an indoor-outdoor living experience to make our guests feel at home in any environment. A stunning floral display from Tectonic partner and sustainable flower shop, Boulder Blooms became the perfect photo backdrop for our guests.

We loved seeing familiar faces and new ones imbibing custom earth-centered cocktails to reflect Tectonic’s use of earth elements in all of our design and architecture projects. Crafted and served by the women-owned Cocktail Caravan, who brought their famous ‘Lola’ camper where the beautiful staff served our guests throughout the evening. We loved having one of Boulder’s most celebrated restaurants, The Kitchen, to cater the event. Tables were adorned with a curation of caviar, oysters, and an epic charcuterie spread with local honeycomb all displayed on our new design studio island. Their incredible staff was the cherry on top.

For an array of sweet desserts, we brought in the savants of baked goods, Süti & Co, whose handmade olive oil cakes and Scandinavian desserts did not disappoint. To ensure our guests didn’t leave empty-handed, we partnered with sustainable furniture and home fragrance company, Meno Home, to gift everyone a gorgeous soy-based, hand-poured candle in a recycled black glass vessel along with Tectonic-branded matches. 

Building beautiful, holistic home spaces is what we do best. But, we couldn’t do it without you. We want to thank our community for showing up to support us and we look forward to creating more incredible experiences, together, in our new Tectonic Design Studio. 

Architecture is the Foundation of a High-Design Home Build

Written By Graham Ouwerkerk

Good architecture is the bedrock upon which great design is built. It transcends aesthetics to encompass functionality, comfort, sustainability, and personalization. For every project that Tectonic takes on, whether it's a transformational whole home remodel or a custom new build in Colorado, we practice four foundations to build our homes with exceptional quality and timeless design. As Tectonic’s lead architect and a Passive House Certified Designer, I work collaboratively with the whole team, from our interior designers to carpenters. Adhering to the same design practices and ethos is essential for our vision to align.  

My work begins with the bones of a home where I imagine the overall architectural design of people’s most personal spaces, while considering the home’s environmental impact and its energy efficiency. The architect also plays a key role in creating functional home layouts customized for our client’s lifestyles and desires. Through careful spatial planning, I elevate the livability and comfort of a home and ensure every square foot is utilized. We tackle the meticulous details of the design and construction, so you can focus on selecting gorgeous finishes with our interior designers. 

Regarding visual appeal and design, architects are essential in communicating a cohesive design from the outdoors in and throughout the home’s structural details. Our holistic, healthy homes are achieved because of the in-house architect's special touch. The collaboration between the construction team and me ensures that the details of the building envelope are optimized for energy efficiency and air tightness. This degree of communication is a truly exceptional benefit of Tectonics design-build approach versus the typical design-bid-build approach.

Discover the Fundamentals of a Healthy Home 

Here, we break down the 4 Foundations of an Architect-Designed Home

1. Quality of Life

The primary goal of residential architecture is to enhance the quality of life for the inhabitants. Through architecture, I create functional and comfortable spaces executed with thoughtful design to meet the unique needs of our clients. I look at functionality through a 90/10 lens. Sometimes clients want a design feature that they will realistically only use 10% of the time when there is an alternative design arrangement that we know will be used 90% of the time. For example, think of how most people build their kitchen sink to look out a window, it is a nostalgic idea, but it’s not very practical to have your back to your family or your guests. We like to integrate sinks into the kitchen island or peninsula for a more engaged experience. Other optimized spatial layouts include building primary room closets with two entryways, so you don’t have to walk back through the bedroom. In addition, there is the simple idea of designing the laundry room on the same floor as the bedrooms for convenience.

We also always try to apply the Passive House principle of proper orientation of the home to make sure that the indoors receive as much natural daylight as possible. This improves solar heat gains, which helps to reduce energy use. Designing for appropriate daylight has been proven to elevate inhabitants' moods and increase productivity. We also strive to create a direct sense of harmony with the natural world by bringing in biophilic elements, including natural wood tones, the presence of water, and living plants and florals into the built environment.

2. Emotional Connection

Architecture has the power to evoke emotions and create a safe place for us to gather, connect, and unwind; all while forging a connection that aligns with the client's identity and aspirations. We work closely with you to understand your desires and lifestyle, so that your space meets your daily needs and supports overall wellness. We love working with our Boulder community because they have a strong awareness of why it’s valuable to invest in a healthy home and the endless emotional and health benefits for them and their families. 

3. Innovation and Creativity

An architecturally designed home is a cohesion of aesthetics, programming, sustainability, and functionality. This holistic approach provided by an architect’s expertise and a dedication to stewardship, strikes a balance between exceptionally designed homes, which also have a reduced carbon footprint. Pushing the boundaries of what makes a healthy home, I prioritize resilience, timelessness, and adaptiveness. 

I select natural materials whenever possible, concrete elements for durability, and high-quality windows and doors to maintain the home’s air-tightness and envelope integrity while elevating indoor comfort levels. During remodels, we take a creative approach to integrate elements of the original structure when it’s appropriate. This may include highlighting an exposed beam or brick wall to create unexpected spaces that complement our modern aesthetic. 

4. Long-Term Value

By adhering to these fundamentals of design, we are building valuable and durable structures that are likely to retain their value and appeal over time. Our holistic and energy-efficient design solutions increase the home’s marketability, and our building practices support a highly functioning home that requires less maintenance over time. We also take a refined and minimalist approach to design. By reducing ornamentation that is often only trendy for a season, a Tectonic design stands the test of time and therefore always looks new. 

We have a responsibility to create exceptional, healthy homes for people while also considering the environment and the future of the planet. Through intentional design and collaboration, our custom home builds result in a statement of luxury communicating a legacy that will continue for generations to come.

How Fashion and Design Form the Way We Feel with Co-Founder of Apocalypse, Madison Moorhead McCabe

Written By Alexandre Pinto

We believe that our homes should provide us with comfort, health, elegance—and a daily dose of inspiration. 

Recently, we invited Madison Moorhead McCabe, co-founder of the vintage and secondhand store Apocalypse, into the modern sanctuary of Bluff House. The whole home remodel was transformed from a craftsman-style home built in 1946 into a bright, transitional residence that honored the original home’s character. Furnished and decorated by the local staging company, Ivy Lane and the Tectonic Design team, the home is set with every contemporary essential, but with enough space for a little magic to be made. 

Having Madison in the space for a collaborative photoshoot revealed how architecture and interior design can influence one’s mood and inspire artistic expression. 

View Bluff House Project

Personal Style 

Apocalypse is a buy-sell-trade store filled with secondhand clothing, shoes, and accessories from across the ages. It is also a direct reflection of Madison’s personal purpose in life: protect planet earth and connect with the community through clothing. 

“It’s been so fulfilling to work alongside the brilliant team we’ve curated to share the second hand movement with our community,” says Madison. “You know you’ve landed your dream job when it doesn’t feel like work. It’s just a lifestyle.” 

Creating imagery has always been at the core of her expression, both as the subject and the stylist. At Apocalypse, her selection of garments allows her to visually channel different aspects of who she is, a creator who believes in speaking from the soul rather than following fleeting trends. 

“Clothing is just another reflection of our ability to fluidly recreate ourselves and connect with who we are in the present moment.”

Celebrating gender non-conforming folks who have brought a sense of freedom to the fashion world, Madison rejects a binary worldview and embraces every day as an opportunity to dress on a spectrum. “I can style myself as masculine or as feminine as I feel day to day,” she says. 

A Fashion Statement 

The truth about the fashion industry is that nearly all clothing and distribution comes at an environmental cost, not dissimilar to home builds and construction. At Apocalypse, ethical consumption is Madison’s priority. Shopping and selling secondhand clothing helps mitigate many of the harmful practices used in the industry and encourages buyers to shop more unique, curated, and oftentimes higher-end items. Embracing this alternative approach to buying new is a fantastic way to stay sustainably fashionable.

A Collaborative Partnership to Strengthen Our Vision for Sustainable Design

The Wardrobe Within 

When it comes to working with clients outside of Apocalypse to help them transform their personal style, Madison always starts in the wardrobe. With the goal to design a closet that feels fantastic to be in, she begins with a deep clean followed by organizing, laundering, deciding what needs to be altered or mended, as well as identifying clients’ most loved clothing and the items ready to be donated or consigned. Her favorite places to go for this next phase? Apocalypse, of course, and Common Threads in Boulder, or online retailers like Depop and the Real Real, who sell secondhand items, especially high-end designers and vintage. 

Living Spaces 

For our Bluff House remodel, the interior design team at Tectonic led by Kate King, selected a color palette of creamy whites, rich velvety greens, warm beige, pops of light blue in the kids’ rooms, and accents of warm oak and black finishes. With superior quality at the forefront, we integrated custom oak millwork, granite stone in Black Pearl in a Leathered finish for the kitchen and the fireplace, and all-new cabinetry, hardware, and lighting to create a pristine space that speaks to timeless design and enduring craftsmanship. Madison channeled her own muse within the home’s space—a modern woman who knows what she stands for and speaks through style.

Madison’s exquisite interpretation of the architecture and design of the home revealed how an intentionally-designed space can inspire a mood and a moment. Luckily we were there to capture her many moods! Channeling the ultra-modern living area of the home punctuated with mixed metals and pops of color, Madison’s fashion became a mirror to her surroundings. Within the brightly-lit and sultry ambiance of the bedroom, she fastened her whimsical and ethereal threads inspired by a space that is nothing short of a dreamscape. 

“Capturing gorgeous photos in this expertly-designed home was an easy and fun collaboration. I had rarely done a shoot like this before and now I am inspired to document photos like this in my own home. “It’s also important for me to collaborate with organizations that put sustainability and local action at the forefront of their work, and Tectonic clearly values both,” says Madison.  

Weaving in the Community

“Connecting with the community is at the core of my personal purpose as well as our mission at Apocalypse,” says Madison. Through conscious fashion, she is making the Boulder community even more inclusive and creative. Our alignment with Madison’s values is unmatched. At Tectonic, we prioritize connecting with our talented and inspiring community right here in our backyard—because together we are better. Through collaborative art, design, and fashion, we are building strong bonds with small businesses to create meaningful impact, both economically and communally. 

You can find Madison Moorhead McCabe @disco.madison on Instagram and Apocalypse @disco.apocalypse

A Collaborative Partnership to Strengthen Our Vision for Sustainable Design

Written By Kate King

At Tectonic, our custom home builds, whole home remodels, and interior design work are all intentionally done with a holistic approach that considers all aspects of the home, from construction to decoration. We have had the pleasure of working closely with the Boulder community to imagine and execute incredible spaces, from the foothills to downtown, that expresses our vision of sustainable luxury. Along the way, we have learned that weaving other local brands and creatives’ perspectives into these spaces is the best way we can support our beautiful town and its exceptional business owners.

Harmonizing Holistic Design

As people become more aware of the impact of their purchases and how it affects the environment, home decor and bedding are no exception. When selecting sustainable products for your sheets, towels, and comfy at-home attire, it’s important to consider a brand’s ethical practices, as well as their quality of materials and how they are sourced. Ultimately, supporting brands that are conscious of their environmental impact means you are supporting a healthy home for you and your family. 

Our most recent collaboration with Parachute Home in Boulder, a bedding and bath essentials brand that uses luxurious natural fibers that are soft-to-the-touch, showcases these exemplary sustainable practices. We love Parachute’s belief that when we take care of our home, it takes care of us. At Tectonic, we share the same sentiment that by bringing high-quality, premium materials and goods into our lived-in spaces, we can elevate the comfort of our day-to-day lives.

Our brand’s shared values include: 

• Using only the highest quality materials and techniques to create long-lasting products and spaces that feel as good as they look. 

• Prioritizing sustainable design by using innovative materials that emit low or zero chemicals and use recycled materials whenever possible to help reduce the carbon footprint.

• Taking a holistic approach to design means looking at functionality and well-being to ensure that clients have a space that supports their lifestyle and their health. 
  

Premium Threads From Parachute

Parachute’s  luxurious sheets, towels, robes, rugs and all things soft and wonderful offer a clean, modern aesthetic with superior quality and versatility. Their home essentials are crafted by experts, including Portuguese craftspeople to a fourth-generation American mattress maker all using the finest materials. Architectural Digest has praised them for their handwoven minimal rugs with maximal comfort made with all-natural fibers and never any chemicals. Meanwhile, Men’s Journal has delivered accolades for their Cloud Cotton Collection that is made from 100% premium Turkish cotton, garment-washed for exceptional softness, and then yarn-dyed for understated coloration that will never fade. Their bedding is designed in distinctly contemporary colorways that include Steel and Smoke, Agave, Moss, Haze, Bone, and Slate that complement any and every space. In addition, their social and environmental sustainability efforts include GOTS-certified and Oeko-TexⓇ-certified.

Schedule a Call Today to Learn About Tectonic’s Sustainable Design Services 

Executing Our Aligned Vision 

Our ongoing collaboration with Parachute includes working with them as a trade partner through their Trade Program, which involves staging our homes with their gorgeous bedding, bath and home essentials. We can offer our clients a discount to shop at their local Boulder Parachute Home Store. This creative partnership allows us to foster a strong sense of community through direct collaboration and introduce our clients to one of our favorite local and sustainable bed and bath brands.

To elevate the modern ranch of Spring Gulch into a healthy home, we selected from Parachute’s all-white classic collection for the bedding to achieve a sophisticated and refined ambiance. Their neutral colors created a striking balance between the home’s more traditional characteristics and the remodeled elements rooted in modernity.

Our whole home remodel at Newland’s House was a transformational project that took the home from outmoded to contemporary and sleek creating a  legacy of luxury for a growing family. To create continuity throughout, we adhered to a color scheme of gray, white, black, and  rich brown tones. Our selections from Parachute included cool, gray tones for the bedding to balance out the warmth of the engineered wood flooring and complement the custom gray cabinetry. The result is a highly-elevated interior space that speaks to the luxurious materials Tectonic chose and the superior threads from Parachute.

Learn More about the Designs Behind the Modern Mountain Ranch of Spring Gulch 

We loved personalizing these homes with the brand’s classic cotton robes and shearling wool slippers to complete our vision of a cozy and pristine residence. To forge an even deeper community connection within these two residences, we partnered with local floral designers Boulder Blooms and the biophilic plant designers and plant care experts at Incrementum Co. Our healthy and holistic homes offer a stage for local talent to be showcased and celebrated while providing a comprehensive design direction for home owners to draw inspiration from. These partnerships engage our clients and our collaborators and prioritize sustainable goods and materials to create stunning residential spaces that align with our holistic and clean aesthetic. 

Recently, we hosted an event at Parachute - Check out the details HERE!

Optimized Living: The Fundamentals of a Healthy Home

Written By Dylan Ochala

In 2024, luxury living transcends the use of exquisite materials and smart home technology. The new defining luxury of a home prioritizes the health of its inhabitants by building high-performing and energy-efficient residences. At Tectonic Design Build, we focus on holistic construction, from frame to finish, to create comfortable interiors far superior than code built construction, the legal bare minimum.

For every project we take on, whether it’s a whole home remodel, a transformational interior design plan or a custom home addition, we take a holistic view that ensures there is seamless communication between each component of the project. This holistic approach requires a detailed look at the quality of the construction, the airtightness of a new home’s interior, the durability and quality of the finish materials, as well as the performance of a home. In order to achieve the highest quality with every project, we apply the principles from Passive House. This is a building standard that ensures a home is durable, comfortable, and provides a healthy indoor environment for residents. 

Here, we break down the 3 fundamentals of building a healthy home.

1. Well Insulated + Airtight Construction

When designing a new home build, we prioritize the airtight barrier of the home, which controls the air going in and the air going out. It is critical to have a tight building envelope with excellent windows and doors with mechanical ventilation. This type of ventilation intentionally circulates fresh air throughout the home as opposed to accidental air flow that occurs when there are weak points in the home’s construction. By mitigating weak areas in the home’s construction, we can reduce the moisture that collects inside the wall assembly, which can cause damage and lower the performance of the insulation.

To achieve this, Tectonic expertly installs windows and doors that are airtight.  Regarding heating and cooling your home, this envelope is critical to keep the interior temperature consistent across the space. This is especially significant during the hot, summer months and below freezing days in Colorado where the temperature indoors directly affects the comfort level of homeowners. Another benefit to well-insulated construction is the quiet, indoor environment it creates. By reducing sound from the outside, whether you live in downtown Boulder or in the foothills, the home becomes a peaceful sanctuary. 

Our Ridge Road House is an excellent example of how the Tectonic team was able to transform an outdated home with minimal insulation into a high-performing luxury retreat,  all without compromising the original Hobart Wagener hexagonal architecture. From drastic structural changes to optimized energy systems, the home serves as a statement of efficiency, comfort, and health. 

Discover the Modern Mountain Masterpiece at Ridge Road  

2. Indoor air quality

One of the most important aspects of a healthy home is the indoor air quality. The air we breath has significant impacts on our overall wellbeing, which is why we prioritize our home’s air quality by creating an air-tight envelope that allows fresh, filtered air to be brought in, resulting in a cleaner indoor environment. Conventional forced air systems and opening windows to get fresh air inside are not as effective as our mechanical systems that act as the lungs of the home to continually introduce filtered air for more balanced ventilation. 

These systems also help reduce the amount of dust and mildew that collect for a home; the result is noticeably cleaner and fresh feeling. 

3. High-Performing Home

High-performance homes that are energy-efficient are inherently sustainable because these homes will last much longer than a code-built home, in terms of energy performance and comfort. Our modern home remodel projects and custom home designs focus on more efficient systems that are better for the environment and for the homeowners. We integrate reliable heating and cooling systems, including radiant in-floor heating, which is a cleaner and more effective approach to warming a space. These systems also result in significantly lower electric bills. 

Our building practices work together to improve the home’s overall comfort level, including substantially mitigating the risk for mold, mildew, excessive moisture, and dust, resulting in cleaner indoors as well as a more durable, longer-lasting home that requires less maintenance. 

A healthy home begins with a holistic design process. At Tectonic, we consider each principle of Passive House, from performance to air quality, in order to create a residence that touches on every fundamental of a healthy home and is designed to last for generations. In addition to these important structural systems, we integrate timeless interior design that elevates every space of a home. By incorporating biophilic design into our projects, we look at the whole human experience, including the physical, mental, and emotional needs of people. On our residential projects, including the luxurious Newland’s estate, we have enlisted the plant care experts at Incrementum Co., to bring the beauty of the outdoors inside through live plants designed to optimize our  health, productivity, and peace of mind.  From the high quality of our materials to the color schemes, and textures, we can help you reach a whole new level of comfort and ease in the spaces that make you feel truly at home while supporting your prosperity and health.

Resourcefulness Done Right

We recognize that construction is inherently wasteful. In order to reduce as much waste as possible that eventually ends up back in the landfill, we partner with the locally-owned company Perks Deconstruction. Their full deconstruction services includes disassembling all materials from your project to be recycled and/or reused. With every project, they aim to keep at least 75% of the structure out of the landfill, including doors, windows, flooring, insulation, lumber, and more. 

Similar to Tectonic, they approach each project with a holistic view resulting in a seamless and thorough process. They begin with an initial review of materials to develop a recovery plan and scope of work, so the final step of facilitating an estimate of the donation value of your recovered materials is done with clarity and ease. At Tectonic, we know that by looking at a project as a whole, from deconstruction to the final walk through, we can significantly mitigate the waste from construction. This shared vision of responsible resourcefulness is what makes our partnership with Perks Deconstruction so meaningful. 

Recently, we co-hosted an event with Perks Deconstruction at Parachute Boulder to bring awareness to the process of responsible deconstruction. We loved meeting new people in the industry and seeing familiar faces from town, from architects to designers, to engage in the important topic of resourceful home building and deconstruction.

Building Healthier, Together 

Tectonic also partners with Resource Central on all of our projects to deconstruct more responsibly. Their materials reuse program and refurbishing process reduces both the environmental impact and economic cost of new buildings in Colorado.

We are also proud members of Good Future Design Alliance, Colorado Green Builders Guild and Emu Passive, who are all pioneers in the healthy home community.

In Full Bloom: Celebrating Boulder’s Sustainable, Design-Forward Flower Shop

Written By Kelsie Michelson

Boulder Blooms has been creating modern, architectural and floral-forward designs in their local Boulder shop for over 25 years. Focused on spreading the joy of flowers through unique and seasonal arrangements, they offer daily deliveries, plant installations and maintenance, and specialize in residential and commercial floral subscriptions and events. 

Our partnership blossomed after meeting Boulder Blooms’ Creative Director, Lily Kelly, at Boulder’s organic nursery, Harlequin’s Garden. Lily and her partner, a local flower farmer, were selecting plants and after learning about their connection to the land and creative work in florals, we became fast friends with an interest to create together. And you know we just wouldn’t miss an opportunity to work with a female-driven team that is as obsessed with beautiful things as we are. 

“It’s all about collaboration,” says Lily. “It’s really exciting when you find a company like Tectonic who shares our same vision of providing the Boulder community with services that are elevated, high-quality, and sustainable.” 

Lily works alongside Zoe Tomar, the company’s Operations Director, who is critical in executing their wild visions into a reality. Together, they operate a business that centers around sustainable practices and seasonality while elevating every space they touch with whimsical, cosmic, and imaginative arrangements. 

Check Out Boulder Blooms’ Arrangements for the Staging of Newlands House

Rooted in Nature 

As Boulder’s healthy home builder, we work with like-minded businesses who prioritize sustainable practices, reduce their carbon footprint and their use of toxic chemicals. Boulder Blooms is a dream collaborator for us because not only do they value the importance of creating harmonious environments that are good for us and the planet, but their dedication to sustainability is at the root of how they create.

They implement reusable floral frogs for their upright floral designs, compost all of their stems, have eliminated toxic common foam core that is common in the floral industry, as well as investing in local flowers that are pesticide-free. By sourcing local flowers whenever possible, which is currently more than 85%, they have also minimized their environmental impact significantly. 

“We focus on hyper seasonality as much as possible,” says Lily. “Flowers and plants that are selected in the grow season means more vibrant colors and higher quality. Plus, we are creating personal relationships with the farmers who have sustainable and regenerative practices.” 

Some of the local farms they work with include, Little Hollow Farms, Smokebush and Wild Nectar, as well as the Colorado Flower Collective who sources from farmers across the Front Range. Some of Lily’s favorite flowers are tulips in a variety of colors and petal count that bloom in spring, the Colorado native yarrow plant come summertime, and ornamental dahlias picked in the fall. 

When it comes to arranging nature’s works of art, Lily opts for a more avant garde style that favors the bold and embraces the natural twists and curves of branches and stems. She is also an incredible taste-maker when it comes to supporting her client’s floral visions. 

Alternative Arrangements 

Creativity reigns supreme at Boulder Blooms. 

“We always try to give the client what they want while honoring our sustainable practices,” says Lily. “The benefit is not only for the environment but it also means that the client gets a personal arrangement that is different than a stock bouquet made for the masses.” 

For example, they don’t use traditional red roses on Valentines Day, since they are sourced internationally, and instead select alternatives that honor the sentiment of the holiday. Specializing in weddings and events, Lily and her team create custom arrangements that interpret feelings into flowers through exceptional designs that range from classic and chic to playful and whimsical. 

Lily is excited about how the plant and flower growing industry is evolving. With breeding on the rise there are more innovative varieties available that keeps her floral design work ever-evolving.

Learn More About Tectonic’s Founders Dedication to Building Healthier Homes Focused on Environmental Stewardship

Bringing the Wild Inside 

In a recent Tectonic Journal, we shared the innumerable benefits of biophilic plant design and the importance of incorporating living plants into a home’s interior design. This includes purifying the air and filtering out toxic chemicals, increasing humidity in the home, and reducing stress. When our client’s are seeking indoor plants for their residential spaces, we  work with the industry’s most knowledgeable plant experts over at Incrementum Co. When it comes to gorgeous arrangements, whether fresh or dried, we put our trust in the incredible team at Boulder Blooms. 

Lily has created custom arrangements for our Newlands House remodel and most recently supported Tectonic in staging the stunning Spring Gulch property. This modern ranch remodel is an expression of rustic regality that Lily beautifully complimented with selections of vibrantly-colored stemmed flowers and neutral, architectural branches to reflect the rich, chocolate brown hues of the home. 

Our design build firm transformed the kitchen at Spring Gulch into an ensemble of creams, reds, and dark wood that ties in the original stone flooring and details of polished nickel hardware and pendant lighting. To honor this blend of old world and new, Lily selected a spiral eucalyptus, a bright leafy-green papyrus plant, and a bouquet of Colorado-grown single petal orange tulips to add a fresh feel to the heart of the home. 

Heading into the primary bathroom, you will discover a regal space reminiscent of a luxury mountain spa. 

“I was immediately inspired by the dark brown Emperador marble that wraps around the standing tub,” says Lily. “We selected pussy willows to adorn the side tables to compliment the rich tones of the room but not distract from the prominent stonework.” 

The remaining bathrooms that Tectonic remodeled were afforded modern bouquets of the same single stem orange tulips as seen in the kitchen as well as Colorado-grown burgundy peony tulips. They were the perfect addition to add more visual depth to the white Taj Mahal Quartzite countertops and elevate the Arizona Flash Wall Tile in Cobalt. 

The client was presented with a regal and well-appointed home rich with high-quality, natural materials that were accentuated with custom floral arrangements reminiscent of the gorgeous state of Colorado we call home. This collaboration is what we pride ourselves on: uplifting local Boulder businesses and integrating diversity through design. 

“I admire Tectonic’s approach to design as well as their close relationships with their clients,” says Lily. “They go above and beyond to articulate their client’s vision beautifully, which is what we aspire to create for every one of our customers at Boulder Blooms.”

Interested in placing an order with Boulder Blooms?

Customers who mention Tectonic when inquiring about a custom subscription will receive 50% off their initial order.

Learn More About Our Collaborations with Local Boulder Businesses

From Floor to Ceiling: The Breakdown of Newlands House Selections

Written By Kate King

Last month, we shared the exceptional whole home remodel of Newlands House—a family estate in Boulder that we transformed from outmoded into a contemporary, sleek, smart, and high design space providing the next generation with a legacy of luxury. 

As Tectonic’s Lead Interior Designer, I worked with the client’s to guide them through the entire design build process from floor to ceiling. My role is critical in sourcing the highest quality products and vendors for their remodel, maintaining all backend communication, and making sure the scope of the project stays within their budget. The process is one of artful creativity and detailed logistics. As with the Newlands House, every project becomes a deeply personalized and seamless experience between the Tectonic team and the client, resulting in incredible home spaces that feel as good as they look. 

Check out the Newlands House Staged by a Team of Boulder-Based, Female-Led Businesses

Legacy of Luxury 

Balancing contemporary design with a cozy, warm ambiance helped guide the design process at Newlands and led us to our selections of colors and finishes. Our goal was to create continuity throughout all of the spaces by applying a color scheme of white, black, grey, deep rich browns, and lighter warm wood tones. We chose wood flooring with an earthy grain and detailed characteristics that reflect similar tones of the cabinetry and countertops, while the brushed nickel finishes were carried through the home’s plumbing and bath hardware selections in a true black color.

Tectonic prioritizes working with local Colorado-based businesses whenever possible as well as luxury brands that meet our standards to build higher performing, long-lasting homes. For the whole home remodel of Newlands, we collaborated with Visual Comfort for the lighting throughout most of the residence, Rejuvenation lighting for the light fixtures in the kitchen, and Pella windows known for their craftsmanship and high quality. Working with brands that align with our practices and ethics is a must for our luxury home custom remodels, additions to homes, and interior design projects. Together, we are defining what sustainable luxury means. 

Take a Home Tour of the Newlands House Interior Construction Process

Flawlessly Functional

We chose to work with the Denver-based luxury brand Vonmod Cabinetry for all of the custom cabinetry at Newlands because of their clean, minimalist design and slab cabinet fronts. Their creations are both visually stunning and flawlessly functional. Vonmod are also experts in building custom architectural pieces and tall paneling that allows for personalized spaces that let the clients dream big. They offer a beautiful selection of timeless finishes, including a Shinoki slab that we selected for its rich grain that anchors the rooms with a distinct warmth. For the bathrooms, we updated the vanities with grain-matched slabs complimented by black hardware. As Boulder’s custom home builders, we especially appreciate the attention to detail that Vonmod brings in their designs, which allows for ease of installation. 

The Newlands whole home remodel was the perfect canvas for the conscious company, Arrigoni Woods, to be on full display. Utilizing sustainable practices and materials is a core tenant at Tectonic, so when building out this healthy home for our Boulder clients, we selected Arrigoni to engineer the flooring throughout the house. We loved the original staircase in the home, but to elevate it to meet the aesthetic of the modern home remodel, we wrapped the existing treads in the same Arrigoni wood as the rest of the flooring. The character of the wood flooring we chose added dimension and a feeling of comfort to this decidedly modern residence.

We love that Arrigoni’s engineered wood planks can be used for radiant heat flooring without the risk of expanding or contracting over time. Plus, their PEFC-certified wood is sourced from the finest, sustainably-managed forests in Europe in which the amount of timber that is cut equals that which is re-grown while their wood waste from production is converted into new energy in their biomass heater. Choosing Arrigoni is choosing nature herself. 

To honor the client’s desired aesthetic and our passion for environmentally sensitive products, we worked with the fantastic team over at 5280 Stone to fabricate all the Neolith for the countertops at Newland’s House. As this is a family home, we knew we needed an extremely durable and heat- and stain-resistant material that would support the residents lifestyle and last for generations. For most of the solid surfaces in the home, including the backsplash in the bathrooms, countertops and expansive kitchen island, we selected a sintered stone that creates visual movement caused by the veining in the man-made material. Neolith countertops are actually created from a combination of materials, clays, and feldspar that are pressed together with heat to create a stunning solid surface. This process results in unique characteristics in the materials so no two pieces look the same.

Primary Bath - Neolith Calacatta in Silk

Kitchen - Neolith Estatuario in Ultrasoft

Fireplace - Neolith Sofia Cuprum Steel in Silk

Heading into the living room, we added Vonmod floating millwork alongside the Neolith fireplace for an elevated experience and, in the primary bathroom, installed a bookmatched ceiling-height Neolith backsplash for the vanity and the spacious spa-like shower. Neolith’s beautiful stonework is rivaled only by their dedication to becoming a zero waste company. Using recycled, raw materials combined with production that has a neutral impact on the generation of CO2 and releases zero toxic gasses, we are proud to work with a brand who is focused on building healthier, safer, and more environmentally-conscious homes. 

Learn More About Our Energy-Efficient Custom Home Build Services 

Articulating Transitional Regality at the Modern Ranch of Spring Gulch

As an Interior Designer for Tectonic Design Build, I work alongside Lead Designer Kate King to bring our client’s residential visions to life through elevated and functional design. Our relationship with the client begins at the initial stages of the project all the way until final construction. We prioritize communication and transparency from design to finish, so you can trust that your vision is executed with precision. 

During a home remodel, we work closely with our architect Graham, to develop the spatial layouts and structural needs of the home followed by our design development process to select cabinetry, appliances, plumbing, and more. Our design team ensures a cohesive design is executed with clear and consistent communication and helps take the pressure off the clients who are often faced with making hundreds of decisions. Our Tectonic team understands this and helps you avoid decision fatigue by knowing understanding your vision and knowing how to make it happen. This is one of the most significant reasons why clients prefer a design build firm over a traditional construction company. 

I approach design with a sustainable mindset by selecting specific interior finishes that emit low or zero chemicals and use recycled materials whenever possible for a reduced carbon footprint. For the Spring Gulch home, we transformed a 1980s residence into a more contemporary home while maintaining its character and honoring its location. The emphasis was on embracing its unique characteristics while updating the spaces for comfort and ease. The modern multi-generational ranch home is located in Lyons, Colorado, tucked behind rolling hills and with views toward the steep mountains beyond. I loved working on this project because it showcases Tectonic’s range of styles, from both the design and build perspective. Whether you are looking for a whole home remodel or seeking to expand your space with a custom addition, our full-service design build offerings include conceptualizing and delivering your dream home—no matter what century it was built in.

Book a Discovery Call Today

Honoring Tradition

For the Spring Gulch home remodel, we carefully matched all of the selections and finishes to the historic centerpieces in the home, including a large antique stove and the original flooring. We loved the challenge of updating the amenities and materials throughout, including the kitchen and six bathrooms while honoring its original patina and personality. Beginning in the kitchen—The heart of the home—we created a space of rustic regality, incorporating Typhoon Bordeaux granite countertops from The Stone Collection and a two-toned Alder in Aged Cola + Taupe from Wedgewood Cabinetry. The creams and reds of the wood helped to tie in the colors of the existing flooring. For the hardware, we chose pulls and knobs in an Umbrio finish from Top Knobs that balance traditional and contemporary. By adding polished nickel plumbing and hardware in the kitchen and across the bathrooms, it kept the space bright and clean with a mix of antique elegance. 

The pendant lighting from Urban Lights are a combination of glass, metal, and leather to compliment the antique elements that are original to the home with a nod to more current designs. 

Discover Our Interior Design Services that Transcend the Ordinary

Embrace Rather Than Erase

Beginning with the primary bathroom in the home remodel, we embraced the warmth of the home’s aesthetic by selecting Dark Emperador marble wrapping around the standing tub, which references a mountain spa retreat (minus the aroma of eucalyptus). The gorgeous flooring was done in Cream Honed Limestone from Palazzo Tile from Decorative Materials that brings levity to the dark marble. We also integrated radiant floor heating for energy efficiency and comfort. The finishes and colors throughout the other five bathrooms were selected to match the rest of the home, including browns, blues, and other warm tones to keep the interior design cohesive across the entire home. 

Our design build services include crafting functional, sustainable, and visually stunning environments created in collaboration with local companies. Local first is one of our ethos. For the Spring Gulch home, we loved bridging the older style of the home with more contemporary design features that support the family's needs. One of the bathrooms was designed specifically with the adults and children in mind, which included removing a built-in bench in the shower and incorporating beautiful floating shelves. This created more storage for linens or products. We also used Taj Mahal Quartzite, Arizona Flash Wall Tile in Cobalt, and cabinetry from Wedgewood Cabinetry. For one of the bathrooms, we extended the space into the existing closet, moved the plumbing, and took the ceiling off the shower to create a more modern space for this particular family member. We utilized the same wall tile but in a different color as the others and selected a slate blue cabinet that complements the blues seen in the other hand-crafted shower tiles. 

Rather than erasing the original character of the home, we embraced them by keeping the original wooden beams in the bathrooms and the skylights. 

Learn More About Tectonic’s Custom Millwork for Your Next Remodel

Nature Nurtures

We wanted to emphasize the beauty of the Colorado outdoors in this remodeled vacation residence by focusing on natural materials and colorways. This can be seen in the stonework, wood cabinetry, and natural limestone flooring that marries well with the high-mountain hills on full view through the windows. Taking a transitional approach to the design, we articulated both an old-world aesthetic and a new one that remains inspired by the natural world and can evolve as the family does. At Tectonic Design Build, we believe in selecting materials that will last for generations. This practice not only provides clients with a luxurious home design that looks and feels beautiful but is in balance with nature. I am passionate about working with our skilled team of designers, carpenters, and general contractors who bring the highest standard of energy efficiency and high-quality building on a local level. Spring Gulch is no exception. 

Book a Call To Work With Our Design Team Today 

Making Space with Luxury Organizers UnClutterCO.

Written By Kelsie Michelson

“At UnclutterCO, we are passionate about creating serene and efficient living environments tailored to your unique home and lifestyle. Whether it’s your kitchen, bedroom, closet, or any other space, we bring order and tranquility to your surroundings.” 

Anna Butler is the founder of UnClutterCO., a luxury organizing service designed to create visual continuity and optimized functionality for an elevated home experience. Anna is excellent at internalizing all of your needs and goals when it comes to decluttering and re-arranging your space to transform residential homes into havens of order and serenity. 

Less Mess Less Stress

At Tectonic, we create healthy, high-performing homes to improve air quality, minimize toxic materials, and improve energy efficiency. Another aspect of building healthier home spaces is exactly what Anna specializes in; removing clutter and reducing chaos. 

“There have been studies linking the negative effects of clutter on mental health and productivity,” she says. “Having a place for your most-used items and knowing where everything belongs actually helps you live in a more orderly and efficient manner.” 

One of the most important facets of her organization process is to find designated spaces for her clients’ everyday items, like keys or jackets, that help you mitigate messes in the home and create accountability for everyone in the family. Her selection of high-quality organizational products ensures that you will not have to worry about replacing them regularly as they should last a lifetime. Plus, she takes out the work of you having to research and then source these items yourself. It’s a reminder to trust her, the expert, and know that your concerns and design goals will be met. The result is a luxurious-feeling space that operates with ease. 

Understanding your unique family dynamics, including who is doing the cooking and the cleaning, and if you have kids how they are involved in these practices, help her to understand your needs. And she always takes a kind, gentle, and non-judgmental approach to this intimate process that is deeply personal. 

Investing in design build services like Tectonic offers and a professional organizer who specializes in luxury spaces like UnClutterCO., is really an investment into yourself.

Get Started on Your Home Design Remodel Today

Inquiry to Install

Anna’s curated process involves one-to-one time spent with each client to listen to and understand both their goals and challenges. ”We ask what is working and what is not to help address your problems,” says Anna. 

She then takes careful measurements and photos of the space to determine how to structure the client’s new system that is tailored to your home. This was one of the most helpful services that Anna offers, saving her clients time and money by doing the heavy lifting of conceptualizing the dimensions of their space. She then carefully selects the specific products needed with full transparency to pricing. Her full-service white-glove business handles your personal belongings with the best care and ensures you are ready to land in your new space with peace of mind. 

Transition with Intention

Moving into a new space can be a test of endurance.  It can also be an emotionally-demanding process. Whether you are planning a whole home remodel with Tectonic or expanding your space with a new home addition or remodel, UnClutterCO.’s organizational services are designed to support your upgraded space and lifestyle with intention. 

Taking her services to the next level, Anna’s services include coordinating with the home movers to organize your belongings during an initial edit that makes the next steps of moving unfold seamlessly.

“Once you have invested your resources and time into creating a stunning new space, I provide you with the additional support to set you up for success during one of life’s biggest transitions by unpacking and fully organizing your things,” she says. 

Creating Ease Through Efficient Design

Anna’s clients often seek our her services because they either don’t have the bandwidth or the energy to tackle the organization of their home. She has also seen many people overspend and waste hours trying to create more streamlined systems in their space themselves. Trusting an expert in this field means you are enlisting someone who understands the dimensions of your space, can implement customized systems designed for you and your family, and can select high-quality products that will last as long as your lifetime. 

Tectonic’s design services are rooted in creativity as we are challenged by design norms to shape visually stunning and functional environments. Anna understands this approach and is why we recommend her as your support system to declutter your home space. She invites her clients to be as involved in her process as they like to design and execute organizational methods that make sense for their lifestyles and needs. And when it comes to clutter, she is there to support your goals to simplify your space with an objective opinion that comes from years of experience.

Businesses Built On Personalization

Working with Anna has been the best investment I have ever made in my home. She has the ability to empathize with your pain points while having a clear vision for enhancing your space. Where most of us feel overwhelmed, Anna shines and has this masterful ability to create order from chaos. We had the opportunity to work with Anna after remodeling the majority of our home. She was critical in re-organizing our most used rooms to create fluidity and ease and putting items in places that seem like second nature to access. 

From our initial meeting where she reviewed my Pinterest board of inspiration to purchasing the perfect items to install, our home was organized within just a few days. Whether you have remodeled your home, are planning a move into a new space, or need more function and flow in your everyday life, Anna brings her clear perspective and professional guidance to enhance and bring order to every home she touches. Inspired by her transformation of my home, we brought in Anna to organize the design library in our new Tectonic Studio here in Boulder. The library is a space to hold our extensive samples of tiles, flooring, cabinetry, hardware, and paint colors that Anna thoughtfully organized inside of our the beautiful floor-to-ceiling TruFrame Cabinetry. 

Newlands House: Elevating a Family Home into a Legacy of Luxury

Written By Kate King

Transforming a family home from outmoded to clean and contemporary means elevating their everyday home experience and offering more possibilities for what’s to come. At Newlands House, we had the pleasure of remodeling the entire home from an underwhelming Tuscan-style space into a contemporary, sleek, smart home that emphasizes light-filled interiors and an open-concept floor plan for seamless living between each room. 

The custom home, set just off North Boulder Park beneath the sweeping foothills and Mount Sanitas, offered striking views beyond. As the lead designer of this residential masterpiece, one of our design goals was to bring more of the outdoors to the interiors by expanding the windows and applying a neutral color palette that didn’t distract from the natural landscape beyond. We selected whites, warm greys, black and brushed nickel accents, and contrasting light and rich wood tones for the flooring and cabinets to add warmth and airiness throughout the home. In addition, we made sure that the client’s busy lives were met with more convenience and comfort by opening up the rooms and integrating the highest-quality appliances and materials throughout.

Maximizing Space and Light 

At Tectonic, our home design planning process involves architectural planning from the initial stages of design. For Newlands House, we gave the family the additional rooms they wanted, including a wine bar, a new en suite bedroom, and an expanded open-concept kitchen. The magic really happens when we work with our structural engineers, an architect, and designers to imagine and execute spaces that never existed before. 

Since this family loves their time to gather to unwind and watch sports games or host a dinner, we made sure that their communal spaces would fit their needs. We prioritized the spatial layout by removing a wall in the entryway and dining room and creating more fluidity between the dining room, living area, and kitchen. 

With Colorado’s abundant sunshine and this family’s love for the outdoors, we touched every single window in the home, from adjusting their size to their location, to maximize light throughout. Especially notable are the living room’s ceiling-height windows that perfectly frame the steep Rocky Mountains beyond. To execute this, we removed the outdated fireplace and allowed the view to take center stage. Taking a holistic view of the whole custom home remodel, we ensure that with every window adjustment, the exterior looks as beautiful from the outside as it does from the inside. 

We integrated a sleek and modern Ortal fireplace in the sitting room with floating Vonmod cabinetry extending from the modern hearth. We collaborated with the Denver-based luxury brand, Vonmod, for all custom cabinetry that provided a functional beauty to each space. We selected a Shinnoki slab for its clean, rich grain that anchors the rooms with a distinct warmth. For the bathrooms, we kept a cohesive design story focused on clean lines and strong edges by updating the vanities with book-matched stone slabs and black hardware.

Discover the Newland’s House Women-Led Team of Designers

Marrying Function and Elegance 

At Tectonic Design Build, we uplift our client’s desired aesthetic while making selections of the highest quality, durability, and energy efficiency for a high-performing home that feels as good as it looks. For the Newlands House remodel, we modernized and elevated the family’s home experience through impactful and luxurious materials for every room. 

For every solid surface, including backsplash and countertops, we used a sintered stone Neolith. This engineered material is incredibly durable, is both heat and stain-resistant and offers a timeless aesthetic. The owner’s love for cooking meant we had to give them a chef-approved space that was functional and easy to maintain. The expansive island centers the kitchen while providing ample room for preparation and a 4-foot wide Galley sink that serves as a workstation with an integrated cutting board and drying rack. More custom paneling from Vonmod was applied to all the appliances for a cohesive and elegant look and feel. 

The primary bathroom is an exceptional space with a Neolith stone backsplash and bookmatched stone slab that reaches ceiling height. The owner requested two fixed shower heads, a rain shower, and radiant floor heating for a spa-like experience—every day. 

The original staircase was beautiful, but to elevate it to the high design of the rest of the custom built home, we wrapped the existing treads in a light Arrigoni wood and refinished the metal to true black to match the hardware throughout. For a decidedly sophisticated experience, we transformed Newlands House into a smart home with low-voltage lighting and smart TVs. 

The result of this contemporary remodel is a dedication to this family’s love for the outdoors and their value of togetherness. We are proud to say Newlands House is a perfect example of Tectonic’s articulation of high design and exceptional performance that provides this family’s next generation with a legacy of luxury. 

Holistic Process for a Premium Client Experience 

At our Boulder home design build firm, we believe that value engineering your home is critical to the remodeling process. This is defined by promoting the substitution of materials and methods with less expensive alternatives, without ever sacrificing functionality and the overall aesthetic of a client’s home. I work closely with every department of our Tectonic team to make decisions that not only honor the client’s budget, but also ensure those dollars are spent in their top priority spaces. 

Communication is a core tenet at our firm. As the lead designer, I am the liaison between our architect partners, vendors, estimators, and you—the client. My goal is to intimately understand your desires and develop a clear scope of the project so that I can accurately express this to all partners involved and ensure we are delivering only the highest quality to you and your family. 

One of the most significant differences between working with a design build firm like Tectonic versus a traditional construction company is that we integrate all aspects of the building process to streamline operations and maximize efficiency. The result of this approach and dedication to listening to your specific needs and wants is a dream home space with no surprises around the corner—only excitement and admiration for your vision come to life.

Schedule a Discovery Call with our Team Today to Chat About Your Project!

Newlands House: A Custom Home Styled and Designed by Women

Written By Kelsie Michelson

At Tectonic, one of our core values is to be a vehicle to uplift businesses in our Boulder community. Why? Because we do better together. Where some may see competition, we take every opportunity to collaborate with the talent here in our backyard. 

Our recent remodel at Newlands House in North Boulder was the perfect stage to shine a light on the brilliant designers, stylists, and female founders whose work we so admire. We invited the plant design experts over at Root by Design, the fashion savants at Jones + Co., the floral artists from Boulder Blooms, and Süti & Co. for their artisan homewares. Together, we wove a story of modern elegance infused with the personalities and artistic thoughtfulness hand-delivered from each of these female-led businesses.

The Future is Female

Let’s be honest. Running a business is hard and it takes extra strength and courage for women to do this work on their own. Each of the companies we worked with to stage the Newlands House was founded locally and all by women. In each of their respective industries, they have roughed the entrepreneurial weather storm and continue to show up with a strong commitment to their craft. 

As a custom home build firm in Boulder, we have a refined perspective on design with a discerning eye for quality. These female collaborators align strongly with our values to create healthier and more harmonious spaces. The Newlands House remodel became a symphony of modern sophistication that celebrates the collective power of women in design.

A Contemporary Haven 

We are thrilled to collaborate with the exceptional taste-makers behind Süti & Co. Located on 16th and Pearl, the Scandanavian-inspired haven is helmed by Chef Andrea Uzarowski whose famous family shortbread is served alongside hand-crafted espresso drinks, coffees, and teas. Sweet treats aside, the space has evolved into a home goods and lifestyle store that invites one into a slower pace and honors her highly-curated items designed to last for generations. You are instantly transported into the concept of hygge which becomes a felt experience inspired by Andrea's Danish roots. 

There is intentionality behind everything they source with a focus on the minimal, Scandinavian aesthetic that complimented our recent home remodel beautifully.  

“Tectonic’s custom home builds feel timeless and well-built. With the Newland’s House, our aesthetic and home goods reflect the same clean, modern lines with touches of texture,” says Andrea.  

Andrea’s selections included kitchen wares, like oversized matte black pitchers to balance out the expansive shelving and add an architectural touch. The dining room was set with black stoneware vessels and brushed gold flatware, while deep green mid-century modern wine glasses offered color to the masculine tablescape. Hand-dyed linen pillows with brass zippers and leather pulls graced the client’s couches. She added woven baskets and candle holders to warm the contemporary interiors and bring peace into a busy family home. 

“Working on this project was a dream come true,” says Andrea. “Having been a chef for over 20 years, I worked in a heavily male-dominated industry. It was refreshing to have such an effortless collaboration between the other women-led businesses. I hope for more of this in the future, not just for myself but all female-led businesses.”

In Full Bloom

For over 25 years, Boulder Blooms has been creating modern, floral-forward designs in their local shop focused on spreading the joy of flowers through unique and seasonal arrangements. From daily deliveries to plant installations and maintenance, they specialize in residential and commercial floral subscriptions and events.

As a floral enthusiast, I am first an admirer of their work and how they execute arrangements in clean, organic, and whimsical styles. When it comes to incorporating florals in an architectural space, I love how their larger arrangements can become works of art and harmonize a space with elements directly from nature. As Boulder’s healthy home builder, Tectonic emphasizes environmental stewardship and energy efficiency to harmonize a home with the natural world. This means working with like-minded businesses prioritizing sustainable practices, like Boulder Blooms who have eliminated common foam core used in the floral industry and sources local flowers whenever possible. 

For our most recent remodel at Newlands House, we worked with the company’s Creative Design Director, Lily Kelly, and Zoe Tomar, the company’s Operations Director, to bring their brilliant blooms into full focus. They wanted to achieve a balanced aesthetic in this modern home remodel comprised of strong edges and prominent stonework by showcasing arrangements with depth and texture. They brought in greenery punctuated with white flowers, decorative branches, and statement vases in neutral tones. Rather than detract from the remodel, their arrangements enhanced the overall design beautifully. 

“We recognize Tectonic’s intentionality and high standards. With this project, we wanted to demonstrate the intersection of how interior design can utilize florals to elevate this space,” they said. 

“It was really fun and comfortable to be surrounded with other like-minded female leaders. We are empowered to see the evolution of business with women at the forefront of our community as entrepreneurs and literal bosses!”

The women at Boulder Blooms consider collaboration to be vital to business and the community at large. With bigger companies creating competition, they want to see more efforts around one of Boulder’s core values: to support local businesses and Colorado artisans. A sentiment that never goes out of season. 

Embracing Nature

When it comes to plant design, it’s typical for many designers to adorn a space as the final step of an interior remodel project, but we thought there was a better way. We work closely with the deeply knowledgeable and plant-obsessed team over at Root by Design, from the very first steps of a design project and never as an afterthought. This ensures that the selected plants are ideal for their new environment, with consideration to the light, humidity, and temperature of their new custom home. The result is a cohesive aesthetic that supports our shared passion for creating healthier spaces that utilize biophilic design and honor the many benefits of plants. 

Root by Design’s founder, Sierra Voss, brought her expertise to our Newlands House remodel to add the perfect addition of living elements that transformed this house into a home. 

“Our contribution to the space helped breathe life into each room by way of gorgeous, live greenery,” says Sierra. 

The open-concept interior has a minimalist yet earthy ambiance, inspiring her to select a Ficus Audrey for the bedroom. This stunning statement piece has soft-shaped leaves and a gorgeous gradient of colors that adds even more life to the light-filled room. The dining area became the stage for a tropical Bird of Paradise to reveal its bold, sculptural greenery, while the living room is set with a Dracaena Marginata to amplify the cozy gathering space with its impressive height and lengthy, energetic leaves. To honor biophilic design, Sierra chose planters made from natural stone materials that are crafted into organic shapes reminiscent of the earth’s curves. 

“Like Tectonic, the community is the backbone of our company’s success and we believe in working within our eco-system, including with other builders and designers across commercial and residential spaces,” Sierra says. “It is a rarity to work with all female-owned businesses for a project, which made this one so special.”

Sustainable, But Make it Fashion 

To complete our vision for Newland’s House, we worked with Elizabeth Jones from Boulder’s sustainable fashion brand, Jones + Co. Born from a passion for conscious living, they prioritize ethically-made, high-quality goods that minimize the environmental impact. When you shop with Jones + Co., you’re not just making a purchase, you’re joining a movement. Bringing an element of fashion into our photoshoot at the newly remodeled Boulder home was the perfect way to elevate our shared values and style the female founders with thoughtful, eco-conscious threads and accessories.

“For this shoot, we carefully selected items that harmonized with the design and ambiance of the space. This included pieces made from organic and recycled materials, fair-mined jewelry, and accessories crafted with eco-friendly practices. Each item was chosen to enhance the natural beauty of the surroundings while aligning with our commitment to sustainability,” says Elizabeth. 

“This women-led project reinforced the importance of women supporting women and the incredible results that can be achieved through collaboration,” she shares. “From here, we can collectively create positive change and build a more sustainable and vibrant future for Boulder.” 

Building Better: How Biophilic Design Creates Healthier Homes

Written By Alexandré Pinto

At Tectonic Design Build, we conceptualize and execute high-performing homes with consideration of the health of the inhabitants. We carefully select materials that offer long-term durability and are energy efficient. We also employ cutting-edge technologies and systems that are clean, comfortable, and yes, luxurious. We execute this by choosing non-toxic materials and mechanical systems to purify the air and reduce a home’s pollutants. Our dedicated team of designers and architects is committed to building healthier home environments that prioritize well-being through impactful design that goes beyond aesthetics. 

What is Biophilic Home Design 

When it comes to designing elevated spaces that speak to our client’s diverse tastes and desires, we make sure to incorporate nature-based elements. For this, we refer to Biophilic Design — the studied approach to incorporating nature into architecture and interior design. What we love about this practice is that it looks at the whole human experience, including the physical, mental, and emotional needs of people. 

There are two ways to incorporate biophilic interior design into a space: direct and indirect. Direct examples include bringing in live vegetation, including living plants, flowers, or trees as well as animals, and water and fire features. Biophilic home design also celebrates bringing more natural sunlight indoors while creating accessibility to the outdoors through windows and terraces. Indirect biophilic design is all about creating a more subconscious connection to nature through the use of colors, organic shapes, patterns, art, and the integrated use of sounds reminiscent of the wild. 

Creating built spaces that are visually appealing and speak to the senses is important, but at its core, biophilic design is about optimizing our health, productivity, and peace of mind. Reports have shown that biophilic design can improve productivity and creativity by up to 15%. This feels especially important considering that remote work is on the rise and home offices are becoming essential to the residential environment. At Tectonic, our objective is to build spaces that are better for you and in harmony with the environment. This is the beauty of biophilia. 

We are always on the lookout for more conscious and collaborative ways to elevate our client’s homes. We partner with Boulder Blooms, a local business comprised of nature enthusiasts whose sculptural and wild floral arrangements bring the wonders of the outdoors, in. Our love for plants, both for their beauty and their numerous benefits, is crucial to creating a healthier home in balance with nature. What’s better than the waxy, green leaves of a ZZ Plant displayed in a modern living room or the bold height of a towering Rubber Tree in the bedroom? 

Our most recent partnership is a celebration of the healing power of plants brought to you by the brilliant minds at Incrementum. 

A Natural Fit: Utilizing Incrementum's Biophilic Design Services 

When it comes to incorporating direct links to nature inside of the home, there is no one better than the female-owned, Boulder-based business—Incrementum. Sierra Voss is the CEO and owner of the interior plantscaping company whose values deeply align with our own: to create healthier homes that consider the environment while nourishing and inspiring us. 

“We believe that biophilia is an essential element in design. Why? Because plants make people happy, healthy, and productive. At Incrementum, we bring live plants into built environments using thoughtfully executed designs that compliment the interiors,” says Sierra.  

Did you know that humans spend 90% of their time indoors? 

The truth is that we are meant to thrive and survive in nature.  Incrementum’s mission is to create more meaningful and healthy experiences indoors, which has resulted in epic plant installations for both national and local businesses. Their biophilic interior design services range from jungle-inspired oases, living moss walls, hanging plants overhead to 12-foot trees that remind us of the great outdoors. They also work closely with residential clients to breathe fresh life into their homes while making bold design impressions. 

Learn more about Incrementum’s biophilic design experts and their plant services. 

From inception to completion, Tectonic works with Incrementum and her team of plant designers and plant care experts during the early stages of a home remodel or renovation. Studying light, humidity, and temperature, they determine what species of plants will do best in their new space while carefully considering your unique lifestyle and home ecosystem during the plant selection process. 

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Going Green

Plants are natural air purifiers capable of filtering toxic chemicals

• They increase the humidity in the home and improve respiratory health

• Reduce stress and increase positive emotions 

• Provide visual relief and remind us of our innate connection to the natural world 

• Some plants, such as calatheas, open and close their leaves from day to night, reminding us of our natural circadian rhythm

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We recently brought Incrementum to style Newland’s House—a modern, open-concept home with a minimalist yet earthy ambiance. For the bedroom, their plant experts selected a Ficus Audrey, a stunning statement piece with soft leaf shapes and gorgeous gradient colors. For the dining area, a tropical Bird of Paradise was chosen to anchor the room with bold and sculptural greenery. For the living room, they placed a tall Dracaena Marginata that offered height, color, and texture in this cozy, gathering area. Each of these plants requires bright indirect sunlight to thrive, something the remodeled home provides.

“We believe that healthy, holistic homes are the way towards a more resilient future, and we love creating alongside another local business who share this same vision.” —Sierra Voss

Book a discovery call with Tectonic and learn how we can incorporate biophilic design into your home. 

The Re-Imagining of Ridge Road House: A Modern Mountain Masterpiece

Written By Dylan Ochala

Tectonic headed to the scenic mountain town of Nederland, Colorado for a whole home remodel of a stunning mid-century modern estate set on Ridge Road. Designed by Boulder’s famed architect Hobart D. Wagener in 1968, the hexagonal-shaped home was built as a summer oasis and not as a year-round residence. What we love about a remodel are the unexpected challenges that demand creative solutions. Due to minimal insulation in the walls, a leaky roof, and consistent drafts, the project required us to gut the full interior and bring the home to a higher standard. 

With Ridge Road House, we created a cohesive design with significant structural changes—all without compromising the original open concept plan. 

Neutral whites, stately alderwood beams, a ceiling-height stone fireplace, and abundant natural light paint a picture of pristine beauty in this modern, mid-century mountain estate. Transformed from an outdated summer home into a year-round and lifelong sanctuary for the owners, Ridge Road House is a testament to what a modern home custom remodel in Colorado can evolve into.

Engineering Ingenuity  

At Tectonic Design Build, we take a holistic approach to your modern home remodel to ensure that your vision is realized without compromise. For this remodel, our design team worked with structural engineers to create a home that was aesthetically aligned with the complex engineering requirements. Our biggest challenge was reinforcing the southwest-facing walls of the home that were exposed to 100-mile-an-hour winds causing the wall to flex with each storm. 

We did this by removing the 20-foot floor-to-ceiling undersized posts and installing columns that were then wrapped in alderwood, a high-quality hardwood, to match the rest of the home trim package and bring warmth to the mid-century aesthetic. In the basement, we removed a large structural wall and put in a 30-foot steel beam, also wrapped in alderwood. This created a cohesive, 360-concept floor plan, which we topped off with new floor-to-ceiling Anderson windows to fuse the natural landscape with the home environment. Taken together, these changes honored the home’s original design elements and architectural features. As custom home builders in Colorado, we prioritize thoughtful collaboration across our team of experts to allow for seamless communication from design to execution. 

Take a video tour with me through Ridge Road.

Elevating the Home’s Energy Efficiency  

At Tectonic Design Build, our modern home remodeling projects focus on aesthetics and overall design while always taking into consideration the health and efficiency of the space. Whether it’s a kitchen renovation or a whole home remodel in Boulder, we ask the same questions for every project: 

How do we improve the indoor air quality, the comfort of the space, and the performance of the home while honoring the surrounding environment through design choices?

Through Passive House principles, we have a clear path of success to achieve these. 

COMFORT

At Ridge Road House, we upgraded the client’s standard furnace to a high-efficiency Vitocrossal boiler to provide a more reliable and efficient heating performance throughout the home. We also utilized Warmboard to deliver hydronic radiant in-floor heating. This type of heating is more interactive with the body and allows you to directly absorb the heat versus a typical forced air system that heats unevenly and spreads dust. In addition, the home experience is instantly elevated with this silent, clean, and exquisitely comfortable design. 

AIR QUALITY 

Bringing fresh filtered air into the home's interior is crucial for its inhabitants' health. We installed multiple Panasonic energy recovery ventilators throughout Ridge Road House to create a more balanced ventilation system that replaces stale air with the optimal supply of fresh air from the outdoors. With the impressive views and tonic of the wild just steps from the home, it is only right to utilize and integrate the fresh mountain air.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

These optimized systems listed above reveal outstanding results when it comes to energy efficiency for modern home remodels. In addition, we improved the air tightness and thermal insulation to achieve a well-insulated structure that is critical to achieving a high-performance home. At Ridge Road House, we increased the air tightness by a factor of 500%, while the insulation of the walls increased by 95% and the ceiling insulation increased by 350%. In addition to providing the client with a cozy home all winter long, their propane bill has dropped by 40% and their electricity bill during the coldest months has never gone over $30. 

Choose a Design Build Firm for Your Next Remodel

Tectonic’s approach to every custom project is built on communication and collaboration. Our in-house team handles everything from design and permits to construction and final finishes, allowing for an integrated process that honors your vision (and your budget). When it comes to more technical and structural challenges for your home remodel in Boulder, it is especially important to work with a design build firm versus the traditional construction company. 

In a design-bid-build process, there can easily be oversights or a compromised design caused by the fragmented teams of engineers, designers, and architects. You can expect us to consider each project with an acute awareness of detail so that the aesthetic of your space beautifully blends with the structural requirements of the remodel. We look forward to working with you on your next Colorado remodel to show you what sustainable luxury looks like in 2024.

Book your discovery call today.

Seamless, Collaborative and Efficient: Of Course You Should Choose A Design Build Firm Over a Traditional Construction Company

Written By Dylan Ochala

The Difference Between Design Build vs. Design-Bid-Build

In the more traditional design-bid-build model, architects, contractors, and subcontractors often work independently from one another. That means separate contracts and entities that execute the design and construction of a project. This fragmented approach can lead to discrepancies in budget, time, and communication. Architects and designers often design without a budget in mind, which means many times you have to return to the drawing board to redesign with your set budget. This back-and-forth is uneconomical; wasting time and money. 

As Boulder’s healthy home builder, Tectonic believes there is a better way. During our custom home builds, we emphasize efficiency, collaboration, transparency, and ease for our clients. After all, isn’t this supposed to be fun? We build the budget with you during the design process so you have an accurate budget grounded in the goals of the project.

From concept to completion, our in-house team handles everything from design and permits to construction and final finishes. We take care of the heavy lifting, so you don’t have to.

Communication is at the Core of What We Do 

At Tectonic, we understand that embarking on a home remodel or new construction project can be overwhelming. From budgeting to building, there are many facets to executing your home build in Boulder. Combined, our team has decades of industry experience with an aptitude for excellence while our refined process prioritizes communication and transparency. 

Oftentimes in the traditional design-bid-build model, there is fragmentation due to the architect and builder working separately. This can cause misunderstandings, affect timelines, and create a disconnect between budget and design. Through Tectonic’s custom home build process, we offer intimate, built-in relationships that greatly minimize the opportunity for misunderstandings, which are often costly. Each step of your project is managed by a single team dedicated to the details and ensuring you are integral to every decision. This helps avoid the common pitfalls that can come with traditional construction projects. Through clear communication with both the builder and the design team each step of the way, we reduce confusion around the cost and development of your design-build project. 

Our company culture is built on communication. For example, when we transition to building, our design team has already briefed the production team who have an intimate knowledge of the project. When questions arise, our team is on-call to clarify, discuss, and provide on-site reviews for a smooth process that reduces pain points. We also offer consistent updates to clients as well as address concerns and feedback. When it comes time for your final walkthrough, there should be no surprises—only excitement and admiration for your vision come to life.

Check out our portfolio of extraordinary residential remodels in Colorado.

Creative Collaboration Equals Trust and Transparency 

By taking a collaborative approach to custom home builds, we include the client in every step. True partnership begins with empathy, the ability to listen, and understand your intention of the project. To ensure that any issues are addressed promptly and effectively, we are transparent and honest every step of the way, and you can trust we will always have your back. This results in a project that is completed on schedule and within your budget. 

We have reimagined the construction process by bringing together a multidisciplinary team of professionals under one single roof. From architects and interior designers to general contractors, carpenters, and project managers, we integrate all aspects of the building process to streamline operations and maximize efficiency. One of the key advantages of working with a design-build firm like Tectonic is that discrepancies in budget, time, and communication are greatly reduced. Having an integrated team like ours offers you a full-service experience that you simply cannot get with a traditional construction company. All of our designers and architects are in-house. What exactly does that mean? 

It means that our Director of design, Kate King, will be at the helm of creating your custom-built home with her comprehensive and passionate approach to design. It means that Jen Burns will be right there supporting the design process in her fun and vibrant style. When it comes to architecture, Graham Ouwerkerk has a wealth of knowledge regarding high-performance building and our project management team led by Shawn Kenne establishes the alignment between all partners and the intended design. Finally, our skilled carpentry team always comes through with finite attention to detail and uncompromised quality. 

That’s us. We're kind of like a family over here, and when it comes to family, we know how important the residential space is. At Tectonic, we take the custom home build a few steps further; constructing beautiful, sustainable, and healthy homes. Think less toxicity, improved indoor air quality, and better ventilation systems. Health and beauty really can live in harmony.

Do you have questions about how we create our high-performing homes in Boulder? Connect with our team of experts today!

Executed with Excellence 

At Tectonic, we believe that every project should be a collaborative, transparent, and seamless experience for our clients. From the moment you walk through our doors, you'll be greeted by a team of dedicated professionals who are committed to realizing your unique vision for your custom home build.  Whether you're looking to remodel your existing home or embark on a new construction project, we work with you every step of the way to ensure your complete satisfaction. Our goal is not just to build houses, but to create homes that reflect your unique style, personality, and values.

When considering the advantages and disadvantages of enlisting a custom home builder versus the traditional design-bid-build model, communication, collaboration, and transparency must be at the center. Here at Tectonic Design Build, our integrated services are seamless and efficient from frame to finish. It’s about building better by applying the highest standards that are both sustainable and healthy for you and your family. 

Sustainable luxury never looked so good.  

Schedule a Discovery Call with our Team Today to Chat About Your Project!

Originality Meets Thoughtful Craftsmanship with Sheepdog Goods Custom Furniture Design

Written By Kelsie Michelson

By Marketing Director Alexandre Pinto | Published February 1, 2024 Nestled on Boulder's Pearl Street, Süti & Co beckons with the promise of simple pleasures in a Scandinavian-inspired haven. Chef Andrea Uzarowski, drawing from her Danish roots, infuses the café with a touch of home through her family's traditional shortbread recipe. Crafted with Danish butter and locally milled flour, Süti's signature shortbreads embody the art of savoring small, delightful bites made from pure, flavorful ingredients.

At Tectonic Design Builds, we believe in the power of collaboration to craft exceptional custom homes. Through creative partnerships with local businesses, we elevate the home experience with care for every detail. Our previous projects have enlisted the refined taste-makers at Süti & Co for their Scandinavian home goods and brought Boulder Blooms’ unique floral arrangements reminiscent of Colorado’s untamed landscape to our clients’ tabletops. The beauty of working with these Boulder-based companies is that we get to celebrate the incredible brands in our neighborhood while infusing every custom home build with the highest-quality decor and handcrafted millwork while uplifting the small businesses in our community.

Colorado’s Very Own Custom Furniture Company

Our most recent collaboration is especially exciting. Bridging artistry and craftsmanship, Sheepdog is a local furniture designer/maker whose bespoke dining tables, sleek bed frames and floating credenzas are true works of art.  Just up the road from Tectonic in their studio near Denver, founder Eric Asche, alongside his design team, is busy transforming their visions into tangible and functional furniture. 

“It started, as many things do, in a garage. With some tools I borrowed from my dad, I started making some tables, shelves, and wall-hung art. I made my way to Colorado in 2018, and, after stints creating cabinetry for custom homes and luxury campers, I teamed up with one of my best friends, Steve, to start Sheepdog.” —Eric Asche

Discovering Sheepdog has been a breath of fresh air as they represent hand-crafted furnishings that feel as good as they look. Drawing from the spectacular Colorado scenery, we value their gorgeous array of wood furniture, envisioning kitchens adorned with their elegant bar stools crafted with handwoven seats and bedrooms finished with their mid-century modern walnut nightstands clad with recessed brass handles. Our personal favorite is the Sloane Lounge Chair featuring a meticulously crafted woven wood back forged by traditional joinery and made in walnut, natural oak, ebonized ash, or oiled oak with five fabric options including custom leather. 

“We embrace the challenge of making custom, one-off pieces, and we’re always developing new things for our shop,” says Eric. 

Do you need help deciding which finish and cushion pairs best with your interiors? Tectonic’s design team specializes in merging color, texture, shape and material that tells a story as unique as you. Schedule a call today.

Customization over Convention

What exactly is a custom design build? It is a method of home remodeling and new construction in which the design and construction phases are integrated into a single seamless process fostering greater collaboration, efficiency and accountability. The result? A more streamlined project experience for every Tectonic client. 

While conventional practices can sometimes equate to shorter completion dates, they often lack the personalization and preferences of clients. Our one-of-a-kind spaces reflect the specific lifestyle and personality of their owners, from architectural details to interior finishes and custom luxury furnishings that elevate, we promise your satisfaction with every project. 

At Tectonic, we pay great attention to the details during the homebuilding process and we extend this awareness to our vision of furniture for our clients’ spaces. Furnishing a custom-built home with conventional furniture made for the masses just doesn’t sit right with us. Not only are they often manufactured overseas but they are not designed with longevity in mind, resulting in a negative impact on the environment.

What we love about Sheepdog is their commitment to sustainable practices like sourcing local materials, including natural hardwoods from mills that practice sustainable forest management, hardware and metals from American companies that utilize green packaging materials, and applying rapidly renewable wood finishes to their furniture. Their mission rings loud: to create timeless, long-lasting furniture to be enjoyed for generations.

Their mission rings loud: to create timeless, long-lasting furniture to be enjoyed for generations. 

Tectonic’s Founder and CEO, Dylan Ochala, built our brand with a similar idea. On a journey of continuous growth and innovation, we prioritize sustainable design-build practices that draw inspiration from Passive House construction principles to create energy-efficient and environmentally responsible homes. Our team of skilled carpenters and designers shares a dedication to excellence and community—setting new standards in design and construction.

For high-end clients who demand the best, custom furniture design is essential, offering superior quality and durability while allowing for greater creativity and personalization. Our goal is to connect clients with locally sourced furniture and goods that honor their individual aesthetic. We will always prioritize supporting local makers, especially when they deliver the exceptional and long-lasting quality that Sheepdog is known for.

The Power of Partnership

What makes this creative partnership so special is Sheepdog’s shared level of quality and high-design craftsmanship that perfectly complements Tectonic’s design-build services. In addition to aesthetics and luxurious quality, we value the thoughtful process Sheepdog takes when executing every piece. Their bespoke furniture feels organic and durable, a quality that comes straight from the hands of its makers.  

“We are reaching within the community for furniture builders and makers because, with every piece, you get an experience,” says Dylan. “Each piece tells a story, has context to the design, and offers something one-of-a-kind.” 

Can you tell how much we love them? But this partnership goes beyond creating excellent custom designs for our clients—it's about building relationships and connecting with our brilliant community in Boulder and across Colorado. Tectonic and Sheepdog each exemplify the transformative power of collaboration, unifying to inspire our clients through custom home design and unparalleled service while uplifting the community. We love to see our local businesses succeed! Together, our growth contributes to the economic vitality of our town and allows us to work closely with businesses so that each project is realized through seamless communication. Our custom home build process ensures that every client receives our very best: personalized attention and exceptional service every step of the way.

Here’s to investing in our local presence for a more positive global impact. 

Want to share a local design business you think we’ll love?