Welcome to Arapaho Hills, an extraordinary enclave of authentic mid-century modern homes that stands as one of Littleton's (Greater Denver Metro Area is another option) most distinctive architectural communities. As a neighborhood that earned its place on the National Register of Historic Places, these 56 homes showcase the vision of Edward Hawkins and Clyde Mannon who purchased the land as a second residential subdivision after Englewood's Arapahoe Acres. Joseph Dion, who designed some of the homes in Arapahoe Acres designed the street plan and lot division. When Hawkins withdrew from the project after only designing 1 home and the carpentry shop, Mannon ended up developing the rest of the neighborhood, enlisting Bruce Sutherland with the help of John Eatwell. Six of the houses were designed by national firms for Better Homes & Gardens magazine as annual “show” or “idea” homes for the years 1956 through 1961. Each residence features unique and thoughtfully designed elements that define true mid-century architecture - from the sophisticated walkout basements to elevated main floors that take advantage of the hillside elevation to enhance each home. While just minutes from downtown Denver and historic downtown Littleton, Arapaho Hills offers a serene escape to an enclave where original architectural details and natural beauty blend seamlessly—exactly as the modernist's intended. This enclave of homes truly is for the mid-century modern purist, as each day you will spend driving into a true experience of the modernist ideal.
As you approach the private front entry, you will walk under the original artium to the burnt orange front door, as neighbors had recalled it originally being painted. During preparation for painting, we uncovered the original paint layer and found that our chosen orange was remarkably similar to the home's original color scheme. It's these kinds of authentic details that make preserving mid-century homes so rewarding. The roofline from the garage floats over the entry to create the atrium and right into the living area inside.
As you enter the home you will note the original brick entry, with the restored walnut built-in planter and stair railing. The brick extends down the staircase and the risers of the stairs are made of the same rusticated brick on the fireplace in the living area. During renovation we uncovered the original cork underneath 50-year-old shag carpet, and it's a delight that it was able to be restored. Maintaining as much of the original materials was incredibly important during the renovations, as our approach was more that of a restoration.
The living area exemplifies the seamless indoor-outdoor connection that only mid-century modern homes can execute so well. The dramatic roofline flows continuously from the converted carport through the atrium and into the main living space with cove lighting to highlight the architectural feature. The space is anchored by a rusticated brick curtain wall that extends from the fireplace through floor-to-ceiling glass to the exterior, creating a captivating floating effect that dissolves the boundary between interior and outdoor spaces. Cream Modern installed walnut paneling as it was specified on the original drawings, and added an art rail so it will never see a nail hole.
The kitchen is truly custom and completely handmade! When we were planning the renovation, we knew we had to honor the neighborhood's history of custom woodworking. When the neighborhood was built, a separate building (where the Arapaho Hills Willows Child Learning Center is today) was constructed to custom build all of the woodwork cabinetry in the homes. That's why we partnered with Cream Modern for completely custom cabinetry - we wanted to carry on that legacy of exceptional craftsmanship.
The kitchen is a perfect blend of midcentury aesthetics and modern functionality. We chose the Samsung Bespoke appliance line because it's sleek and integrates beautifully with the mid-century design - you've got this gorgeous induction cooktop that sits flush with the counters, and the wall oven and microwave that look like they were meant for this space. It's funny, but induction cooking is actually super aligned with the mid-century modern philosophy of embracing new technology!
What I really love about this kitchen is how every inch of space is thoughtfully utilized - it's exactly what the original mid-century designers were about, functionality and no wasted space. The custom cabinetry isn't just beautiful; it's designed to maximize storage while maintaining those clean lines that define mid-century modern style. Everything about the kitchen is intentional, from the transparent cabinets on the living room side, to the hidden outlet for a coffee bar cubby, to the choice of colors on the fridge and the terrazzo that you stand on.
The primary suite is a great example of how you can work with an existing space and update it for today's living standards. When we were designing the ensuite bathroom, we wanted it to feel like a piece of furniture in the room. We kept it open so that you wouldn't lose the wonderful light from the clerestory windows. The additional closet behind the bathroom was designed to imitate the original hallway closet in the front entry of the home. There was still some original cork in the room, but unfortunately it didn't go through the entire room, as there was an addition in the 1960s, so we added the new cork to blend with the original in the hallway and other bedrooms.
The en-suite bathroom is where we really got to have some fun blending mid-century style with modern luxury. We installed radiant heat flooring, to keep you comfortable on chilly winter days. We chose some unique Kohler wall-mounted fixtures and had Cream Modern construct another custom vanity with a quartz countertop. We wanted to have some fun with the color choices, and felt like the orange would make for a playful, but tasteful primary bathroom color.
The primary suite is such a perfect example of how we can thoughtfully expand midcentury spaces for modern living! The bedroom itself is a rare find in midcentury homes because it easily accommodates a king-sized bed while maintaining proper circulation space. We preserved the original cork flooring, which adds such wonderful warmth and texture to the room. One of my favorite features is the slider that opens directly to the outside - it really brings in that indoor-outdoor connection that makes midcentury homes so special.
The en-suite bathroom is where we really got to have some fun blending midcentury style with modern luxury. We installed radiant heat flooring because comfort matters, right? The terrazzo dual vanity is absolutely stunning, and we selected unique Kohler fixtures that complement the midcentury aesthetic perfectly. I absolutely love how we incorporated these amazing pops of bright orange tile - it's such a quintessential midcentury color, and it adds this incredible energy to the space while staying true to the home's architectural heritage.
Cream Modern exactly replicated the original bathroom vanity and medicine cabinet. The canted cabinets work so well in bathrooms, it leaves space for you to walk right up to them and keeps water from falling on the face of the cabinets.
We chose the Kohler drop-in sinks, since the original vanity featured a drop-in sink. We chose a quartz countertop for this bathroom as well, as I firmly believe if mid-century modern architects had this material in the 50s, it would have been preferred for it's simplicity and clean design.
We kept the bedrooms as original as possible, restoring the original cork, keeping the original closet systems and window design.
Now we're in the walk-out basement of the home. The Majestic fireplace anchors this room next to the wall of floor to ceiling glass. We updated the fireplace surround to terrazzo tile for a clean modern look. The original flagstone flooring took a delicate hand to restore, but I'm so glad we had it done. This room truly doesn't feel like it's in a basement with the floor-to-ceiling glass and the interior clapboard; a detail Sutherland loved to use, to bring yet another exterior material inside of the home.
We went bold with the "pistachio" colored tile laid in a stack-bond pattern in the downstairs bathroom. I love that we could save the original medicine cabinet, and we had Brett with Cream Modern round off this third bathroom with yet another custom cabinet. It's also wonderful that the flagstone flooring extends into this room.
The office is an absolute delight with exposed block, an incredible floor to ceiling window and flagstone floor. I certainly wouldn't complain about spending days working in this space. The large bedroom in the basement is a very versatile space that could be used as a bedroom, a den, a playroom, workout room or a movie theater, it's your choice how you want to live here! The laundry has another beautiful terrazzo tile and the original laundry chute!
Welcome to the Family Room in the lower level of the home! The star of the show is definitely this stunning wood-burning fireplace that seems to float in the space - it's such an iconic midcentury feature. We carefully restored the original flagstone flooring throughout, and it looks absolutely amazing. What really makes this space special is how it connects to the outdoors through that full-sized glass door and floor-to-ceiling windows. I love how the original interior clapboard was designed to blur the lines between inside and out - it's exactly what midcentury architecture is all about.
The bathroom down here is just incredible - wait until you see this gorgeous green tile! We paired it with custom cabinetry from Brett and even found this perfect vintage medicine cabinet that makes the whole space feel authentically midcentury while functioning beautifully for today. The extra-large flex space at the back of the house is so versatile - right now it's set up as an office as a workout room, but it would make an incredible play space for kids. And in the laundry room - we used beautiful terrazzo tile and there's even an original laundry chute that adds such a fun, functional element to the space.
The property's thoughtful integration with its surroundings reflects the mid-century modern principle of blending natural and built environments, creating a harmonious connection between interior and exterior spaces. A perfect example is the curtain wall that dramatically extends from the living room fireplace out into the courtyard. The stairs to the backyard are new concrete, and the private backyard contains large trees and mature greenery. This careful balance of architectural drama and natural setting makes the Cottle House a distinguished example of mid-century residential design in one of Denver's most architecturally significant neighborhoods.
The Cottle House was built in Arapaho Hills, designed by Bruce Sutherland
4 bedrooms, 1 full bath and two 3/4 bath for spacious living
Upper and Lower level living areas for easy entertaining
Meticulously renovated and architecturally significant, tour the Cottle House today!
Diana Buch and my love for mid-century homes led to the creation of Retrovations LLC. Having observed that many of these homes were being stripped of their original character during renovations, we wanted to change that. While we understand the need for modern updates, we aim to preserve the unique features that make these homes so exceptional.
We recognize that when you're seeking to sell a house for cash, there are often other factors at play, whether it's due to the loss of a family member resulting in inherited property or perhaps illness preventing homeowners from maintaining the house. We handle these situations with sensitivity and prioritize a friendly approach to all transactions. We're not focused on high-pressure sales tactics. Quite the opposite, we're committed to sitting down with you to explore and discuss all available options to respect both you and your special home.
Retrovations LLC. is proud to offer our services to the Denver Metro area, including Littleton, Lakewood, Englewood, Thornton, Centennial, Wheat Ridge, and Applewood. We are open to all areas of Colorado. Contact us today to see how we can help with your needs.