The home's new Mediterranean-style exterior was inspired by its proximity to the historic "Spanish Gate" entry to the upscale community. The new hip roofline is repeated on the front porch, which adds visual interest to the home's new streetscape.  After photos by Philip Wegener Photography

The house is located directly adjacent to an ornate, century-old Spanish-style gateway that leads into a well-established upscale community. The home's owners objected to the bland exterior even more so because of the striking and historic surrounding. They vowed to correct things once they moved in. The home was such as eyesore that the Denver Landmark Commission deemed it “non-contributing” to the local historic district.

Remodeling projects over the years had transformed the living spaces of the traditional residence into “something special” inside, but the changes actually had the opposite effect on the home's exterior, says local architect Doug Walter, principal with the Denver-based firm that designed its most recent and most remarkable makeover. Walter teamed up with remodeler Fred Ahlert of Consolidated Construction Management, of Lakewood, Colo., to take on the difficult project.

“The original front elevation of the home, was not symmetrical, or unified, at all,” says Ahlert.

In addition to the completely new roofline, the project included re-configuring the front porch; removing and replacing the windows to create a consistent look; adding a second-floor sunroom, a basement office, and a rear, pergola-shaded deck; and re-surfacing the entire exterior of the home in stucco. Other elements included replacing “stick on” shutters with authentic ones, changing the exterior color scheme, adding new landscaping and replacing the front walkway and entry steps.

“The new design now gives it a much more pleasing and well-balanced exterior elevation,” says Ahlert.

The complete redesign and replacement of the roof proved to be a major challenge. Sections of the home's existing brick exterior walls had to be carefully reinforced to carry the 12,000-pound loads demanded by the new girder beams as part of support for the deep, 3-foot-plus overhangs that surround the entire structure.

When it came to restructuring the roof, the remodeler and his team worked very quickly, he says. “We literally took off the entire roof in one day, and six days later the framing and sheathing for the new one was complete.”

The rear terrace features the same finishes and battered column design used on the front porch to create unity. The new roof's deep overhangs include beautifully detailed support brackets.

The project superintendent actually slept in the new roof rafters under the tarp that had been installed to protect the construction work site and the living space below. “He had to spend the night bailing water off the tarp to minimize the potential for damage from water that was leaking and blowing in during the storm,” says Ahlert.

Ultimately, the team's dedication paid off. The clients were overjoyed with the results, telling the remodeler, “at last we have a house that compliments the lovely old homes in our neighborhood. Thank you for making our dreams come true.”