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In anticipation of a new year—and new trends in home design—we spent weeks gathering counsel from the color experts to get the pulse on the hottest colors for 2012. Above, architectural color consultant KD Fikso reveals her favorite on-trend paints—and keep reading for tips on working color into your own space.

If you prefer white walls and neutral furnishings…

Opt for just a touch of color. “Try painting the inside of cabinets and bookshelves or niches so you get a peek of color,” recommends Sonu Mathew, senior interior designer with Benjamin Moore.

Go bold in a smaller spacelike a powder room, foyer or guest room.

If you like splashes of color throughout your home…

Create colorful vignettes. “Celebrate a trend in your home by displaying some of your favorite accessories in a grouping that reflects the ways colors are being combined,” architectural color consultant KD Fikso says.

Paint a piece of furniture. “Maybe it’s a painted chair that sits in the office area of your kitchen,” Fikso says, or a period piece that’s brought up-to-date with an unconventional hue.

If you’re ready to go BIG with color…

Paint the ceiling. “Color doesn’t have to be on the walls,” Mathew says. “You could have a neutral room and apply a bold trend color to your ceiling.”

Redo the kids’ room. “Talk about trendy; kids are changing every couple years,” says Fikso, who suggests children’s bedrooms as the perfect place to experiment with playful hues.

For more expert tips on decorating with color, click here, and to browse our roundup of home furnishings in the hottest colors of 2012 (spicy persimmon, tried-and-true blue and modern gray), click here.

 

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If you’re anything like us, the start of a new year brings thoughts of remodeling projects: a brand-new kitchen, a finished basement, perhaps even a whole-home renovation. The good news: We can help with your upcoming home project!

Next month, in partnership with Hutter + Eurobath, we’ll be publishing The Little Orange Book. This handy directory will be your go-to guide for the best remodeling pros in your area, as well as the Colorado showrooms you’ll want to visit for all the finishing touches. In its pages, find loads of resource information in the following categories:

Architects
Interior Designers
Building Materials
Custom Builders/Remodelers
Flooring & Hard Surfaces
Home Decor
Kitchen & Bath
Landscape/Exteriors

You won’t want to start your next project without CH&L‘s The Little Orange Book. Click here to reserve your copy, or stay tuned for a list of local retailers. (CH&L subscribers will receive their copy for free in the mail.)

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Wintersköl, Aspen, January 12-15

Beat cabin fever by heading to Aspen’s four-day, 61st annual celebration of winter, which delivers a soup cook-off and pancake breakfast, musical performances in favorite local venues, a 48-hour snow sculpture competition and a fireworks finale. Plus, if you purchase the 2012 Wintersköl button (just $1), you get great deals and discounts about town. Click here for more info and a list of deals.

History of Chocolate, Denver, January 15

Cocoa-philes, this one’s for you: Head to the Denver Art Museum to explore the tasty history of chocolate with Mark Sciscenti, chocolate historian from Santa Fe, who will guide guests through the evolution of the divine ingredient from 2000 BC to 1800 AD. Sampling of traditional and historic drinks included. Click here for more info.

Face to Face: Vance Kirkland and Clyfford Still, Denver, January 26

Two of Denver’s great art institutions—Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art and Clyfford Still Museum—are joining forces to deliver a lecture on their patron artists: what their careers looked like, how they were similar and how their artistic attitudes differed. Tickets are $10. Click here for more info.

Beaver Creek FOOD & WINE Weekend, January 26-28

Colorado foodies won’t want to miss this culinary extravaganza, which pairs top-notch cuisine with mountain style. Events include a guided snowshoe tour followed by a gourmet lunch; a “Winter Wonderland Wine Seminar,” which unveils the perfect cold-weather wines; an après-ski burgers and beer feast; and a “First Tracks Breakfast” with guest chef Richard Sandoval. Tickets for individual events start at $75; package prices starting at $340. Click here for more info. (Above photo courtesy of beavercreek.com.)

For more January happenings, visit coloradohomesmag.com.

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Looking for some last-minute items to add to your shopping or wish list? Or ideas for hostess gifts? See what some of our favorite Coloradans are wrapping up and wishing for this season—and visit coloradohomesmag.com to see what’s on the CH&L staff’s list.

Lon Symensma, Chef/Owner, ChoLon Modern Asian Bistro, cholon.com

Wrapping up: “I’m a fan of Il Mondo Vecchio’s Chinese Sausage because it’s very authentic and it’s a local product. That’s what I am trying to do at my restaurant, ChoLon—share the authentic flavors of Asia while using local ingredients.” Starting at $23/lb., mondovecchio.net

Wishing for: “I’m new to Colorado, and it only seems right that I should know how to ski. I can’t imagine anything cooler than learning on a pair of skis handmade in Denver.” $599, icelanticboards.com

Tracy Weil, Artist/Web Designer, weilworks.com

Wrapping up: “I’m planning on giving the first edition of the Denver County Fair Cookbook to all my friends and family. It’s a Colorado product and features several of the blue-ribbon-winning recipes, as well as topics with an urban twist like composting and urban foraging.” $19.95, denvercountyfair.org

Wishing for: “I’m hoping to receive chocolate from the Chocolate Crisis Center! I especially like the Candy Apple Caramels, but how fun are these Holiday Blues peppermint creams?” $16.95, chocolatecrisiscenter.com

Bertha Lynn, News Anchor, Denver’s 7NEWS, thedenverchannel.com

Wrapping up: “I love the wide variety of quality gourmet foods at Tony’s Market, so I’ll be giving my friends gift cards. That way, they can select their favorite torrone, olives, steaks or a beautiful dessert.” tonysmarket.com

Wishing for: “Denver has such a rich cultural scene that it would be heaven to be a member of all of the Scientific & Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) Tier 1 organizations—the Denver Art Museum, Denver Botanic Gardens, Denver Museum of Nature and Science, the Denver Zoo and the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. I love to browse the gift shops too!” Starting at $45 for individuas, scfd.org

For more gift-giving inspiration, visit coloradohomesmag.com.

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Choosing the right variety of wine for your upcoming holiday party doesn’t have to be complicated. Here, Master Sommelier Doug Krenik shares laid-back tips for stocking your cellar and imbibing in style this season.

Break out the bubbles. Crémant, a sparkling wine, is what the locals drink in France; it results from the same production method as Champagne but costs considerably less. Or try a Bugey-Cerdon, an off-dry, sparkling rosé that’s perfect for the holidays.

Pairings don’t have to be impeccable. Holiday meals often have diverse flavors, making pairings tricky. So just relax, open a lighter red like a Barbera or Pinot Noir and an easy white like a Riesling or Pinot Gris, and enjoy.

Keep the party going. Consumption varies from person to person, but a good rule of thumb is to provide two glasses per person for the first hour (one bottle contains six four-ounce pours) and one glass per person per hour thereafter—or about one bottle for every two guests. But you know your friends best.

Give the perfect holiday gift bottle. (Hint: it doesn’t have to be perfect.) When selecting a bottle for that special someone, or even your boss, you don’t have to go over the top with a big-name brand. Opt for something funky, delicious and affordable instead (here’s where a good local merchant can help).

Don’t apologize for Colorado wine. Our grapes grow in some of the highest-elevation vineyards in the world, and the mountain climate provides warm days and cool nights—exactly what grapes like. Check out Denver’s Infinite Monkey Theorem label; $1 of every bottle sold goes to The University of Colorado Cancer Center. It’s giving at its best.

For more tips on serving wine during the holidays, click here.

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Denver art aficionados and history buffs, rejoice: Today, the city’s arts scene gets a major boost as the Clyfford Still Museum throws open the doors of its sleek contemporary building, which is an art form in and of itself.

Inside, visitors will discover, for the first time, the celebrated and nearly complete body of Still’s work—roughly 2,400 of the artist’s famous abstract paintings, drawings and the three sculptures he created in his long career—all bringing light to a life previously shrouded in mystery. The opening is the culmination of a project begun in 2004, when Still’s wife chose Denver as the permanent home for her husband’s artistic estate.

Tonight, we’re off to the opening celebration, “En Route: Denver,” where Denver Grammy-nominated band DeVotchKa will be making an appearance, to take a first look ourselves—oh goody. Stay tuned! And if you’re looking for something to spice up your weekend, perhaps you should pay a visit yourself. clyffordstillmuseum.org

 

 

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Photo from Q’s Restaurant, Boulder

Design Excellence Day, November 4

Interior design students, you’re invited: Head to the Denver Design District for a full day of design inspiration, including a panel discussion with working design pros and the chance to design a space with products and samples from some of the showrooms. Registration is $10. For more info, click here.

Beaujolais and Beyond Festival, November 17

Lovers of French wine and food will relish the chance to celebrate the season for beaujolais nouveau and sample fare crafted by more than 20 of Colorado’s finest chefs. The event rounds out with a culinary competition, raffle (you might just win a trip for two to Europe) and lively entertainment. Tickets are $65 by November 16 and $75 day of event, which takes place at Denver’s Infinity Park Event Center. For more info, click here.

L’Esprit de Noel Holiday Home Tour & Boutique, November 18-19

For holiday inspiration for table and home, wander through five beautiful residences in Denver’s Morgan’s Addition Historic District. Each is dressed for the season by local florists, designers and other inspired creatives. Tour is $20; boutique is free. For more info, click here.

En Route: Denver, November 18

Join the big celebration of the opening of the Clyfford Still Museum in Denver. Grammy-nominated Denver band, DeVotchKa, will take the stage, and guests will enjoy food while raising a glass to Still’s life and legacy. Tickets start at $125. For more info, click here.

First Bite Boulder, November 11-19

For one week, 40-plus restaurants offer three-course meals for a serious chance to taste the town’s best flavors, and for the palatable price of $26. (Last year’s participating eateries included such favorites as Salt, The Kitchen and Cafe Aion.) For more info, click here.

Discover more of November’s best events at coloradohomesmag.com.



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As the holiday season approaches and we ready our nests for gatherings at home, CH&L‘s Entertaining Issue delivers tips and inspiration for styling spaces and decorating rooms. Take style cues from homes featured in the issue:

See how an elegant arrangement of long-collected decorations dress an Englewood home in its holiday best

Browse photos of a ski-in/ski-out retreat near Aspen Mountain, designed by architect Charles Cunniffe

Take pointers from designer Jennifer DesJardin, who whips up a timeless cozy design for a historic Denver home

Of course, it’s prime gift-giving season, too. Click here to go to our annual gift guide, in which the staff at CH&L—and a few friends you may know—share the gifts they’d like to give and receive this year, many of them made right here in Colorado.

We hope you enjoy the issue!

 

 

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Our friends at Denver’s Blue Bonnet Cafe—South Broadway’s spot for casual, tasty Mexican eats—were generous enough to open up their recipe box and share old Mexican family secrets for making stuffed poblanos. This recipe comes from Luis Galvez’s family (natives of Durango, Mexico), who teamed up with Marci and Gary, owners of Blue Bonnet, to translate this simple-but-oh-so-good dish (that’s also gluten-free).

Another perk: the recipe can be made entirely out of Colorado produce and products. Just swing by the farmers’ market one last time before the season winds down and load up on peppers, grab your favorite local dairy’s sour cream and cheddar cheese, and get cooking.

Stuffed Poblanos
Serves six

8 green poblano peppers
1 red bell pepper
1 large yellow onion
2 cups sour cream (Robinson Dairy recommended)
2 cups cooked sweet corn (Olathe is the best)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (any local dairy)
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
Cooked protein if desired, such as beef, chicken or fish

1. Roast the poblanos and red bell pepper in the oven directly on the rack at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes until the skins on the vegetables turn black. This can also be done over an open flame on the grill.
2. Remove the charred skins of the vegetables. Wear gloves for this step to avoid getting any spice in your eyes. (Rubbing the skins enhances the flavors.) Slice one long cut into all of the poblano peppers to remove the vein along with all the seeds and the top.
3. Place 6 of the poblanos on a baking sheet with the slits to the side for easy stuffing.
4. Cut the remaining 2 poblanos and red bell pepper into thin strips.
5. Chop the onion into strips and sauté in olive oil in a medium-size pot until translucent.
6.  Add the poblano and red bell pepper strips along with the 2 cups cooked corn, 2 cups sour cream, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 2 teaspoons black pepper and cook on stove in pot for 8 to 10 minutes.
7. Remove mixture from heat and stuff into the slits of the poblano peppers. Add a cooked protein into the poblano peppers, if desired. Luis adds, “If it doesn’t look messy, it’s not good! The messier the better!”
8. Layer a few sprinkles of cheese on each of the poblanos and pop back in the oven at 350 degrees until the cheese on top melts. Garnish with sour cream if desired.


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Cuisine in Denver—and beyond—has been gaining some serious cred. Here’s the short list of tips for savoring the restaurant scene, and visit coloradohomesmag.com for our complete guide.

Savor the savings (discreetly): Ask Miss Manners: it’s one thing to brandish your Groupon, another to have 30 percent inconspicuously taken off your bill. The website savored.com, which just hung its virtual shingle in Denver, does exactly that, charging a $10 reservation fee, but then awarding a 30 percent discount on everything you order at participating restaurants, including cocktails. The EatDenver Deck of gift cards is no slouch in the bargain department either: for $52, it includes 52 $10 cards that can be redeemed at participating locally-owned restaurants.

For extreme locavores: Farm-to-table cuisine means chefs are growing the vegetables, raising the animals, even milking the cows themselves at the restaurant farm. It may sound like “The Farmer in the Dell,” but this is highly sophisticated food: cutting out the middleman makes for ultimate freshness and puts a premium on letting the ingredients speak for themselves. Potager in Denver produces its herbs directly on the premises, and Fruition serves up produce and cheese from its own ten-acre farm in Larkspur.

Taking it to the streets: The mobile movement has hit Denver with a vengeance: from cupcakes to caviar, serving food through a truck window has gained serious cred. Track down Pinche Tacos for irresistible taco urges, Brava Pizzeria Della Strada for recurring pizza visions, or the Biscuit Bus when the winds of nostalgia blow.

A new green standard: That’s the mission of Eat Greener Denver, a collaboration of independent Denver restaurants committed to reducing their collective and individual impact on the environment. The green dream team—14 restaurants and counting—targets a different aspect of wastefulness each month.

Click here for the complete guide to Denver’s restaurant scene.

Text by Elizabeth Marglin; above photo by Marc Piscotty for ChoLon Bistro; below photos by Jenna Walker Photographers.

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