Interview With Orchard Ave West Interior Designer
Meet Danielle McCool, the visionary interior designer behind Boulder’s Orchard Ave West luxury home remodel by Factor Design Build.
Her journey into interior design began with a childhood passion for home interiors, inspired by the profound belief that a home reflects its inhabitants’ essence. Guided by her experience in crafting her parents’ custom home in Conifer, Colorado, Danielle’s approach blends organic elegance with bold sophistication, harmonizing luxury with Boulder’s natural allure. Join us as Danielle shares her insights into creating inviting yet luxurious spaces and discusses the distinctive design elements that define the Orchard Ave West project.
Can you tell us about your journey into interior design? What inspired you to pursue this field, and what experiences have shaped your approach to designing luxury spaces?
I have always had a huge passion for homes, specifically the interiors. As a kid, I would play every house decoration computer game possible, and was just so fascinated by people’s homes – which may sound odd, but I think someone’s home tells so much about them. I love to help people, and interior design provides a landscape to help people by creating spaces that make them happy, improve their lives, and are nice to look at too!
An experience that largely shaped my approach to designing luxury spaces was having the opportunity to help my parents with their custom new-build home in Conifer, Colorado while I was in college. It was an amazing opportunity to step outside of my structured Interior Architecture and Design program, and get to design for the end user.
What was your vision for this home, and how did the Boulder location influence your design choices?
My vision for the Orchard Ave home was organic and timeless, with bold touches sprinkled in. The Boulder location influenced my design choices greatly! Something about Boulder really lends itself into an organic feeling, but it has a way of not losing any of the creative, fun touches as well, that often follow people in the Boulder community.
With the home being on a gorgeous street in Boulder, I wanted to incorporate statement woods like walnut and white oak, while letting some of the other finishes be more mellow. We have some bold, yet organic stones throughout the home as well, which feels true to Boulder and the community.
What are the key design elements that set this luxury home apart?
Some of the key design elements that set this luxury home apart from the next, are the statement pivot front entry door, the guest space area, the appliance package in the kitchen and pantry, the steam shower and heated flooring in the primary bathroom, and the dry bar off of the dining room – perfect for entertaining.
How did you balance luxury with the natural beauty of Boulder’s landscape?
In order to balance luxury with natural beauty, the materials became incredibly important. I think by using a mixture of natural stones and woods, with more striking ceramic and glass tiles and pops of color, we were able to achieve a balance of luxury that is quiet, but at times, bold.
Were there specific luxury materials or finishes that played a central role in achieving the home’s aesthetic?
I think that the grain-matched natural walnut kitchen cabinetry and the white oak flooring were huge factors in the home’s aesthetic, and will also contribute largely to the timelessness of the home. The wine room granite tile also felt true to Boulder and the home.
What do you consider the “wow factor” spaces in this home, and what inspired those choices?
The kitchen, wine room and the primary bathroom.
The kitchen features a true chef’s appliance package, perfect for entertaining, or someone who just loves to cook! The walnut kitchen cabinetry is grain matched throughout, creating a natural and fluid flow to the space, which definitely is a “wow factor” upon entry into the house, at every angle.
I wanted the wine room to feel connected to the larger spaces, being that it is in between the kitchen and dining room, while also feeling like it’s its own thing. The wine room features a textured natural granite tile, ran in a dry stack pattern without visible grout joints, with the glass enclosure being framed in black metal with metal wine racks lining the tiled walls. It feels organic and welcoming, yet bold and luxurious at the same time.
The primary bathroom is a breath of fresh air with mixed use of natural stones, white oak, and a picture-perfect bathtub spot.
How do you create spaces that feel both luxurious and inviting?
I think the floor plan is a huge part of creating luxurious, yet inviting spaces. This home’s layout has a wonderful flow to it, so the nature of the user is to walk in, and go to the next space. The home is inviting and open, so it encourages exploration! The overall finishes are refreshing and bright, with a white oak wide plank flooring, white painted walls, and ample natural lighting, the home invites you in.
What trends do you see emerging in luxury home design, and how did you incorporate any into this build?
I think that the small details are becoming much larger when talking about luxury home design. This goes down to the floor vents, the electrical components, door hardware, bathroom accessories, and cabinet hardware. It also expands to the larger elements like the doors (interior and exterior), the windows, steam showers and heated flooring. All of these provide homeowners with great bones that they can make their own.
