The mod life

Denver retro-chic boutique's proprietor takes her work home with her

Ken Zachmann, Special to the Rocky

Published August 4, 2007 at midnight

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Ever browse through one of Denver's many chic boutiques and wonder whether the owner's home is as flawlessly staged as her store?

Could her furniture be so inviting, her pillows arranged in such perfect balance and all the little accessories placed just so?

We're prepared to answer those very questions in a new series that takes us across the threshold and inside some of Denver's most stylish boutique owners' pads to find out what matters most to them and how they define home style.

To kick it off, we caught up with Jill Warner, co-owner of Denver's retro-chic home-furnishings store Mod Livin'.

Jill and husband Erick have more than 20 years of collecting under their belts, and a trip to their Park Hill home is as much a stroll back through time as it is an education in all things midcentury mod. Painted white brick against black trim and original art-deco detailing give their 1940s home an air of old Hollywood.

"We always knew we wanted an International Style home, we just didn't plan on buying it when we did," Jill says. Having just put a down payment on the building for the store, taking on a new mortgage was far off their radar.

But as fate would have it, the house proved to be an irresistible purchase. "It was everything we wanted. It was perfect," Jill says. "We just couldn't pass it up."

Fast-forward seven years and their investment in the store not only has paid off handsomely but has afforded them the chance to turn their house into a veritable museum of midcentury mod that's also a comfortable retreat for the two of them and their new puppy, Zoey.

Step inside and you'll be struck by warm orange and muted gray hues that act as a backdrop to 2,000 square feet of meticulously designed space. You'll notice all the various textures and small collectibles that give the home its personality.

For Jill, their home's style can best be summed up in the Emilio Pucci print that hangs in the dining room.

"I love the vivid color and contrasting patterns. To me, it's this contrast that really embodies the beauty of midcentury design."

Ask Jill about her favorite possession and she'll tell you the vintage piece was actually brought to her store. The prize? An Italian Arteluce floor lamp that a customer dropped off as part of an estate sale.

"It's stunning and in perfect condition; it's the one piece that I know I will never part with," Jill said.

While the couple love to fill their home with all things retro, they also have a penchant for contemporary design, and these elements are woven into almost every corner of their house.

Take the dining room, where, below a zeppelin-like Bubble chandelier by George Nelson, Jill has put together a dining set that blurs the line between modern and midcentury. Positioned at the head of the table are two ultra-sleek Louis Ghost chairs by Philippe Starck that offer an interesting contrast against a vintage Danish teak table and Cherner chairs.

"We love it. It's a beautiful melding of past and present," says Jill.

The fusion of vintage and contemporary doesn't stop in the dining room. It stretches throughout the rest of the home in the form of a Jonathan Adler lamp here or a small bud vase there.

"While I like staying true to the classics, I also like to update the look with clean and modern accents," Jill says.

When not at home, the couple can be found working with customers at the store or tooling around town on their matching Metropolitan scooters, scouring flea markets and estate sales in pursuit of their next vintage find. And it's with those classic finds that they've built a loyal following for Mod Livin' and created a home that is indeed as hip as their store.

The store:

? Mod Livin' 5327 E. Colfax Ave.

720-941-9292

modlivin.com

The home:

? What: International Style home withart-deco detailing

? Where: Park Hill

? Size: about 2,500 square feet

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