The sanctuary of home

by Elisa Cohen

HIGHLAND – The sanctuary of home promises respite from the storms of life. To come home, to shut the door, and to relax amongst one’s own beautiful objects is a freedom defended by all American political parties. Whether John McCain or Barack Obama takes over the helm of the country, home furnishing and interior design store Sanctuary Home promises to provide Americans of all persuasions with the objects of beauty and comfort they desire with prices to meet the budgets of Democrats, Republicans, Greens and Independents alike.

Tucked quietly at the eastern end of the historic shopping district on Platte Street between two of the three bridges linking North Denver to LoDo, Sanctuary Home’s late fall exterior plantings hint at the new fall colors now available. Inside the gift shop, eclectic meets elegant, manly leans up next to soft, affordable holds its own with the luxurious, soft leather pelts juxtapose against metallic and glass furniture, and cherished gift items share space with tastefully and cheerfully rehabilitated vintage chairs and tables.

“You have unique and beautiful things. It’s hard to find items like you have here,” says an urban shopper in search of a large focal point in the entry of her home. She is drawn to the large, leaf pattern, soft white lamp in one room, then says she must bring her husband back to make sure her instincts are correct.

Sanctuary Home owner Wade Richards points out the chairs we are sitting in and informs the shopper that they have just been reupholstered for a customer and they he could help her with any of her furniture, drapery, or bedding needs. A wall of fabric books provides the variety of options Richards will help the customer learn are available.

The shop is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays as Richards makes house calls. The shop helps introduce him to customers who need more than just a quick gift. Once invited into the interior design process with a customer, he helps guide people and encourage them to embrace and refine their own sense of design. While he says he leans towards a more sleek and modern look, he finds the eclectic mix of personal items the most common and comfortable look. Inherited family heirlooms can be made to fit into modern décor and lifestyles with the proper reupholstering techniques and fabric choices.

In fact, Richards likes to find and restore vintage furniture as it often fits better into the smaller homes in LoDo and in North Denver. A visit to any of the chain furniture stores in the area can feel as if the furniture has been made for giants. Richards calls it pillow furniture. Larger homes require bigger pieces to fill up the space. With the smaller spaces of the lofts and bungalows in the neighborhood, a few select beautiful and comfortable pieces make a much greater impact. With an eye for scale, Richards’ goal is to make the customer feel comfortable in their environment through the use of color, materials, furniture and lighting.

Richards also helps customers transition from their suburban lifestyle to their new smaller urban digs, offering a critical eye to help residents keep key pieces that make sense in their new space. “I call it space management,” Richards says of the hand holding he does to encourage customers to redefine and fine-tune their own sense of style.

As a gift store, Sanctuary Homes offers the off-the-registry items people will cherish. With many items within the $30 to $60 range, and with many gifts men will appreciate, Sanctuary Home should be a first stop when seeking special gifts for events such as weddings, graduations, and other life celebrations. Skull and cross bone shot glasses share table space with lovely tapered vases. Conversation cards used to prompt more active dinner parties compete with leather journals for quiet musings on quality paper. Lamps, leather bags for men and women, sterling silver and semi precious stones in hand crafted jewelry give a variety of tactile options for someone in search of the perfect gift. And a wall of unique cards allows the shopper to find a gift and the card in one space.

“I seek out unique items that you won’t find in the other shops in Denver,” say Richards. He points to cities like New York, Montreal and San Francisco as inspiring his sense of design and the objects that allow that sense to come to life in Denver homes.

Sanctuary Home
1635 Platte St
Denver, CO 80202
(303) 433-8877