Colorado’s Hi-Hat House Embraces Modular Aesthetics

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In the picturesque foothills of Boulder, Colorado, the Hi-Hat House stands as an example of adaptive architecture and design ingenuity. Designed by architecture firm FLOWER, this cozy home for empty nesters is a blend of modular design principles and traditional building techniques. Originally conceived as a home to be assembled from pre-fabricated units, Hi-Hat House underwent a significant transformation during its construction journey. While the design was tailored for factory production and transportation on standard truck beds, the team ultimately decided to build the house modules on site. This strategic pivot, driven by prohibitive costs associated with shipping and craning the units, allowed the project to retain its modular design integrity without compromising on cost-efficiency.

Modern house with large windows, brick and wood exterior, attached garage, and a concrete driveway surrounded by landscaping and greenery.

Hi-Hat House comprises six distinct ‘modules’ anchored on a site-built foundation and garage. The upper-level units encompass the heart of the home: the kitchen, dining, and living areas, along with the primary suite, mudroom, and formal entry. The lower-level modules feature a family room, mechanical spaces, guest bedrooms, and a shared bathroom.

A person ascends an outdoor stairway built into a modern, diagonal wood-slatted structure, with a lush garden and rocks nearby.

Modern two-story gray house with large windows, adjacent patio area with outdoor furniture and potted plants, and a fenced garden with green lawn and trees on a clear day.

Safety is also a paramount consideration, given the home’s location in a wildfire-prone area. Noncombustible exterior cladding, decks, and roofing materials provide an additional layer of protection, ensuring the home is as resilient as it is beautiful.

Modern living room with wooden ceiling, large glass doors leading to an outdoor area, gray sectional sofa, Eames lounge chair, abstract artwork, and orange hanging fireplace.

The interior of the Hi-Hat House features exceptional craftsmanship and design details. Throughout, built-ins, warm wood floors, paneled walls, custom cabinetry, and wood ceilings create a cohesive and inviting atmosphere. Floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding glass doors keep the interior saturated with natural light while framing views of the local Colorado landscape.

A modern living room with wood accents, a large sectional sofa, a round coffee table, a wooden armchair, a painting, and large windows offering a view of greenery.

A potted green plant sits beside a brown leather couch in a room with wooden slat walls and brick accents.

Modern living and dining area with wooden ceiling beams, large windows, sectional sofa, round coffee table, fireplace, dining table with blue chairs, abstract wall art, and a potted plant.

The exterior brickwork extends indoors, enhancing the custom slatted wood screens and an expansive, U-shaped built-in sofa. The home’s overall small footprint, compact building envelope, and radiant heat systems, contribute to the home’s energy efficiency.

A dining area with a wooden table, four chairs, modern light fixture, brick fireplace, abstract painting, and wooden ceiling beams. Decor elements include books and a vase with branches.

A modern dining room featuring a wooden dining table with mixed chairs, a brick wall with a fireplace, and a colorful painting. The room has wooden ceiling beams and light wooden flooring.

A unique artistic note runs through Hi-Hat House, featuring the paintings of mid-century artist Milton Wilson. His vibrant works are prominently displayed, with a large canvas in the dining room, two vertical paintings in the stairwell, and another piece in the living room.

Close-up of a wooden cabinet with long, vertical handles and horizontal grooves.

Bespoke wooden cabinetry with a built-in refrigerator and storage adds warmth to the all-white kitchen. Oversized wooden handles on the fridge add a dramatic touch to the flat, minimalist surface.

Modern kitchen with a central island featuring three bar stools, pendant lights, and wooden cabinets. A person is using the refrigerator. A dining area with colorful wall art and wooden ceiling is visible.

A modern kitchen with a large window showcasing an outdoor view. The countertop features a black faucet, a plant, a ceramic vase, and various small containers.

A modern hallway with wooden flooring and ceiling, a painting of a horse on the wall, and a view into a living area with natural light streaming through large windows.

A hallway with wooden ceiling and floor, white walls adorned with abstract artworks, and a blurred figure walking in the background near a tall green plant.

The decision to build Hi-Hat House on site, despite initial plans for modular construction, highlights a critical insight from the FLOWER team: while modular design can expedite timelines, it doesn’t always translate to cost savings. When faced with the financial implications, the team chose to prioritize budget over speed, demonstrating flexibility and strategic thinking. This decision was made even after securing permits for the modular approach, underscoring the project’s adaptive and resilient nature.

A modern, minimalist living space with a wooden aesthetic features a rocking chair, a tall floor lamp, a circular rug, wall art, and a staircase behind vertical wooden slats.

A staircase with wooden steps and a handrail leads down to a colorful abstract painting on the wall. A pendant light hangs from the white ceiling, illuminating the space.

A bathroom featuring a wooden vanity with a white sink, a rectangular mirror above it, light blue vertical tiles on the wall, and a glass shower door to the right.

A modern house with large windows and a wooden deck is seen at dusk, surrounded by trees and landscaped garden, with warm interior lights glowing inside.

Along with FLOWER in charge of the architecture, the project was collaborative with Kimball Modern handling the interior design, Marpa Landscape Architecture tackling landscaping, and Buildwell as the general contractor.

A modern house with large windows is illuminated at night. It has a flat roof and a pathway leading to the garage on the left side. Trees and bushes surround the property.

Modern house with large windows illuminated from within at dusk. The structure has a flat roof, brick walls, and a minimalist design with surrounding greenery.

Photography by James Florio, courtesy of BowerBird.

Caroline Williamson is Editor-in-Chief of Design Milk. She has a BFA in photography from SCAD and can usually be found searching for vintage wares, doing New York Times crossword puzzles in pen, or reworking playlists on Spotify.

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