62 | 5280 HOME | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019
N A BUSY STRETCH OF WEST
32nd Avenue, just beyond
Highland Square, sits a
sprawling modern house
and matching workshop
connected by a charming
courtyard. With their industrial-rustic mix
of standing-seam metal roofs and board-and-
batten wood siding, they’re often mistaken
for one of the neighborhood’s trendy brewer-
ies or restaurants. In fact, the buildings,
which occupy the lot where neighborhood
landmark Ted & Bob’s Service Auto Repair
once stood, are the design handiwork (three
years in the making) of husband-and-wife
duo Marke and Kimberly Johnson, ownersof graphic-design studio the Made Shop.
The couple describes the space, which was
built by Kim’s brother, Brad Weiman of Work
Shop Denver, as “minimal modern farm-
house Shaker” in style—a surprising blend
of aesthetics that totally works. Here’s how
they pulled it off.5280 Home: Black and white and wood—
this seems to be the theme for your home
and workshop’s design.
Marke Johnson: We like a little bit of eclectic
clutter, so we wanted a really simple back-
ground palette: large, open, simple spaces and
fun little things piled up. We really like using
natural materials like wood and tile and un-finished steel; the point was to use things that
weren’t quite perfect in a modern, minimal
way. The design on paper is pretty restrained,
but it’s not this pristine, perfect box; it has a
lot of character and imperfection.You built on a bustling stretch of 32nd
Avenue. What’s special about this location?
MJ: We wanted somewhere walkable,
with history. The goal [for our aesthetic] was
to somewhat break the mold while still
respecting that history. From the outside, the
structure looks a little more severe, but in-
side, it has a surprising warmth. It goes back
to Frank Lloyd Wright, who just delighted in
surprising people as they entered a building.O
The eye-catching buildings,
set right on 32nd Avenue near
Highland Square, provide a
unique live-and-work space with
a cool, industrial-rustic style.62 | 5280 HOME | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019
NA BUSYSTRETCHOFWEST
32ndAvenue,justbeyond
HighlandSquare,sitsa
sprawlingmodernhouse
andmatchingworkshop
connectedbya charming
courtyard.Withtheirindustrial-rusticmix
ofstanding-seammetalroofsandboard-and-
battenwoodsiding,they’reoftenmistaken
for one of the neighborhood’s trendy brewer-
ies or restaurants. In fact, the buildings,
which occupy the lot where neighborhood
landmark Ted & Bob’s Service Auto Repair
once stood, are the design handiwork (three
years in the making) of husband-and-wife
duo Marke and Kimberly Johnson, ownersofgraphic-designstudiotheMadeShop.
Thecoupledescribesthespace,whichwas
builtbyKim’sbrother,BradWeimanofWork
ShopDenver,as“minimalmodernfarm-
houseShaker”instyle—asurprisingblend
ofaestheticsthattotallyworks.Here’show
theypulledit off.5280 Home:Blackandwhiteandwood—
this seems to be the theme for your home
and workshop’s design.
Marke Johnson: We like a little bit of eclectic
clutter, so we wanted a really simple back-
ground palette: large, open, simple spaces and
fun little things piled up. We really like using
natural materials like wood and tile and un-finished steel; the point was to use things that
weren’t quite perfect in a modern, minimal
way. The design on paper is pretty restrained,
but it’s not this pristine, perfect box; it has a
lot of character and imperfection.You built on a bustling stretch of 32nd
Avenue. What’s special about this location?
MJ: We wanted somewhere walkable,
with history. The goal [for our aesthetic] was
to somewhat break the mold while still
respecting that history. From the outside, the
structure looks a little more severe, but in-
side, it has a surprising warmth. It goes back
to Frank Lloyd Wright, who just delighted in
surprising people as they entered a building.O
The eye-catching buildings,
set right on 32nd Avenue near
Highland Square, provide a
unique live-and-work space with
a cool, industrial-rustic style.