These silly kids! Spring must be here!

I snapped this photo while waiting to make a left hand turn on my way home in downtown...it made me smile!

Loft Living and Loft Loving

Having grown up in a typical middle-class American suburb, with fenced back yards and shared front lawns, with flower beds full of marigolds and rose bushes, and the required one car garages, I was surprised at my long time longing for the city life. (Of course, Eva Gabor as Lisa Douglas singing her duet with television husband, Eddie Albert's Oliver Wendell Douglas at the beginning of Green Acres comes to my mind, but it wasn't like that at all. Please see the term "middle-class." Penthouse was certainly not the norm.)

Imagine my surprise, though, when all things looked gloomy a mere six months ago and my husband and I took the leap to concrete and steel living.

Perhaps that term is too off-putting in what it really feels like in downtown. Must I admit that I am absolutely loving my little adventure here? That I have become balanced, and at peace, and more optimistic? Well, ok then. I admit it.

Would you like to come along with me and have a short tour of the loft, to see a small bit of why I have traded suburbia for the city?

 

There our building is, the one on the right, nestled next to the art deco style Buerger Brothers Building, which used to be a beauty supply house.

 Our building, the Chamber Lofts, was originally built as the Chamber of Commerce Building (or Temple of Commerce, as some called it), and housed over seven other businesses including the state's manufacturing association, the clearing house, the property board, the real estate exchange, as well as others. With its granite Neoclassical Revival styled facade, replete with a terra cotta Lady Justice astutely placed over the door, the building was a showcase in 1910.

 Denver Public Library

The building is on the National Register of Historic Places. Rather marvelous, yes?

At night, the building's front is lit up with glowing lights imbedded on either side of the columns and along the penthouse at the top (no, we are not in the penthouse). A rather beautiful sight!

Shall we step inside the front door?

Ah, here we are in lobby. Notice the iron balustrade framing the marble steps to the second floor on your right, as well as the marble columns on the left.

 

And yes, how observant you are! That is, indeed, the original mail drop on the wall next to the elevator! Little use now, what with all of the digital mail we have.

What is that? Oh yes, to our left are the original doors to the Denver Stationery Company, which you'll notice, separates us  from the handy 7-11 convenience store nestled in on the other side. Why yes! Yes it is rather nice to be able to pop on down to get some eggs and milk in my slippers!

Let's go on up to the loft now, shall we?

Right through this door here - it is rather heavy, oof!

 

To your right, if you need it, is the restroom and the coat rack but we just got here, didn't we? So come along now, through the hall to the kitchen.

Step over here to where my favorite place to be is - my chaise -  and do have a sit. We will have to shoo Isis off, of course, but she has kept a place warm for you. What a considerate feline.

Quite comfortable and efficient, wouldn't you say?

We are one of two lofts here who are fortunate to have an enormous sky light. We do so love to see the moon through it at night, or watch the snow accumulate on it, or enjoy the rain and thunderstorms overhead!

Go ahead and look around (with compliments to my new 360 degree app, which actually does about 300 degrees, give or take a few snaps...)

Here, this is a picture I snapped on my first walk-through. I love the rays of sun, don't you? But not the lime green wall behind the sink and cupboards. Yes, we did repaint it.

 Some lovely views from the large, original wood-paned windows. These very large windows are protected from upgrades due to the historic rating (read: somewhat drafty in the chilly winds and frigid snows. What you don't see is my personal ceramic heater. A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do...) - and we have five!

  Shall we go outside and walk down to the 16th Street Mall and get a bite to eat? Perhaps we'll see some of the buskers and other performers today since the weather is so very nice. Oh? Well then, perhaps tomorrow?  There are so many more adventures to be found within walking distance. We are in center of the city, after all!

Good-bye for now. Do come back soon since we will be here at least another six months, living and loving loft living. It should be just enough time to fit in a few more parades, some theatre, or perhaps even a cup of coffee on a patio in the sun.

After that, the thought has crossed our minds to go back to the 'burbs to be closer to where the children live.  But who knows? Six months is a rather long time for change, isn't it?