Sunday, June 20, 2010

Welcome To The Man Mansion


In honor of Fathers Day I thought I'd show you a classic 1980's style man mansion, a mantasy realized.




It's actually the official residence of the mayor of Denver, although no mayor has lived in it, and certainly no first lady has either.


It's called Cableland, because a cable TV mogul built it, and then donated this excess of 1980's style to the city of Denver. What were they thinking when they accepted it as the mayor's residence?


It has every manerism: conversation pits, big fat furniture, a pink grand piano, flame stitch upholstery, hard edge steel, big fugly sculpture...


...uber electronics, tons of TV screens (88 to be exact), tanning beds, mauve walls, and I heard there are plenty of naughty bits lying about too, like a 12 foot fire pole in the master bedroom (I think they call it a stripper pole nowadays).


What was the bachelor home like of the guy you ended up with? I think many were in the same vein of Cableland, even if more modest with a big ugly recliner, a platform bed, and milk crate bookcases.


What would Cableland be without the big ass pool awaiting a bevy of bikini girls to frolic in?


Read what's going on with Cableland HERE
And rent it for a special party HERE
I think they should turn it into a theme park for guys.

And Happy Fathers Day!

The specs (kind of fascinating):

Construction: Summer 1986 to Fall 1987

Subcontractors: Over 50 trades involved


Home & Grounds: 24,000 Square Feet Swimming Pool: 1,102 Square Feet


Facilities: Guest house, pool house, staff quarters


Creature Features: Squirrel condos, birdbaths


TV Reception: Cable TV; closed circuit TV Sets - 88 including viewing wall with 64 TV Monitors; 61-inch TV (great room); 55-inch TV (video room)


Telephone Lines - 5; Telephones -97


Bathrooms - 14;
Bedrooms -4; Kitchens - 4 (including catering kitchen)

Features:

Custom designed furniture
Upholstered fabric walls
Underlighting for furniture
Sunken Bar
Guest office suite, kitchen and bath
Terraced patios
Pink Weber baby grand piano
12-foot fireman's pole
Three fireplaces
Tanning bed & spa equipment
Underwater seascape mural
Resistance exercise pool
Surround sound & tactile sound systems
Lite-touch lighting systems
Snowmelt driveway system
Laser security system
Ice cream bar

Project Management & Interior Design: Gerhard Interiors Limited, Rancho La Costa, CA


Architecture: Lawrence Pepper, Rancho Santa Fe, CA


Landscape Architecture: DHM, Inc., Denver, CO


Lighting Design: Noel Allanmeyer, Carlsbad, CA



9 comments:

Sally@DivineDistractions said...

It's always a challenge to design and decorate around "man taste". Luckily, I've had a few male clients with great taste, but I always cringe when they want to have alot of input!! I'm doing a post tomorrow on the "man chair". Hope you'll check it out!

Laura Casey Interiors said...

It is screaming 1980's! + 1990"s thanks for the tour :)

h. m. settoon said...

as dated and creepy as it is, I'm strangely drawn to it. you have to admit, it'd be a fun party palace.

Anonymous said...

frankly, my dear, if i were moving anyplace, i think i would prefer the old french consulate house in the garden district, but hey, a milkcrate bookcase is better than no bookcase at all. kultcha, ya know!

well, it is an unfair comment, because the house in the garden district is lovely, but i had to say something, and if i were moving........ m

michael/bagelbrookefarm

Dumbwit Tellher said...

Can you imagine having your name ( & reputation) attached to that project as an architect or designer..even in the 80's..yikes. Seriously I want a pole and sunken-bar!

Great tour Val and look forward to reading more. It's like a train wreck, can't take my eyes off of it.

Hugs to you xx

vicki archer said...

Where is Austin Powers when you need him?? xv

Irene said...

Wow, what a place.

LiveLikeYou said...

I design quite a few bachelor pads and really enjoy learning what their design dreams are.They need to be given more time and inspiration on all the blogs!!!

JO said...

Wow! The ultimate Mantasy! It's everything I dread when talking to a new client whose husband wants to be involved. Nine times out of ten they will want this decor on steroids interior for their cottage. I just can't do it. Too much testosterone. And then there's the vast collection of very valuable and downright scary African art to be worked in. Or hunting and fishing trophies. Really! Why did thay come to me in my little lala land of color and pretties?