The late John Denver made it no secret that Colorado was his favorite place on Earth. He often wrote and sang about the state he loved so much, including “Rocky Mountain High,” which is one of Colorado’s two official state songs.
“Starwood in Aspen” is another Denver song, written about the custom estate he had built in 1972. Today, the John Denver Estate in Starwood, the “sweet Rocky Mountain paradise” from that song, can be yours for the price of $9,970,000.
This warm and cozy foyer has wide glass doors complemented by a rustic welcome mat on the hardwood flooring. The dark frames of the glass doors matches with the black grand piano on the side as the only structure in the foyer that brings you directly into the great room. Images courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.
On the far side, you will see that there is a comfortable area by the row of tall windows adorned with a cheery Christmas tree on the corner. This area is warmed by the brass fireplace that balances the snowy scenery afforded by the large windows. Images courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.
There is another living room just a few steps away from the fireplace. This area works great as a reception area with its proximity from the foyer. Images courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.
The area has four comfortable brown leather cushioned chairs that are paired with side tables and a rectangular wood-top coffee table in the middle over a striped gray area rug. Images courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.
This view shows more of the great room that houses the living room, dining area and kitchen all under the same tall arched ceiling and on the same hardwood flooring. Images courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.
This view shows the proximity of the foyer to the reception area that is topped with an impressive large two-tiered chandelier. You can also see here that the pillar by the piano is adorned with a floating wooden shelf bearing a decorative jar. Images courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.
The charming kitchen has a large kitchen island that has a black hue to contrast the brass stools surrounding the breakfast bar. This is matched by the stainless steel fridge that is also contrasted by the back wall the houses it. The highlight of this kitchen is the freestanding red brick fireplace that stands out against the hardwood flooring. Images courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.
This bedroom has a crystal chandelier that complements the beige ceiling that blends well with the beige walls. The beige walls go well with the beige platform bed with a cushioned headboard. The highlight of this room has got to be the gorgeous stained glass windows that depict mountain scenes to match the scenery outside the glass windows on the far side. Images courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.
This large bathroom has a wide two-sink dark wooden vanity that makes it stand out against the beige walls and ceiling. These are then topped with wall-mounted mirrors flanked by wall-mounted lamps with a painting in the middle. Images courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.
This bathroom has a round corner bathtub placed on the corner below the row of windows. Across from this is the modern walk-in shower area that matches the tone of the walls. Images courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.
The walls of this narrow closet are lined by the glass-covered cabinets with a dark gray tone that works quite well with the hardwood flooring and the beige walls. Images courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.
This large room houses both the family room and the game room under the same beige cathedral ceiling that hangs a majestic two-tier chandelier over the family room that is warmed by a red brick fireplace. Images courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.
The red brick fireplace is matched well by the red patterned area rug of the family room that is complemented by comfortable gray sofas paired with a wooden coffee table. Images courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.
This game room area is right beside the family room sharing the warmed of the fireplace. It has a large pool table surrounded by a bright row of windows giving you a wonderful view of the mountains. Images courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.
Those same mountain scenery is also the background of this corner that has a small round wooden table surrounded by green cushioned chairs perfect for board games. Images courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.
This is a closer view of the gorgeous rocky mountain scenery that the house offers. This scenery can inspire and relax at the same time and it gives you more reason to curl up close by the fireplace. Images courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.
Denver was an avid environmental activist and his incredible home is a perfect reflection of that. Situated on a prime 2.61-acre lot in the exclusive Starwood community, the 7,735-square foot estate has sweeping 180-degree views of the Rockies. All four major Aspen ski resorts can be seen from the property, as well as a 70-mile expanse from Independence Pass to beyond Mount Sopris.
The house has five bedrooms, five full bathrooms, and two half-bathrooms, and sits on an ultra-private, heavily-wooded lot. French doors and large picture windows throughout are designed to bring nature in, while a pool and several expansive outdoor decks encourage you to soak up the spectacular surroundings.
The home has changed ownership twice since Denver died in a tragic private plane crash in 1997 in which he was piloting the plane. Shortly after his death, the estate sold for $3.68 million. Then in 2016 it sold again, this time for $2.75 million to longtime Aspen locals. It was reportedly in extremely poor condition and needed to be practically gutted.
Wanting to preserve Denver’s legacy – as well as the home’s, the new owners modernized the house but saved and repurposed many original fixtures. The kitchen’s original leaded glass-front cabinetry and entire stained glass walls throughout the home were restored. Denver’s original pool table still stands front and center in the game room and several pieces of original artwork still decorate the walls.
In the primary suite, the wood-burning fireplace and custom walk-in closet with elaborate see-through cabinets are the originals. The step-down primary bathroom and its vintage circular soaking tub are still there, adding incredibly authentic vintage touches. Perhaps the centerpiece of the entire house, the original standalone brick oven is still the focal point of the kitchen.
A dedicated workout room, three wet bars, and separate guest quarters add more modern touches to the Colorado rustic-style estate. The homeowners also installed new plumbing, upgraded the windows, and had the ceilings raised to optimize the mountain views.
Clean architectural lines and an open floor plan with lofted ceilings add the perfect contrast to the home’s rustic touches, creating a feel that is both upscale and cozy.
Homeownership in Starwood in Aspen itself comes with numerous benefits. There are miles and miles of cross-country skiing trails, horse pastures and facilities, 24-hour guarded entry, and hundreds of acres of undeveloped green spaces. The fact that this home was John Denver’s is truly just icing on the cake.
Jon Dykstra owns an interior design company in North Vancouver, British Columbia. He's fascinated by architecture and interiors. He also enjoys gardening at his "house in the burbs" and "homesteading" at his off-the-grid boat-access cabin.
Combine all that with a love of writing and Homestratsophere.com was born. He balances his working time between running his interior design company, working on his off-the-grid cabin and publishing homestratosphere.com.
