If Carrie Bradshaw ever swapped Manhattan for the mountains, she’d feel right at home in this Colorado penthouse.
Listed at $21 million, this custom-designed residence at 100 Detroit St. in Cherry Creek boasts extravagant features — most notably, a 350-square-foot closet modeled after a personal mini mall, complete with boutique-style storage and a hair salon washing station.
“It has a place for 200 pairs of shoes,” said Casey Perry, listing agent with Compass in Denver. “I think the closet is such a symbol for the rest of the property and that every inch was very strategically thought out and planned and executed.”
If sold, Unit 701 would be the most expensive cold sale in Denver proper, according to Cooper Thayer, spokesman from the Denver Metro Association of Realtors. Thayer said the highest recorded sale to date is a four-bedroom, 11-bathroom, 12,355-square-foot home at 556. S. Elizabeth St. that sold for $15 million in January. That's $1,214 a square foot.
The penthouse featured in this story is 6,799 square feet. At $21 million, the price per square foot is $3,091. That's about three-and-a-half pairs of tartan pointed-toe pumps from Monolo Blahnik.
Perry added that the closet includes a display case for Judith Leiber bags, space for long evening gowns and mirrors that offer views from every angle — just like in a high-end dressing room.
“I would say it leans more towards Carrie Bradshaw,” Perry added. “Any woman that has gone through that closet, I mean, they're just silent. Their jaws drop to the floor.”
World travels are recreated in Denver
The closet is just one part of the three-bedroom, six-bathroom property.
Perry said the owners purchased the penthouse directly from the building’s developer in the early 2000s — before construction even began —and spent three years transforming it into their dream home.
“They would travel the world and stay in some of the most gorgeous villas or hotels, and they would find inspiration from all over the world of things they loved and then they would bring that back to Denver,” Perry said.
With its white columns, domed ceilings, and intricate gold-accented woodwork, the penthouse offers a blend of classical and modern architecture.
One bedroom, decorated in cream and blue hues with a canopy bed and column-style bedside tables, was inspired by the owners’ favorite suite at the St. Regis hotel in New York City.
So, which architect/interior designer helped bring this vision of custom luxury to life?
“His name is Randy Patton,” Perry said. “He is out of California, and he is retired. He was able to create their vision and do so much custom [work] because what they wanted to do can't really be found in a store.” Perry noted that it took three carpenters to complete the intricate woodwork throughout the penthouse.
There are ‘layers and layers and layers’ of details
When she spoke to Patton, Perry said he emphasized the depth of the property.
“It’s just layers and layers and layers of details,” Perry said. “You're not just looking at walls. You're looking at crazy hardware and thousands of dollars for just one fixture. And then behind that is custom woodwork. And behind that is maybe a carving that matches something else.”
Adding on to the customization of the property, the owners essentially crafted areas of the penthouse around beloved art pieces.
As lovers of art, the owners wanted their home to reflect its beauty to the point that they even designed an entire room around a light fixture.
“In the office are these two [Lalique lamps] that they found,” Perry said. “They kind of designed the entire office around that. So, their inspiration started maybe small but then became big.”
They had a piece by world-renowned American glass artist Dale Chihuly installed in a walkway next to their kitchen. The space to house the colorful piece was approved by the artist to ensure it would fit properly.
Adding to the property's distinct character is a lifelike statue of a ballerina, poised in fifth position on relevé before a mirror and gracefully stationed just outside the entrance to the main bedroom.
The penthouse also features a private 1,230-square-foot patio, which offers mountain views and more ballerina sculptures.
Though opulent, the penthouse can be homey
From hosting a fine-dining experience for 50 guests to spending time with the grandkids in the family room, Perry said the home is both versatile and inviting.
“So, it lives really grand and really opulent, but it also lives really homey,” she said.
While the home features elements reminiscent of a grand European estate, Perry said it could easily be adapted to suit different tastes —especially if the custom furnishings, like the glass and ballerina sculptures, were removed.
“The furniture is custom, and there's sometimes a lot of sparkle to it,” Perry said. “But if you take that away, even just the bones of the property are stunning.”
However, for the right buyer, Perry said, the furnishings could be included.
Still, the price tag limits the pool of potential buyers.
“It just appeals to a niche buyer,” Perry said.
For all its grandeur, rare art, and global design influences, Perry said the most appealing feature may be its privacy. With private parking, a direct-access elevator, and a gated building under 24-hour surveillance, the penthouse offers a true retreat.
While the owners adore the home they’ve created, Perry said they’re ready for a new chapter.
“I think they're just ready for somebody else to enjoy what they've built and loved,” she said.
