The exterior colors of 700 Utica Ave. switch between red and yellow, its roof lines vary from round to pitched, and windows change from average to small and square.
They are playful design choices meant to capture as much of the surrounding environment as possible, and they were selected by the original owner, renowned conductor Yakov Kreizberg.
The mismatched red and yellow stucco exterior emulates sunsets and helps the house blend into the mountainous Boulder, Colorado, region, said listing agent Kris Caldwell of eXp Realty.
Caldwell said the curved roofs and dotted windows help strategically capture natural light, directing it into specific rooms.
“It gives it a very natural feeling when you’re there,” said Caldwell. “You feel this vibrance and connectivity with nature, which is what we believe [Kreizberg’s] goal was, to feel connected.” The Russian-born conductor died in 2011 after a long illness, according to media reports.
The current seller, author and recognized negotiation expert William Ury, liked those aspects enough to keep the house that way since purchasing it in 2008 from Kreizberg for $2.79 million, according to public records.
The home, now listed for $9.5 million, has Wonderland Lake in its backyard and unobstructed views of the area’s local symbol, the Flatirons rock formations. And those views will remain, thanks to protections on surrounding land, though owners will have the ability to construct new structures, such as a guest house. The property also has water rights to the lake and connects through a well.
That private natural setting is what drew Ury to purchase the home, which is adjacent to the Wonderland Lake Trail. Back in 2008, Ury, an avid hiker, “was walking the [trail] and saw the sign in the yard and made an offer the first day it went live,” said Caldwell.
Ury also kept another atypical design choice from the original owner: a custom-carved front door denoting the major world religions with an inlay wood mosaic. The rear door also matches the same wood mosaic and inlay symbol.
The home has four bedrooms and four bathrooms with 4,578 square feet, priced at $2,075 per square foot. It includes two fireplaces and a balcony attached to the primary bedroom. It sits on a 1.03-acre lot.
It’s just one of two residences right on Wonderland Lake. The other, 400 Utica Ave., sold in 2016 for $4.79 million, according to Homes.com.
Boulder regularly sees homes for sale pushing prices of $10 million. According to Homes.com listings, there are 12 homes more costly than 700 Utica’s $9.5 million ask. The most expensive is a seven-bedroom, 11-bathroom, 14,376-square-foot property listed for $29.75 million.
Boulder's median single-family sale price is $1.35 million with an average price per square foot of $602, according to Homes.com data.
The most expensive area sale on record closed in May for $14.5 million, a five-bedroom, six-bathroom residence with 6,935 square feet.