McStain is not a custom home builder. But when the 1998 Parade of Homes came to Lowry, the first of Denver’s large redevelopment neighborhoods, we knew this was our chance to really demonstrate our vision of authentic home design and sustainable building. So we created a home that we named Green Gables.

For our pattern, we looked to 100-year-old homes that have been renovated with all the modern conveniences. We decided the exterior architecture should be in the Queen Anne Victorian style, like many of Denver’s most-revered 19th-Century homes, including the Molly Brown House. We gave Green Gables a steep roof enhanced by complex roof dormers, a cupola and a spire. Staying true to the Victorian style, we used a variety of exterior materials and colors to create decorative layers and to highlight corners and arches. Inside, we flavored its modern floorplan with historic details. Front and rear staircases. Cathedral ceilings. Stained glass windows. Even the landscaping honored the home’s heritage, with rosebush varieties typical of the 1800s.

With three bedrooms and only 2,900 square feet, it was the smallest and least expensive home in the Parade. And yet Parade judges gave it Grand Awards for Best Exterior Design, Best Interior Design and Consistency of Theme. Colorado Homes and Lifestyles Magazine gave it their Best of Show award. And, thanks to the home’s state-of-the-art energy efficiency, the Home Builders Association named it “Built Green Home of the Year.” It was even one of the first Parade homes to sell.

In short, Green Gables showed that new homes can include the kind of character we associate with days gone by. And a level of efficiency that many thought was still in the future.