Craft closets for creative souls. Crown molding for classy homeowners. Deep sinks for gourmet cooks.

Oh, how Martha.

A complete lifestyle created with attention to "good things" has arrived in Denver with KB Home Stapleton: Homes Created with Martha Stewart.

Enter one of the model homes and you'll feel as if you're stepping into one of the pages of her eponymous publication.

"Stewart's name is synonymous with beautiful design, attention to fine architectural detail and a renowned sense of good taste," says Rusty Crandall, Colorado division president of KB Home.

These residences certainly embrace Stewart's hallmark aesthetic, with custom touches such as wainscoting, coffered and coved ceilings, distinctive crown moldings, functional shelving, window seats, wooden mantels and color palettes inspired by the natural surroundings.

"Buyers will appreciate the specifically 'Martha' touches, such as covered front patios and porches, spacious decks for entertaining, outdoor gardens designed by her personal gardener and plenty of storage for arts and crafts projects," notes Robin Marino, president of merchandising for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia.

"Denver is a vibrant city, with a vast number of things to do, especially for those who enjoy the outdoors," wrote Martha Stewart in a recent release. These three- to four-bedroom homes, priced from the mid-$300s, are inspired by Stewart's homes on the Eastern Seaboard.

"The homes combine innovative styling with practical modern functionality," says Marino. "The kitchens, for example, are large enough for entertaining and include islands for food preparation, pull-out pot racks in kitchen cabinets and open floor plans that easily flow from one room to the next."

Stewart's three distinct exterior styles include:

• Katonah, a Colonial-influenced design fashioned after renovations to her home in Katonah, N.Y.

• Skylands, named after her 1925 stone home on the coast of Maine, which blends nature and elegance with clean, contemporary lines.

• Lily Pond, which features vintage-style architectural details inspired by her beach cottage on Long Island.

If you go

• What: Grand opening celebration of KB Home Stapleton: Homes Created with Martha Stewart, featuring tours, children's activities and refreshments

• When: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sept. 8 and 9

• Where: 8942 E. 34th Ave.

• Info: kbhome.com

• Prices: starting in the mid-$300s.

Elements of style

Understated elegance, references to classical, traditional design, clean lines, flow and functionality are important aspects of Stewart's designs. Here are some key elements of the style of the Stapleton homes:

• Eastern seaboard meets the mountains: Katonah and Lily Pond feature fiber cement siding and stone, two building materials popular throughout the Denver area. Colonial-style homes, similar to the Katonah, can be found in Denver's older, established neighborhoods. The Lily Pond reflects elements of Craftsman homes, a style popular throughout the state, and Skylands is inspired by nature, reflecting Colorado's rugged outdoors.

• It's all in the details: 72-inch wainscoting featured in several of the models, as well as crown molding, coffered ceilings, beadboard and other distinctive architectural elements, add to the charming appeal of Stewart's designs.

• Off with your shoes: Mudrooms are of paramount importance to outdoor-loving Coloradans. Stewart and the KB Home architects situated theirs just off the garage so owners can rid themselves of snow and mud, and also store sports and athletic gear after a day of skiing, hiking, cycling or kayaking in the mountains.

• Sink in: After many years as a professional caterer, Martha Stewart knows a thing or two about functional kitchens. One of her trademarks is the single-vessel, farmhouse-style sink, which is large enough to hold pots, pans and dishes left over from any Martha-style culinary adventure.

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