Dated to dream home: Construction pros spend $1M to redo Littleton mansion

After spending $1 million to transform and modernize their 8,500-square-foot mansion on Whistling Elk Drive, owners Barb and Tim Pleune listed it for $4.5 million.

The Pleunes, who bought the Littleton home for $2.7 million in 2016, were initially unsure they wanted to see it when their realtor suggested a tour while house hunting.

Barb Pleune turned up her nose at the thought. She’d seen photos and wasn’t impressed. It was bigger than they needed.

But since it was near another house they wanted to see, the couple agreed to check it out.

“I barely got to the front door before I realized it was the house I wanted to buy,” Tim Pleune said.

The six-bedroom, seven-bath home is located on 10.5 acres in Littleton’s White Deer Valley, a gated community with mountain views.

Tim Pleune was impressed with the property’s landscaping, which includes 100 mature trees, water features, a pool and a tennis court. Barb Pleune said the home’s quality woodwork and craftsmanship were exceptional.

But the home, constructed in 2002 and featured in “American Dream Home” in 2004, felt dark and dated.

So, the Pleunes turned to the renovation experts they know at BOA Construction, which Tim Pleune founded in 1972 with his brother-in-law Tim Davis.

The project started with plans to lighten the wall color, refinish the cherrywood floors and install a freestanding tub in the primary suite.

Then they invited an interior designer friend over who had more suggestions, including giving the primary bath a spa vibe and opening a wall at the back of the kitchen into a dining nook to let in more light.

“It took off from there,” Barb Pleune said.

The renovation budget started at $500,000. Then climbed to $600,000. Then hit $1 million. BOA Construction finished the work in 2024.

“The really good stuff costs more than the average stuff,” Tim Pleune said.