Mixing warm and cool, this villa marries the inside with the out.
Story by Ann Butenas | Photos by Matt Kocourek
Now that their college-aged children are preparing to leave the nest, it is time to embrace a new chapter in life. For nearly a year now, this couple has resided in one of the magnificent villas at Prairiefire, primarily because they felt it was simply time for a change.
“We had lived in our former home for 22 years with the same floor plan, with all of the bedrooms upstairs,” noted the homeowner. “We wanted a new floor plan, and it wasn’t necessarily as if we were downsizing. We were simply right-sizing.”
Now with 6,000 spectacular square feet of living space, no one can argue these homeowners have found the right size for their tastes and lifestyle. After living in their former home for all those years, they realized they rarely used some of the rooms, most notably the dining room and the formal living room. This time, they wanted a home that maximized all of the living space, tailored to just the way they intended to use it.
“Now, we have an open kitchen and hearth area perfect for gatherings with family and friends,” expressed the homeowner. “We like to entertain and this home was definitely built to do just that.”
In addition to working with Lamble Custom Homes, LLC as their builder and Scott Bickford of Bickford + Company as the architect, the homeowners also worked in strong collaboration with interior designer, Jen Jackson, owner of Jen Jackson Design, to make this home truly unique to them.
“This particular floor plan is great in that it is large but not so large in that it feels uncomfortable,” Jackson explained. “You can entertain a large group easily yet when it is just the two of them, it still feels just right.”
When designing this home, Jackson drew upon influences from Napa Valley, allowing for a smooth transition of bringing hints of exterior elements inside without seeming too harsh. With copious soft stone throughout the home, as well as open areas to the outdoors, the overall living space is readily expanded to provide the subtle feeling of a harmonious marriage between indoors and out. A four seasons room contiguous to the living area bears sliding doors that can be opened to the outdoors for a breath of fresh air or remained closed for a warm and cozy retreat.
“The whole back wall consists of sliding doors that open to the golf course,” said the homeowner, also referencing the patio on the main level that has an outdoor kitchen, dining area, and fire bowl with accompanying chairs. “Off the Master bedroom is access to the hot tub, which is covered with a trellis.”
With four bedrooms, five full bathrooms and two half-bathrooms, there is definitely plenty of space for family and friends. The main level is home to the kitchen and other casual gathering spots, as well as the Master suite, which is an oasis in and of itself, and an additional guest bedroom.
The upper level has two bedrooms, as well as a game room and bar/TV area, which is perfect for entertaining. Sliding doors lead from the entertainment area to the deck outside, half of which is covered, and is home to an outdoor fire pit, TV and ample seating.
Covering roughly 1,000 square feet, the lower level has a full bath, a workout room, a sauna and a steam room. With such luxurious and desirable amenities, taking a brief respite from the daily grind doesn’t seem to require much traveling distance.
“We feel like we are on vacation every day,” smiled the homeowner.
The overall interior color palette of neutral colors, mainly consisting of creams, grays and browns with subtle accents of gold and navy, greatly complement the soft interior stone work and the hard surface flooring, which can be found throughout the main level, with the exception of the guest bedroom, which is carpeted. The wide plank hardwood at the front of the home has been hand-scraped and topped with a grey stain for a somewhat natural effect.
“That is a hickory wood that shows the grain and we used it throughout many parts the home,” said Jackson, further noting the tile upstairs in the game room has the appearance of wood and has been placed in a herringbone pattern. The kitchen floor is comprised of brushed limestone, and the wet areas throughout the home have tile flooring.
“This was a big detour from our former home, which predominately involved dark browns and blacks,” said the homeowner. “It was fun creating this new look. Plus, we bought all new furniture, too! It was also enjoyable working with Jen, as she really taught us a lot about the design process.”
“We also had fun with the lighting,” said Jackson. “We used warm and cool colors together, such as silvers and golds, along with pretty mirrors, juxta positioning the shiny objects with warm, brushed objects.” Unique touches throughout also give this home its own personality, such as the faux finished barrel ceiling in the kitchen with faux beams designed to break up the look.
Other interesting elements of the home include two laundry rooms, one located on the main floor and one upstairs for the kids to use when they come home to visit. The homeowners had an elevator shaft installed, but not the actual elevator….yet!
“We chose not to put in an elevator for now,” explained the homeowner. “We have turned it into a wine room, but, when the time comes and we might need one, we can have it easily installed since the shaft is already in place.”
Not only is this villa a great home for this couple, they also credit the builder for his talent and insight.
“Jim (Lambie) is known for quality work and great craftsmanship,” stated the homeowner. “He definitely creates works of art, and we are very pleased with our home.”
With access to all of the entertainment offered in the Prairiefire shopping center, a fun night out or a weekend escape to the movies is within arm’s reach…and within walking distance.
“It’s just a short walk for us to catch a movie, grab a bite to eat or visit the museum,” indicated the homeowner. “But once we walk back in our front door, it’s as if we have escaped the all of the hustle and bustle and are once again in a quiet and peaceful place. We have the best of both worlds living here.”
Resources
Builder: Lambie Custom Homes | Architect: Bickford + Company | Interior Designer: Jen Jackson Design | Faux Stone: Canyon Stone | Electrician: Teague Electric | Cabinetry: Cabinets By King | Hardwood Floors: Kenny’s Hardwood | Appliances: Factory Direct Appliance | Plumbing Fixtures: Pflumm Plumbing | Granite: Top Master | Painting: Millennium Painting | Ceramic Tile: ProSource | Mirror & Shower Doors: Complete Home Concepts | Light Fixtures & Hardware: Wilson Lighting | Carpet: Carpet Direct | Landscaping: Earth Designs | Windows: Pacific Mutual Door | Stereo & Alarm: Soundbytes KC
