Nestled deep in the woods of Highview Terrace and situated along a picturesque creek, sits a woodsy retreat that is truly integrated into its environment. The stunning ranch home is perfectly placed amid the patches of emerald forest. And on the interior, exposed beams, floating shelves and beadboard bring the wooded theme further into focus. The homeowners, Kent and Teri Anderson, stumbled upon the property serendipitously while on a drive, and they fell in love with the lot. “The trees are absolutely gorgeous. We wanted to put our house here so we could enjoy the view: the colors changing, the rain falling, the snow falling,” explains Teri.
Artistic touches add life
With help from Marty and Gina Coates of Coates Custom Homes and Connie Foster, an interior designer with Designworks Studio, they were able to create their secluded sanctuary. One of the home’s highlights is the wall of windows along the back that allows for an optimal view of the trees. And the home’s open layout was designed in such a way that nothing obstructs the scenery.
That sense of openness was key for the Andersons, who frequently entertain and wanted a home that would flow. The connected spaces of the kitchen, dining room and great room all have the same warm porcelain tile that creates a cohesive feeling between them.
The overall look is one that Gina Coates describes as “soft contemporary.” But the home loses none of the warmth that can sometimes seem lacking in contemporary homes. “A lot of that is due to the choices in finishes, furnishings and paint colors,” she explains.
As avid art enthusiasts, the Andersons have an enviable collection of sculptures and pieces from their travels and visits to local festivals. The collection influenced the home’s color scheme, which is comprised of grays and taupes, allowing the artwork colors to shine through.
“Getting to meet artists and hearing their stories brings the art to life,” explains Teri. “The messages and stories behind the artwork is really what we’re collecting.”
Natural elements add character
When one first enters the home—through the expansive steel pivot door—they look directly back through the great room and see a unique galleria wall. This panel-type feature, often used in hospitality environments, provides the couple with enough space to highlight their art. “It’s like a beautiful boutique museum,” comments Coates.
Just as boutique museums are full of unexpected gems, the Anderson’s back deck provides the homeowners with gems of a different kind. “It sits 20 feet off the ground and has an amazing view,” says Foster. “There’s a birdhouse feel to it.”
Speaking of wildlife, Teri enjoys the plethora of birds she observes during her peaceful mornings on the deck, which serves as her favorite “room” to drink her coffee and as an ideal gathering place for guests during parties. There are lights tucked into the trees and a sound system has been incorporated as well.
The deck is a natural offshoot of the kitchen, which is outfitted with a glass subway tile backsplash; a stunning Cambria island top; clean white lines with pops of color from the artwork; and the latest in appliances, the better for Teri to do all of her cooking with. “I have the kitchen of my dreams,” she says. “I love to cook and the size of the kitchen allows everyone to help.”
Similarly, the two-way couch in the great room allows everyone to converse. Foster custom designed it in such a way that conversations can occur in different directions, and such that the height doesn’t block any views out the back. In another clever twist, the brightly colored “artwork” above the fireplace is a television monitor.
The master bedroom is equally distinctive, with a custom designed, art deco-inspired headboard, with cantilevered shelves serving as nightstands. Custom headboards are on trend these days, as are freestanding tubs like the one in the stunning master bath. The linear tile in this room mimics the flow of water, not to be confused with the water feature incorporated into the ceiling. The latter, which is used to fill the tub in the fashion of a waterfall, was set up so that water hits the precise spot it should and does not splash the wall. A unique fixture from Maxim Lighting illuminates the clean lines and polished beauty of the entire space.
An eclectic lower level design
On the lower level, various zones that are perfect for entertaining, vie for attention. There’s a central bar area with an adjacent wine cellar; a home theater area that could rival any cinema; and a second outdoor patio, complete with pizza oven, from which to enjoy more of the view. All of this is underscored by the stained concrete floor in warm metallic hues of titanium with pearl and coffee undertones. A high gloss polyurethane adds both shine and durability. “To me, it’s like a piece of art on the floor,” says Teri.
Stained concrete floors are making quite the comeback, as are many of the other items in the Anderson’s home, not the least of which is the use of natural materials, which in this case meshes perfectly with the outdoor setting. “Finally,” concludes Foster, “incorporating your own style with artwork, and using pieces that inspire you, is really important. If you look at something that you really like that gets you going in the morning, you should use it.”
RESOURCES Builder Marty and Gina Coates, Coates Custom Homes; Architects Sheri Scott, Springhouse Architects; Paul Striebel, PJS and Associates; Kitchen designer Andrew Davis, Select Kitchen & Bath Design; Interior designer Connie Foster, Designworks Studio; Lighting George Kovacs; Maxim; Minka; ET2; Hinkley; Elan Karbru, Ferguson and Wolseley; Furniture Bova; Flooring and fireplace surround tile Florida Tile; Windows Andersen; Front door Modern Steel Doors; Fireplace Heat and Glo Mezzo 48-inch, Dayton Fireplace Systems; Lower level floor Garage & Home Transformation; Kitchen cabinetry Homecrest maple with French Vanilla finish, Select Kitchen & Bath Design; Countertops Beaumont Cambria, Winsupply; Backsplash WM frosted glass tile in Linen, Bob Madden Carpet & Tile, Inc.; Sink and faucet DXV Hillside farmhouse sink; Moen align-coiled faucet, Winsupply; Appliances Thermador, Appliance Gallery; Audio/video Hanson Audio Video; Home theater furniture Watson’s; Wine room T.R. Dement; Tile installation Tony’s Tub and Tile; Electrical Pure Electric; Plumbing Hein Plumbing LLC; Paint Sherwin-Williams Mindful Gray, Alabaster and Gauntlet Gray
Article by Lee Rhodes/Photos by Daniel Feldkamp
Article originally appeared in Housetrends Dayton – October/November 2019
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