Cooking Light 2006 FitHouse

Peaceful Porch

Listen to the birds sing as you relax on the bed swing in the screened porch located adjacent to the master bedroom suite. It is a custom-built duplicate of the original found at the Serenbe Bed & Breakfast and holds a twin-sized mattress. A quilt adds country comfort and style to the solid, practical teak furnishings. A fan provides a cooling breeze on warmer days.

Architect John Tee calls the spacious covered deck along the back of the house an "outdoor family room," and it's easy to imagine guests at a gathering walking onto it from the house. The feature makes the house feel larger and handsomely integrated into its landscape. One the opposite end of the deck is the outdoor kitchen.

Great Ideas for Task Rooms

The full basement features separate pet, exercise, and recreation rooms. The pet room makes grooming and cleanup convenient with a sealed glazed cement floor, corrugated galvanized aluminum wainscoat encircling the room, and a specialized faux slate and porcelain pet shower that can also be used for watering plants. A simple wall faucet above a galvanized sink on top of a barrel adds to the rustic style.

On rainy days, the exercise room with treadmill, elliptical trainer, weights set, and bench will help keep any exercise program on track. An adjacent full bathroom and laundry room allow a busy owner to clean up quickly. On sunny days, head to the network of hiking and biking trails behind the house.

Place for Pursuits

The second floor studio, a place to showcase creative talents, is a main feature of the house. Here, the room is used for textiles and fashion design. Simple, practical shelves hold jars and baskets that organize tools and materials for easy access. A reclaimed bin from a nearby textile mill once again holds bolts of fabric. The sturdy trestle work table is actually a reproduction farm table originally intended for dining.

Hangar doors made from Spanish cedar open to a balcony above the first floor. They slide on barn rollers attached to an unfinished pine beam, a bold design feature in sync with the region's farming heritage. The second floor ceiling is stained pine, which imparts warmth to the space below.