The Lane County Home Builder's Association Tour of Homes in 2006 brought a lot of interesting projects to the forefront. With Bob Heitstuman, Oregon Estates, SSD Luxury Homes, and Joseph Ariola building top notch show homes, we were glad to be apart of this year's Tour. Our sub-partners answered the call this year, and we thank them for the dedication and contributions on the home. We also thank 5000+ individuals that toured our home!
The DC Fine Homes tour home for 2006 is "The Serenity", which was formulated to bring a European look to a soothing and relaxing themed residence. It is nestled on a 25,000 square foot lot in the prestigious Braewood Hills subdivision, and has city and mountain views along with a private forested conservation zone for a backyard. The home is 2830 square feet, and includes a large 3-bay garage with pass through.
For this project, the focus was to include a carefully designed landscape to go along with the exterior of the home, and it is apparent this was accomplished from the moment you arrive. Thanks to a big effort from Rexius and a generous donation of block by Keystone Corporation, the front and back yards are terraced to provide some dimension and height. Mature trees, an arbor and plaid-panel fences, landscape lighting, flagstones, a 3 tier fountain in the front yard, a fountain in the back, a built in fire pit, gas lanterns, and stamped concrete all add together to provide a unique outdoor environment.
The home has a hand-textured Stucco on the front and main side of the home, along with a large amount of castle stone to give the home some European character. The front entry is of slated concrete, and has a decorative wrought-iron railing on both sides of the walkway. The leaded glass mahogany door gives a feeling of elegance and substance.
As for the interior of the home, it welcomes you with a marble mural in the floor and a fused glass waterfall in the front foyer. Hand scraped cherry floors, travertine, and marble were all used in the flooring of the home, providing a feel of luxury and Italian styling. Neutral colors, cherry wood working, columns and archways help provide a sense of warmth and welcome. And, to finish off the Tuscan décor, the cabinets were crafted out of rustic cherry, decorative wrought-iron railing and rubbed oil bronze hardware are prominent throughout, and an assortment of granite, travertine, and marble counters and backsplash are perfect compliments to the style.
For the main-level master suite, a space for refuge and escape was created. The bathroom turns into a sensory sanctuary with the Kohler Overflow Chromatherapy tub, complete with a wall-filler and hand-held remote. The master bath also includes a two-headed marble shower and a limited edition 23" Philips Miravision television. To maximize space in the master bedroom, a cherry entertainment mantle was built, complete with a hidden electronic component space, a raised fireplace, and a 32" lcd t.v. To maximize closet space, the cherry wood closet pack is a well designed combination of shelves, hanging space, and built in cabinets to provide ample storage.
The kitchen isn't the largest, but it definitely provides the right amount of space. The cabinets go from floor to ceiling, and give the kitchen a grand feel. By adding a balance of effective storage, smart pull outs, large pantry space, and nice room for display items, the kitchen provides it all. As for appliances in this year's tour home, the choice was the Electrolux Professional series. In addition to the standard dishwasher, range and vent hood, microwave, and refrigerator, the kitchen also has a built-in coffee maker for added convenience.
If you want to have a balanced space of entertainment and function, the upstairs areas will not disappoint. In addition to the two bedrooms and a roomy bathroom, the upstairs includes a flexible loft space with a reading area, a lounge, and a complete theater with a 103" electronic screen and high-definition projector. Built-ins are abound in these areas, with a custom entertainment center, dvd rack, bookshelf, convertible entertainment/desk station, and wet bar.
To transform the home into a convenient and technologically sound residence, a centralized media feature to house all dvd's, mp3's, and digital pictures for utilization of any of these files at any time, in any room was included. Along with this feature, 6 areas of sound with individual keypads, a finished security system with keypads, a closed circuit t.v. network with 2 color cameras, and a central vacuum system was also installed. In addition to the theater screen and lcd in the master bathroom, the lounge has a 15" lcd tv and the kitchen houses a 9" fold down lcd tv.
To provide some flair this year, a local Fused Glass Artist, Leaded Glass Artist, Copper Artist, and Faux Finisher were enlisted to add their unique products to the home. The leaded glass added an elegant detail to the rustic cherry cabinets in the kitchen, as well as the built-in hutch in the dining. Fused glass was a staple in this home, as the water feature, illuminated powder sink, and glass sconces and pendants in the entertaining rooms were a major topic of conversation. The copper provided the perfect backdrop to the water feature, and the faux painting provided an intimate feel to the dining room. The faux painting also provided an aged look to the columns in the grand entrance of the theater.
If you weren't able to discover all of the elements described first hand, please view our photo galley. Please look for us next year, as our 2007 Tour Home will be in the Summit Terrace neighborhood in the Southwest Hills. You won't want to miss it!
--Dan Cooper
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