If you can get past the infinity pool leading to an incredible sunset view on Lake Norman, the gorgeous spiral staircase accessorized with a baby grand piano, and the spacious chef’s kitchen that beckons you to stop in for a meal or a glass of something and a chat, you’re in for a surprise.
This beautiful 8,400-square foot new construction home designed from the ground up by Kathryn Lilly Interiors had one very important set of priorities in mind: Everything needed to comply with ADA, or the American Disabilities Act.
“This is a home that they can age in place,” says Leah Kleynen, who was lead designer on the project. “It’s handicap accessible.”
That means in addition to featuring a show-stopping spiral staircase with a stunning Elk chandelier of feather-shaped glass, the house has an elevator. It’s tucked discreetly behind a hidden panel in the arched hallway between the stairway and the kitchen. The house has a separate wing for a potential caregiver, with its own entrance and kitchen. The two ovens and the microwave in the main kitchen were installed where they could be open and closed from the height of a wheelchair. All of the electrical outlets throughout the house are two feet off the ground, and the shower in the owners' bath is zero entry, meaning it’s even with the floor.
But if you’re invited in to visit, or just happen to be gazing at photographs of it, all of the practical necessities become footnotes in the design of this lovely home on the south side of Lake Norman. Together with the talents of Kathryn Lilly Interiors, a firm Jody Kurtz founded that reaches clients in Lake Norman, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk and other mountain communities, this couple is showing exactly how beautiful retirement living can be.
“They don't have any children, but they love to entertain,” Kleynen says. “They have a huge church community. People will come over, and they're entertaining anywhere from 30 to 50 people at a time.”
The homeowners’ favorite blue and white color palette extends through much of the living space. One of the unique features of the spacious living room is the arched paneled inserts in the living room which were custom designed by Kleynen. Two white floating bookshelves are anchored against a grasscloth Thibaut wallpaper called Fine Harvest in Midnight Blue. Below the shelves are a matching set of curved white cabinets with oversized flower hardware from Curry & Company.
Another unique feature of the living room is dark hardwood installed on the vaulted ceiling to match the dark hardwood flooring by Curated Surfaces, Inc.
“We told her with all the natural light from the windows and all the white walls, it’s really not going to close the space in,” Kleynen says. “We had to push her on that a little bit, but she loves it.”
The custom kitchen they designed for this home includes a quartz backsplash and two glass-front cabinets so the homeowner can display china passed down by her grandparents. She wanted a nook for cookbooks and a pot filler water dispenser behind the stove for easy access while cooking.
She specifically asked for a scullery, or working pantry, in a room off of the kitchen. It includes its own dishwasher, refrigerator, sink and warming drawer that can be closed off with a frosted glass swinging pantry door, so if the homeowners cater an event, servers can work behind the scenes. The dark blue cabinetry and white countertops of the main kitchen continue into the scullery, which makes its own statement in a blue and white floral Schumacher wallpaper.
The homeowner also asked for a serving bar between the dining room and the kitchen, an area with built-in cabinets to store her fine china, silver and table linens. Another Schumacher wallpaper accents the area.
One of the most important elements of any lake house is the outdoor space. This covered porch offers the best of indoor and outdoor living, complete with phantom screens that rise at the touch of a button and warmth from heaters hanging from the porch ceiling. The area is perfect for entertaining large groups as it comes complete with multiple grills, a table and chairs for eating and four swivel chairs, and a coffee table by Universal Furniture.
The cooking area includes space for a Big Green Egg grill, which the homeowners requested. The countertop and backsplash were finished in a natural Steel Grey granite with a leathered texture made by Art of Stone that allows easy cleanup. The grill hood is wrapped in cedar shingles to continue the Nantucket style of the rest of the home’s exterior.
The homeowners wanted to bring that welcoming atmosphere indoors too, so they asked Kleynen to create a custom media room where they could entertain large groups. The homeowners took their inspiration from a restaurant they visited in Columbia, Md., called Cured 18th & 21st. The cocktail lounge has bench seating with the backs upholstered up to the ceiling. To create the look the homeowners wanted, a windowed wall was reframed to install a banquette with a back to the ceiling. Kleynen chose tufted blue velvet fabric to coordinate with the Sherwin-Williams Tempe Star color on the wall. Guests can sit at the banquette, on a sectional couch, or at high bar seating at a wet bar overlooking the lake.
“We brought that cocktail lounge to them,” Kleynan says.