Your home. It’s something you see, experience, and embody every day, yet that consistency is the very thing that can keep you from truly seeing it. Habituation— the decreased response to a stimulus after multiple presentations— often keeps people from appreciating or even noticing their homes. Brett and Kara Phillips are committed to combating that subconscious mentality through designing creative and purposeful spaces that serve as at-home getaways. Their latest project? The WeShed.
Brett and Kara are the founders of High Street Homes, a design-build company based in Texas that works from the ground up in new builds, floor plan development, architectural design, and construction management. They also collaborate with other builders to do architectural design work, which is the story behind how The WeShed came to be. This build took place in Douglas County’s own farm-to-table community, Fox Hill.
House Beautiful Magazine approached the couple about the idea to create an on-property getaway. A home away from home, so to speak. The WeShed is exactly that. It’s a space where married couples can spend intentional time together, an individual can relax with a drink after work, or a parent can have one-on-one time with a child. With amenities like a powder bathroom, wet bar, dishwasher, sink, large multi-purpose space, small fridge, and a closet, the WeShed is fully functional.
“Our goal is to build homes that help people design their every day,” Brett says. “So, we’re really mindful about things like how the light sets and rises on the property, how to create intimacy in a space with lighting, and how a space flows altogether,” Brett says.
These principles were fundamental to the WeShed, which features a skylight and sky cove window that provides additional seating. The windows provide panoramic views of the front range and the 65 acres Fox Hill dedicated to open space initiatives. There is abundant lighting during the daytime and the ability to stargaze once the sun goes down.
Brett is adamant that anyone can utilize the heart behind the WeShed— without building a whole new structure. He encourages rethinking dormant spaces inside one’s home.
“Maybe there’s a bedroom sitting for guests that aren’t coming anymore. Perhaps there’s a different way to turn it into a game room or a work from home space,” Brett suggests. “How can you turn it into an enjoyable space that could function or serve as a place to get away inside of your own home?”
You can read the original article in the February/March issue of House Beautiful Magazine. Or, look for the episode on the entire project on Amazon Prime! (The home that contains the WeShed is available for purchase! Contact Paige and Doug McLaughlin from the RE/MAX Alliance Mile High Living Team for listing information.)
