The finishing touch
Exterior elements lend inviting character

THE MIDAS TOUCH turns everything into gold. A touch of grey symbolizes aging gracefully. Both are hues of beauty, but only finishing touches can complete a look.

In Design Home 2008, finishing touches have added another layer of personal expression to the architecture, floor plan, interior woodwork, windows, and walls. They’re subtleties that help make what some might consider a showcase home into more of a relaxed stomping ground for an active family.

For example, soft, contemporary styles were chosen for door levers, styles that make a visual impact without overwhelming the eye. In rooms where more of a splash was in order, Modern Hardware secured custom-fused glass knobs from a local artist. A love of nature inspired the homeowners to choose knobs made of rock for the kitchen.

Beyond hardware, softer touches radiate through- out the home. Reed-patterned insets in the doors leading to the master bedroom and taupe- and slate-colored porcelain tiles in the master bath adhere to the family’s fondness for nature.

“Fresh ideas for capturing that look throughout the main living areas, like the living room floor and kitchen backsplash, and extending it into the most private of places, like the showers, is what we worked on with interior designer Rick Whallon,” said Tom Anschuetz, who owns Certified Tile.

Of course, the home’s ambiance could achieve closure only with the proper lighting. And with the outdoor living space in plain view of most of the home’s main rooms, fixtures and bulbs chosen had to be the perfect yin to the glow of the fire pit’s yang.

Again, subtlety was required. Final verdict? The achieved aesthetic feels natural and minimal, while leaving a maximum impression.

Design
Home 2008