Housetrends March/April 2017: "Fort Thomas contemporary right on course"

HOUSETRENDS GREATER CINCINNATI

GREATER CINCINNATI | MARCH/APRIL 2017 | HOUSETRENDS.COM | $4.95

FT. THOMAS CONTEMPORARY

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| MARCH/APRIL 2017

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BY AMY HOWELL HIRT | Photos by Robin Victor Goetz/RVGP Inc.

Ft. Thomas family loves the perks of living with an incredible view

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LIVING OFF THE NINTH HOLE of the Highland Country Club comes with certain perks that go beyond a scenic view of the course’s manicured, rolling hills for Kevin David, Cheryl Davis and their three children. When winter finally breaks, there’s plenty of activity to watch, on the course and at the nearby clubhouse and restaurant. With a golf cart path mere feet from their patio, it’s easy for Kevin to hop in his cart and sneak in a few holes. And come summer, their daughters, Brooke and Samantha, can run barefoot to the pool or to get Shirley Temples at the restaurant. F Coming from a nearby Fort Thomas townhome that was feeling cramped with two young daughters and a teenage son, the couple loved the resort-like location but craved more privacy. F With a balance of public and private spaces driving the home’s design, architect Ashli Slawter created a contemporary home that celebrates the front-row site yet incorporates clear divisions between personal and shared square footage.

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A view from the street Even the home’s exterior finishes signal this separation. Designed as “a series of three 3-D masses,” the home’s entertaining-focused center portion is distinguished from the vinyl-clad private wings and garage, Slawter explains. The elevation is taller, and covered in fiber-cement paneling framed in anodized aluminum trim.

Inside, the kitchen, dining room and great room are spacious enough to host parties of over 100 people, with an open floor plan that keeps everyone connected.

“It’s built for entertaining, with great appliances, prep and serving areas,” Davis says. “I’m able to work in the kitchen while still being involved in conversations with family and friends.”

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1 The double and single garage doors have the look of rich hardwood but are strong aluminum. 2 It took about six months for the homeowners and architect to nail down the design and then about a year for their vision to be built. 3 The home’s 180-degree view of the golf course was the primary focus of its design.

4 Four-inch-wide stained oak flooring runs throughout the main living areas.

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Yet these spaces are carefully designed so the family of five doesn’t feel dwarfed.

A modestly sized dining table, for example, pairs with a granite-covered side buffet that caters to larger dinner parties. At the rear of the home, a great room is slightly separated by a fireplace wall and warmed by a wood-paneled accent wall, which plays a crucial role in the home’s design. In the spirit of organic architects like Frank Lloyd Wright, it literally and figuratively separates the home’s primary living area from the private bedroom wing, continuing as an unbroken mass from the front façade to a rear upper deck.

This rooftop perch—and the home in general—is a popular hangout for Kevin and his friends. Slawter strategically designed this section of the home to project beyond the side wings, providing a prime view of the greens, golfers and clubhouse guests. As such, it’s appropriately outfitted for hosting, with an all-weather TV, a comfortable sectional, pub seating, a Perlick refrigerator and kegerator and a built-in humidor, just inside the doorway. So that outdoor soirees don’t disturb the rest of the family, Slawter used an exterior stairwell to further separate this guestfriendly area from the master suite and bedrooms for Brooke and Samantha.

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THE APPLIANCE GUY’S FAVORITE APPLIANCES As the owner of The Appliance Loft in Oakley, Kevin David knows all about the latest and greatest products. So it only seemed appropriate to ask: Which appliances in your home can you not live without?

Miele coffeemaker

5 While Kevin knows the ins and outs of the appliances, Cheryl is actually the cook in the family. 6 A handy beverage station is grouped together on the outside wall of the kitchen, and includes an icemaker (unseen in this photo), a small fridge and a coffee station, plus plenty of storage for glasses. 7 The warm brown palette is neutral with lots of expression in the veining of the quartzite countertops.

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Why he loves it: It’s plumbed so you never have to add water; it grinds beans as you use them (retaining more flavor); and prepares milk froth at the touch of a button.

Perlick ice machine Why he loves it: It’s a clear ice machine, which means a filtration process removes minerals and other impurities as well as air bubbles (so the ice doesn’t have a taste, carbonated drinks don’t fizz up and the ice melts slower); and it always has a supply of fresh ice.

Thermador Pro Grand range Why he loves it: The power of the high-output burners; and the capacity of the extra-deep 36-inch oven.

Thermador column refrigeration Why he loves it: It installs flush with the cabinetry for a sleek appearance, with no grills at the top; and it can be customized to suit your needs (his kitchen has an 18-inch freezer and a 30-inch refrigerator).

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The extension of the home’s central portion also enhances the privacy of the wing situated furthest from the clubhouse. The open kitchen and dining room feel more intimate, tucked behind a covered outdoor porch. On the floor above, the couple’s teenage son, Nate, enjoys his own suite, separate from his sisters and parents.

“While the two younger girls needed to be closer to us, it was important for him to have a space for himself,” Davis says.

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8 On the upper deck, Kevin is ready to spend time with friends and watch the game on an oversized outdoor TV. 9 A covered porch shields a lower-level patio which is concealed by a landscaping buffer. 10 An outdoor stairwell leads from the upper deck to the ground level. 11 Brooke and Samantha enjoy some after school downtime on the upper deck. 12 Cable railings add a contemporary touch to the deck without obstructing the view of the golf course. 13 Perfect for entertaining, the kitchen flows to the eating area, on to a screened porch, then out to an open air deck. “Regardless of the time of day, there seems to always be a breeze,� Cheryl says.

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Following a theme While focusing on privacy, Slawter never lost sight of cohesion, repeating finishes and features to visually extend each space. Indoors and out, all the fireplaces are covered in the same slate tile veneer, and all the staircases have cable railings—with a sealed redwood banister outside that matches the tone of the stained oak used inside. RealSoffit pine paneling covers the great room accent

wall and the ceiling of the covered porch, and coordinates with tongueand-groove cedar on the outdoor wall.

The warmth of these natural finishes balances the home’s cool, contemporary fixtures, gray kitchen cabinetry and industrial accents, creating spaces that feel comfortable for one or 100.

“This really is a home meant for living,” Slawter says.

14 The property was previously owned by the country club and was the site of the tennis courts, so most of the land was level when construction began.

resources

Architect and interior design Ashli Slawter Architecture; Construction managers Homeowner and Ashli Slawter; Appliances Thermador, The Appliance Loft; Cabinetry Cooknee; Countertops Quartzite in Mascavo, Stone Statements; Furniture Voltage and Macy’s; Barstools Voltage; Fireplaces Tate Builder’s Supply & Energy Solutions; Flooring Tile Shop and Floor & Décor; Interior wall paneling RealSoffit, Hellman Lumber; Windows Integrity

by Marvin, Marsh Building Products; Siding Mastic by PlyGem, Marsh Building Products; Garage doors C.H.I. Overhead Doors; Landscaping Dapper Landscape and Design

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