The Perfect Place to Call Home

1 Exquisite European influence also lends its distinctive mark to the front elevation of this Jessamine County home, which boasts a charming portico that serves as a delightful throwback to bygone days, as well as hand laid and cut exterior limestone coping and a total of 3.5 garage spaces.

The Perfect Place

to CallHome

By Kirsten E. Silven Photography by Walt Roycraft

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2 Striking 10-foot arched iron doors take center stage in the inviting entryway, which also features a barrel-vaulted ceiling with a spectacular hand painted and faux mural by Vince and Casey Murray, featuring cheerful clouds floating behind a wrought-iron filigree. The formal dining room lies to the left, just through the arched doorway, which also showcases the home’s extraordinary craftsmanship, with impressive 14-inch walls.

Mike and Laura Kerwin of Kerwin Homes have been building and designing dreams since the late 1980s, but this is the first house they ever created just for themselves to live in and enjoy. Intended to serve as their “forever home,” Mike and Laura have poured so much of themselves into this project (as always), creating a truly exceptional space that will serve their family well for years to come.

“We wanted to have enough room for our four grandsons, family and friends to enjoy,” Laura shared.

Situated on just over one acre in Jessamine County’s Harrod’s Ridge neighborhood, the property backs up to a golf course, offering privacy and abundant bucolic, quintessentially Kentucky views. The Kerwins actually purchased this lot some time ago and saved it for their very own dream home, finally moving in after completing the project late last year.

The house boasts a distinctive European influence, with a charming portico, limestone coping on the exterior, impressive oversized iron doors and a soothing neutral color palette crowned with interwoven tones of silver and gold. Inside, engineered hardwood flooring features the brilliant look and feel of walnut, adding warm undertones throughout, while the total vibe is always elegant, yet also friendly and inviting.

“The rear covered porch, swimming pool and pool house are my own personal favorite features,” Mike shared. “In the mornings, I look forward to enjoying coffee out there while checking emails and going over my day ahead.”

Other smart touches include a cleverly situated office and desk space located in the hallway just off the kitchen—convenient but out of sight—and a lovely laundry room that makes doing chores just a little less burdensome.

“Since I get to spend quite a bit of time in there, I figured the laundry room might as well be functional and pretty!” Laura quipped.

The entry mural—hand painted with faux details on a barrel-vaulted ceiling by Vince and Casey Murray—is also quite stunning, and feels reminiscent of looking up at blue skies through wrought iron-framed windows of a conservatory. Another incredible mural adorns the soaring 14-foot groin-vaulted ceiling in the master suite, which also happens to be one of Laura’s most beloved spaces.

Virtually every inch of this home belies the Kerwin’s impeccable attention to detail—from the 14-inch-thick walls and carefully crafted custom kitchen with its oversized island and ample breakfast nook, to the brilliant use of both gold and silver finishes, the separate pool bath and incredible bespoke architectural details that were skillfully incorporated both inside and out, nothing was left out or forgotten in creating a home that will easily accommodate the entire family for many years to come.

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3 Situated just off the entryway, the formal dining room has a Fine Art chandelier, soaring 12-foot ceilings and a decorative lowered soffit painted a relaxing grey hue with soft green undertones, and a gold foil patterned outline that matches the table’s corner inlay.

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HOME CREDITS š›

Builder: Mike Kerwin Homes Draftsman: M. Bradley Milburn Interior Design: Laura Kerwin Cabinetry: Burns Custom Cabinetry Lighting: Wiseway Supply Appliances/Plumbing: Ferguson Appliances: Pieratt’s Flooring: Howard-Carpenter Murals/Faux Painting: Vince & Casey Murray Tile: Louisville Tile

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4 The beautifully-designed kitchen boasts an oversized island with ample seating for all four of the Kerwin’s grandsons. Visual Comfort lighting in rich gold tones adds warmth and visual interest to the space, while quartz countertops are also carried up the backsplash, and gleaming engineered hardwood flooring that offers the look and feel of walnut works to complete the look. 5 Who says doing laundry has to be boring? Located on the first floor, the delightful laundry room boasts quartz countertops—including above the washer and dryer for additional folding space—along with decorative porcelain tile flooring in a fun, cheerful pattern, and another elegant wrought iron door that leads out to a covered walkway. 6 This charming breakfast nook features a six-top round table and lies just off the kitchen, looking out over an idyllic golf course green. The door just to the left here leads out to an inviting covered porch, while another exit, the pool bath, some convenient office space and an additional bedroom lie through the doorway to the right in this view.

7 A dramatic, 14-foot groin vault ceiling hand painted by Vince and Casey Murray crowns the generous master suite, which lies just off the foyer and also boasts a soothing neutral color palette with plenty of comfy seating and a Fine Art chandelier.

8 The master bath is a study in refined elegance, with spectacular porcelain tile flooring in a refined Calcutta marble look, ample storage space separating two sizable vanities, a walk-in shower, large soaking tub, separate water closet and Fine Art crystal chandelier.

9 Limestone decking, a spa, fountains and a tanning ledge complete with cooling geysers make this more of a backyard oasis than a standard swimming pool, while the pool house and screened-in porch take the home’s outdoor living situation to the next level.

10 Located just off the family room and breakfast nook, the screened-in porch provides the ideal spot to relax and enjoy long summer days with friends and family. This space has ample seating, oversized porcelain tile flooring with a sophisticated marble look, cooling fans and a ceilingmounted TV, with gorgeous views of the inground swimming pool and pool house, which is complete with a BBQ and fireplace.

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