Inspiration House 2022

Written by Amelia Jeffers

Nth Degree Companies’ 2022 Inspiration House was built in 1991 by acclaimed custom home builder Kevin Knight, and though Knight homes are known for a lasting quality of materials and design, the Nth Degree team found a number of opportunities to make updates throughout the home that yielded dramatic results. Nth Degree founder Neal Hauschild (boasting an unbelievable professional resume that includes practicing attorney, Realtor, broker, and self-taught interior designer with a master’s in engineering from Duke) saw potential in the nearly five-acre property: he loved the way the house sat on the wedge-shaped parcel and the almost treehouse-like experience of its setting, but its previous design didn’t translate to modern luxury lifestyle. By the time Hauschild and his team were done with the space, however, nearly every surface had been touched or replaced.

Walls were removed to create a dramatic entrance with full views to the deep woods behind.

To renovate the house at 1080 Brookhouse Lane, Nth Degree took the house down to the studs. They added new flooring and drywall, replacing the trim and doors to add the perfect touches to the space. The previous floor plan had endured decades of luxury living, but Hauschild’s team reconfigured spaces to improve the flow and add a home office, finishing some spaces and adding new ones to expand the house’s footprint as close to the creek as possible.

The sprawling home is nestled into the woods, but not isolated from area amenities.

The 2022 Inspiration House is part of a yearly series by Nth Degree, in which the group renovates and sells a home with a portion of the proceeds benefiting a non-profit. The series allows Hauschild and his team to blend their passion and talents with a heart for philanthropy, and this year’s Inspiration House Gala raised money for Student Success Stores. Previous galas have fundraised for the New Albany Symphony, and Nth Degree has created five total Inspiration Houses, but this year was the first event since the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Held March 26, the 2022 gala offered guests a chance to preview the house and enjoy drinks and hors d'oeuvres, ultimately raising $10,000.

White walls and finishes are far less stark when warmed up by the natural surroundings and highlighted by pops of jeweltones.

Nestled in a wooded area of Gahanna and complete with massive windows to gaze out on the foliage, the house is the epitome of luxury and relaxation. Set back from a cul-de-sac on Brookhouse Lane, it fits the natural setting well. Rocky Fork Creek bubbles through the backyard, visible from the family room, and Hauschild took advantage of the water by expanding the home closer to the creek. The property’s views are truly stunning, an oasis of greenery in the middle of the suburbs.

Opting for a snug primary bedroom, the designers optimized the suite with several very useful transition spaces.

The house is not ostentatious, but in true Nth Degree fashion, elegance and luxury abound throughout. The great room is open and centralized, and the back of the house is primarily glass, allowing for maximum light and airiness even as the tree-covered backyard maintains the highest level of privacy. Clean lines and angles add a crispness to the home that is matched by its soaring ceilings and large-format porcelain tiles that make the home feel bright and airy while a myriad of quartz and granite surfaces by Lang Stone feel decadent.

Even rooms without windows, like this lower level family room, are artfully designed to feel light and open.

With a total of six bedrooms – three on the main level and three in the walkout below – and seven bathrooms, the home sprawls across more than 6,000 square feet.

Formerly a negative space in the exterior architecture, the office resolved a number of tricky floorplan issues and offers a beautiful transition to the primary suite.

In the primary bedroom, a gorgeous bed created by Christopher Guy features hand-carved birds nestled on the headboard. The room feels open, outfitted with a floating fireplace and plenty of windows, but a sitting room and partial wall add a sense of intimacy to the space that separates it from the rest of the home. Previously, the space just before the sitting room was concave, almost a hollow in the exterior of the home, but Hauschild’s team enclosed it to create an office and a more private entry to the primary bedroom. Within the primary suite, a bathroom dripping with marble leads from the double-sink vanity to a stunning standalone bathtub situated between two large windows and a massive marbled shower. A covetable and truly spacious walk-in closet created from what was previously a bedroom also graces the primary suite, complete with a washer and dryer, custom cabinetry, and its own island.

A cozy family room sits behind the kitchen and is surrounded by windows on all sides. Walls were skillfully retained in order to buffer formal spaces from more functional rooms while maintaining a feeling of open airiness. Elements like skylights were retained and incorporated into a fresh and luxurious kitchen.

The main kitchen is truly massive, and it stuns with its double refrigerator and built-in wine cooler set behind a large island. Thick lines of color run through the quartz countertop, coordinating gorgeously with the richness of the wood flooring. Sliding glass doors open the kitchen up to a walk-out deck overlooking the creek that is perfect for entertaining or lounging in the warmer months.

Out back, a sprawling deck wraps around the side of the house to allow for unfettered views of the natural backyard with access from both upper and lower levels. The home’s lower level accommodates entertainment as well as additional bedrooms; an additional kitchen features a bar where guests and family alike can sit and enjoy food and one another’s company, and the recreation room opens with glass doors to the stone-paved patio and paths in the backyard.

Every inch of both floors feels on-trend and upscale. Hauschild and Nth Degree Companies spared no detail on the home, from built-in appliances to sleek trims to a micro-beaded chandelier hanging in the stairwell. The result is a perfect multi-generational home that is built for timeless style, plenty of privacy, and ultimate luxury. As the real estate and construction industries have contracted in response to national and global factors, it comes as no surprise that this talented team is experiencing explosive growth.

*To view a comprehensive gallery of “before” and additional “after” photos, visit sophisticatedlivingcolumbus.com/inspirationhouse.