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Getting it Right is SimpleBy Jennifer Bondurant • Photos by Chris Hollaway
On a tour of a house built by Signature Homes, Ashley immediately liked what she saw. According to Ashley, the first plan had the outside look they wanted, but Signature Homes created the changes they needed inside. “Paulette fixed the plan,” Ashley says. The final plans opened up more space and added more detail, an attribute for which Signature Homes is known. “They had gone to homes they liked, then showed me the floor plans,” says Paulette Kreter, design/project coordinator for Signature Homes. “The emphasis was on the great room and the kitchen. We added touches such as the high ceilings and the windows looking out the back.” The Woods’ 4,600-square-foot residence includes five bedrooms and three bathrooms. The house feels spacious and open but not overwhelming; every space is well-used. The Woods, who will celebrate their seventh anniversary in May 2010, say they were involved with the construction from start to finish. Ashley and Steven knew some of the basics they wanted: eye-catching ceilings, granite countertops, dark cabinetry, bold color on the walls and huge windows in the back of the house. The floor-to-ceiling windows give the couple a beautiful rolling view of the wooded valley behind the house. A dry-stack, cultured stone fireplace in the great room complements the natural scene just outside the windows and holds special importance for Ashley. Her grandfather Larry Huffman, a rock mason from Versailles, built the fireplace.
Ashley worked with Signature Homes’ Angie Zimmerman on the home’s interior design. The uncluttered, clean décor makes it easy to appreciate the home’s details, such as bamboo floors — pre-finished in cherry — underfoot in the great room. Granite countertops in dark chocolate accented by silver flakes and moody blues stand next to stainless steel Frigidaire appliances in the kitchen. On the square kitchen table, a simple pot of faux green grass adds a touch of color. Ashley says most of the decorative elements came from Pier 1 Imports, Hobby Lobby and TJ Maxx. “You just have to go out and shop all the time,” she says about finding the right pieces. She says she’s been collecting pieces since she was married and brought them together in the new home.
Wide white trim and Mission-style doors add clean lines to Ashley’s décor choices, which are eclectic but connected through their subdued tones. Elements such as fleur de lis add a European touch, while Buddha-inspired artwork adds a multicultural dimension. A leopard rug and bedspread decorate a guest bedroom. Ashley says they got rid of a lot when they moved and scaled down to achieve the look she wanted. Resource ListDate built: Summer 2009 |
  
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Building a house is a lot like getting married. If you aren’t sure about it, you shouldn’t do it. So on the day before the contractor was scheduled to begin building their new home, when Ashley Woods woke up and said the floor plan wasn’t the one for them, Ashley and her husband, Steven, decided to pull the plug. A feeling that the builder didn’t quite have the plans in tune with what they wanted prompted Ashley to suggest they stop construction and go with a different builder.
Ashley’s father, Phillip Porter of Porter Visser Concrete Construction, also contributed his handiwork to the building project. Steven, employed by DirecTV, focused on his “baby” — the theater room in the home’s lower level. A 12-foot movie screen anchors one end of the long room. At the other end, theater seating vibrates in accordance with the sound, and a raised platform creates a convenient spot for the entertainment equipment.
“I like the simplistic, uncluttered look,” Ashley says.