LIVING SPACES
By Nancy Peevy | Photos by Chadwick Turner
A Family Home Built for Boys, Dogs and Long Summer Days
Tucked down a long, quiet driveway on more than 20 acres of countryside, this house was designed for family, with kids and dogs at the heart of the floor plan and grandparents just 150 yards away.
Anytime they want, the homeowners’ two young sons can hop on their little electric off-road utility vehicle and take the driveway over to their grandparents’ house. “We say, ‘Go see Grandma and Grandpa,’ and they hop in there and cruise over,” the homeowner said.
There’s so much in the home that says the homeowners’ children are important. For instance, a water bottle filler is mounted at kid height for easy access. A Lego table sits on one side of the sunroom for the boys to play on while they all hang out. An oversized fridge in the kitchen is full of favorite foods, and the double islands allow room for food prep and plenty of room to entertain friends and family.
In the downstairs playroom there are plenty of drawers and cubbies for toys, bookcases, and a cushioned window seat under a large window. A large, detailed map of the world graces the wall, marked with places the family has been such as Maine, Quebec City, London, and Turks and Caicos.
“We thought it was really cute, and we wanted the boys to learn all the different parts of the world and places where we go,” the homeowner said.
In the playroom upstairs, the homeowners added an inflatable bounce house the boys can turn on any time.
The movie room, with surround sound, is always ready for family movie nights. Classic movie posters for “Tombstone,” “The Godfather,” “Jaws,” “The Shining,” “Jurassic Park,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and “Top Gun” hang on the wall.
“I wanted to be the place that our kids wanted to stay and their friends wanted to come over instead of going somewhere else,” the homeowner said. “I wanted it to feel elevated but still homey, where everybody can just kick off their shoes and be comfortable here. That meant having all the different fun factors like the playroom, the bounce house upstairs, and a great big yard and a lot of room to play.”
At the back of the house, the family enjoys the screened-in porch all year round, using the fan for hot days and the propane heater for cold ones.
“The screened-in porch is something we did for the family too,” the homeowner said. “We like to eat dinners out here on the dining table. We also like to watch Red Sox baseball or Arkansas football out there. Most recently we’ve had thunderstorms coming through, and we like to sit out there with the boys and listen to the thunder coming in.”
An outdoor kitchen with a grill, refrigerator and sink allows the homeowner to grill meat while keeping an eye on the pool and be part of the conversations going on outside.
The family’s beloved dogs can often be found lounging around the pool. They enjoy the run of the yard and the house, which was also designed with them in mind. In the laundry room, a pot filler over the built-in dog bowls allows for easy water refills, and the multi-option shower in the pool bath has half walls that make it easy to shower off dogs — or kids — after an afternoon in the pool or playing outside.
The homeowners built the house after six years of living in Maine. Tired of the long winters, they wanted more sunshine and outdoor time for their sons. They moved into the house in fall 2024.
The house blends memories of their time in Maine and features paintings of Maine landscapes and furniture crafted in the Pine Tree State.
“The artwork is really special because they were hand-painted by people in Maine,” the homeowner said. “Some are probably 30 years old or more. They’re not winter paintings because that’s something we don’t miss. They’re beautiful spring, summer or fall paintings, and that’s the best time to go to Maine.”
Lee Scarlett and Alex Keck with Celtic Custom Homes built the house, and the homeowners are really pleased with their work.
“From looking at their portfolio, we knew that they built really nice homes and that they had a great team,” the homeowner said. “And communicating with all the subs, Alex and Lee — they were on top of it. They were a wonderful team to work with. If we wanted to make a change, they were so nice about it.”
Scarlett and Keck understood the homeowners’ vision “to build a home that took advantage of the far-off mountain views as well as a home that fit their growing family,” Scarlett said. “We worked with their designer and our draftsman to achieve a sprawling estate home that is mostly one-story. The bedrooms, gym, offices and playroom are all on the main floor. Their kids are young, and they wanted a home to reflect a young-family lifestyle.”
At first the home’s location was a challenge due to it being on more than 100 acres of undeveloped land, Scarlett said, but not for long. “It turned out amazing and is a one-of-a-kind estate to last a lifetime and beyond,” he said. “We also built their parents’ home next door and — between the pool, fishpond and private gated drive that extends almost a half mile — it’s truly a family compound worthy of the name.”
Home Pros Used:
Appliances: Metro Appliances & More
Builder/Contractor: Celtic Custom Homes
Cabinets: Verser Cabinets
Countertops: Gunn Granite Company
Décor/Furnishings: Pottery Barn
Doors: Quality Millwork
Electronics/Wiring/Alarm System: DES
Fixtures/Tile: Builders FirstSource
Flooring: Builders FirstSource; Mullican Castillian Coastal Fog wood floors
Garage Doors: Elite Garage Door
HVAC: Armor Heating & Air
Masonry/Bricks: Acme Brick
Plumbing/Fixtures: Plumb Perfect
Pool/Pool Service: Burton Pools & Spas
Shower Doors: Little Apple Inc.
Windows: Pella
Additional Vendors: Stone fireplace surrounds by Newton Brown
