From House To Home

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Most people live in their homes, but Marty and Joe Keefe of Alcoa have surrounded themselves with comfort and style both indoors and out. Their home doesn’t stop at the door. Instead, a large backyard living space extends the footprint and the definition of “under roof” to include the spa-like setting of their poolside retreat.

Having moved from a large home with cathedral ceilings, they ventured into uncharted territory with traditional 10-foot ceilings and an open floor plan, which connects the kitchen with the living room and main eating area. The lower ceilings and easy circulation help establish what Marty calls a “warm, homey” ambiance.

An easily accessible patio deck features a heated saltwater pool, a pool house, lovely cedar gazebo, and a perfectly polished open-air living room complete with an outdoor hearth.

The building project began last summer as the family came to terms with the sudden and unexpected death of Marty’s mother. Throughout the process, they made connections with local designers and craftspeople who joined forces to make sure the finished home offered sanctuary and a new start.

Builder Jason Wilson of JW Homes was flexible enough to design certain areas of the home even as construction progressed. In the master bath, for example, he developed a much more open layout that is in keeping with the ambiance of a Caribbean casa. The huge jetted tub is framed by a walk-in shower with glass front that showcases the intricate tile work throughout.

Interior designer Wendy Tittsworth of Just So Paint & Decorating came into the project at just the right moment. It was she who recommended the mother-son team of Chriss and Christopher Hardy, The Painted Room, whose faux-finish work makes the decorative palette such a success. Almost every surface is finished with beautiful combinations of color and shape. Coffered ceilings are inset with metallic washes. Cabinet-grade benches, bookcases, and built-ins were painted and fauxed to give each one a classic appeal. A damask finish in Marty’s home office features a dark base coat with translucent glazing, and hand-painted filigrees lend a feminine touch in the master suite.

As work progressed, a second decorator, Kimberly Madgett, joined the talented group. As a longtime friend, Madgett’s support was both personal and professional. She streamlined the decision-making process and put her stamp on almost every room of the finished home.

In the outdoor living room, she helped design the fireplace that Wilson incorporated into the blueprint. Here, the furnishings are not just comfortable and inviting, but they’re also durable and weather resistant. The hearth is river stone with a brick mantel. Pony walls enclose the space while still allowing air to circulate freely. Stamped, stained concrete around the entire area gives the look of oversized slate. And it was Clinton florist Sam Franklin who added the finishing touches that make the space as elegant as any indoor living room.

The home features six bedrooms on three levels, and each one is beautifully finished. Above the garage, a large bonus room includes a bedroom, bath, and sitting area. Guest rooms, where Marty chose a white wicker theme and finished with antique baby dolls and Barbie collectibles, are decorated for overnight visits from the couple’s nieces. The master suite glows with the warm tones of the exotic tigerwood, which runs throughout the main level. In the lower level, a girl’s room is finished with giant painted “bubbles” intersected with inspiring words.

In addition to the home’s easy circulation, a regulation half-court basketball area, a beautiful backyard pool, and a game room on the lower level help establish inviting areas for everybody, including guests. “We wanted to have a home where the kids felt welcome—not just our kids, but everybody’s,” explains Marty.

Clearly, this home building project not only honors the talented contribution of a variety of artisans but also the idea that family comes first. And having endured a personal heartache, which almost grounded the project before it began, Marty is grateful for all the support she received. She says losing her mom “changed our lifestyle completely” and offers this sage advice: “Live every day like it’s your last because you just don’t know.”