As most of you know, after eleven large renovations and two new builds, we finally got to build our first home from the bottom up for ourselves. It has been a family affair as Bentley is the builder, Jenna is the architect, I am the designer and Noah is everything tech!
I have shown bits and pieces of our home in various blogs, but I learned recently it was best to have a tour of our whole home in one location on your blog when your niche is home design. So welcome to a home tour of our Hampton style home!!!
Let’s start first with a little history…
The Dream
Many years ago, I had a dream that I lived in a white or light grey house up on a hill. I can still see that dream vividly. I asked my mother-in-law if she thought it meant something and she told me the dreams that stick with you are sent to you by God. The whole feel of the dream was so comforting and peaceful so I was content to see what it meant.
The Movie
Have you seen the movie “Something’s Gotta Give” with Jack Nicholoson and Diane Keaton? If not, you must – you will love it. If you have, do you remember the house? Well, it is what introduced me to Hampton style homes and I fell in love.
The shingle exteriors with swooping roofs, big verandas, lots of windows and french doors, warm interiors filled with loads of bookcases, and always set on a dune overlooking the ocean. That in my mind was as close as I could get to heaven on Earth.
To learn more about the house from the movie, click this link where you will find all sorts of photos and information.
That style of house matched my dream. It was starting to come together!
So when it came time for us to build, I chose a “modernized” shingle styled home with lots of peaks, windows and glass doors, a big covered veranda and yes it is set high up on a hill overlooking a large body of water.
If you would like to read about the beginning of Sweet Valley Acres and choosing the location, just click this link.
The Property
The property consists of 5 acres of very rocky hillside that had been devastated in the 2003 firestorm that swept across Kelowna, BC. It backs onto Okanagan Mountain Park. Many people assisted in tree planting after the fires and I am not sure if they just planted near streams or if only the trees near streams survived but wherever you see green, that is the location of a stream.
As you can see if the photo above, we have two streams that run down either side of our property. They are called Tributary 1 and 2 of Varty Creek. We only see what in them during the spring but I am so very grateful for them as they provide us with beautiful green trees rather than just barren rock.
Here is a bit closer view of our property.
At the very top of our property is the area that we built as a venue for our daughter’s wedding. If you want to read about all that we did, just click here.
Below that is our home, green house and yard.
And below our home is simply our driveway that was chisselled into solid rock, in some places as deep as 25 feet.
The driveway is about 750 feet long.
Look how dramatic is looks at night all lit up.
Below is a photo of the entrance to our driveway and we did extensive rock work to hold 2 retaining ponds on the right side. We had to build these retaining ponds because in the spring prior to having a paved driveway, the water overflow the creek, rush down our driveway and push mud and gravel out onto the street.
Over the years, Bentley has fine tuned the driveway with ditches on either side filled with chunky gravel. Finally this year, we were able to pave the driveway and there have been no issues since!
I have always wanted a tree lined driveway and we have many maples planted along the edges that turn a fiery red in the fall. They are so beautiful.
The Exterior
We didn’t have the budget to be as sprawling as the home in the movie so ours is a condensed version. Believe me, if I could have replicated the movie house I would have, but we had to blast our build site so we had to layer the floors rather than spread them out. As well, I had to take my family’s likes into consideration too so this is a combination of everyone’s wants.
The home is clad in James Hardie HardieShingle in Light Mist which is a light grey with a hint of blue. I love it that as the brightness of the day changes, so does the color of the shingles. Sometimes they look grey or almost white and other times they look light blue. For a person like myself who loves change, this was the perfect color for our home.
Trim color is a basic white from Benjamin Moore (satin finish).
As you can see in the photo below, we did incorporate the big covered decks I wanted for our door dining and relaxing. It is so nice to have dry furniture and to not have to cover it up whenever it rains. We leave our furniture out year round.
In the photo below, you can see the lookout, which is at the very top of our home. It is a small room accessed only by a ladder but the 360 degree views are amazing.
The evening view is so dramatic.
Infinity Edge Pool
Believe it or not, we built this pool all by ourselves! It was a huge job but we use it extensively.
It is 45 feet long, 15 feet wide, tiled with glass mosaic tiles and has full width steps in the shallow end and two in the deep end that people like to sit on.
I love how the water cascades over the mosaic tiled infinity edge wall and captures the last bits of the sunset.
The pool is surrounded in white concrete. This is very unusual for our area as we do not have access to white sand or white aggregate so we had to buy white powder that was added to the concrete by hand. It did not come out as white as I wanted or as solidly white as I wanted but it was close enough.
The pool deck never gets hot and that is great for walking on!
One of my favorite things is how it captures the reflection of sunsets.
Shoppable link for blue and white inner tubes just click here.
Sunken Fire Pit
We also have a sunken fire pit. We did this for a few reasons:
It is very windy in our area so sinking this seating area in a sheltered area is a must.
I did not want the sight lines from our living room to be impeded with seating so a sunken seating area accomplished that requirement.
It just looks cool!
But look how the pool blends seemlessly with the lake!!!
Covered Deck Areas
When I dreamt about living in our home, I pictured lots of outdoor dining. I also loved the beach house style of life and thought a pass thru window and bar would be perfect. Unfortunately, I designed the window a little large and we had to get these specialized shocks to be able to lift and retract the window.
We love eating outdoors so this outdoor dining table is used from early spring through fall, breakfast, lunch and dinner!
This photo was taken pre railing stage. As you will see in upcoming photos, we went with cable railings. We could have gone with glass but I have a very healthy group of birds that I feed so I did not want any of them being injured or killed by flying into glass railings. We went with black railings because black is best to fade into the view and not stand out. I did not want anything impeding the view!
Shoppable links below – just click on product:
We also sit out on this sofa just about every evening from spring to fall. You will even find me out here bundled up in a jacket with a blanket in the winter. We have overhead Infratech heaters above the dining table and the sofa (6000 watts each).
Can you blame me with views like this?
I must not forget to add Bentley’s favorite spot – his hot tub!!! I say “his” because we purchased this right at the beginning of the build to be a place where Bentley could restore his weary body after working so hard.
Gates
I designed these gates and Bentley built them. They provide a little enclosure to save my plants from the deer and to save Mia from the coyotes.
We also have these antique iron gates which I purchased from an estate sale almost 30 years ago. They went through the Okanagan Mountain Fire with us and were burnt badly.
Entrances
This is actually our back door, where our family enters. I find that often back doors are forgotten or very plain but I wanted it to be welcoming so we designed this arch roof with giant corbels.
An old fashioned light and mail box plus two old urns complete the look.
When it came to our front door, I had my heart crushed. This is what I wanted (taken from my inspiration board)…
This is what I got.
So you may be thinking it is quite close, but I really liked the thinness of the frame and muntin bars on the ones above. There were two reasons we could not do that:
1) We are in a very cold climate and those thin frames would not stand up to our cold temperatures.
2) The door is 8 feet tall and for structural integrity and to pass our building code it needed to have a handle activated multi point locking system.
Don’t get me wrong, it is still a gorgeous door and it achieves the combination of traditional with modern flare that I was looking for.
Living Room
Our living room is two stories high as we wanted to capture the view. I am a ground to sky type of girl – I want to see it all so I didn’t want it chopped up and only fully viewable from outside.
Shoppable links for products below:
The fireplace is also floor to ceiling and features real rock. Each and every stone was hand placed by Bentley and Jenna.
Bentley built the floating shelves and cabinets flanking the fireplace. They have been lifesavers for storing so much home decor.
We did not want a typical catwalk that is drywalled underneath so Bentley got two i-beams to form the base and sides and finished the underside in stained wood.
I love this feature because it is unexpected and brings a modern, industrial vibe to the room.
Clearly, I am eclectic but I believe that different design elements can be brought together cohesively.
Rustic Luxury & Hampton Style
Recently I was told that my style is a new emerging style that is called “Rustic Luxury”. It features rooms that are large and not cluttered so they are easy to move around – like luxurious homes. Sophisticated elements (hardwood, marble, cashmere) are paired with raw and natural elements (warm concrete, plants, dried grasses). Neutrals and muted tones are also key.
My design style does fit into rustic luxury but I also feel that I have a very coastal/beach/Hampton vibe happening. I love the water views and have incorporated coastal touches such as marine decor, white pottery, shells, hints of blue, etc.
I am not one to be hemmed in by one design style. If it flows and feels good then I am happy!
If you are looking for designer tips for summer decorating, I was recently featured in an article by RentBlog along with a bunch of other designers. Click here to check out all the amazing tips!
Kitchen
Clean lines, white and more white, lots of storage and space to move around were all key to designing our kitchen.
To achieve a bright and airy atmosphere, the ceilings on the main floor are 10 feet high. The other two floors have 9 foot ceilings but as you will see later, our kids bedrooms both have vaulted ceilings so in those areas they are 14 feet high.
We are a busy family, so we decided on a minimum of 4 feet wide aisles in the kitchen so that we can easily get by each other.
These water glass pendants have definitely been a hit!
Shopping link for pendants, just click here.
Shopping link for island chairs, just click here.
Updating the hardware to Golden Champagne from Amerock has brought warmth and elegance to our kitchen. If you want to learn more about the hardware, just click here.
Dining Room
Our open concept living area features the dining room in line with the kitchen. It is so easy to entertain and just sit around with family and catch up. No one ever feels shut off from anyone.
Shoppable links for products in this photo below:
The dining room sits at the corner of the house with large banks of sliding doors on two sides to take in the lake view.
A spot for Mia
Mia always has to be where the action is and we found the cutest sofa for her that fits perfectly in with our home. Geesh I wish we had as nice of furniture as she does!!!
Shoppable links for similar dog beds:
- Elevated dark blue modern dog bed
- Luxury raised dog bed
- Boho rattan dog bed
- Super cute white wicker raised dog bed
Powder Room
Behind the kitchen is a powder room. I was thrilled to partner with PhotoWall to bring life and beauty to our powder room. These larger than life alliums and morning glory make me feel like a little ant in a garden.
Shoppable links for bathroom products:
- Gold framed mirror
- Modern globe and gold light sconce
- Bathroom vanity (similar to)
- Gold and black knobs
- Black faucet (similar to)
I love it when guests first use this bathroom because they come running out saying how fabulous the wallpaper is.
Mudroom
In past homes our cubbies in our mudroom, have always been white. This time, with so much white and neutrals in our home, I thought it was time to branch out and have a cheery color to greet us each time we came home.
As always, Bentley built the cubbies and painted them off of my rough sketch. I am creating a YouTube video of every step to build these cubbies. I will link it here when it is done.
Laundry Room
Our laundry room, while small, is very functional. I love having a big space to fold laundry on and while doing that I have a large window to gaze out at the garden.
Now let’s head over to the other side of main floor.
My Office
My office is a room that I spend so much time in. It is painted in a soft blue’ish green with almost floor to ceiling windows.
My desk is an old tobacco leaf sorting table that Bentley white washed for me. I love it!
This multi drawer cabinet was sitting in my parents basement and was in terrible condition. I asked my dad if I could have it and he said sure. I sanded and stained every bit of it and that was quite the job, but it was worth every second.
Primary Bedroom
Our bedroom has a large walk-in closet and a good sized room with large sliding doors to the pool.
We recently purchased this wall unit with matching bedside cabinets as we needed more storage. They have been perfect.
The nightstands are 34″ wide and 31″ tall. The drawers are not very deep, but that’s ok because then nothing gets pushed to the back and forgotten about. Also with them being so wide, it allows for me to have books, a clock, lamp, and even some decor without anything piled on top of each other.
The wall unit has lots of storage below the open shelves where I store clothes, books, decor, etc. The open shelves are perfect for displaying photos, art, decor and treasured heirlooms.
Shoppable links for the bedroom furniture:
- Wall unit (all 4 pieces – comes in different colors also)
- Wide nightstands
- Chandelier
- White wicker chair
Right outside our bedroom is one of most favorite possessions – the swing bed!
Bentley made this for me for one of my birthdays years ago and it is where I read my devotions in the morning from spring thru fall and also where everyone finds themselves rocking gently and enjoying the view.
Shoppable links for swing beds similar to mine:
- Leisure Zone Twin swing bed with hemp ropes
- Amish handcrafted 6 foot swing bed
- East Green Charleston twin swing bed with ropes
- Franklin 6 foot porch swing with ropes
Oh that view!!!
Primary Ensuite
This vanity is one of the first things we purchased for our home. I wanted a vanity that had lots of drawers so that I could keep things straight and organized.
The marble countertop is easy to clean and I love the color which goes with the soft, light color palette I went with in this room.
On the floor we have a small mosaic tile which give the bathroom a vintage feel. With all the modern touches in the home, I was happy to get some finishes that make my heart swoon.
The freestanding tub overlooks the pool, back yard and of course the lake!
This has to be one of the most comfortable tubs I have every had.
Shoppable links for the bathroom fixtures and products:
- Vanity just like ours but with different hardware
- 72″ double sink vanity similar to ours
- 67″ freestanding tub
- Similar white and chrome chandelier
- Similar glass and chrome shelving system to hold towels
After years of having to clean glass doors on showers, I said “NO MORE!!!” Hence the doorless walk in shower.
The aqua tile on the feature wall makes me feel like I am walking into a spa every single day! It is serene and soothing.
Now let’s head upstairs to the kids rooms.
Before we go up there, I should mention these stairs. They were designed by an engineer and the City required the him to sign off on them. That was part of the requirements to get our occupancy permit and my goodness did he ever give us a big bill for the final document. We were not too pleased with him.
Behind the windows you will see windows which span two stories. It was important to me that wherever possible, we take in the views and let the beauty of the outdoors to come into our home.
Noah’s Room
We allowed each of our kids to design their own rooms and pick the finishings. Noah’s style is a very contemporary/modern with no fussiness.
Bentley built him a floating desk and nightstand which Noah designed. Noah works from home so having a nice work station is important.
By the way, the painting on the right, is something I painted for Noah for Christmas one year. It is of Doug Dimmadome and Noah loves this character.
The “floating” theme carried on into Noah’s bathroom with his floating vanity. There is undermount lighting on the vanity and it automatically comes on when you enter the bathroom via a sensor.
This is how it looks up on the catwalk between the two bedrooms.
And here is what the living room looks like from up above.
Jenna’s Room
Even though Jenna is now married and lives in her own home, I still call this Jenna’s room. Her and Scott come just about every weekend and stay over to watch a movie or play games.
When she moved she took her bed with her so this allowed me to buy some new bedroom furniture. The headboard and footboard given Serena & Lily vibes but I got them on Amazon so they are about 1/4 the price!
The vaulted ceiling is a beautiful feature along with the round window which is bringing Hampton style to the room.
Shoppable links for bedroom products:
Jenna’ chose a mosaic tile for the floor and marble tile for the shower.
She also chose an old fashioned light for over her mirror.
Her makeup desk in front of bright windows was a must for good makeup application.
Before we down to the lowest floor which is all underground, I have something special to show you.
The Lookout
The 360 degree lookout is such an interesting addition to our home.
As you will see below, that is the ladder we climb to get to this area.
I would love to add some tall chairs to this area so that we could come up and watch the storms roll by, or the aurora borealis or even just a sunset.
Now let’s head downstairs to the lowest level of the house. We have an Insulated Concrete Foundation so this area is almost like a bunker.
Games Room
We recently finished off our basement area which has one large room, a movie room, bathroom and storage. This area is the large room which is a place to hang out, play pool, etc.
I embraced the Hampton/coastal style in this room with a very soft blue paint used on the island and the bookshelves. Two of my favorite pieces are the rattan chandelier and the library style lighting on the bookshelves.
Bentley refinshed the pool table which a client gave it to us as they did no want it anymore. Some grey paint brought it up-to-date and makes it feel perfect for the space.
Of course, Bentley built all of this and I am so happy with the way it turned out. The paneling molding on the island adds the finish touch which would otherwise be a plain island,
Shopping links for basement games room:
- Round rattan 4 level chandelier
- Gold library lights on bookshelves
- Gold and ivory chairs
- Gold ice bucket (similar to)
- Round rattan mirror over fireplace (similar to)
Bathroom
This full bathroom was such a help during Jenna’s wedding as her maid of honour was from out of town. She was able to stay down here and have her own space.
I think it should be mandatory to have a bathroom on every floor of a home.
Movie Room
Our family loves to watch movies and typically every weekend we watch movies on Friday and Saturday evenings. The sound equipment is wonderful and the seating is so comfy!
Shopping link for moterized 3 seater recliner movie chairs (similar to) just click here.
Our Greenhouse – Annie
Another important member of our family is a vintage window greenhouse Bentley made me from windows I collected at garage and estate sales. We affectionately named the greenhouse after Bentley’s mom, Annie, who loved to collect vintage linens, china, etc., and restore them to their former glory.
Click here is a link to the whole story of Annie.
The Pavilion
My daughter was married last summer and we transformed a large section of our property up above our home into a garden wedding venue. To read the whole story, just click here.
Here is how it looks now without all the wedding decor.
Flower Garden
Gardening is what brings me peace and joy. Inch by inch I am transforming our yard.
The Holidays & The Seasons
We love the holidays and definitely throw ourselves into decorating for them. Not only that, we also love to decorate for the seasons. If you are interested in seeing more, please click the links below:
Winter Decorating with Natural Elements
Spring Flower Meadow Tablescape
Creating Garden Rooms for Beautiful Outdoor Spaces
Fall Raised Garden Bed Inspiration
Shop the post
Although I have links through this post, if you are a visual person, here are links to the products as well or ones similar to them.
Thank you!
Thank you for taking a tour of our Hampton style home, beach house, rustic luxury, coastal style home, whatever it may be!