2002 Idea House: Abberley Lane

Serene Retreat
For privacy, the master bedroom is tucked into the back corner of the first floor. The hallway leading to the room functions as a family photo gallery. The soothing bedroom is swathed in gray-greens, golden yellows, and touches of salmon that reflect the rest of the house. Antique-inspired furnishings such as a Sheraton dresser and modified rice bed fill the space. A tray ceiling with innovative cove lighting incorporates a distinctive accent. Above the fireplace is an oversize mirror that disguises a TV. When the set is turned on, the TV screen can be seen clearly through the transparent mirror surface. A walk-in closet and compact laundry room link the bedroom to the adjacent bath.

Relax in Luxury
The master bath boasts a sophisticated tone-on-tone color scheme of cream and ivory. Two sinks are separated by a stepped-down vanity area. Gold fixtures and sconces add an element of glamour. Framed mirrors are mounted against the larger mirror above the sinks to create a dazzling optical effect. The walls are covered with a faux-stone wallpaper topped with a Moorish arch border. An old-fashioned freestanding tub is set in a window alcove. A small TV is inset into a wall above the tub. Seamless floor-to-ceiling sheets of glass enclose the shower.

Green Oasis
The upstairs guestroom creates a serene haven in light green and ivory. A pale pastel palette was enriched with toile curtains and embroidered Chinese silk bedding. The sage green walls coordinate with the overall color scheme, while framed botanical prints add a touch of nature.

Clever Bath Solutions
A connecting bath adjoins the two upstairs bedrooms. Joci and Cullen took a novel approach to this bath's wall treatment--covering walls with brown kraft paper. "You can buy this paper by the roll for about $30 at an office-supply store and bond it to the walls with natural wheat paste," Cullen advises. The grocery-bag brown creates a surprising alternative to wallpaper. A wall of hanging straw baskets, hung from three stainless bars, stores towels and various bath supplies.

Ornamental Trim
Bring materials from your home's exterior indoors, whether decorative railing used for a stairway, rough-hewn stone for a fireplace, brick for flooring, or unique copper molding.

Area for Children
The playroom, which doubles as a kids' TV room, can also be converted into another bedroom or study as needed. The room overlooks the two-story family room through French doors that open onto a decorative iron railing. An array of yellow, green, and raspberry red prints adds youthful exuberance to this space. A sofa accented by throw pillows and a box-pleat ottoman, used as a coffee table, anchor the room. Windows are given a youthful treatment with a tassel-fringe valance. A handy desk set, placed into a side-wall niche, is lit by sconces.

Bonus Room
This additional area tucked above the master bedroom and garage could be used as a gym or home office. However, Greg and Steve chose to finish it as a game room that includes a kitchenette and various seating areas. The adjacent media room is comfortably furnished with four overstuffed armchairs and a movie screen framed by festive red plaid curtains.

Cottage Charm
The main garage, with its barn-style doors, includes an outdoor water spigot for washing the car or filling a watering can. The plan was designed with a detached third-car garage; this structure is a flexible space. Built as a shingle-style cottage, it could be used for a studio, guest apartment, or, in this case, a potting shed. There is even room in the adjacent garage to park a golf cart.

Live-In Back Porch
The 35-foot-long x 9-foot-deep back porch was "designed as an outdoor room," says architect John Tee, "and respects Southern porches of the past by using traditional shading devices such as a trellis at one end." Comfortable rattan chairs, cushioned in red, yellow, and green, add cheer to this outdoor living room. Ceiling fans help cool the space during sultry summer days, while three copper-finish lanterns contribute to the ambience.

Potting Table Project
Simple and versatile, this table can be a potting bench, buffet for entertaining, or workbench. It measures 48 inches wide x 21 inches deep x 32 inches tall.

Detailed plans and step-by-step instructions for our Potting Table Project are available for $4. To order send a self-addressed, stamped (with two first-class, letter-rate stamps), business-size envelope to Potting Table Project, P.O. Box 523, Birmingham, AL 35201. Please enclose a check for $4 payable to Southern Living Projects. Allow six to eight weeks for delivery.