This Idea House boasts practical ideas for managing busy schedules, but it also reminds owners to slow down and enjoy the view outside. The house is the first one to be built within a new 1,200-acre golf course community called The Georgia Club, located in the small town of Statham, Georgia. While the house may be in a rural area, it is only a short drive to the eclectic delights of downtown Athens.

Architects Roger Caldwell and Calvin Cline and builders Steve Greene and Charlotte Johnson partnered to create a house where classic Southern architecture and modern amenities combine to appeal to generations of homeowners.

Welcoming Courtyard
A gate leads into a walled garden located just outside the friends' entry. Goldfish swim in a fountain in the center that's filled with aquatic plants. Perennial flowers for cutting, mixed with a variety of herbs, grow in beds and pots around the edge of the courtyard, creating a gardener's dream. Random bricks throughout the area are etched with various words such as "family," "love," and "garden." There's even room for a small table and chairs to enjoy breakfast or a morning cup of coffee outside. At the steps leading into the mudroom, several potted plants add color and dimension to this area.

Get a Custom Look for a Low Cost Here's proof that a luxe-looking console table doesn't have to cost you a fortune. With inexpensive rattan pedestals and a rectangular piece of glass, interior designers Anne-Michelle Langlois and Elizabeth Hutcheson created a spot for displaying accessories. The idea can be adapted to complement any decor.

Plantings With Personality
Landscape architect Cheryl Mihalko designed each of the house's gardens to play up the feel of the specific area. At the formal entrance, she installed classic boxwoods and then surrounded them with cream-colored lantana. Knowing golfers would have an open view of the back of the house, she created a woodland fern "glade."

Fabulous Spot To Gather
The family room's impressive furnishings include two cherry armoires flanking the fireplace, a pair of buttery yellow chairs, and a soft blue sofa that echoes the hue on the walls. Off-white silk drapery panels soften the large windows without hiding the stunning golf course view. Two-story ceilings reinforce the room's sense of openness.

Kitchen With Class
Creamy antique white on the cabinets pairs with a coffee-bean color on the island in this warm kitchen. The matte finish of the deep brown honed granite countertops perpetuates the aged appearance. In the breakfast room, plaid cushions on the banquette and complementary floral window treatments continue the nature-inspired palette of cream, blue, green, and gold found on the first floor.

Light and Bright Cabinet Combining storage and an open feel in a kitchen can seem like an impossible task. That's why we love the floating cabinet above the island. Its glass doors and sides allow light to pass through, accenting dishes and glassware. It hangs high enough that it doesn't block views. Lights underneath the unit illuminate the work surface below.