Owner-specific modifications:
Reversed floor plan
Installed clay tile roof
Replaced window over entry arch with decorative medallion
Converted second bedroom into office
Built half-bath off second bedroom rather than full bath
Removed menu desk in kitchen; installed range instead of island cooktop; built decorative niche behind range
Turned utility room into office
Built laundry room in garage storage space
Finished bonus room over garage as game room
Removed window in family room from over fireplace
Bath between secondary bedrooms is open rather than split
For as long as he can remember, Tom Vieth wanted to be a builder. As the owner of Vieth Construction in Tallahassee, Fla., his professional life spills happily into his personal life. Tom and his wife, Susan, have built and lived in about 15 homes. So, when they decided to build number 16, they didn't enter the planning process lightly.
Living in all those homes had made them very aware of what they like and what they don't like in a home. "For example," Susan explains, "our last house had swinging doors between the kitchen and the dining room. I was always scared I would get hit by the doors!"
Over the years, the couple has had a unique opportunity to experiment with various home styles, and they've been able to identify a favorite: "Mediterranean style is more our taste." When they discovered that Plan HDS-99-298 had everything they desired in a home, choosing to build it was an easy decision.
They loved the way the shared family spaces open to reveal backyard views. The family room, living room and master bedroom each feature direct access to the covered patio, and even the gourmet kitchen has a view to the swimming pool, which the Vieths added to the plan. Susan enjoys relaxing in every room of the home, feeling that she gets a different, and lovely, perspective from each one. She says, "We definitely use every room."
Even though the plan was perfect for them, Tom and Susan couldn't help making a few tweaks here and there. First, they reversed the plan to better fit their lot. The stunning bayed bedroom at the front of the home was transformed into an office for Tom, while Susan got a space of her own when the utility room off the kitchen was converted into a "mom's" office. Then, a much larger laundry room was built in the storage area of the garage.
The Vieths also finished the bonus room as a game room over the garage, giving themselves a comfortable area for casual entertaining. In addition to separate zones for games (a pool table is in one corner), refreshments (they installed a wet bar, a refrigerator and a wine rack) and the TV, they bought a telescope for star-gazing on the balcony.
One has to wonder what the Vieths will come up with next. But this may be their last move. They both agree that this is the best home they've built.
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