Owner-specific modifications:
Built daylight basement
Added fireplace to Great Room
Brought rear wall of breakfast nook in four feet; turned breakfast nook into reading room with fireplace
Removed island from kitchen and brought angled snack bar in slightly to create room for new breakfast nook; added columns to snack bar
Varied heights of cabinets in kitchen
Built customized vent above stove in kitchen
Used space originally allocated for utility room for stairway to daylight basement
Built utility room in place of middle secondary bedroom
Replaced stepped ceiling in master bedroom with ceiling where soffit drops down
Built smaller closet in master bath; enlarged shower
Added columns on either side of garden tub
Real estate agents have the inside scoop on nearly every house in their city. They know when the homes were built, who owns them, and most importantly, who's selling and when. So it would stand to reason that, when looking for a new home for her own family, a real estate agent would have it pretty easy. All she has to do is pick her favorite home on the market and it's hers.
But what happens when none of the homes on the market is your dream home? You build the home yourself, of course!
That is exactly what one real estate agent in Morristown, Tenn., did. Charlsie Seal, an agent for Coldwell Banker, and her husband, Dwayne, who works for General Electric, were looking for a new home for quite some time, but they were unable to find the right design. Said Charlsie, "We wanted a one-level home and we wanted a split-bedroom layout. We just couldn't find exactly what we wanted in the houses on the market."
Aside from their own goals for their future home, the Seals also knew they were dealing with some restrictions in their subdivision. They had to keep the home under a certain square footage as well as a certain distance from other homes. With these specifications, the Seals went to an architect to inquire about having a plan drawn up for them, but the cost was just too high. Not disheartened, Charlsie and Dwayne began looking through home-plan books. "I looked in book after book after book," Charlsie laughed. Then she found it—Plan DD-2500—in a magazine published by Homeplans. She further investigated the home online at Homeplans.com and knew that this plan was the one.
The French country-style home had the one-story layout that the Seals were seeking. Although the Seals have no children living at home—their son lives in South Carolina—they wanted a design that placed the master suite in a separate wing from the secondary bedrooms. The plan also had something else they wanted: an open Great Room and kitchen layout that was just right for the frequent entertaining they do.
With the perfect plan in hand, they set out to build in October 2001. Before spring had sprung, the Seals were living in their new home in a beautiful subdivision in Morristown. A little over forty miles east of Knoxville, Morristown is in a scenic location between Douglas Lake and Cherokee Lake. The Seals' lot overlooks a beautiful lake, a swimming pool, tennis courts and a clubhouse. Off in the distance, the Clinch Mountain range is a perfect backdrop. A wall of windows allows them to enjoy the incredible backyard view and has become one of the Seals' favorite features.
Another favorite feature is the home's high ceilings, which are found in every room, beginning with the foyer. Stepping in from the quaint front porch, guests are immediately welcomed by the intimate foyer. To the right, arched openings distinguish the elegant formal dining room, which is painted a gentle sage green and crowned by a stepped ceiling. Rope lighting around the top draws attention to a lovely chandelier.
To the left of the foyer is a cozy study, which features a vaulted ceiling. Charlsie uses this room as her private office and often works from home. "The office is my joy," she claims. "Its location near the front door and a powder room nearby are nice for receiving clients."
Just steps away from the office lies the luxurious master suite. A light-colored carpet lines the floor here, in contrast to the rich hardwood floors found throughout the living areas. The walls are a pale cream color. The high ceiling is accented by crown molding all the way around, and a special ceiling design highlights the sleeping chamber. The original plan called for a stepped ceiling, but in the real estate business, Charlsie said she'd "seen enough of those," so she opted instead for a unique design where the soffit drops down and creates a sort of canopy effect above the bed.
In the master bath, Charlsie sacrificed a little closet space to make the shower a bit bigger. She also added columns on either side of the garden tub, along with a romantic candle chandelier above.
As you head into the Great Room, which uses the same pale cream as the master suite, you'll immediately be awed by the openness. With no walls to interrupt the flow, the Great Room, kitchen and breakfast nook come together to form one large space. Even the dining room is included in the expanse, subtly separated from the Great Room only by gentle arches. Huge windows and French doors add considerable light and space, making it a truly welcoming place to be.
A few modifications were made to this area, including adding a fireplace along one wall in the Great Room. The breakfast nook was brought in about four feet, and the room was turned into a reading room, complete with its own cozy fireplace. The Seals also removed the island from the kitchen and pulled the angled serving bar in a little bit to allow extra space for a newly arranged eating nook, which now consists simply of a small table overlooking the porch. The nook is perfectly placed, according to Charlsie, who explained, "I love the view when we have dinner or coffee."
While many of their dinners are spent at this intimate table, Charlsie and Dwayne also enjoy sandwiches or snacks at the bar in the kitchen. They like to admire the small touches they added to the plan. Charlsie worked with a designer to add columns to the bar, to vary the heights of the cabinets, and to incorporate rope lighting, granite countertops and a customized vent above the stove. All these little details make the kitchen a favorite hangout. "I enjoy cooking and even entertaining from the kitchen," said Charlsie.
To the right of the living space lies a sleeping wing. The original plan called for three bedrooms along this wing, but the Seals didn't need a third bedroom there, so they built only two. The utility room, which originally lay just between the garage and the kitchen, was removed to make space for a stairway leading to the daylight basement. The utility room now resides in place of the middle bedroom.
The daylight basement enjoys its own luxuries, including a guest suite, an exercise room and a family room with a fireplace and patio access. While most of the space is settled in a calm beige tone, one wall boasts a rich terra-cotta color that really livens things up.
The Seals can do nothing but sing the praises of using stock home plans. "[The plan] is beautiful," exclaimed Charlsie, "and so livable. It fits our family and gave us a wonderful setting for the great view we have. [Using stock home plans] worked out just as well or better than working with a private architect." She added, "The plans were very easy to work with, and they worked great for us. . . . I just can't imagine how well I lucked out with such a good house plan! It seems to fit our needs so well."
Although they don't intend to sell anytime soon, the Seals have received several offers on their home already. Visitors marvel at the convenient layout and high ceilings, which, from the outside, give the appearance of a two-story home.
As for the future, the Seals don't quite know what will happen, but Plan DD-2500 will definitely be a part of their lives. "If I had to build [a new home] again tomorrow, I'd build the same plan," Charlsie stated. "I have loved this plan; we wouldn't change a thing."
While Dwayne will be retiring within the next year, Charlsie says with a laugh, "I probably won't ever retire!
I love meeting new people and I love design."
Those are perfect sentiments from a woman who, using her own experience, helps families find their own dream homes.
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