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Reality House: Quiet Retreats

If interior walls, doors, and hideaways have become anathema in the age of open floor plans and loft-style living, The Reality House dares to bring them back.

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Reality House: Quiet Retreats

If interior walls, doors, and hideaways have become anathema in the age of open floor plans and loft-style living, The Reality House dares to bring them back.

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    PEACEFUL DIVISIONS: His and hers vanities, sinks, and separate toilets prevent gender wars in the master bath. Kohler’s spacious infinity tub with ceiling-mounted faucet, however, is big enough to share. The surround is Savoy tile by Crossville.

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    WELL PROPORTIONED: The master suite isn’t palatial by any means, nor does it need to be. Not when you’ve got a retractable Best Buy flat screen TV that folds neatly into a console at the foot of the bed. Also for your viewing pleasure: a panoramic view of nature beyond the rails of your own private balcony. A decorative Armstrong ceiling bears the look of hammered tin.

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    WELL PROPORTIONED: The master suite isn’t palatial by any means, nor does it need to be. Not when you’ve got a retractable Best Buy flat screen TV that folds neatly into a console at the foot of the bed. Also for your viewing pleasure: a panoramic view of nature beyond the rails of your own private balcony. A decorative Armstrong ceiling bears the look of hammered tin.

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    SWEET SUITE: Secondary bedrooms don’t get second-class treatment in this house. A cozy alcove off the main sleeping area of this girl’s room provides just enough personal space to spread out and work on school projects or to write love notes without disturbance. “Each bedroom is its own entity,” says architect Carson Looney. “It’s your own private oasis.”

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    KID ZONE: The secondary bedrooms and master suite are separated by a TV and game area at the top of the stair landing—a semi-private hangout spot for kids and their friends.

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    SENIORITY RULES: Grandparents need their own space too. The sun-drenched second-generation suite is a soothing place to read, watch TV, rest, and get away from it all. What it doesn’t include is a full kitchenette: Research showed that live-in grandparents prefer to cook and dine with the rest of the family. But it does have a coffee nook, sink, and mini-fridge for early risers who don’t want to disturb the rest of the house.

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    SENIORITY RULES: Grandparents need their own space too. The sun-drenched second-generation suite is a soothing place to read, watch TV, rest, and get away from it all. What it doesn’t include is a full kitchenette: Research showed that live-in grandparents prefer to cook and dine with the rest of the family. But it does have a coffee nook, sink, and mini-fridge for early risers who don’t want to disturb the rest of the house.

SHADY CHARACTERS When evening comes, windows need to have coverings that enhance the room. Hunter Douglas products do the trick here, including Heritance hardwood shutters, Vignette linen window shadings, and Remembrance silk window shades. Jubilance Roman shades are also featured (seen here in the second-generation suite); they come in 82 fabrics from grass cloth to highly textured fabrics and sheers. www.hunterdouglas.com.