Each Year The staff Of Ellis County Living Magazine Searches For An Unusually Beautiful House to Feature as Our Home Of The year. This Year Is No Different, But This Home is Very Different.
What a breath of fresh air. California has come to Ellis County. This fabulous contemporary home designed and built by Richie Construction is a true work of art.
Stacie and Terry Richie are not strangers to this area, but they spent a part of their careers in Los Angeles. While there, the couple learned to appreciate the architecture of the west coast. After returning to Midlothian, the Richie’s knew that their new home would have the features and elements of the contemporary California style they loved. Their home is exactly what they dreamed it would be.
“The exterior is sleek and smooth but filled with texture and detail. The mixture of gray block stone, painted brick, rusty metal and stained wood merge perfectly together to create a magnificent blend of earthy materials.”
The wooded, hilly lot was cleared so that the home could be nestled into the hillside while leaving every tree possible. The master bedroom and closet are actually underground, but the transom windows installed at the ceiling bring the gleaming sunbeams shining through the entire area.
As an additional feature, the master closet serves as a storm shelter, as it is underground. Every inch of this home has a purpose, and every inch has been thought out pristinely. This shelter is just one o the details that make this home truly special.
Because of the sloped lot, this home is designed on multiple levels. You step up or down two to four steps to almost every area in the house. The ceilings vary from 10 feet to 22 feet tall which allows for dramatic shapes and ceiling lines throughout the home.
Entering through the twin commercial full glass doors, you immediately see a wall of elegant, earthy faux granite tile that wraps around to the living room. A sizeable ledged opening at the upper corner of the wall allows the flow of natural light from the entry doors to the living area.
“I am very decisive when making design decisions. I rule things out very quickly. Sometimes I don’t know what I am looking for.. but I absolutely know when I find it.” – Stacie Richie
The dining room is basically repeating the earthy color palette of the rest of the living area, but the accessories add interest and balance to the area.
The dramatic gold light fixture and gold wall art add an unexpected pop of color. The built-in black credenza creates a sharp contrast to the natural white oak floors. All of these features pull this room together with perfection.
“We enjoy the process of designing and creating spaces. It all starts with the lot. Our goal with this project was to create open spaces with lots of glass to bring in the light and the warmth of nature at every angle.” – Stacie Richie
A small reading room (above & right) is nestled under the open staircase. Bookcases lining the walls create a cozy space for relaxing with a good book and a glass of wine.
The open concept of the kitchen, dining and living areas create an amazing entertaining space. The wall of full glass commercial windows across the back of the living and dining area overlook the wooded lot, which brings the outdoors into the home. It is hard to tell where the house ends and the yard begins.
“Although the house is sleek and modern we wanted an organic and natural vibe. We were able to achieve this through the materials we selected. The tile adds texture and dimension, while the walnut features and light oak floors add warmth. We used quartz counter tops throughout for structure and simplicity.” – Stacie Richie
The kitchen walls behind the executive range and upper cabinets are basket weave textured ceramic tile. The 12×36 tiles cover the wall adding an element of interest behind the walnut cabinets.
The large open island has a waterfall style marble surface which adds a very sleek, clean look to the center of the room.
The over-sized built in refrigerator (pg. 42) is surrounded by walnut cabinets that perfectly camouflage two spacious pantry areas. These pantries feature pull out shelves and cubbies to separate food items with detailed organization.
The walnut contemporary upper cabinets were purchased at Ikea. They are surprisingly lovely and elegant. The walnut custom light fixture and walnut plank back drop for the television connect perfectly to the kitchen cabinets. Pulling these walnut elements together from one rea to the next make this space feel truly united.
The upstairs landing floor is a fun 8×8 patterned tile that sets the mood for this part of the house. On the first landing you find a fun sitting area (above & right) with a fluffy, comfy sofa and hanging canvas chairs. This living space is a haven for the teenagers to enjoy their own lounging area with their friends.
The two Richie teenage girls share the second floor. Each of them have their own customized bedrooms. Each room features tall ceilings and unexpected wall treatments that suit their individual personalities.
The first bedroom (right) has a built in upholstered headboard surrounded by custom cabinets. The platform bed sits on a long shag soft white rug. The interesting ceiling lines make the room seem much larger than it really is, as they are very tall.
“The second bedroom (pg. 48) has the same amazing tall ceiling detail, but the backdrop for the bed has an element of surprise. The wall is covered with three dimensional plastic wall panels that add a focal point of heavy texture and interest.”
Although this room is mostly white, it is surprisingly warm. The greige ceramic plank floors and the slate accents offer a warm earthy feel to this otherwise white room.
An extra bath on the third floor is a fun filled, but elegant room. The patterned ceramic tile floors and black accents are striking and fresh. Full glass shower doors allow a clear view of the ample tile shower which makes this bathroom look massive.
The guest room (above) is on the main level of the home. The warm color palette of beige, soft white and charcoal are restful and inviting. This room is both contemporary and traditional with fun furniture accents arranged perfectly around the room.
The guest bath (pg. 49) is ready for the homeowner’s parents to visit. While it is wheelchair accessible, it is anything but boring and ordinary. The black and white mosaic tile floor and fresh white subway tiled walls are exciting elements that make this bathroom an oasis for special guests.
Transom lighting and small unexpected windows are splattered all around the home. The offer fabulous natural light to flow unobstructed throughout the entire house. There isn’t a dark spot to be found.
Although this style home is rather rare in our area, I expect to see many more being constructed as our community becomes more and more diverse. It is truly a pleasant change from the basic traditional home of Texas. I look forward to seeing what is yet to come.
Thank you, Richie Construction for not being afraid to step out of the box to create homes that are foreign to us, but very exciting to visit. Thank you, too, for inviting us into your lovely home so that we can share it with so many others.
I hope you have enjoyed this tour as much as I have. I can’t wait to see what we find for next year.
Story By: Diane Johnson Collard
Photography by Brent Hughes – Brent Hughes is a professional photographer based in Waxahachie. He combines cutting-edge lighting techniques, technology and a uniquely creative eye to produce stunning images for his clients. brent’s photography takes him all over the country and demand for his expertise continues to grow. for more information visit brenthughesphotography.com
CONTRACTORS
BUILDER RICHIE CONSTRUCTION DESIGN STACIE AND TERRY RICHIE
ARCHITECT CHARLES RALPH AT HUB CITY DESIGN
SPECIALIZED LANDSCAPE SERVICES METRO BRICK & STONE
FLOOR & DECOR TEXAS APPLIANCE GEOMATIC SOLUTIONS RANKIN EXCAVATION
FAITHFUL FREEDOM LAND IMPROVEMENTS
