CB May 2004

Inspired by the residential architecture of Barbados, where abundant windows and doors open to capture ocean breezes, this 4,500-square-foot, spec-built beauty in Charleston, S.C., features a floor plan that wraps around an open-air piazza. Nearly every room in this Daniel Island residence has direct outdoor access, including the heart of the home — its centrally located kitchen.

Although well-suited for formal entertaining, this Gothic Mediterranean home in Manalapan, Fla., has a fun side, too, says builder Lauree Simmons. One of the 15,830-square-foot residence's most inviting spaces is its lower-level media room, where the homeowners and their guests can experience a night at the movies without leaving home.

This modern-day mountain lodge in Genesee, Colo., serves as the primary residence for its owners, who share a long family history with the upscale community 20 miles west of Denver. "They wanted their home to pay homage to their historical connection to the area," says Aaron Zimmer, project architect for D.

Entry statements start with the floor.

Inspired by the residential architecture of Barbados, where abundant windows and doors open to capture ocean breezes, this 4,500-square-foot, spec-built beauty in Charleston, S.C., features a floor plan that wraps around an open-air piazza.

This 5,214-square-foot, Tuscan-style residence is infused with Western spirit by using indigenous materials such as rock from Texas' Hill Country along with a warm, Southwestern color palette.

Hidden in a secluded niche on the lower level of a 9,500-square-foot custom residence in Sparta, N.J., is a gem prized by the homeowners - a wine cellar painstakingly crafted to resemble a centuries-old space even though it's brand-new.

Constructing this family lodge required a complex marriage of materials, including conventional milled lumber, steel, and structural and decorative logs, successfully executed by skilled local craftsmen.

Creating the kitchens and baths that buyers love often separates one builder from another with prospects.

Looking for the extra something in the bath or around the pool? Think of adding glitter to the grout to make an ordinary application extraordinary.