At this year’s HomeFest, Ashley Builders Group partnered with Grace Jones, lead interior designer and owner of Dwellings on Madison, to construct and design a breathtaking modern farmhouse in Sanctuary Village. The new home has five bedrooms, 4 1/2 baths and 5,070 square feet of living space.
The homeowners, both busy neurosurgeons who lived in Tennessee throughout the construction process, entrusted Jones to hand-select every design decision from the roof, tile, and moldings to the baseboards, door jams, window casings, cabinets, vanities, marble tops, and lighting. Each room includes special features and jaw-dropping details. The homeowners shared with Jones their tastes, needs and priorities, then let her run the project, confident that she would create their perfect sanctuary.
“These owners have a one- and a three-year-old,” Jones says. “They wanted this transition for their children to be simple and their home to be beautiful. They also wanted a practical family home where they could comfortably raise their children.”
Jones listened intently to their wants and needs, then worked her magic to make their dreams a reality. For example, while the kitchen and the family room are one large open space, the clients wanted to be able to keep an eye out for their kids while in the kitchen but not have to see all their toys. Therefore, behind the wall of the family room is a giraffe-themed playroom.
She also listened to their needs in the office. Because the homeowners regularly consult with other doctors from across the country, they needed their desks to be side-by-side to utilize multiple laptops. To do this, Jones created his-and-hers workspaces with dramatic designs that include a blue paneled wall and desks with three-dimensional wood. “We kept it simple and soothing for their consults,” says Jones.
The kitchen’s backsplash is hand-applied octagon marble pieces with warm brown, white, and gray colors that are woven throughout the entire house. In the butler’s pantry, Jones selected a lovely handprinted and foiled wallpaper imported from England with an Asian touch. It was a choice that resonated with the homeowner who felt it paid homage to their culture. When the wife walked through the completed home, she was moved to tears.
Jones always cares a great deal about the details. In the master bathroom, she created a California coastal vibe, introducing lots of organic materials such as natural woods, stones, tiles and beams to produce a lighter feeling in the room. Jones paired the coastal vibes with midcentury modern art in bright colors, soft-washed woods, Mediterranean blues and greens, and sandy tones. She also incorporated hand-woven baskets and accessories with beautiful plants and succulents into the space.
Rather than going with traditional all-white cabinets in the kitchen, Jones did the range hood and the top glass cabinets above the island in a scrubbed, bleached oak.
“It creates a white-wash that allows the grain to come through but is very silky soft to the touch — an elegant finish,” Jones says.
She used unique hand-molded tiles, natural marble floors, marble walls and marble fireplaces to emphasize the look. The charcuterie boards and end table came from a wood mill in Rabbit Hash — all handmade from local indigenous woods. Each piece is fashioned from a different kind of wood.
“It’s very organic. If you look closely at the sofa table, the bark is still on it. It’s called a live edge,” says Jones, who utilized organic, natural elements throughout the house as well as materials from skilled artisans. She outfitted the entire home with original curated art from two local art galleries: ADC Fine Art and Framed NKY. In addition, she commissioned local artist Vicki Watkins to hand-paint a couple of pieces of Pop Art furniture.
“It makes the room expressive,” says Jones. “Art brings such a wonderful energy to a home.”
John Yeager started Ashley Builders Group in 1971 and shortly thereafter brought in partner William Kreutzjans, Sr. Now celebrating 50 years, their two sons, Jason Yeager and Bill Kreutzjans, Jr., help run the business. Shawna Schreiber assists as the construction design and selections coordinator. Ashley Builders does both residential and commercial building. In their commercial division, they rehab historical buildings, turning many of them into luxury apartments. On the residential side, they erect custom homes, some attached dwellings, and do a fair amount of remodeling.
The team at Ashley Builders was thrilled to have the opportunity to develop in Sanctuary Village. This urban development concept focuses on building a sense of community. It includes a community center, green space with walking and running trails, a pool, athletic amenities, and will eventually include retail shops and restaurants. It will act as a one-stop shop for everything someone might need in a residential community.
“We’re trying to reach all demographics with our different offerings and that includes custom and single-family homes, townhomes and cottages, ranging from $300,000 to $1 million plus,” Yeager says.
Like Jones, the Ashley Builders team is all ears when listening to a client’s needs.
“Customers have access to us at all times,” Schreiber says. “They’re always welcome to pop into the office at any time should they have questions or concerns.”
Jones, who has collaborated on and off with Ashley Builders Group for the past 30 years, just participated in her 37th home show. She’s been an award winner in HomeFest, HOMEARAMA, and CiTiRAMA.
“I put a lot of heart and soul into my homes,” says Jones. “I don’t have a signature style or look. Every house is done to represent my client’s sense of style so that it becomes their personal home.”
Ashley Builders Group is located at 3005 Dixie Highway, Edgewood, KY 41017. For more information, visit ashleybuilders.com or call 859-341-0050.
Dwellings on Madison is located at 2003 Madison Rd., Cincinnati, Ohio 45208. For more information, visit dwellingsonmadison.com or call 513-321-6900.