Sun-kissed, red tiled Mediterranean villas were the inspiration for James and Stacey Barrett’s lakeside home in Harrison, Tenn. James, owner of Barrett Construction, built the house himself with Stacey’s full support and confidence that the home would be exactly as they had dreamed. She says, “I knew he’d make everything just perfect.”
Together, James and Stacey planned this beautiful home that they comfortably enjoy. They meticulously selected architectural and design details that were characteristic of a villa-style home, and much of it was custom executed. Precast marble and limestone fireplaces, the Venetian plaster walls with dark brown glazing, and the knotty cherry and knotty Alder wood cabinetry were all custom designed. Polished travertine and marble were the choice materials used for flooring.
For the exterior of the home, James and Stacey used stucco and multicolored red tile from Columbia for the roof. A curving, brick driveway brings guests to a covered entrance with a tongue and groove ceiling and hanging lantern. Side-by-side bronze and glass front doors, displaying beautiful scrolled iron work welcomes them to the home.
Upon entering the home, there is a feeling of spaciousness and comfortable elegance. James and Stacey’s attention to detail is immediately visible in the starburst patterned marble floor of the foyer where a bronze chandelier hangs from the vaulted ceiling.
Corinthian columns framing a fireplace serve as the transition from the foyer to a spacious living room encompassed by a 24-foot ceiling with curving windows that provide an almost uninterrupted view of the lake. Claw footed, Empire style stands displaying gold urns flank the fireplace and mantle, and scored blocks stretch from the mantle to the ceiling, lined on either side by art work.
Hues of bronze, copper, and gold blend with a variety of fabrics and textures to create a sumptuous living room color scheme. The copper and bronze colored sofa, sitting in front of a large, claw footed, gold leaf coffee table with marble top, has a mélange of pillows in taffeta, leather, faux fur, velvet and brocade. On the opposite side of the coffee table are two slipper chairs upholstered in patterned silk with sequined, velvet accent pillows.
An open floor plan spans the dining room, living room, kitchen and leisure room. The dining room has a barrel shaped, coffered ceiling with Swarovski chandelier. The round pedestal dining table – perfect for intimate, conversational dining – has a walnut top and is surrounded with contemporary chairs with fleur de lis patterned chair backs. The dining room is completed by a buffet made from glazed and distressed chestnut with decorative barley twist columns and a large, recessed mirror.
A granite countertop, with an open serving and entertaining area, separates the living room and leisure room. The living room side, for more formal entertaining, has a rounded bar supported by wooden corbels. The leisure room flows into the kitchen and breakfast room areas creating one free-flowing space that is well designed for more informal dining and entertaining while rewarding guests with optimal views of the rear patio and lake.
The breakfast area provides a perfect space to enjoy casual dining with lake views. The space is furnished with a round pedestal table and chairs covered in an ivory fabric with decorative, braided frog-back closures.
Granite was used for the kitchen and island countertops and for the fifteen-foot bar that separates the kitchen from the leisure room. The kitchen side of the bar has a lower countertop with a travertine sink and goose neck faucet. The leisure room side has the raised bar supported by large, carved corbels.
In the kitchen, an island used for food preparation or serving, has a round travertine sink and houses a double dishwasher. The rear kitchen wall with knotty, glazed cherry cabinets houses concealed double refrigerators. A built-in, self cleaning coffee maker is nestled underneath a flat screen TV, which can be hidden by a door that raises or is lowered. A focal point of the kitchen is the Wolfe stainless steel stove and oven with gold patterned tile backsplash, crowned with a limestone French hood supported by carved corbels.
The leisure room is furnished by six hand-tooled leather chairs for comfortable relaxing while enjoying drinks and hors d’oeurves. The cabinet in the room has a built in refrigerator and wine cooler, convenient for entertaining. Barley twist tables with inlay serve as occasional tables, and a copper colored leather chest studded with nail heads is used as a coffee table to complete the furniture grouping.
The fireplace in the leisure room is flanked by rounded, recessed alcoves containing lower cabinets and shelving used to display vases in varied shapes and sizes. Floors and the ceiling in the room were designed to be reflections of each other. Ivory beams inset with leather squares in the ceiling mirror the ivory and brown checkered travertine floor. The leather in the ceiling was also used for a leather club chair which is trimmed in plaid fabric. A color palate of reds, greens and browns was used with plaid and brocade upholstery.
The office is not only a working space but a relaxing one as well. Located just off the leisure room at the rear of the house, this room features two outstanding architectural features: a two story bay window at the rear and a tongue and groove, vaulted, exposed-beam ceiling from which hangs an iron chandelier.
The window and ceiling add an expansive but light and airy atmosphere to the office, which is furnished with an x-shaped wooden desk, a claw footed tufted leather swivel chair, and two beige distressed leather club chairs in front of the bay window. Behind the desk is shelving and lower cabinetry with a marble countertop, and in front of the desk is a two-sided fireplace with the opposite side open to the patio.
On the opposite side of the living and entertaining wing of the house is the master suite. Double doors open to a limestone water fountain and eventually lead into the master suite. An 18-foot double-molded tray ceiling and tall rear arched windows convey a feeling of lightness, which balances the large-scale furniture. The fluted, four poster pedestal bed has a metal canopy and is draped with a red and gold striped and brocade covering. On either side of the bed are oval, gold leaf framed mirrors that hang over end tables designed with an animal print finish and gold leaf panels. James and Stacey relax in front of the arched windows in a sitting area with a serpentine sofa, ottoman, and brown brocade chair. From the sitting room door, they are just steps away from the outdoor covered pool and spa.
The bathroom has more subtle tones that pull from gold leaf plaster walls painted in subtle brown and beige hues. The double walk-in shower entrances are glass tile arches and inside are eight jets on either side. A tub, which sits on a raised travertine platform centered with glass tile, separates his and her vanities with travertine sinks and countertops. The wall across from the bathtub and vanities houses a dressing area with custom designed cabinetry. Creatively, James came up with the idea to place a flat screen TV inside a two way mirror over the dressing area. The TV appears to float in the mirror and can be viewed while soaking in the bathtub.
The master closet has a granite-topped island that houses a washer and dryer. The cabinetry is custom designed and features glass cabinets along the top, which can be reached from a library ladder mounted on a track. Stacey uses the glass cabinets to display purses. The walk-in closet is completed by a chandelier hanging over the island, making this space just as detailed as the rest of the home.
The second floor was designed with entertaining in mind. Overlooking the living room below is a billiard room with a bar and kitchen. The bar stool seats and lounge chair are covered in pony hair that coordinates perfectly with the cane-backed sofa. James and Stacey can also entertain in their home theatre, complete with a 10-and-a-half-foot screen and six red leather reclining seats.
Two guest bedrooms have sliding glass doors that open to a balustrade lined balcony with chairs for enjoying the lakeside views. The first-floor patio is a spacious outdoor living area with wicker furniture and plantation ceiling fans. It overlooks the lower patio, lawn and boathouse. A spectacular infinity waterfall cascades down to a ground level reflecting pool.
If guests want to work on the accuracy of their putting, James offers an on-site putting green with fairway. Another unique feature of the Barrett’s home is a six-car garage, which includes a sitting area and bar as well as a private patio and outdoor fireplace.
The Barrett’s lakeside Mediterranean style villa is truly a reflection of their welcoming hospitality. Whether entertaining guests, taking in the many activities of the waterfront, or simply enjoying a quiet evening on the patio – James and Stacey have designed their home for lakeside living at its best.