Self-made people rarely build the house they want first — they build the one they thought they were supposed to want, then spend a decade figuring out the difference. The Emberhill is what that second decision looks like: a finished walkout basement that earns its square footage as a real room, exposed structural lines that let the architecture do the work, main-floor living laid out for the mornings you finally have time for, and a connection to the grade that makes the lot feel like it was always part of the plan.
Specifications
- Sq. Ft.: 2,593
- Bedrooms: 2-4
- Bathrooms: 2.5+ – 4.5+
Floor Plan – Main Floor
The Great Room sits at the center of the main floor, with the Master Suite — walk-in closet and full bath included — to the left and a Kitchen-Dining wing with island to the right. A Den, Mud Room, and 3-car garage front the plan, and two decks push off the back.
Floor Plan – Basement
The basement opens into a rec room and billiards area, with a bar, media zone, two bedrooms, and an exercise room all connected by open circulation. There’s unfinished storage tucked in as well — the kind of space that quietly earns its keep.
Stone Columns, Warm Light, and a Back Elevation Built to Be Lived Outside
Stacked stone columns anchor a wraparound deck that reads more like an outdoor room than a transition space. Spiral stairs drop from the upper level to grade, and recessed lighting tucked under the soffit keeps the whole rear facade glowing at dusk without a single floodlight anywhere in the picture. It’s a rear elevation that actually rewards being outside after dark.
Ask Yourself: Before you finalize your floor plan, walk your lot at dusk and find out where the light actually lands. A rear elevation like this earns its drama from orientation, not just materials — if your builder hasn’t asked which direction your back yard faces, that’s worth pressing them on.
Gold Sputnik, Dark Slate, and a Fireplace Wall That Earns Every Inch of Its Height
Few living rooms can pull off a two-story slate fireplace without feeling like a hotel lobby. This one does.
The wood mantel shelf is doing the heavy lifting — it keeps something raw and tactile anchored against all that dark stacked stone so the wall reads as residential rather than monumental. Paired armchairs in a lattice print face the sofa, and a brass-legged side table drags the gold from the sputnik chandelier down to eye level. Small move, big payoff.
Copper Hood, Live-Edge Bar Top, and a Kitchen Built for People Who Cook
The curved walnut bar top pulls the eye before anything else gets a chance. Dark tile, a copper range hood, and knotty wood cabinets all share the same frame without any of them fighting for it — which is harder to pull off than it looks and usually requires someone making deliberate choices at every step of the finish selection process.
History Corner: Copper range hoods have been a fixture in professional kitchens for centuries, prized partly because copper naturally inhibits bacterial growth on contact. Residential versions gained ground in custom home construction through the mid-20th century as homeowners started treating the kitchen as a showpiece rather than a utility room. Most are left unlacquered today so the metal can develop a patina over time — something many owners consider less a maintenance issue and more the whole point.
Tufted Velvet, a Black Greyhound, and a Chandelier Worth Looking Up For
The bench at the foot of the bed is doing real work here. Its curved walnut frame and tufted upholstery pull focus without competing with the linen headboard behind it, and the silver chandelier reads more sculptural than functional — which suits a room that’s clearly more interested in atmosphere than overhead brightness. The dog seems to have already made his assessment.
Designer’s Secret: Tufted benches at the foot of a bed collect clutter fast — faster than you’d expect. Choose one with a solid base rather than open storage if you want it to still look like this past move-in week. The curved silhouette on this particular piece also keeps the foot of the bed from reading too rigid against all the soft linens stacked behind it.
Walnut Ceiling Box, Glass Walls, and a Shower Built Like a Room Unto Itself
Recessed lights tucked into a walnut soffit frame the glass shower enclosure from above, giving it a weight and presence most bathrooms never bother with. A built-in bench keeps the floor completely open. Across the room, brushed nickel cross-handle faucets sit above a long trough-style sink, pendant lights with clear glass shades hanging above — the kind of pairing that photographs well and ages even better.
Budget Tip: Glass shower enclosures cost more upfront than prefab units, but they’re far easier to resell because buyers can see exactly what they’re getting. If you’re building once and doing it right, frameless glass paired with large-format tile stays clean-looking for decades without ever feeling like it’s trying too hard.
Shuffleboard, Copper Mugs, and a Herringbone Wall That Pulls the Whole Bar Together
Reclaimed wood tile laid in a herringbone pattern anchors the bar area and gives the whole space a backbone. Add a geometric pendant, copper mugs on open shelving, and a full shuffleboard table, and you have a basement that people will actually want to spend time in — not just a storage room with a bar fridge shoved in the corner.
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The exterior photo shows a Prairie-style home at dusk with a three-car garage and stone facade. The floor plan beneath it lays out a single-story arrangement: a 20×19 great room, master suite, two additional bedrooms, den, mud room, and a covered rear deck.
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