Over the past four years, Coastal Virginia Magazine has presented three different Idea Houses and invited readers to ooh and ahh over the impeccable floorplans, gorgeous interior design, fantasy-worthy kitchens and closets and overall innovative concepts. It’s been a chance for visitors to get some truly great ideas (hence the name), but it’s also given an opportunity to come together in stunning spaces over great food, drinks and conversations. We always look forward to seeing what the next Idea House will bring, and this year delivers twice the excitement with two separate Idea Houses—one on the Southside and one on the Peninsula.
Peninsula Idea House: The Rose Eleganza
Located off Route 199 in upper York County, The Oaks at Fenton Mill presents wooded country lots near shopping, business centers and medical facilities. It’s a unique community featuring beautiful, rolling terrain, walking trails, a pond and recreational areas, and it’s the neighborhood that The Rose Eleganza calls home.
Designed by husband and wife Jack and Sindy Clifton of Lawson Homes, The Rose Eleganza is a 3,560-square-foot, five-bedroom, four-bath beauty with a transitional layout. On the first floor there’s an owner’s suite and two additional bedrooms, as well as a study. A family room flows into the gourmet kitchen with quartz countertops and spaces perfect for entertaining. A butler’s pantry features a glass door, and a wine bar holds both beverage and wine fridges. Two transoms have been added in this area to provide extra light. A screened-in porch off the breakfast area allows for even more room to relax and spread out, and a formal dining room features a pan ceiling and wine storage.
The owner’s bedroom comes with a large walk-in closet. In the owner’s bath, there’s a freestanding tub built into an alcove with a barrel vault overhead. Lawson Homes’ claim to fame, as Sindy describes, are their spa showers which are completely open with no doors, a seat and handheld and fixed showerheads.
Upstairs are two additional bedrooms, each with private baths, and a theater/game room over the garage.
The Cliftons have designed many houses over the years, but Sindy says this one stands out in a wonderful way. “The Rose Eleganza means the quality of being magnificent, splendid or grand,” she says. Rest assured this home is a stunner.
Southside Idea House: The Blacksburg Cottage
On the other side of the water (and quite close to the water) is the pristine neighborhood of Ashby’s Bridge, where Stephen Alexander Homes & Neighborhoods is planning their next exceptional Idea House, The Blacksburg Cottage. With large lots, proximity to restaurants and situated in the Kellam School District, Ashby’s Bridge has all the features you’d want for a family. The fact that it’s just minutes from Sandbridge Beach doesn’t hurt either.
Stephen Quick describes the style of The Blacksburg Cottage as a modern beach farmhouse. “The design motif is going to take a little bit of a modern, midcentury turn,” he explains. The focus will be on family, with six bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, an in-law suite, a three-car garage and smart technology built in. At 3,862 square feet, Quick says they’re “going for something that’s super livable, practical but still entertainment-oriented.”
A large kitchen with a walk-in pantry will directly open to the family room. The airy space will feature tall ceilings (10-foot downstairs and 12-foot up), plus a huge media space on a separate level from the main upstairs living. The owner’s suite will be “pretty amazing,” as Quick says.
With this new venture, Quick says they’ll be introducing a variety of new finishes, textures, details and colors. Knowing the effortless luxury and absolute quality of Stephen Alexander Homes, we’re set to swoon.
