Studio McGee Spec Home

In the kitchen, Shea created symmetry by framing the hood—”it’s an opportunity to make a statement,” Shea says—and adding floor-to-ceiling cabinetry that looks more like a piece of furniture than a kitchen functionality staple, “like a chest,” Shea explains. A recessed pull differentiates the piece from the traditional kitchen cabinetry used elsewhere in the kitchen.

“The other part of this layout that’s really unique is a long stretch of cabinetry from the kitchen all the way into the pantry,” she explains. “Instead of having a pocket door or some sort of division it is all connected, so you get this beautiful view when you are standing in the great room.” When designing the pantry, Shea intentionally constructed the visible corner cabinetry to be beautiful at all times and placed the less-sightly food storage around the corner, with a mix of open and closed shelving. A plate wall is a “nostalgic look we’ve been incorporating into a lot of the homes we’ve been designing,” says Shea.

The cabinets throughout the kitchen are a mix of styles—flat, inset panel on the drawers and a raised, beaded profile on the doors—but they’re all finished with antiqued brass knobs and handles. “The wood tones tie this piece into the rest of the kitchen but the [recessed pull] hardware is what sets it apart and makes it feel like a thoughtful detail.” Accessible Beige by Sherwin Williams is used on all of the cabinetry, paired with a natural, matte stain on the island’s wood. “I love that you’re getting tonality in the kitchen with a mix of creams and beiges. It ties into the stone we have throughout the rest of the home.”

There are two different backsplashes used throughout the spec home’s kitchen. “It’s a thoughtful mix that makes it feel like a higher-end kitchen,” Shea notes. A cream-toned Moroccan zellige tile outfits the space behind the range. A soldier course detail—when tiles are applied vertically at the bottom to create a border—helps to “shake it up, create interest, and give a glossy quality throughout,” Shea explains. On the wall behind the pantry side of the kitchen, the same stone used throughout the rest of the home is carried all the way up to the ceiling. “It’s textural and organic and adds so much earthiness to the space,” she adds. “It feels like this home belongs in the mountains.”

A good design tip for kitchen lighting is to utilize multiple sources, including ambient, task, and accent to create a visually and functionally balanced space. In the spec home’s kitchen, a mix of brass island pendants, and three antiqued brass flush mounts and an articulating sconce that relates back to the cabinet’s hardware.

A last-minute construction change to flip-flop the main sink with the prep sink ended up being one of the best decisions in the kitchen. “I’m so glad we [changed them],” says Shea.

Starting in the primary bedroom, Shea explains “the goal in here was to keep it serene but honor the rustic nature of the rest of the home.” Playing up the rustic side of those is the wide wood paneling running the height of the walls and across the ceiling. The wood features lots of character with knots and holes, “we didn’t want it to be smooth, clean, and modern,” Shea adds. A thin layer of Natural Tan in Sherwin Williams amplifies the character of the wood by not masking the flaws. “You’re getting the softness from the light, putty color and getting the rustic texture coming through.” Exposed wood beams were custom stained to match the ceilings in the great room.

McGee & Co.’s linen-draped Henrietta Bed was the perfect companion to the space, though with the soaring ceilings the headboard didn’t measure up. “We added large-scale artwork above it in a pair and it perfectly fills that space,” Shea explains. “If you’re working with a bed that has a lower height, you can fill the height visually with artwork above.”

One last tip from Shea before we move into the primary bathroom. “I often see people place their rugs in their bedrooms way too close to the nightstands. The goal is to fill and ground the room. When you pull the rug down, you give more visual interest at the foot of the bed which makes your room appear larger,” she explains.

The stone from the bedroom’s fireplace is carried into the primary bathroom, carrying up the entirety of the wall behind the freestanding soaking tub. “We wanted to make sure the bathroom was still connected to the bedroom,” Shea explains. “The continuity is through the putty color on the cabinetry, the wood on the ceiling.” Nods to the rest of the home are introduced through the marble countertops and the dark grey limestone tiles. One of the really special details of the primary bathroom is the marble-trimmed vanity mirror with the scones mounted on top.

“In the shower, we did one of the coolest details we’ve ever done,” Shea exclaims. A Carrera marble brick lay is accented with a border of stacked marble liners “to create a reeded detail on all sides,” she adds.

“The floors in here are one of the highlights of the entire home,” Shea says immediately stepping into the space. “It feels classic and fresh, which is everything I wanted to do in this home.” Beneath your foot is a checkboard pattern of Calacatta marble and limestone tiles. “We wanted to depart from the grey and white or black and white we’ve been seeing a lot,” she explains.

The walls are covered in beadboard finished in Natural Tan by Sherwin-Williams, with a darker hue—Sand Beach by Sherwin-Williams—on the cabinetry. Small touches are carried throughout for a dramatic reveal. The black stone countertops are carried up the wall for a backsplash, burnished brass cupboard latches from Rejuvenation elevate the cabinets, and curved brackets give sophistication to the exposed shelving. An asymmetrical window is the perfect moment to bring in a piece of art. This one is Shadowed Shore 1 from McGee & Co.

Underneath a farmhouse sink, Shea and the design team used the space to bring in a touch of traditional design that elevates the room. “This little curtain is a style we’re loving right now,” Shea adds. “Nostalgia will always be cool, but it feels especially cool right now.” See it and other design trends we’re loving in 2023.

Laundry rooms, Shea notes, “are a great opportunity to go bold and custom.”

The mudroom is “the most beautiful shade of green,” Shea exclaims of the Forestwood by Sherwin-Williams color that wraps the entire room, and “the wall of windows is my favorite. I love the light that it brings.” The same limestone flooring from the home’s entryway is carried throughout this space. McGee & Co.’s Hopper Indoor/Outdoor Rug is the perfect companion to the space, “I love that the color of the grey in the rug has a green-ish/blue-ish undertone to it that ties in really nicely to the cabinetry,” Shea adds.

Above, the Cesta Linear Chandelier from McGee & Co. mimics the elongated shape of the room and helps to dress up the space. Tall cabinets call for long drawer pulls. These from Rejuvenation were decided upon by looking at the scale of the doors and the functionality of the space. “Having a pull in an area like this that’s very high traffic is really practical,” explains Shea.

“When we’re designing mudrooms we always ask our clients how many lockers they need,” explains Shea. Given that there’s a dedicated coat closet just outside this room, Shea and the design team chose to keep the cabinetry a mix between closed and open. “It gives you a place to sit down and put your shoes on,” she adds.