Modern lodge style with a Craftsman influence defines home in Boone’s Trace

It’s like being in a treehouse,” said architect Paul Rea of Lexington, recalling standing eye-to-eye with the tree tops at 316 Avawam Drive in Boone’s Trace. It was 2012, and the 5,100-square-foot house he had designed for Bill and Donna Mando was finished.

Perched 600 steep feet above the Kentucky River in Madison County, the house required all of the brain power and experience Rea and builder Bill Schaeffer could bring to the table. “The lot was a crazy challenge,” he said. “It’s so steep that even the basement floor is about 12 feet out of the ground.” The roof wasn’t much easier, according to the 30-year veteran architect who designs 20-30 homes a year. “This was a complex project,” he said.

For the most part, Rea designed the house long-distance for the longtime Florida residents and natives of Northern Kentucky. Donna gave him a stack of photos that she had been tearing out of magazines for years as a place to start.

From there, Rea and the Mandos collaborated for months to capture the couple’s vision for the house, the fourth they had built together. “We had ideas and Paul had ideas, and we merged them,” Bill explained. “We talked on the phone and emailed drawings and notes back and forth quite frequently,” said Bill, a UK graduate and retired CFO of Graystone Health. Even though Rea supervised construction, Donna flew in once a month to check on things and make decisions. “The house had been finished for six months before we moved in,” Bill noted..

Evocative of a mountain retreat, the five-bedroom, three-and-a-half bathroom ranch-style house anchors a sloping two-and-one-third-acre lot that was totally wooded when the couple bought it. Lea sited the structure to preserve as many trees as possible. He also incorporated natural and manufactured materials in earthy colors to blend with the surroundings.

A modern lodge style with a Craftsman influence defines the front façade. Stone and cedar porch supports, a stone floor, and thick stone columns flank the front door to set the tone. Exposed wood beams fan out in the apex of the vaulted roof above the entry. Light from inside pours through the oversized glass front door with dramatic effect after dark.

The rugged-yet-refined feel of the exterior extends to the two-story deck in back. The upper deck off the main level quickly became the favorite part of the house for both Bill and Donna, who enjoy being close to nature. Brick pillars support the gazebo-style roof that shelters a portion of the 700-square-foot space. A fireplace built into a stone wall serves as the focal point of the space and a heat source on cool days. There’s also a built-in gas grill.

“In the summer, we’re out here all the time,” Donna said. “Even when it’s really hot, the ceiling fans keep the space that’s under roof comfortable.”

With more than 50 windows, the house offers views of the woods from every room. Donna, who chose all of the colors, finishes, and décor, went with soft gold in public areas. A warm hue that harmonizes with nature, it’s reflected in hardwood floors throughout the main level. It also complements cherry cabinetry and granite countertops in the kitchen and bathrooms.

One of the home’s most striking features is the double-stacked windows in the vaulted great room. Wooden beams illuminated by spotlights crisscross the expanse, highlighting the 23-foot height of the room. Arched doorways, rounded corners, generous baseboards and crown moulding abound on the main floor.

Nearby, the stairway leads to the finished basement, the preferred hangout for the couple’s five grandchildren and their families. It’s equipped with a kitchen, bar and pool table and plenty of floor space for fun and games. There’s also an ensuite bedroom and bath, tv room and direct access to the back yard, where deer and wild turkey make frequent appearances.

The scenery will change drastically when the Mandos return to central Florida to live year-round. “We were there for 30 years,” Donna said. “We thought we’d be fine here, but we’ve come to realize we like our toes in the sand.”