Award-Winning Design- The Forever Home
A forever home is something on the wish list for many of our clients- a home ready for any phase of life, now and into the future. This Award-Winning custom home design was a deeply creative collaboration of the skills of Cat, the CFD Team, and Accredited Master Builder Chad Collins. A Certified Aging-In-Place Home, they crafted this beauty from the ground up, with a seamless fusion of architectural beauty and full accessibility. So much design heart and soul went into every inch of this gorgeous estate, and the result was a place of true contentment, with the peace of mind that this much-loved home was designed and built to meet every want and need- now and for all the years to come.
One of the key components for Aging-In-Place are zero threshold entryways and thoughtful materials to promote easy access for all mobility capabilities.
Building the Dream
It’s a tremendous privilege to create someone’s dream home. Often, we are creating a space that our clients have been imagining and planning for years (sometimes even decades). The process and the details matter every step of the way- and that’s where we come in. Building a home can be a culmination of so many important life events- a celebration of hard work, family, or a long-awaited transition to a different time in life, like retirement or a new career direction. It can also be a reflection of changing physical needs, whether immediate or in the future. When we meet a client who is ready to step into this process, we all celebrate here in the studio- because while it’s a true labor of love for everyone involved, we know just how incredible the finish line will be.
A true zero-entry design, every access point to the home is accessible for someone using a mobility aide, with no additional modifications (like ramps) needed. The full zero-entry design includes all the doors, as well as the pool deck, patio, and yard.
Combining Expertise
This home was one of the earliest collaborations combining the expertise of both Cat and Chad (you can take a look at more of their work together here). In addition to being a highly experienced Accredited Master Builder, Chad is also a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist. This means a specific expertise and additional education/training in creating homes that are livable during any stage of life. Whether it’s for the clients themselves, aging parents, accommodating extended family for visits, or just planning for the future, an accessible home is highly practical and an investment that bears returns for decades. For this home, Cat and Chad were the perfect combination of experience and expertise to merge the functionality and accessibility that this couple needed, as well as architectural beauty and high-quality craftsmanship that made this home even more unique.
Every room in the home is spacious and flooded with sunlight, with continuous views of the lush wooded lot and in-ground pool.
Functional & Beautiful
These clients came to us with very specific logistical living needs, and wanted the entire structure of the home to provide a comfortable, safe living space now and for the future- space that would be both functional and beautiful for life. A home that is literally designed and built for the long-term, strategic design features include accessibility, such as zero-entry doors inside and outside, and a graded paved walkway access into the home (as shown above). Importantly, they also wanted considerations for accessibility in the bathrooms. The goal was to make the entire home, both indoor spaces and outdoor spaces, fully accessible for any mobility needs.
The spacious layout is strategically designed to allow comfortable movement, even with a mobility device.
The Primary Bath
Let’s talk bathrooms- specifically, a design that supports ideal maneuverability without sacrificing style and elegance. As a space where accessibility is a must in a forever home, designing bathrooms with the future in mind requires extra strategy and planning in every single detail. The goal in this space was a true zero-entry shower with full, comfortable accessibility, while remaining beautiful and proportional. A space full of luxe quality materials and abundant natural light, the curated design of this primary bath makes it a gorgeous space fit for any stage of life. Keeping a design-forward feel to the space, we layered in visual interest with the varying tile shape and pattern, which gives the room dimension and balance.
This light-filled bathroom was strategically designed for full accessibility, while maintaining all the same design integrity, style, and flow of a traditional bathroom space. The zero entry shower + bench and roomy through-areas are blended seamlessly with luxe finishes and create a space that feels beautiful and comfortable for any stage of life.
Award-Winning Design
Cat and Chad are incredibly meticulous when it comes to the intersection of functionality and craftsmanship- it’s an area where their combined skillset and experience deliver an incredible outcome. This home was given the distinctive award of Best Accessible Residential Home in North Carolina by the North Carolina Home Builders Association (NCHBA). Every detail was carefully considered to provide a home that is as beautiful as it is practical- a space filled with equal parts joy and peace of mind.
When we’re building a forever home designed for Aging-in-Place, longevity and quality are foundational. As an investment that’s built to last, classic architectural detail and timeless design elements create a home that stands the test of time- each space created with intention, and designed to be loved and enjoyed for decades to come.
We’re so glad you came over to hang out with us on the CFD blog today. We love what we do, and we love sharing it with you. Curious about our process? Check out more about our full-home design here. Learn about our decades of design experience and how we make your home one-of-a-kind here.
Have questions about designing your own dream space? We’d love to help. Start here at our contact page. Or, feel free to just give us a holler anytime at hello@catfrenchdesign.com.
And, if you’d like to follow along for more in-the-moment happenings and goings-on of this bustling design team, you can also find us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Pinterest!
