DAKOTA DUNES, S.D. | Jeff Bousquet and his wife Suzanne stood on the sidewalk and admired the home of TJ and Debi Bell.
They should.
The Bousquets built the home and then ended up selling it to them.
"The home was started in November 2010 and was completed May 2011," Suzanne said. "As a matter of fact, we were set up to close and move in the same weekend that the mandatory evacuation of the (Dakota Dunes) Country Club area was enforced (due to the 2011 Missouri River flooding). We lived there only one year."
"We moved in June 29, 2012," Debi added.
Television shows and Realtors always talk about curb appeal.
The home of TJ and Debi Bell has that and much more.
Constructed by custom builder Jeff Bousquet, the exterior is a warm earth tone with a stone-cultured facade.
People are also reading…
An open floor plan allows for a feeling of expanse as one enters the home. Just off the entry is an office with built-in, custom cabinets. Bousquet would often work with clients in this area on building plans and specs.
Dark cherrywood and granite are used in the living room and adjacent kitchen, a continuation of the earthy exterior of the home.
Dark brown leather couches and chairs provide comfort to enjoy the oversized, gas fireplace or 52-inch television screen. Bousquet customized the entertainment center which highlights both those items.
Floor-to-ceiling windows, framed in a soft white trim, offer a glimpse of the quarter acre the home sits on.
"This is probably the area I spend the most time in," Debi Bell confided. "Not to watch TV so much, but to look outside. I love the large windows."
Two tiered, circular, speckled granite countertops allow for up to nine guests comfortable seating while the cook prepares culinary delights.
"The backsplash is made of glass," Jeff pointed out. "Actually that has become more popular than the traditional ceramic tiles."
The stainless steel appliances glisten as the southwest sun reflects off them. A two-level oven allows for preparation of several dishes.
"I've got to admit TJ cooks more than I do," Debi said. "But the layout of the kitchen is perfect for the two of us."
"My signature dish?" TJ asked. "Oatmeal raisin cookies. It's a recipe I got from my mother and her sisters are my three best customers."
Hardware on the cabinets is an eye-catching oil-rubbed bronze.
"I saw it somewhere," Jeff tried to recall.
The kitchen incorporates the cherrywood found in the living room.
Exiting the kitchen onto the deck takes one from one broad expanse to another. The view is of green and green almost to the horizon. The chocolate wicker furniture is positioned around a stone veneered fire pit, also custom built, for those cooler evenings.
Back in the house, light carpeting takes one down the hall to the master bedroom, one of four in the 4,300-square foot home.
The dark wood with white highlights continues in this decor. Recessed lighting provides ambiance with the shades are closed against the western sunny skies. A gas fireplace adds coziness and warmth. A large walk-in closet has enough space for clothes and bed linens. Two large French doors lead to the deck that can also be accessed from the kitchen.
The master bath, one of three in the house, sports both a full-size jacuzzi bathtub and a large custom shower with glass surround. Here earth tones again appear in the granite and ceramic tile. Shaded windows allow in or close out light from the outside.
"The walls here are a sort of leather look, but are actually a faux paint," Jeff pointed out.
The lower level of the home carries the same color scheme, with a bit more lightness. A tall bar with a granite countertop and cultured stone facing can seat five or more folks. Suspended lights are a fun yellow, orange.
Dead center is a regulation Brunswick pool table even Minnesota Fats would envy.
"It's kind of funny, because I'm such a skinny guy," TJ laughed at the reference.
"We really haven't entertained much, yet," Debi noted. "We're still getting used to the house, I think."
"We also enjoy the 125-inch diagonal projection screen in our media room," TJ said, of the area which also includes surround sound throughout the house.
Hidden from view is a safe room.
"It's all concrete with eight-foot walls and 10-inch thick concrete," Jeff said. "It will stop a tornado."
The lower level also has two guest bedrooms. The brown tones continue with a splashes of fire-engine red. In a complete change-up, one of the bedrooms uses a blue palette.
