Photos: 10 things to love about a modern, kid-friendly home
The average homebuyer expects to stay put for 13 years before moving. Kim Perry, 33, wonders if her family will ever reach that mark. Her husband runs a construction company, and the couple has been moving about once every two years. Their homes are like living showrooms, where Roy, 36, can take potential clients and let them see what his handiwork before contracting R Perry Construction. “It’s an adventure,” she said. “We always know that our house is on display for those people who say, can it be done? What are our options? What are our possibilities? It’s just something we’ve adapted into our life and it doesn’t seem so strange to us.”
For them, it’s a fun journey. Designing their latest home in the Whispering Creek neighborhood, Roy and Kim asked, “What can we do to stay home and have it all here?” Since the birth of their son Jack, they’ve turned to a lifestyle that’s homeward bound but not boring.
1. Outdoor Oasis
An expansive view of the Whispering Creek Golf Club in the backyard was an attractive quality in the lot on Quail Ridge. The resort-like setting provides a place where the Perrys can relax and enjoy the trees and hills of the countryside and the golf course without having to go anywhere.
2. Tech & Friends
The outdoor pool maximizes convenience and comfort. The lights and temperature can be controlled remotely using apps on their smart phones. Additionally, the pool house provides storage room for equipment without being an eyesore on the property – and that’s not all. It was designed as a multifunctional space, outfitted with a refrigerator for afternoon snacking and a full bathroom to wash off after going for a dip.
3. Perry’s Bar
Entertaining and family function were top priorities for the Perrys. The two work together throughout the house. Kim and Roy wanted to be able to stay home instead of going out since they have 1-year-old Jack tottering around. An in-home bar is an inviting feature for friends to come over and have fun without hitting the town.
4. Go Iowa!
Hawkeyes football – that’s a main reason why the basement is set up they was it is. “We are big Iowa fans,” she said. “Jack’s got his own little Iowa jersey and he’s ready for football season.” They’ll watch NFL games but don’t follow one team in particular. It’s all about the Big Ten.
5. Trial Style
“This is the first house we’ve done modern,” she said. They went with a durable tile floor that imitates the look of driftwood. The couple’s Great Dane runs around and Jack rolls his Tonka trucks over the ceramic surface and Kim, a nurse anesthetist at Mercy Medical Center, doesn’t worry about dents or scratches. “This is a great way to show contemporary functionality and it’s perfect,” she said.
6. Mod Kid
Between getting furnishings from Mod House Interiors and Target, Kim created a transitional space for Jack where he can grow up. “He can play, but he can learn and grow,” she said. “It’s just his own little space. He can entertain himself for hours.”
7. Dream Big
Right now, the spacious master bedroom is sparsely furnished. There’s no need to have dressers taking up floor space since they have a large walk-in closet attached to the bathroom. And yet, there’s room to redesign and reconfigure the furniture arrangement to accommodate anything from a reading nook to a desk.
8. Tub-Less Trend
The master bathroom registers as one of the top two favorite features of the home – perhaps only second to the pool area. The Perrys decided to forego a bathtub in favor of an oversized glassed-in tile shower with multiple showerheads. “It turned out so much better than either one of us thought it would,” she said. “It’s contemporary, but it’s still functional.”
9. Shiny Center
It used to be that Roy and Kim could come and go as they pleased. It’s a little harder to get away and leave the house with Jack. Here again, they bring the food and fun to them. A stainless steel Thermador range with six burners and two ovens became a centerpiece of the kitchen and much of it was designed around the luxury stove. “It’s amazing to be able to cook two things in the oven at once,” she said. “Even when we have a big group, we can get things cooked up and done in no time versus waiting for a burner or cooking one thing at a time.”
10. Jack’s Jungle (Gym)
“I think our best purchase ever was the couch,” Kim said. “It’s like a jungle gym for Jack. He runs from side to side and he can climb. That’s probably the greatest thing is just watching him still be able to be a kid but yet still being able to clean up and say, hey, this is what Roy does. This is his work.”
The average homebuyer expects to stay put for 13 years before moving. Kim Perry, 33, wonders if her family will ever reach that mark.
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