For the Galloways, the joy is in the planning, the designing, the imagining. With two creative minds — and a builder as one-half of the couple — Lynn and Clint Galloway are always thinking about their next home. They have been married for 12 years and, while having already built five houses, the home in Chapin they moved into this past summer may just be the one. At least for now.
Having more than 5,400 square feet with six bedrooms and three-and-a-half baths, this lakefront residence provides ample space for the Galloways and their four young children. After their extensive building experience, Lynn has learned a lot of lessons that greatly impacted the designing of their current home.
“Our hobby is to sit and brainstorm and come up with ideas for our next home, all while keeping resale value in mind,” says Lynn. As the needs of their family have changed, Lynn and Clint’s tastes and desires in their home have as well. Now, the focus is on family and practicality. “We entertain all the time. It’s not uncommon to have 30 kids running around the house, so everything needs to be functional. We created this house with family in mind,” says Lynn.
A focus on family and kids doesn’t mean beauty and elegance were sacrificed. One step into the two-story foyer and guests are enveloped by warm hand-scraped hardwood floors that impart a richness throughout the home. The dark floors are juxtaposed with the pearl gray walls throughout. For Lynn, it’s about creating a sense of calm.
“Our daily lives are so busy and chaotic, so when I come home, I want to relax, and the colors in the house evoke that,” says Lynn. While the calming colors flow throughout the home, there are unique and interesting pops of color and lighting in every room. In most rooms that also includes a special touch on the ceiling. “Lighting and ceilings are like jewelry for an outfit,” adds Lynn. “I love details in them. Each ceiling in our house has something neat and different — a little surprise in every room.”
That focus on lighting is evident in the dining room, which serves as a lovely canvas for the chandelier, a family heirloom. The den features a light fixture that took more than a year to arrive via barge. Lynn fell in love with the piece while visiting High Point, N.C. and patiently awaited its arrival from the United Kingdom, as it is a centerpiece for the space. The den has an open, airy floor plan and is framed by peacock blue drapes, the bright color of which jumps off the walls in beautiful contrast to the muted tones of the furniture.
The den leads directly into the hub of the home and the room the Galloways ultimately gather — the stunning kitchen. The island is significant and extremely functional. Covered in a sea pearl granite countertop, the island accommodates a farmhouse sink, dishwasher, two pull-out trash cans, a warming drawer and microwave and enough space to hold six stools. White shaker-style cabinets frame the room, while a refrigerator and two freezer drawers, the cook top and a baking area that pulls out from underneath the counter round out the high-quality appliances and amenities fit for all culinary tastes. Leathered black granite countertops in the remainder of the kitchen deliver a rich contrast to the island, while the farmhouse table provides generous seating for the family of six to dine.
The kitchen also features two unique wrought iron chandeliers that hang over the island. Lynn wanted something big that made a statement but didn’t take away from the focal point in the kitchen — a custom hood that Lynn designed. “I wanted to have some special items that really popped throughout the house. The hood is certainly one of those things,” says Lynn. “I always have my nose in a magazine or browse on Pinterest, and I just couldn’t find what I wanted, so I figured it out, sketched it and gave it to our cabinet man. He ran with it and it turned out great.”
The striking hood is constructed of wood and covered in a textured laminated metal. The border has a brass look and is finished with nail heads. It’s one of the pieces in the home that guests often comment on.
The kitchen conveniently flows to another favorite area of the home, the bright and inviting back porch. The stamped concrete floors provide an interesting element in soothing gray, while a dark patterned ceiling lends drama and contrast. The neutral canvas is again complemented by pops of color in the same bright peacock blue found throughout the interior of the home. Comfortable furniture, an inviting fireplace, mounted flat screen and bed swing ensure this outdoor room is one of the most enjoyed areas of the home.
Another room worthy of conversation and envy is the master bedroom. Lynn wanted the room to be cozy and comfortable, so she warmed the space by placing grass cloth on the walls. The master bathroom has a spa-like quality, featuring marble countertops and floors. But the pièce de résistance in the master suite is the walk-in closet. It contains white built-ins, a peacock blue ceiling, and a peacock blue and cream animal print seat. It’s a beautiful combination of whimsy and elegance. Ample shelves and drawers supply order and organization.
“I wanted my closet to feel like a boutique,” says Lynn. “When my girlfriends are here, we always end up sitting on the bench seat in the closet. I won the closet; Clint won having the television in the bedroom!”
A pocket door in the closet leads directly to the laundry room, which Lynn wanted by the master bedroom for added convenience. Lynn often finds herself doing three things at once and efficiency is critical. As a brilliant bonus, the Galloways also included a small laundry room upstairs for the kids.
In the back of the master bedroom sits a formal living area that can be closed off by pocket doors. The living area flows to the porch, providing an ideal location for entertaining.
The upstairs of the home is truly all about the kids — with a side for their three sons and a side for their one daughter and guests. The boys’ side features a jack-and-jack bathroom for the older boys and a separate bathroom for their youngest son. Their daughter has the biggest bedroom, which includes a large bench seat with built-ins and drawers for storage. The cushion is a textured white fabric with hot pink piping. A unique surprise is the color of the bedroom, which is Needlepoint Navy, a calming tone that belies the traditional pink.
Lynn tapped into her experience from designing past homes and incorporated useful techniques into the planning of the playroom. The door to the room is brown and the built-ins are navy in an effort to hide dings and marks, while also adding a visual appeal to the space. Light green walls brighten the area.
The upstairs is also the site of what would have been a media room but a space Lynn turned into open storage — and one of her favorite areas in the home. From Christmas decorations to seasonal clothes, the room provides the two elements Lynn values most — convenience and function.
Without question, one of the smartest, most functional areas in the home is the homework room found off the side entry. Equipped with a desk for homework and five lockers, one for each child and an extra one for Clint, the space can be closed off from the rest of the house. The room not only keeps mess around the house to a minimum but also ensures a quiet, undisturbed time for homework and studying.
“Of course we want everything to be pretty, but we have to be realistic. We are a family of six, and we can’t stress ourselves out about mess or clutter, but we did do particular things, like design this room, to make life a little easier and the house more organized,” says Lynn.
To be sure, this beautiful home on the lake is a winning combination of being somewhat secluded in the woods, while also being a part of a neighborhood. A quick trip down the golf cart path leads to the neighborhood pool, while the large area of land on which the home sits is often the scene of a competitive football game among the neighborhood kids.
“This house feels like a forever home, but we both enjoy the process so much that I don’t know what the future holds,” adds Lynn. Until then, the Galloways will enjoy every minute with their family and friends on the lake, basking in the glory of their latest great design.