Posted: Sat, 12 Nov 2011 09:32 AM - 12,527 Readers
By: Nicole Villalpando
Jack and Elyse Guthrie built their dream home after three years of looking for the right house, not finding it and then designing and constructing a house on Lake Travis.
"We thought of everything when we lived there," says Elyse Guthrie. Refrigerators carefully planned throughout the home, a game room for the adults, a play room for the kids, multiple outdoor spaces for entertaining, a swim-up bar near the grill, a separated guest suite, easy-to-care-for concrete floors and countless amenities to make living and entertaining in the 7,067-square-foot house comfortable.
Finished in 2010, the Guthries got to enjoy the house for a short time before a job opportunity in Frisco resettled the family in North Texas. Jack Guthrie is a vice president of North American sales for a medical device company. Elyse Guthrie is a recruiter.
They have put the house at 700 Moonlight Bay Drive in Spicewood on the market for $1.49 million. Lynn Robin of Capital City Sotheby's International Realty has the listing.
"I wish we could move that house here," Elyse Guthrie says. "It had everything."
The home in the Coves on Lake Travis neighborhood sits on a hill overlooking Lake Travis. The neighborhood features a park and marina, where the Guthries have their boat slip. It's also near the Reserve at Lake Travis, where the Guthries have enjoyed a social membership that allows them to participate in all of that neighborhood's amenities, from boating to activities center to restaurant and equestrian center.
From the driveway of the stone-and-red-tile roof home, guests enter a courtyard with a fountain that feels straight out of Old World Spain. A covered dining area provides an outdoor bar area with refrigerator and a fireplace. Windows can be opened to allow for a cross breeze. This is where the Guthries have had Thanksgiving dinner and other holiday meals.
Nearby, a separate guest casita features stained concrete doors, a full bathroom with a furniture-like sink with black granite.
The main house opens with views of the living room and the backyard beyond. Just inside the front door, a wine room with space for 2,500 bottles sits across from the dining room.
In the living room, a stone fireplace sits on one wall with doors opening to the patio on another wall. Stained concrete floors sit below, wood beams above. The house is wired for surround sound.
The kitchen flows easily from the living room, creating one large space for entertaining. The kitchen is decked out in accoutrements for the home chef: two ovens, a Wolf gas range, a warming drawer and granite counters with amble work space and storage beneath. The large island has seating for a family on one side, a sink on the other and storage beneath. There's also a nearby breakfast area overlooking the pool area. The kitchen offers a large pantry and two butler's pantries. The utility room provides space for a second refrigerator or freezer.
A mud room sits beside one of the two garages. This garage is designed to hold two cars, the other holds four.
A two-bedroom, one-bath apartment, ideal for a nanny, a college student or guests, is above one of the garages.
All the walls in the house are insulated with spray foam and the windows are Low E with solar screens.
At the other end of the house, the master suite sits beside the office. The master's large bathroom features a jetted tub in front of the walk-in shower room with two rainshower heads. Travertine tiles cover the floors and walls of the shower room and beside the tub. The bathroom counters are granite and sit on pieces made to look like furniture. He has a separate vanity area from her.
His and her closets are ample and provide many built ins. Near the closets and bathroom is a coffee bar area with a refrigerator.
Doors from the master lead to the patio and pool area.
Upstairs, the second floor bedroom wing features three bedrooms. Two bedrooms share a Jack and Jill bathroom. A third bedroom offers its own bathroom. This wing also has a computer area and play area for the children.
On the opposite side of the second floor, a media room with three tiers offers fun movie theater-themed carpeting. An overhead projectors plays films onto a screen that takes up one wall. The room has its own kitchenette for popping popcorn and getting drinks. The room has sound proofing.
The game room sits down the hall from the media room. This space features a full bar area with dishwasher and refrigerator and a copper vessel sink. A half-bath sits near the game room.
A balcony with a third level is off the game room. A spiral staircase takes guests up to that third level, which provides stunning views of Lake Travis. Another staircase takes guests down to the patio off the master bedroom.
The outdoor living area features a grill with refrigerator and sink nearby and a fireplace.
Another grill and bar area is in the cabana beside the pool. Stools built into the pool allow guests to stay in the pool and get something to eat or drink.
"I loved all the outdoor living areas," Elyse Guthrie says. "It was set up to be for entertaining, but it's not pretentious; it's casual. Every room is designed to be outdoors. You never have to leave there."
The house will be open today from 2 to 4 p.m.
