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Relocating from the Midwest to a beautiful waterfront location near Charlotte, N.C., the owners of this magnificent $2.6 million home were determined that their outdoor living space serve as a dramatic focal point for their indoor entertaining areas. Does it ever. The view from their front door reveals an expansive pool surrounded by an arch-covered terrazzo that can be accessed from nearly every room in the house.

Their choice of a 1 1/2-acre lakeside site in a golf course community provided the couple with the perfect opportunity to capture the water views they dreamed of, says Jocelyn Dienst of Dienst Custom Homes, builder of the 7,362-square-foot home. "With Lake Norman in the background, plus the pool and multiple garden fountains, virtually every room in the house features some type of water orientation," she says.
 

Dienst describes the stucco-and-stone exterior as North Carolina Mediterranean, or a modified version of the style more commonly found in Florida and California. "Most of the houses in this area feature a cedar-and-shake New England look, but these clients were looking for a style completely different from their neighbors'," says Dienst.

Inside, arches, volume ceilings, textured walls and distinctive columns characterize the formal living space, creating the sophisticated entertaining environment important to the homeowners. Various changes in level are used throughout the interior to designate pathways and highlight key living spaces.

"The formal area of the home feels very open and dramatic," says Dienst. "The house was really designed for adult entertainment, and this was paramount to how the spaces would be utilized."

The home also features an informal wing that includes a billiards room, a media room and a secondary kitchen. This space allows the couple to entertain friends and family, or just relax, in a more intimate setting. Directly adjacent to the pool, an exercise room and a bath create an in-home spa. The bath, decorated in a Grecian theme, features a steam shower and sauna.

Dual staircases provide access to the three guest suites on the second floor. Designed for the couple's grown children to use when they visit, each of these bedrooms was carefully decorated to reflect its own "personality," says interior designer Diane Hamilton. All three have walk-in closets and private full baths. The second floor also features a covered veranda that overlooks the pool and lake.

"Everything about this home is highly customized to suit its owners' tastes and lifestyle," Dienst says. That even extends to the garage space, where separate tack and laundry facilities allow the wife to indulge in her love of horseback riding without bringing soiled clothes or equipment into the house.

The two, two-car garages were deliberately separated to break up their mass and create an architecturally interesting courtyard entry that complements the exterior, says Dienst.

Style of Home Mediterranean
Location Mooresville, N.C.
Total Square Footage 7,362
Hard Costs $275 per square foot excluding land
Market Value $2.6 million
Builder/Interior Designer Dienst Custom Homes, Cornelius, N.C.
Architect White Lotus Design Group, Mint Hill, N.C.
Custom Home Adult-oriented primary residence
Major Products Used Appliances: General Electric, Thermador | Countertops: granite | Cabinetry: Medallion | Doors: Norco, American Specialty Window & Door | Fireplaces: Heatilator, Isokern | Columns: Chadsworth | HVAC: Carrier | Plumbing Fixtures: American Standard, Delta, Grohe, Blanco, Elkay, Bates and Bates | Windows: Norco | Roofing: CertainTeed | Security System: Apex | Home Systems & Controls: Elan Via | Garage Door: Southern Door