Architect Jill Farfan (above, middle) worked with homeowners Leland Irwin and Mona Rozovich to update their unique south Lexington home. Photo by Andrew Shupert and Jeremey Blum
When Dr. Leland Irwin and Mona Rozovich decided to begin a new life together, they planned to sell their individual homes and find a house that was new to them both. After having trouble finding a buyer for Irwin’s home and not finding a new home they loved, the couple rethought their plan and decided a renovation of his south Lexington home would allow them a fresh start in a space perfectly designed just for them.
The unique U-shaped home, a 4,000+ square foot contemporary structure, was designed by award-winning architect Scott Guyon and constructed in 2000 with a small expansion, also designed by Guyon, in 2007. Located on 10 acres near the Shelby Branch of East Hickman Creek and overlooking Juddmonte Farms, the home sits in a peaceful rural setting not far from the amenities of the city.
Originally planning just an update and modernization of the main spaces, the couple engaged Jill Farfan of JAF Architect for the renovation, who used Showplace Company as the general contractor.
1 of 7
The U-shaped home is located on 10 acres overlooking Juddmonte Farms. Photo by Andrew Shupert and Jeremy Blum
2 of 7
The U-shaped home is located on 10 acres overlooking Juddmonte Farms. Photo by Andrew Shupert and Jeremy Blum
3 of 7
The U-shaped home is located on 10 acres overlooking Juddmonte Farms. Photo by Andrew Shupert and Jeremy Blum
4 of 7
The U-shaped home is located on 10 acres overlooking Juddmonte Farms. Photo by Andrew Shupert and Jeremy Blum
5 of 7
The U-shaped home is located on 10 acres overlooking Juddmonte Farms. Photo by Andrew Shupert and Jeremy Blum
6 of 7
The U-shaped home is located on 10 acres overlooking Juddmonte Farms. Photo by Andrew Shupert and Jeremy Blum
7 of 7
The U-shaped home is located on 10 acres overlooking Juddmonte Farms. Photo by Andrew Shupert and Jeremy Blum
“We wanted someone with a fresh perspective,” Rozovich said, adding that Guyon was “so helpful and provided us with a lot of drawings and things.”
Irwin said he was drawn to Farfan, who has spent time living in both Los Angeles and Bolivia, because she had a variety of architectural perspectives.
“Initially, we thought to just update the main spaces, but when we saw Jill’s design, we’d walk into one of the other rooms that was 23 years old and think, ‘we just can’t leave the room like that,’” Irwin said. “The project kept expanding and expanding. We looked at the outside and saw things that needed improving, and one thing led to another until it was the whole house.”
The center of the home consists of an entryway flanked by two seating areas, with a dining area separated visually by the original grey brick fireplace, and a galley-style kitchen.
The centerpiece of the kitchen is a counter area that Rozovich has called “the surfboard,” due to its distinct oval shape. The top, made of quartzite and sourced from Counter Culture, is white with a distinctive green accent. The slate flooring in the kitchen, installed during the 2007 renovation, and dark porcelain slab countertops help balance white ash and original bamboo flooring throughout the rest of the house. Many of the original materials and design choices were cutting-edge in 2000 and still fit perfectly with the home’s “Japandi” aesthetic — a design approach that blends elements of Japanese and Scandinavian design.
The seating area to the right of the entry was separated from the kitchen and dining room in the original floorplan.
“Logically, when people come to visit, especially when we’re having dinner, the tendency is to wander that way, so we decided [open it],” Irwin said.
The area to the left is more enclosed, with one wall created from a built-in cabinet made of white ash, and a half-wall that separates the space from a staircase to the basement on the other. These details create a second seating area that is cozier, and it is a perfect place for visitors to sit while the hosts work in the kitchen.
Though constrained from a fully open floor plan by the fireplace, Farfan instead made it a centerpiece. She said, “We contemplated painting it, but we really wanted to bring the outside in, and that is the same brick from the outside of the house. What I love about the joinery of that brick is that they emphasize the horizontal, and it is beautiful.”
1 of 5
The overarching style of the home’s design is called Japandi, which incorporates elements of Japanese and Scandinavian design. Photo by Andrew Shupert and Jeremy Blum
2 of 5
The overarching style of the home’s design is called Japandi, which incorporates elements of Japanese and Scandinavian design. Photo by Andrew Shupert and Jeremy Blum
3 of 5
The overarching style of the home’s design is called Japandi, which incorporates elements of Japanese and Scandinavian design. Photo by Andrew Shupert and Jeremy Blum
4 of 5
The overarching style of the home’s design is called Japandi, which incorporates elements of Japanese and Scandinavian design. Photo by Andrew Shupert and Jeremy Blum
5 of 5
The overarching style of the home’s design is called Japandi, which incorporates elements of Japanese and Scandinavian design. Photo by Andrew Shupert and Jeremy Blum
Farfan put a lot of thought into the lighting which was installed in unexpected places like under the single step up into the dining area from the living area.
“All the lighting was completely redone, and everything is LED with dimmers, which is really important,” she said. “One of the things that I thought was very important, and I think is a sign of good architecture, was to install direct lighting. So, we created some alcoves where we have up-lighting, down-lighting, and side-lighting, and it all comes from the architecture.”
To one side of the home’s main space is a wing that contains the master bedroom and bath as well as a spacious laundry room and wellness room. While the original master bedroom housed an oversized closet, the new master is open and airy, anchored by both a curved built-in bookcase and built-in bed with an integrated headboard and down-lighting, and includes a small seating area. The changes allow for more natural light to reach the space.
Said Farfan, “I had never designed a bed before, so it was really a wonderful experience to do. We did curve radiuses around the bed, like with the bookcase, and there are no sharp corners.”
1 of 4
Photo by Andrew Shupert and Jeremy Blum
2 of 4
Photo by Andrew Shupert and Jeremy Blum
3 of 4
Photo by Andrew Shupert and Jeremy Blum
4 of 4
Photo by Andrew Shupert and Jeremy Blum
The wellness room, which originally housed a propeller pool, is now home to the couple’s exercise equipment and a hot tub. The room includes reclaimed redwood, which is ideal for the space with the humidity from the hot tub. It also features a unique area with a stone floor with drainage — an ideal place for caring for plants or doing other messy tasks.
With Farfan’s vision, even the laundry room is an inviting space.
“In the laundry room there were four closets and at least seven doors. We took out all the small closets that were not really needed, and took the wall down to pony height to open up the space and allow light to flow through,” said Farfan.
She added ample cabinetry for storage and a hand-washing sink. With fluted glass accents and a built-in bench with down-lighting, the space is so welcoming that Rozovich said with a laugh, “I thought it’d be a great place for cocktails.”
On the opposite side of the central section, the other wing of the home houses an office and one of the two guest bedrooms.
Rozovich said, “The office didn’t change too much, except for a new built-in desk, which was very important for the flow. It’s a small space, and the large desk that was there before didn’t allow access to some of the cabinets and wasn’t a good use of the space.”
1 of 7
Photo by Andrew Shupert and Jeremy Blum
2 of 7
Photo by Andrew Shupert and Jeremy Blum
3 of 7
Photo by Andrew Shupert and Jeremy Blum
4 of 7
Photo by Andrew Shupert and Jeremy Blum
5 of 7
Photo by Andrew Shupert and Jeremy Blum
6 of 7
Photo by Andrew Shupert and Jeremy Blum
7 of 7
Photo by Andrew Shupert and Jeremy Blum
The guest bedrooms received a similar treatment as the master bedroom, with the spaces opened up to more light by opening up under-utilized closet space.
Back in the main area, Farfan expands on the changes made to the dining area to allow more indoor-outdoor flow.
“We completely opened this up by just taking out the windows and door and replacing it with a much larger glass door that opens up the room to the outside. They can leave it open a lot during the warmer days, and the view is spectacular,” she said.
The home’s bathrooms were all renovated as well. While the original porcelain bathtubs were left in place, the sinks were all replaced with ramp sinks from Germany, and porcelain tile sourced from Louisville Tile was installed.
“We used large format porcelain tile panels for the walls, and they’re spectacular,” Farfan said.
Though the home’s color palette is neutral throughout, one spot breaks from the rest.
“This is where we had some fun,” said Farfan, as she opens the door to the main area’s powder room, which is dark and decorated with jewel tones.
The home is rounded out by the finished basement, which is outfitted with recliners for television and movie watching, and a pool table. Built into the hillside, one wall of the basement is made of windows, and the couple and their guests can access the outdoor seating areas directly. The second guest bedroom is also located in the basement.
According to Farfan, the guiding theme to the home is “balanced asymmetry.”
“The house is extremely symmetrical, so we just made some subtle moves to make it slightly less asymmetrical but in a balanced way,” she said. “Much of what we did involved natural light, and the changes we made completely opened up the view and changed the experience of the space and how you can use it.”
Though the couple had thought to start out in a new space, they are thrilled that those plans changed. Said Rozovich, “I wake up every day, and I can’t believe we live here — it’s like a dream. Jill dreamed even bigger than I did with her vision, and Jim Smith with Showplace made those dreams come true.”