Jason and Robin Harris’ home is a new build on a sloped corner lot on Lakes Edge Drive that had been vacant for decades. Designed by Pohl Rosa Pohl, the home is a modern oasis with a wealth of windows. Photo by Emily Giancarlo
Jason and Robin Harris had lived in Jessamine County with their three children for many years before deciding to make a move to Lexington to decrease the time they spent driving back and forth for the kids’ activities. Their search for the perfect home, however, wasn’t an easy one.
“We kept looking but the minute a house popped up, it was sold in a day. Houses were on the market for a million dollars that needed substantial work — or to be torn down and rebuilt — and at that price point, it wasn’t feasible,” Robin said.
“We were coming back here to look at the house below us,” said Robin, pointing to the house next door to their 4,700 square foot home in Lakeview Estates. “I saw it online, but, of course, when I came by there was a pending sign out front.
“I was upset, but as I drove away I saw a ‘for sale by owner’ sign in this yard, which was an empty lot. I had thought it belonged with one of the adjacent homes, but it didn’t,” she said.
“When the neighborhood was built in the ‘80s, the homeowners below us had bought both lots,” she continued. “Since this lot is elevated above them, they didn’t want anyone to build on it — so it sat empty for 40 years until they decided to sell both properties.”
After purchasing the property in 2020, the Harrises contacted Clive Pohl of Pohl Rosa Pohl Architects, a leader in sustainable architecture, to design a new home that would blend into the existing neighborhood while making the most of the sloped corner lot.
“I knew I wanted the home to have a mid-century modern style, which Clive does so well. And with the challenging topography of this lot, we knew we needed an architect who could work with it,” Robin said. “Clive has built homes all over and has built on the side of mountains and other difficult locations. We knew that we needed someone with that expertise to work with this lot.”
One of the first things one notices about the home is the wealth of windows, which are all thermally broken to improve energy efficiency alongside the home’s geothermal energy system. The windows, which were designed by Sierra Pacific, blend in seamlessly with the iron and glass interior and exterior doors. The home, which appears to be a two-story home from the front, has an additional basement level built into the slope, creating a three-story home view from the other side, where two balconies stretch across the back of the home.
Robin said, “When the trees are not in bloom, we have a view of the water, but when they are in bloom it feels like you are in a treehouse.”
The kitchen, designed by Cucina Handcrafted Kitchens, is at the center — and the heart — of the home. Large and modern, the cabinetry and wood accents are made from a dark walnut, which perfectly plays off the white stone countertops designed by Counter Culture.
The countertops are a quartz product that has been designed so the veining goes all the way through, which is a feature you typically only get with natural stone, Robin said. A pantry with green cabinets is also outfitted with a unique piece of green marble.
From the kitchen, a step down takes you to a large living room with a uniquely angled fireplace.
“Clive and I wanted something asymmetrical here, and the team from Counter Culture had this amazing piece of black marble that I absolutely love,” she said. “I originally thought I would use porcelain, but when I saw this I knew it would be beautiful.”
The first floor also includes a mud room with a specially designed iron and glass dutch door and a dog washing station, as well as “his and hers” offices for Robin, who works in the pharmaceutical industry, and Jason, a doctor and chief medical officer.
“We wanted a way to get upstairs from Jason’s office,” said Robin. “The answer was to install a spiral staircase that goes up to the closet in the master bedroom.”
On the top floor is a master suite with a large bathroom that includes a soaking tub and balcony that stretches the width of the house. Two additional bedrooms with attached full baths are also located on the top floor.
“Our daughter loves Japanese style and wanted the platform bed surrounded by shelves. She loves the plum blossom motif, so her bathroom is designed around that, with the plum blossom mural in the shower designed by Louisville Tile,” said Robin of the unique feature.
An additional bedroom is located on the basement level, and it is also equipped with a full bath. The basement level also includes a large lounge area, where the family plays pool and the children entertain friends.
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Unique staircases are a striking feature of the Harris' Lakeview Estates home. Photo by Emily Giancarlo
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Unique staircases are a striking feature of the Harris' Lakeview Estates home. Photo by Emily Giancarlo
An unexpected feature that Jason and Robin are excited to finish is a wine room.
“When we were building, our friends who had just built a home told us that this same area under the porch, which is usually filled with gravel, can be finished and makes a great wine room because the temperature is very stable,” said Jason. The couple plans to add an iron and glass door to the space, which they hope will be an ideal place to store wine.
A small workout room is located off the lounge area in the basement, which also offers direct outdoor access as well as entry to the garage. Building on the corner lot also allowed for the home to have two driveways — one with garage access and room for additional cars, and a second on the other side of the home with space for four cars, making parking for gatherings easier since there is limited street parking.
The home was completed just before the holidays and while the family is still putting on their finishing touches on it, they love their new home, crediting not only Pohl but also contractor Jim Smith from Showplace Company for making their dreams a reality.
“We couldn’t be happier with how it turned out,” Robin said. “It’s exactly what we hoped for.”
The front foyer features a striking marble tiled floor and a set of swinging wooden doors, which provide added privacy when closed. Photo by Emily Giancarlo