Team building

He has the construction chops and she has the stylish sensibility: together, a dream team builds a dream home.

Story by Mara Severin • Photography by Dave M. Davis Photography

Bobbi and Eric Trevithick are always building something. While some couples barely survive building one home from the ground-up, the Trevithicks have a number of them under their belt. And their most recent project – a Turnagain gem with enviable access to the coastal trails – is concrete proof that you can't beat experience.

“We just keep getting better at what we do,” says Eric, a licensed commercial contractor and owner of Trevi Builders. His wife Bobbi is a baker with an unerring eye for color and detail and a self-confessed addiction to HGTV (particularly, “Dream Homes,” she says).

The book’s elegant cover

The exterior sets the tone for the whole concept of the home: Contemporary, clean-lined and elegant – with a Craftsman-style flavor hinting at the artisan-level of handiwork that is to be found throughout. Overhanging eaves and low-pitched roof-lines provide architectural interest to the home, while maintaining a cohesive, un-cluttered façade. The tri-colored palette – a pale dove grey with duskier accents and a deep slate tone for the trim and garage doors – accomplishes the same trick: creating depth and interest while maintaining a level of sophistication.

Heating up a cool room

Walking into the home is a study in contrasts. Modern, sleek lines, cool, muted colors and elegantly simple furnishings are juxtaposed by an unexpectedly generous view of the tangle of woods in the back of the lot. Oversized windows – including ones that “wrap” around the corners of the main living areas – create a sense of immersion, explains Eric. The wild element is a welcome surprise against the refinement of the home’s interior and lends coziness to the atmosphere.

The indisputable star of the living room, however, is the beautiful stacked-stone fireplace that lends warmth, texture and drama to the understated space. The roughness, rusticity and three-dimensional aspect add a natural element to the room that serves to further draw in the intimately close backyard.

The fireplace mantle is maple that extends in thick plank-like panels to the ceiling. “They wanted it stained to offset the tone in the stone,” explains Kevin Nuss of Haden’s Carpentry, who did the trim work throughout the house. “If you look at the panels and compare them to some of the shades in the surround, you see how well they blend together,” he says. “It’s one of the highlights of the home.”

Dazzling dining

The muted shades and serenity of the living room gives way to a stunning kitchen – a bold, linear room with strong colors, assertive materials and a glossy finish. An abundance of slim, multi-toned glass tiles line the kitchen walls. Dark-toned cabinetry, stainless steel fixtures and gleaming metal accents make the room dazzle. Rich, thick-planked flooring (Colonial plank in engineered birch) lends texture and a feeling of hand-built artistry to the sleek space.

The kitchen is a sophisticated room – but one designed for living. The dining room is contained within it making it ideal for family dining and the large island in the center looks like a perfect perch for enjoying breakfasts, snacks or cocktails. “We’re not formal dining room people,” says Eric. The living room and kitchen flow together, giving the home an open feel and making it perfect for seamless entertaining.

The look is chic but inviting. “We love a modern feel,” says Bobbi. “But we still want it to feel like home.”

Artistry at your feet

The high-impact stairwell that greets you near the front door is another star player in the home. The maple stair treads, stained to match the hardwood flooring, were individually hand-scraped, says Eric. “With all of the other things going on in the house, we couldn’t imagine doing carpet on the stairs,” he says. “So we decided on this concept. It was a big project but it was worth it,” he adds. “It’s one of the best features in the house.”

Kevin will attest to the size of the project. “There’s probably a good three hours in each stair tread,” he says.

It’s hip to be square

“We wanted clean lines – contemporary but not too modern,” says Bobbi. And with the confidence that experience brings, the couple knew just how to get what they wanted: A refined, stream-lined home with elegance and symmetry. “It’s square and crisp and clean,” says Kevin.

Kevin points out another mark of experience. “There are a lot of builders who will only think about the bottom line. They let me take the time to do things right.”