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The muted color palette fosters a calm and relaxed vibe. Doors to the spacious deck provide access from the sunken living room and the connected kitchen. An emphasis on natural materials — leather sofas and chairs, concrete tables — and the nearly floor-to-ceiling windows connect the interior to the outside. The flooring is Bellawood Barcelona white oak.
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Custom-designed furniture from Restoration Hardware’s Caicos collection provides both lounging and seated gathering spaces by the in-ground pool. Half a level above, a deck extends from the lounge and connects to the pool deck. The primary suite has its own private, partially covered deck. Dryvit cladding on the exterior mimics the look of cement and wood.
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CB2 Pipa pendant light, Natuzzi sofa and chairs, West Elm Monti Lava Stone coffee tables, cabinets from Dell Anno, and art by Ricassa Blanca. Organic clay vessels sourced by Melissa Molitor add to the resort feel.
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Minimal Eurofase Navade LED pendants illuminate the bar without blocking screen views. The painting is by local artist Abernathy Bland, who provided murals in the family’s prior home.
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Sconces from Kuzco Lighting and an LED floor strip give glow where it’s needed. Leather swivel chairs are from the RH Italian Shelter line, and the RH Cloud sofa is covered in Lustrous Velvet fabric.
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A mural by local artist Mickael Broth, aka The Night Owl, adorns a support column just outside the regulation-size squash court. A window on the upper level offers spectators a bird’s-eye view.
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A compelling online image inspired the design for the inset skylight waterfall feature in the oversized primary shower, which is surfaced in slip-resistant body porcelain tile.
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Opening to its own private deck, the primary bedroom features an RH Oak Brûlé Live-Edge Platform Bed with West Elm bedding. Ceramic planters bring greenery inside while maintaining a natural theme.
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A 10-foot waterfall quartzite kitchen island in White Macaubas covers all the bases: food prep with a double sink, eating area and storage. The cabinets and island base are Dell Anno; the barstools are Calligaris.
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This space includes a custom wine cabinet, an RH Aero Marble and Antiqued Brass pedestal dining table, West Elm Finley low-back dining chairs, and a Moooi Meshmatics chandelier. Art for the Home sourced the Purley Porcelain knot wall art.
The word “retreat” has negative and positive connotations. In conflict, a retreat can signal a weakened position, a falling back. But even then, a retreat gives the chance to recover, to retrench, to recalibrate. If we’re lucky, our home is a reliable retreat — a place to restore the spirit and reconnect with loved ones.
Mitesh and Neema Amin believe in the concept of home as retreat. Years ago, the couple built a house on the banks of the James River, well removed from the hustle and bustle of their city jobs. As their children grew and became more involved in school and extracurriculars, the Amins realized family time was happening in the car, not in their house. So, they decided to make a change.
They found a suburban lot in a neighborhood close to their children’s school, and they returned to the architect who had designed their first home: Mike Foltz, a principal of McAllister + Foltz Architecture P.C. “That last house was incredibly functional,” Neema says. “Luckily, this house is equally as functional.”
The Amins kept the contemporary style they prefer, but changed the layout to take full advantage of the lot, nearly an acre in size. The new house doesn’t overlook the water, but it has privacy in the rear thanks to mature trees. Balconies attached to the primary suite and the children’s bedrooms overlook a generous outdoor living area, which includes an in-ground pool, hot tub, pool house, fire pit and deck, positioned distinctly to foster clustered groupings. A covered outdoor kitchen, just steps away from the main cooking space, is a family favorite.
“We used that all summer last year, even if we were only grilling a few vegetables,” Neema says.
The house itself, whose construction began in fall 2020 and finished in spring 2022, boasts five levels. The main floor has the kitchen, living and dining rooms, a study space, and in-law suite. Going upstairs, a half floor holds an in-home gym and lounge with attached deck. The full floor above includes three bedrooms and a laundry room, and the uppermost floor is dedicated to the primary suite. The lowest level is all about fun: a regulation-size squash court hosts matches between Mitesh and the children, while a movie theater is perfect for film screenings with family or friends.
The family was able to transfer much of their furniture to their new home and decided to use Sherwin-Williams Pure White for most of the walls, with accent colors in muted, natural tones. “It has this feeling of being modern and also earthy, cozy and organic,” Neema says.
This house is about textures and layers. ... It’s a clean palette and feels so calm.
—Melissa Molitor
Wood, stone, metal and glass also figure prominently. Generous windows throughout are edged in black metal, as are glass railings. Floors are both wood and stone, flowing seamlessly one into the other. Vertical dark wood slats delineate the entry and dining spaces, and highlight the 24-foot ceiling in the family room. Stone planters and pottery break up expanses of wall and adorn wood shelves.
In the upstairs lounge, a slate wall behind the bar was treated with resin that was then peeled off, creating an irregular finish that gives the impression of clouds floating across the surface. Standing in front of the wall is an equally bold 8-foot bronze island, with a shiny polished brass finish. In the dining room, the chandelier’s brass finial matches the chair legs, which offset the table’s darker bronze pedestal.
Designer Melissa Molitor, who worked with Neema in the design process and helped to select lighting and fixtures, says the mix supports the home’s natural theme. “This house is about textures and layers,” she says. “We wanted to use textured accents to stop you and let you rest, so it’s not all white. It’s a clean palette and feels so calm.”
Additional visual interest is found in woven chandeliers, especially those above the dining room and kitchen tables, that present as airy architectural elements. Plush throws and pillows on chairs and sofas throughout the house encourage lounging and casual living.
“Our kids really loved our old home, but they’re happy here, in a neighborhood with friends from school,” Neema says. “Once our children are out [of the house], we can live in a condo with maintenance-free living. But if we’re ever going to build a dream home, it should be when they’re living in it.”
