Autoplay
Show Thumbnails
Show Captions
Last SlideNext Slide
Karista Hannah and her family are no strangers to Norton Commons — their last home was also in the idyllic neighborhood on Louisville’s east end.
But Hannah, an interior designer, said she moves — a lot. “I just get really bored.” However, she’s incredibly pleased with the way the new house turned out and expects they’ll stay there for many years to come.
The new home has the same amount of square footage as their former one, but what she and her husband were really interested in was what’s out front.
“The green space in the front of the house really appealed to us,” Hannah explained, “so our kids could have a place to play.”
They’ve also done a good amount of rearranging and redesigning inside, so it has a different look than their last house. “It had cleaner elements,” Hannah said of their former home, “whereas this is more ‘vintage farmhouse.’ We went with a little bit more of a rustic design.”
Home of the Week: Custom condo in eastern Louisville is spa-like space for this doctor
Decorative, antique details
Hannah’s rustic aesthetic — which includes lots of antique accessories she picks up from a store in her hometown of Elizabeth, Illinois — mixes with new design elements in the open floor plan. A brick accent wall in the foyer and a brick fireplace are complemented by antique corbels in the corners where the living room meets the kitchen. More of Hannah’s unique finds dot the floating shelves in the kitchen and custom-designed shelves in the living room. “I love antiques,” she said. “Every time I go home, I end up getting antiques.”
Because their house was featured in 2016 in Homearama, the annual Louisville event that showcases custom built new homes at a single site, the Hannah family added a little extra trim and details, such as quartz countertops throughout the home, and exposed beams in the living room. There are also shiplap accents in the stairway, dining room, living room, and on the master bedroom ceiling, as well as custom treatments on each window.
Home of the Week: Louisville couple embraces ‘Marie Kondo’ approach to home downsizing
Thank you! You’re almost signed up for
Keep an eye out for an email to confirm your newsletter registration.
Timeless, child-friendly themes
Upstairs, 7-year-old Ashur has a bicycle-themed bedroom, complete with bicycle bookends and a model bicycle atop an antique dresser, which has bike artwork above it. Bicycle throw pillows decorate his blue and white bed; above it, seven antique bicycle wheels hang from the wall, an art installation created by Hannah.
“If he had it his way, he’d have a Pokémon room,” she laughed. “I feel like kids are in and out of things so often, I’d be doing their rooms every four months.”
The bicycle theme is something he can grow along with, as is the airplane motif in 5-year-old Ellis’s room, which is down the hall. The youngest, he sleeps on colorful airplane sheets and has airplane blueprint wallpaper behind his bed. He also has an antique dresser, with a model airplane resting on top.
You may like: Chris Mack’s home with decked out basement was designed for his team
Perfect indoor playroom
Downstairs, the basement family room has a big, comfy couch and a large projector for watching movies and University of Louisville games, but what the boys would argue is the best thing about the house is the other parts of this lower-level space — most notably, as Ashur exclaimed, “The slide!”
Hannah designed a playhouse for her sons, complete with a window, fully functional door, and of course, the ever-popular slide. “In Norton Commons, you don’t have much of a yard, so you have to maximize your play area inside,” she said.
The Hannahs certainly took advantage of their downstairs space; in addition to the playhouse, Ashur and Ellis also enjoy a climbing wall, as well as a pair of swings. “They love the swings,” she said. “It’s a hit with all the kids. Their goal is to see who can touch the ceiling with their feet.”
Home of the Week: Total renovation takes Lyndon cottage from eyesore to ‘forever home’
With spring quickly approaching, it’s unlikely that the boys will spend much more time in the downstairs play area. They typically only head to the basement when the weather calls for it; if it’s nice outside, they make use of the green space out front, which is the reason the family moved to this home in the first place.
But Hannah doesn’t really mind where her kiddos spend their free time; she’d be glad either way. “We truly built an amazing home for our family and couldn’t be happier living here.”
Know a house that would make a great Home of the Week? Email writer Lennie Omalza at [email protected] or Lifestyle Editor Kathryn Gregory at [email protected].
nuts & bolts
Owners: Josh and Karista Hannah. Josh runs a dry cleaning business in Northern Kentucky, and Karista is an interior designer and the owner of Set The Stage Interior Design and Home Décor in Norton Commons.
Home: This is a 4-bed, 3-and-a-half bath, 3,400-square-foot home built in 2016 in Norton Commons.
Distinctive Elements: Floating shelves, island wrapped in shiplap, farm sink, and quartz countertops in the kitchen; reclaimed beams, shiplap above fireplace and bookshelves in the living room; shiplap accents in stairway, dining room, living room, and master bedroom ceiling; wallpaper in half-bath designed to look like old tin; large first-floor office with built-ins and a quartz countertop; basement with swings, climbing wall, slide, and playhouse.
Applause! Applause! Builder: Leo Thieneman & Sons; Hardwood/Carpet: Premier Flooring; Window Treatments: Draped in Style; Countertops: Designs in Stone; Cabinets: Century; Appliances: Century; Lighting: Brechers; Furniture: Century; Plumbing: Plumber’s Supply; Tile: Louisville Tile; Decor/Accessories: Set the Stage Interior Design and Home Décor.
Read or Share this story: https://www.courier-journal.com/story/life/home-garden/home-of-the-week/2019/03/14/louisville-norton-commons-vintage-farmhouse-tour/2981049002/
