The Cains’ Ooltewah Home in Hampton on the Lake
Josh and Melissa Cain wanted their new house to be “airy and bright” and livable for their two small children—daughter Gibbie Kay, who is four, and son Hudson, who is two. Josh and Melissa work as a tag-team in the fields of construction and design. Josh, the co-owner of Cain Development, works with his brother Jordan building and developing homes, while Melissa designs floor plans. As a team, they went to work to produce the most optimal and appealing floor plan that they could enjoy with family and friends.
By Rebecca Rochat | Photography by Med Dement
First, Melissa designed the main level with an open floor encompassing the entry, dining and living areas, and kitchen. Altering Cain Development’s typical one-level plan, the couple also added a second story. The master suite and kids’ bedrooms are on the main level, and a bonus room and a guest bedroom and bath are on the second.
Guests entering through the front door can see how the Cains have used various design and architectural elements to unify or define different areas of the main level. Light green walls and red oak flooring are used throughout, while three square columns with wide crown molding set off the dining area.
In the dining room, the Cains have mixed modern and traditional styles of furniture. A contemporary rectilinear china cabinet with a distressed finish is elegantly juxtaposed with an oval pedestal table and Louis XVI style chairs, and a bronze and crystal beaded chandelier hangs from the ceiling.
The Cains’ living room has a relaxed and inviting feel. Cream-colored leather furniture is paired with black framed Chinese-style armchairs upholstered in the same cream, and decorative pillows embroidered with brightly colored foliage add pops of color. A TV is mounted above a fireplace with a distressed black surround, and built-in shelves and cabinets on either side display family pictures. A boldly patterned area rug anchors the room, while above, a cross-beamed ceiling has a washed, distressed finish.
Melissa explains that the distressed finishes and accent pillows play into the home’s overarching “tropical” design. Other tropical hints include bright coral lamps on a trestle-style table in the entry, and a three-part picture of a blue octopus that hangs above them.
The Cains’ kitchen is separated from the living room by a large island with a base of black distressed wood that matches their fireplace surround. Cabinets painted in a distressed ivory complement light granite countertops with cream, brown and beige veining. On the right wall, the word “EAT” is spelled out in large, rustic letters over a double-sided stainless steel refrigerator.
Just off the kitchen, the family’s dining area offers a view of the 17th hole of the Champion’s Creek golf course. The circular room is brightly lit by five rectangular windows. At the center, a rustic metal chandelier hangs above a circular pedestal table surrounded by five Chinese-style bamboo chairs with floral seat cushions.
From the living room, an eight-foot sliding door leads to a covered back porch that overlooks a pool and the 17th green beyond. The patio is furnished with a built-in gas fireplace of stacked stone, a mounted TV, a gas grill, and a comfortable seating area. Chinese-style furniture is topped with contrasting accent pillows of tropical orange and a black and white pattern. A trestle-style table that can seat up to ten has a long, rectangular white-washed wood top, and the surrounding metal framed chairs have black and white striped seat cushions.
Gibbie Kay and Hudson’s bedrooms and shared bathroom are just off a hallway a few steps from the kitchen. Hudson’s room has a spacious feel with its tray ceiling and bright green walls. A bright blue rug with red and green trim and a plaid bed covering add to the playful atmosphere of the room along with Hudson’s many toys.
Gibbie Kay chose purple and a fairy princess theme for her bedroom. Walls painted a vibrant shade of purple offer a dramatic backdrop for her white furniture. Gibbie Kay’s bed covers alternate horizontal patterns of polka dot, gingham, and solid fabric in Easter egg colors of purple, blue, green, yellow and pink. On the floor, a bright pink area rug with a white foliage pattern adds a fun touch to the room.
Bright colors carry into Gibbie Kay’s and Hudson’s Jack and Jill white bathroom. Both children have their own eye-catching monogrammed towel set. Gibbie Kay’s pink towels have an appliqued elephant, frog, and butterfly, while Hudson’s blue towels have an appliqued dragonfly.
At the opposite end of the house, the Cains’ office is furnished with a U-shaped desk and two slipper chairs upholstered in a black and white diamond pattern. Green walls are decorated with sports memorabilia from Josh’s college football career at UTC—he was a two-time All-American and inducted into the UTC Sports Hall of Fame. Other sports memorabilia displayed prominently in the room was passed on to the couple from Josh’s father-in-law, Gibby Gilbert (Gibbie Kay’s namesake), who played on the pro golf circuit for 42 years. One of Josh’s most prized possessions is Gilbert’s original score card from the 1980 Master’s Tournament. Gilbert placed second in the tournament that year.
The master bedroom is a calm and shimmering oasis with eggshell blue walls, silver furniture with mirrored surfaces, and a beamed, vaulted ceiling. A bed covered with a soft blue brocade duvet is accented with blue brocade and cream-colored silk pillows. Nightstands on either side of the bed are topped with a lamp with a crystal base and a light blue suede shade. In front of the bed is a gas fireplace with a stacked stone hearth and a TV mounted above.
The master bath is equally elegant with a pristine white tiled floor and white marble countertops. Silver framed mirrors hang over a double vanity with square sinks. An oval soaking tub sits below a window across from a shower with nine foot double-arched glass doors.
Having only lived in their new home at Hampton on the Lake for a few months, the Cains are still adjusting to the pleasant feeling of residing “in the country” yet just a few minutes away from the interstate, restaurants, and grocery stores. Together they have created a home that their family can enjoy forever.
