| Carved out of the dead space beneath the stairs, this kissing nook is the focal point of the foyer. |
It's hardly big enough for a quick peck, but this cozy spot under the stairs is called the "Kissing Nook" by everyone at Orren Pickell Designers & Builders in Bannockburn, Ill.
The first thing one sees when entering the 4,500-square-foot house is the side of the main stair, and designer and homeowner Tony Perry, vice president of design at Orren Pickell, did not want to be greeted by a blank wall. The kissing nook, with its angled ceiling and finished wood ledge (which matches the dark woodwork throughout the house), provides not only a design surprise, but also a little extra light and a view to the patio through its small casement window.
The clever cranny isn't the home's only unique feature. Called an "Architect's Cottage" by Perry, the house is full of architectural interest and "unexpected fun."
The first floor is stained concrete scored to look like 40x40-inch stone tiles and features a mosaic tile "rug" in the foyer - hundreds of tiny tiles set and grouted into a void in the concrete.
The first two stairs of the main staircase are also concrete, and in addition to wrapping toward the nook, the stairs also wrap around on the other side of the stairway and serve as the hearth of the fireplace in the great room.
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