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The Builders’ Dream
This husband-wife team collaborates on their own home and centers the living spaces around an inviting kitchen
BY
Allison Cook
PHOTOGRAPHY
Brian Meredith

Husband and wife Mike and Karyn Bournival have been building residential and commercial construction projects together for 25 years through their company, Unique Concepts in Springdale. “We specialize in custom building and design, and we work all over the country,” she says. But one of their largest projects lay much closer to home. “We lived across the street from our current home’s site for years,” Karyn says. “Mike had vision after vision of what he wanted to create.” After taking a full year for the design process, Karyn and Mike finally were able to put their dreams into practice.

The Bournivals’ goal was to create a true Old-World chateau in Springdale. “We wanted it to feel like it was more than 100 years old. Mike is French and has always been intrigued with European design,” she says. “This house was the most complex design we’ve ever built. We decided to pick and choose areas to focus on that were really important to each of us. For me, it was the tea room and family room, and for Mike it was the library and kitchen.”

In the kitchen, they blended their love of entertaining with architectural details and unique materials. “We spend a lot of time in the kitchen,” Karyn says. “We wanted a well-planned traffic flow with lots of seating and interesting details, such as the cherry cabinets from Quebec, hand-glazed copper tin ceiling and nook area, which features 11 windows overlooking our horses and the rolling hills.” Seeded glass cabinets complement the custom-designed and handcrafted range hood, while the five chandeliers highlight the entire space. “The kitchen is the center point of the main living areas, and it’s open in all directions, connecting to the family and dining rooms and the formal and main entries,” she says. “We’re really pleased with how it works with the entire home.”

Sources
Architect, builder, interior and kitchen designer: Unique Concepts, Springdale
Appliances: Metro Builders Supply, Springdale
Lighting: Lighting Emporium, Springdale