Stepping into the wine room in the home of Renee and Patrick McCall is like experiencing a virtual trip around the world. There is a rich German collection, Rome varietals, some impressive California wines, New Mexico wines with a French heritage, and a few from Virginia as well. And that is just the wine.
The McCalls have acquired special pieces from their travels – a gorgeous, polished wood slice high table from Arizona, sandstone paintings from the Southwest, wall hangings from Alaska, and a gold-framed mirror purchased in Cincinnati. In the middle of the room sits a unique rug made of different animal skins; seal skin, reindeer skin, and cow skin, purchased on a trip to Skagway, Alaska.
Renee had the big vision for the room. The entire color scheme was inspired by the rich, dark, wood round table in the center of the room. Renee’s father purchased the table in Nogales, Mexico, when Renee was six years old. Her dad loved that dark Spanish look. She remembers the purchase distinctly.
Patrick has been employed at Procter & Gamble for 30 years. They previously lived in Cincinnati, then work took them to living in different cities within the United States as well as Europe. Throughout this time, the McCalls developed a taste for very fine wines.
Following a European residence for several years, the McCalls were making a move back to Cincinnati. On return to the Queen City they thought it might be a good to downsize, which they did not do. In the home-building world, according to Doug Feagles, founder of Eagle Custom Homes “downsizing” is now called “resizing” or even “reformatting for your new lifestyle.”
“We enjoyed the walkable lifestyle of Europe, so we looked up and down the Miami River corridor for a home with ample walking opportunities,” Patrick recalls. They moved into their Loveland home in 2016. The house had been a bit neglected for a long time and they needed a vision for the future of the house.
There was a home and garden show running in Cincinnati at that time, and the McCalls thought it might be helpful for ideas. “We went to the show and fortuitously ran into Doug. We hadn’t seen him for a few years. We told him about our house and that we were planning house remodels in chunks at a time,” explains Patrick. “But I was antsy about my wine collection sitting in a box in a closet. I was already envisioning a wine room.”
The McCalls have been friends with Feagles for many years. They have daughters the same age and met when the girls played soccer together.
And so, the process began. Feagles and the McCalls went back and forth with ideas and sketches. “Our team included C&W Woodworking for the built-ins, JLG Flooring for the flooring/granite, and Bricktec for the stone work,” Feagles says.
The actual work began at the end of November and was completed by early May, a five-to-six month process that was well worth the wait.
“Turning your dreams into reality is our goal,” Feagles says. “We transformed a simple, musty basement area into an exquisite 17’ x 15’ room with an incredibly sentimental coffee table and a modest collection of wine. I always tell my customers ‘do what you enjoy and make your home special for you.’
“Part of the fun of the process is to bounce ideas off of the client – thinking outside of the box. Details such as backing the wall into the dirt of the ground were really fun to think through. The climate is perfect, and the room is built so that even in a power failure the wine room would stay pretty much the same temperature.”
“This is much more than a wine cellar,” notes Patrick, “Our wine room is more than just a place for proper storage. It is a place to sit and enjoy each other’s company. This room has become the new place to hang out; it used to be the kitchen.”
A Veritable Wine Rainbow
On a wall near the dark granite countertop hangs a rugged iron rack holding a horizontal row of clear glass bottles cradling pastel-colored wines. The light from the ceiling shines magically through each bottle, making a veritable wine rainbow. Patrick and Renee say they end up in this room several times a week, just the two of them. The room is also now the go-to room for guests and parties. There is no television in this room, which of course, is intentional.
“We want nothing to distract us from the beauty of this room,” Renee says. We want to, literally and figuratively, drink in the memories, the adventures, the knowledge, and the friendships that make this room what it is. With most of our wines we have an intimacy with the stories of the winemakers and the history. We love that part of the relationship.”
Eagle Custom Homes has built other wine rooms, but this is the biggest, most significant wine room they have built, and they are quite proud of the results. “When we build something, we call it ‘building a picture frame’ and the client and their lives complete the picture,” says Feagles. “Patrick and Renee have completed the picture with their artwork and the stories that surround every piece in the room. The picture is now complete.”
Eagle Custom Homes was founded in 1994 by Doug Feagles. The company has national recognition as well as local prestige, known for the client-centered, memories-building approach. Doug has earned the Graduate Master Builder GMB, a top honor from the National Association of Home Builders. This is indicative of Eagles Custom Homes commitment to continuing education and a pledge to a professional code of ethics.
Eagle Custom Homes is located at 411 W. Loveland Ave., Loveland, OH 45140. For more information, visit www.eaglecustomhomes.com.