Jeff Graham
A secret room, two master suites, a butler’s pantry and spectacular downtown views — it’s hard to pick a favorite amenity in the luxurious high-rise condo designed by real estate developer Dave Haverkamp.
“The view out [of] all those windows of Nashville was what sold me on the space,” says Haverkamp, who bought the property as the buying agent and collaborated with architect Michael Ward of Allard Ward Architects to bring his design ideas to life.
Haverkamp, who started designing homes as a hobby about 12 years ago, transformed what was previously four condo units into one modern abode. The bright and spacious residence in the Gulch has clean lines infused with a mixture of textures and neutral colors. French white oak floors stretch across the entirety of the home, which spans approximately 3,900 square feet.
“You'll see in the condo that I don't [use] a huge amount of bold colors. I think that dates [a space] pretty quickly,” Haverkamp says.
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The front of the “smart” home features an open-floor-plan living area, which encompasses a plethora of space for entertainment.
The kitchen is equipped with high-end appliances, including a 48-inch Wolf gas range wedged in between custom walnut cabinets adorned with slim, brass cabinet pulls. A giant slab of marble functions as the backsplash while an oversized marble island with a waterfall edge is illuminated by two metal rings embedded with LED lights and perforated brass.
Near the kitchen is the butler’s pantry filled with upper and lower navy blue, minimalist-style cabinets from Berkeley, California-based Mod Cabinetry. White subway wall tiles and marble countertops offer a classic contrast in color.The marble countertop and walnut cabinets continue in the wet bar, just steps away from the kitchen. Outfitted with a wine refrigerator, the beverage area is decorated with a backsplash made of black marble penny tiles. The opposite end of the living area is anchored by a 60-inch black quartz fireplace with a leathered finish.
Parallel to the open concept room is a lengthy hallway brightened by Haverkamp’s favorite design element in the condo—slender strips of LED lights embedded into the walls that run from the floor to the ceiling and then zig zag across. A surprise awaits at the end of the main hallway. A door disguised as a bookshelf opens with the press of a hidden button, unveiling a secret room that can serve as an office or a library.
“My design style—I try to make it a little bit timeless, but at the same time, I don't want it to be boring,” says Haverkamp, who was first inspired to design as a child when he visited his grandparent’s historic home in upstate New York.
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His timeless design extends into the master suite. The space features two walls of floor-to-ceiling windows and its own private balcony plus a master bathroom with a partial glass-enclosed shower containing walls of solid marble slabs. Two marble-topped, walnut vanities float on each side of a rectangular, deep-soaking tub that resides under a window. The bathroom floors are artfully covered in hexagon-shaped, Spanish black marble.
“You can play with things and still keep the colors and the palette something that hopefully will stand the test of time, but still be interesting,” says Haverkamp. “That’s where the different shapes and playful patterns of the cement tiles comes to play.”
The home boasts a second master suite, which has its own entrance from the outside hallway as well as its own balcony and living room complete with a wet bar and city views. Elsewhere in the home is a guest bedroom and a guest bathroom, plus a laundry room accented with encaustic cement tile floor and brass finishes.
Haverkamp, who works on a couple of projects each year, said this was definitely his most modern. No matter the style of the home, each project requires a tremendous amount of work but he said he loves what he does.
“I like working under pressure. I like having deadlines. I work best under that,” he says. “For me, that’s kind of exhilarating, and for good or bad, it motivates me.”