QUALITY THAT RESONATES

Written By Karen Marley

What is that elusive trait that transforms a house into a home?

For Kerry and Paulette Kyle, the distinction comes from an emotional connection. But the Kyles’ journey to finding their slice of house heaven demanded an emotional investment; a balanced portfolio of time and attention. Their journey revealed that an expansive footprint with oversized rooms was not needed. A home would be made with high-level quality and design built around personal aesthetics.

The Family Home


Paulette Kyle loved her family home. For 25 years her children and their lives filled it with memories. It held a cherished sense of familiarity and identity. “It was simple but it was home,” says Kyle.


But in the summer of 2005, with the children out of the house, her husband wanted to move. After some initial browsing they purchased a ranch house. Kyle did not put much energy into the interior selections.


“When we moved in it didn’t feel like it was mine,” recalls Kyle. “It felt like a rental. It always felt like a rental!”

When her husband sold his business in 2014 he suggested they look again for a home. That’s when they saw Hawkstone at Malvern Hills, a Ketmar Development community near Pittsford, New York. Kyle was instantly smitten with the English cottage style of the homes and community. “They had a quality and appearance that just sang to me,” says Kyle.

Starting Point


During the model tour, Kyle was standing in the bedroom and Marie Kenton, co-owner of Ketmar Development, observed aloud that Kyle was thinking about a window seat. Her guess was spot on. Kenton’s uncanny ability to interpret Kyle’s wishes continued throughout the tour. The Kyles had found home.


The Kyles worked with architect, Paul Morabito. “For Hawkstone at Malvern Hills, we designed portfolio plans that could be customized to homeowners’ needs and styled to their requests,” explains Morabito.

A Place to Call Home


The English cottage elevation is anchored with stylish authenticity like fully-functional wood shutters by Atlantic Premium with wrought-iron S-clips. The style fits the gentle pastoral setting filled with trees, walking paths, ponds, and wildlife.

Kyle’s English cottage sensibilities carry into the interior's high quality details. English molding creates a handsome feature that runs continuously throughout the great room, kitchen, and front foyer. It also extends, unexpectedly, into the powder room where an accent wall of stone tile complements the blue Kohler sink, Kyle selected Cambria quartz for all the countertops throughout the home.

The home is replete with Kyle’s input. The fireplace’s corner position in the great room welcomes visitors entering the house. Tile and granite surround, backdropped with wood paneling, adds texture and elegance. Kyle asked for more space in the back hall resulting in a designated doggie nook for the family pooch, Finn.

The kitchen's taupe subway tiles lend a warm, sleek touch. The basket weave backsplash adds a point of interest. The front door, a Morse fashion door personally selected by Kyle, is distinctly marked by three panes across the top, a repeated theme throughout the house. A screened porch off the dining room, with phantom screens by Rochester Colonial, extends the outdoor season. “My Northern lanai,” says Kyle.

The master bath features wood cabinetry and beadboard paneling. The lighting, with its strings of beads, provides a whimsical, dressy touch. A decadent steam shower is one of Kyle’s splurges along with heated floors of ceramic tile.

The home’s color palette consists of gray, frothy mocha, and taupe, with chalky turquoise accents. It’s pulled together with Kyle’s prized find: a solid wood floor revealing a dynamic combination of the home’s thematic colors.

Kyle says, “I cannot pick a favorite space. Each room has a special attribute.” Collectively these rooms create a place she and her husband embrace as home.

Karen Marley
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