Pretty as a picture

The south hill home of William and Marcia Bond looks as if belongs on the pages of a magazine.

That’s because it does.

Featured twice in Metropolitan Home and most recently in Traditional Home, the photogenic blend of landscaping, architectural elements and artistic furnishings gives a picture-perfect view of how a house, designed to enhance the intimate daily lives of its owners, becomes a home.

Perched on a bed of basalt with courtyard walls brilliantly colored and covered for fall in climbers like honeysuckle and ivy, the home is a purposeful reflection of the Bonds’ love of fresh food, good books, gorgeous artwork and delightful company. The effect creates not so much a showpiece as the welcoming comfort of an old friend with whom you can share a bottle of wine and scrumptious dinner, lingering over conversation long after the plates have been cleared.

With this in mind the Bonds worked with architects Leslie and Steve Ronald to create a great room at the heart of the home, blending kitchen, dining and living areas the way the couple blends food with life.

“It reflects the fact that we have two restaurants and a bakery,” says Marcia Bond referring to their ownership of three notable Spokane eateries, Luna, Bouzies Bakery and Cafe Marron. “We are into thinking about preparing food.”

A muted cooking mural painted by former employee and artist friend, Liz Sabitini, sets this tone in the kitchen side of the room, which speaks to both beauty and utility. A cookbook-lined bookcase and walk in pantry are just a few steps away from the open shelving above Alaskan marble counters and stainless steel cupboards and appliances, which include a seven-burner range.

“It is so much fun for us to cook for our friends,” says William Bond, whose signature dish is the French meat dish, Bouef Bourguignon.

“Lots of times we put the food out right here, buffet style,” says Marcia Bond, patting the large marble and wood island, which was finished, along with the home’s interior walls and furniture, by Spokane artist Michael Connerly.

Suspended above the island hangs a round iron pot rack she found in an antique shop, her favorite kind of place to browse, especially in her former profession as interior designer. Their home is decorated with unique finds they’ve owned since before they built the house in 1999. A red butcher counter from a village in France displays plates. The Bonds loved its casual charm so much they had it duplicated by Chet Frizzell for the entry at Cafe Marron.

“The greatest thing is knowing talent in Spokane,” says Marcia Bond, who has placed original artwork created by local artists throughout her home, rotating pieces with those at Luna so customers can enjoy the works.

“We know every artist of every piece in our house. It is a great enjoyment to me,” she says, pointing out numerous pieces including a mother and daughter painting in the bedroom by her daughter, Cappy Bond, and a painting of an egg by Christine Kimball.

Her eye for detail is echoed throughout the home in texture, color and light. It was important they have a lot of natural light, she says. They accomplished this with 13-1/2 foot ceilings and, in the great room, seven 8-1/2 foot French doors under windows, giving an airy feel and easy access outside.

The doors open to a loggia with southern exposure, where they frequently dine in warm weather. To the north, the doors open to a terrace where William Bond reads the paper on Sunday afternoons, and at sunset the vibrant yellows and oranges of the sky spill through into a corner of the kitchen.

The master suite and guest quarters, which flank the great room, also adjoin terraces, with an accompanying infusion of light and fresh air.

“You can always be in the sun or not in the sun,” he says.

An eclectic mix of stools, chairs and couches give ample opportunity to capture the light and offer a comfortable place to read, a well-loved leisure activity of the couple and evident by the many built-in bookcases.

“Comfortable is my signature style,” Marcia Bond say. “Living in this space really feels good.”