Beauty on the bluff

For Jane Clements home is an expression of individuality.

“Home reflects what I do and my personality; it’s also a retreat,” she said. Clements and her husband, Joe, built their old-world Mediterranean style house in 2004 – the same year she was diagnosed with cancer.

Their home, perched high on a bluff above north Spokane, became a haven of healing. She said the illness helped her slow down and see things she wouldn’t have seen before.

“For me cancer was a blessing.”

The process of creating the home played a role in Clements’ recovery. Envisioning the details ahead of time helped.

“I wanted three things: a coat closet, a pot faucet and a towel warmer,” she said.

Guests are welcomed through doors accented with an amber and opaque glass design.

“I wanted a true entrance,” said Clements. A dramatic light fixture with teardrop crystals hangs over an unusual staircase. The sweeping double staircase is a recreation of one featured on the Titanic. The couple enjoys entertaining, but Jane didn’t like having to throw her guests’ coats across her bed. So, she had a large walk-in coat closet built just off the entryway. Lined with shelves for purses, baskets for hats and gloves, and plenty of hangers, it offers visitors a convenient space for their things.

Natural light streams through floor-to-ceiling windows in the dining and living rooms. Dazzling views of northwest Spokane are visible beyond the tree-lined ridge that backs the property. The two rooms flow together seamlessly. Elegant fireplaces in both areas add an air of intimacy to the large spaces. An adjoining patio allows guests to mingle outdoors as well.

“The kitchen is the center of the thing,” said Clements, a home-economics teacher. She had the kitchen raised to sit a few steps above the living room. This elevated design means she won’t miss out on either the view or the conversation while she works.

Clements couldn’t choose between light or dark granite for her countertops, so she opted for both. “I’ve got light granite above the dark cabinets and dark granite above the light,” she said with a laugh. Her longed-for pot faucet perches over the range. No more lugging large pasta pots from the sink to the stovetop. The large, well-designed kitchen is also important because Jane isn’t the only cook in the family.

“I have a son and a son-in-law who love to cook,” she said.

Wide doors open to the master bed and bath suite. And there in the walk-in shower is the towel warmer she wished for. The added bonus of a double fireplace means that the couple can enjoy a cheery blaze from either the bedroom or the bath.

Across the hall is Jane’s “everything room.”

“I’m a scrapbooker and a quilter,” she said. “I had to have places for my fabric.” The large, well-lit room also houses the washer and dryer and built-in ironing board.

The double staircase leads down to an open room dominated by a large bar with brass inlays in the coppery tile. Leather chairs flank a fireplace and light pours in through large windows. The Clements also have rooms downstairs for their two grown children.

“We don’t call them guest rooms,” she said.

The couple enjoys traveling and their home is filled with pieces collected abroad. They also like to support hometown talent and recently hosted a show for three local artists.

“We took everything off the walls and let them hang their work,” said Jane, “I want to do it again. I had such fun!”

Clements has been cancer-free for three years. She delights in sharing with others the home that has been her retreat. Whether it’s an intimate gathering for the holidays or an art show, Clements said, “Entertaining family and friends is so important. It’s what this house is all about.”