WHEN A BUSY, CAREER-DRIVEN COUPLE BEGAN PLANNING TO BUILD a legacy home for themselves and their extended family, the first order of business was finding a like-minded custom homebuilder who could turn their lofty vision into reality.
As a physician, the wife is attuned to health and wellness. With children who suffer from allergies and asthma and with a career focused on helping people live the healthiest, longest lives possible, she wanted a home that reflected her paramount focus on wellness. Along with that ethos, the couple was determined to leave as little of an impact as possible on the environment. Their second goal was to build a multigenerational home where they, their two children, the wife’s sister and mother and two young nieces could live together, providing the support and companionship for a life filled with happy memories.
The couple’s biggest challenge came up front, when they struggled to find a builder who had the capability to design and build a home to meet their stringent wellness standards. “It was hard to find a builder who was comfortable with our vision,” says the homeowner. “What we wanted is atypical for Georgia, and many contractors had never done this type of construction before.”
When they connected with Brad Robinson, founder of Bradford Custom Homes, however, they got a pleasing reaction. As a luxury custom builder with a focus on building wellness-based residences, Robinson was open to learning about the couple’s goals and looking at alternative building methods to achieve their health and wellness vision. After all, the company’s tagline, “Designed for you. Built for life,” focuses on the builder’s philosophy of highly bespoke experiences.
“Insulated concrete form (ICF) construction represents what we believe is the right structural solution for a home built to this standard; the performance envelope it creates is simply not achievable with traditional stick-frame construction,” Robinson says. “There are few homes built to the level of specification these homeowners wanted, and we were committed to finding the specialized tradesmen necessary to deliver an airtight home that allows the family to lead a clean and healthy lifestyle.”
ICF homes are built by stacking interlocking polystyrene foam blocks and filling them with steel-reinforced concrete. This building method creates a sustainable home that is highly energy efficient and durable. The wall construction significantly lowers heating and cooling costs and is strong enough to withstand Category 5 hurricane winds. While more expensive up front, the cost is offset by lower energy bills, reduced insurance premiums and minimal maintenance since the materials resist fire, mold and rot. “ICF homes have proven to be beneficial in harsh environments such as the Phoenix desert and coastal Florida,” Robinson explains. “They also are perfect for those with allergies and asthma.”
Bradford Custom Homes consulted with building scientists, material manufacturers and specialized local vendors. “We spent eight months in preconstruction planning, building visual models of all air vents, outlets and openings where outside air could infiltrate the indoor environment. With wall cavities filled with concrete, we couldn’t enter the walls once they were poured,” Robinson explains. “While soffits and eaves typically overhang a traditional roof, we had to build a second, sacrificial roof and bolt the soffits to ensure airtightness.” The team encapsulated the attic, hermetically sealing the seams. They then layered on solar shingles to keep the heat out of the attic space.
The team used the newest HVAC technology available and added an energy recovery ventilator (ERV), a ventilation system that brings fresh outdoor air into the home while removing stale indoor air. As part of the system, a heat exchanger allows incoming and outgoing air to flow through it, removing unwanted heat and moisture and ultimately creating a more comfortable interior environment. Four high-efficiency air filters, a dedicated dehumidifier in the attic and a high-end water filtration system in the basement make this an extremely technical home. “Few builders are equipped to build a home like this,” Robinson says. “Our focus—what we call building for the biological—means designing every system around how the human body functions inside a space. This design allows the family to breathe the best air possible, with the benefits evident on day one.”
The design and building team worked with the homeowners to create rooms prioritized for wellness, such as a gym on the lower level. They designed the homeowners’ primary suite on the main level as a respite from the multigenerational activities happening at any given point in time. “With a lot of kids in the home, I need a sanctuary away from the action,” says the homeowner. “Large wooden doors open to that primary retreat, where I can pour into myself and have alone time to recharge to be the best matriarch for my family.” The bedroom is complete with a fluted fireplace surround with quartz matching the primary bathroom, an indoor sitting area and a private outdoor patio.
The en suite primary bathroom is “impressive,” according to Robinson. “A luxurious 14-foot-wide shower made of full slabs of quartz with fluted detailing has custom quartz-finished window trim,” he says. “Digitally controlled water jets are an electronic marvel.”
“This is the largest shower I have ever seen,” says the homeowner. “I am a shower girl, so it’s a serene place for me.”
While the primary suite is top-tier, the homeowner ensured other family members had spaces they loved, too. “We added a second primary suite on the main level for my mother so she could age in place,” the homeowner explains. “I also love the girls’ room with its large reading nook. It’s important for the cousins growing up together to have their own space, too.” The Bradford team ensured everyone has privacy with sound attenuation techniques applied between bedrooms.
While the homeowner leaned on Bradford Custom Homes for interior architectural selections, she handled her own interior design, choosing furnishings from sources vetted by Bradford’s in-house design team. “I have had an established aesthetic for some time,” says the homeowner. “I have a heavy, taxing job, so my design aesthetic is about airy lightness. I don’t want anything dark, but rooms that are easy flowing. You can move through this home from the front to the back door without any limitations.”
She chose many white furnishings, light wood tones and warm gold hardware and lighting to reflect her design ethos. Color is carefully chosen for select spaces to inject a dose of personality. Lots of windows in a variety of shapes and sizes flood the interiors with natural light.
While serenity is important, so too are communal spaces for the entire family to gather, play and cook together. “With my husband owning three companies and my medical career, we could not be as successful as we are without the help of the other family members living under the same roof,” says the homeowner. The family enjoys cooking, laughing and breaking bread together during shared time in the quintessential family kitchen, complete with dual islands and banquette seating. Both indoor and outdoor dining rooms provide plenty of space for spreading out or doing one of the homeowner’s favorite activities—hosting dinner parties.
While building this home, Robinson had many phone calls from those who were interested in the unconventional approach to its construction. Now that he has invested quite a bit of time and effort in educating himself and others and gotten manufacturers on board, he plans to continue designing homes where wellness is prioritized. “It allows us to optimize the number one part of life—the space where someone lives,” he says. “Home is where we recharge to go back out into the world and be our best selves. It’s important to focus on personal wellness.” Robinson is currently developing Project Vitala, the 2026 Home for the Holidays Designer Showhouse.
“It was a positive experience working with Bradford Custom Homes. It was a team sport, with each member taking time to do their research, including my husband, who was very engaged with the builders. I expect a high level of customer service, just as I provide in my job. In my healthcare role as a servant leader, I always say, ‘Yes, and …’; Bradford Custom Homes has the same philosophy. They have created a home in which we can age well and hand it down for generations to come,” the homeowner says. “When I walk through the large glass front doors, I am reminded of where I am now versus where I came from. My three life words are grit, grace and gratitude, which are all embodied in that foyer experience.” *
Dana W. Todd is a professional writer specializing in interior design, real estate, luxury homebuilding, landscape design, architecture and fine art.
While the primary suite is top-tier, the homeowner ensured that other
Family members had spaces they loved, too.
As a luxury custom builder with a focus on building wellness-based residences, Robinson was open to learning about the couple’s goals and looking at alternative building methods to achieve their health and wellness vision.
