Crafting a dream: Inside the Peek family’s forever home on Tapscott Road

Photos by Rachel Howard  

Situated in the middle of 15 acres on Tapscott Road in Hartselle, the Peek family’s home stands as a testament to their vision and determination. For Xalyn and Emily Peek, building their forever home was more than just a construction project—it was a labor of love, a journey of bringing a dream to life with careful thought and planning. 

The home features 4,282 square feet of living space with its four bedrooms and four and a half bathrooms. A butler’s pantry, walk-in pantry, formal office, craft room, playroom, two-car garage, outdoor fireplace, full porch and outdoor kitchen round out the total space of more than 6,500 square feet. The next projects include an in-home theater room and in-ground pool.  

From the outset, Emily was the mastermind behind the design. Every square foot was meticulously planned, each detail carefully considered to create a space that was not only beautiful but also deeply personal. However, turning those visions into reality required the skilled hands of Erin Cossey, a masterful collaborator and interior designer who took Emily’s ideas and gave them form. 

“The fireplace is one of many examples,” Emily recalls. “I knew exactly what I wanted it to look like, so I sketched a rough idea of what I had in mind. Then Erin took that sketch, tweaked it, scaled it to fit our living room and put it to actual dimensions.” 

This collaborative effort extended beyond just structural elements. Emily said she gave Erin Pinterest boards full of ideas with elements and color schemes but leaned on her expertise to pull it all together. 

“I knew I wanted light grey walls with just a little contrast to the white trim,” she explains. “But it was Erin who brought that vision to life by selecting the perfect shades—Drift of Mist for the walls and Pure White for the trim.” 

Built by Mike Grantham of Cullman, the Peeks, with their children Anna, 6 and Brooks, 4, moved into their new home in May 2023.  

Emily paid meticulous attention to detail while designing the home.  

“I’m 100% type A and extremely detail-oriented—sometimes to a fault,” she said with a laugh. “Even the smallest things, like doorknobs, plug placements and light switches, were very thought out.”  

Emily was particularly proud of several specific features she incorporated into the house. “I made sure the electricians put several outdoor plugs underneath the soffits beside the gutters for Christmas lights,” she explained, adding the small detail that might go unnoticed makes a big difference during the holidays. 

Another unique feature is the closet under the stairs, which the Peeks refer to as their “media closet.”  

“One thing I dislike is having cords hanging everywhere so I came up with a solution to have everything wired to that closet,” she said.  

Emily also discussed a practical addition she made during the framing process. “We have what’s called a ‘Costco Door,’” she explained. “It’s a small door from the garage that leads straight into the pantry. I realized having a small door there for unloading groceries would be beneficial.”  

In the kitchen, Emily’s eye for detail truly shines. “The island has a built-in trash bin, and right above it, there’s a pull-out cutting board with a hole in it so when chopping food, the excess slides straight into the trash,” she said.  

The kitchen is also packed with custom drawers and cabinets, all designed with Emily’s input. “Erin did a 3D rendering of the overall kitchen layout, but I was the one who added the specific details,” she explained. Featured components include a built-in utensil holder, a spatula drawer, a spice rack, an ‘appliance garage’ for the microwave and coffee pot, and even a custom pegboard drawer just for Tupperware.  

The dining room table is real wood from the 60s that belonged to Emily’s grandmother. Erin designed the room using the table as a focus point. 

Also among Emily’s must-haves were the butler’s pantry that makes entertaining a breeze and a craft room that helps keep things organized. 

The result of diligent planning and collaboration is a home that feels both timeless and contemporary, with each room reflecting the Peek family’s personality and the care that went into its creation.  

For the Peeks, this home is more than just a place to live—it’s a dream realized, a space where they can build their future, surrounded by the details that make it uniquely theirs. Every corner of the house tells a story of collaboration, creativity and the unwavering pursuit of perfection.