Time and again, our research subjects bemoaned their lack of personal space. Their overstuffed, open-planned homes, it seemed, left nowhere to escape from the clamor of togetherness. While those ever-popular great rooms with high-volume ceilings and long sight lines were dazzling to behold, homeowners said they were acoustical nightmares that allowed voices, music, and TVs to be heard from virtually every room in the house. Said one family member: “We all need our space. There are times in the day when we need to be by ourselves.”

If interior walls, doors, and hideaways have become anathema in the age of open floor plans and loft-style living, The Reality House dares to bring them back. Kids' bedrooms are set up as mini-suites, each featuring its own study nook, dressing area, and private bathroom. One of those bedrooms—the one that rests atop the porte cochere—occupies its own “mezzanine” level of the house.

The ground-floor second-generation suite for grandparents is also a self-contained retreat, featuring a sleeping/sitting area with a bay window overlooking the pool terrace, a coffee and snack nook, a roomy walk-in closet, and a spacious bathroom with accessible design options. Designed as a pod stemming from the main residence, the suite enjoys its own outside entrance with a doorbell.

Even the master bath—that inner sanctum of couplehood—offers its own private subdivisions in the form of his and hers commodes. “You would be surprised how important this is to people,” says Looney. “When you ask if they have a desire for his and hers toilets, it's almost as if you asked if they want to win the lottery.”

Bonus: The master bath can be accessed from the hall or through the master's huge walk-in closet, so as not to disturb a spouse who is already slumbering away in the bedroom.

FINE DETAILS

PEACEFUL DIVISIONS His and hers vanities, sinks, and separate toilets prevent gender wars in the master bath. Kohler's spacious infinity tub with ceiling-mounted faucet, however, is big enough to share. The surround is Savoy tile by Crossville.

WELL PROPORTIONED The master suite isn't palatial by any means, nor does it need to be. Not when you've got a retractable Best Buy flat screen TV that folds neatly into a console at the foot of the bed. Also for your viewing pleasure: a panoramic view of nature beyond the rails of your own private balcony. A decorative Armstrong ceiling bears the look of hammered tin.

SWEET SUITE Secondary bedrooms don't get second-class treatment in this house. A cozy alcove off the main sleeping area of this girl's room provides just enough personal space to spread out and work on school projects or to write love notes without disturbance. “Each bedroom is its own entity,” says architect Carson Looney. “It's your own private oasis.”

KID ZONE The secondary bedrooms and master suite are separated by a TV and game area at the top of the stair landing—a semi-private hangout spot for kids and their friends.

SENIORITY RULESGrandparents need their own space too. The sun-drenched second-generation suite is a soothing place to read, watch TV, rest, and get away from it all. What it doesn't include is a full kitchenette: Research showed that live-in grandparents prefer to cook and dine with the rest of the family. But it does have a coffee nook, sink, and mini-fridge for early risers who don't want to disturb the rest of the house.

SURFACE TENSIONAll wall surfaces are treated with Sherwin-Williams' ProMar 200 high gloss alkyd enamel, which gives the surfaces a uniform, even finish. Ideal for new construction, the system is easy to apply and hides surface imperfections such as nicks and dents. It is available in a variety of sheens, including flat and gloss finishes, and in either latex or alkyd formulas. Color Accents Interior Latex Flat paint brings each room to life. www.sherwin-williams.com.

BUSINESS MANAGEMENTLife can be tough for the small builder trying to run a business, but the new American Express Business Gold Rewards Card can provide much needed help. Designed to meet the needs of small builders, the new card offers fast-growing, business-size rewards points along with pre-negotiated, business price breaks with Hertz, AT&T, FedEx Kinko's, and many others. The card has no pre-set spending limit so you can use it to make large purchases, making cash flow management that much easier. www.americanexpress.com.

HOT STUFFHot water is nice; instant hot water is even better, which is why the home has two instant hot water tanks from Rinnai. Each delivers up to 8.5 gallons of hot water per minute at the exact pre-set temperature. Unlike a traditional water heater, the unit only heats water when it is needed, saving energy and money. The wall-mounted unit reclaims up to 16 square feet of floor space and is more energy efficient than a standard natural gas hot water tank or electric unit. www.foreverhotwater.com.

STAIR WAYSThe dramatic staircase connecting bedrooms to foyer comes from Visador Holding Corp.'s Coffman Stairs. Part of the Bristol Family, the system is made from Canadian birch and is enhanced with two combinations of forged iron balusters in a textured matte black finish. One baluster features a globe-shaped, six-pronged basket, while the other is a double knuckle-and-spoon design that is accentuated with handcrafted hammered detailing. www.visador.com.

PLUSH LIFEThe master bedroom, master closet, and coffee bar floors are covered in Sierra Bay II carpet from Shaw Industries' Vogue Collection. Featuring Anso Caress fiber technology, the product has the feeling of silk but the toughness of nylon. The line comes in small-scale geometrics, which are easy to decorate with and easy to live with, the company says. The carpet is shown in Chic Beige. www.shawfloors.com.

BATHING BEAUTIESBathrooms have the coolest products; The Reality House gets its share from Kohler. The Tea For Two massage tub with chromotherapy lights, 10 backjets, and six hydro-massage jets is shown here in the second-generation suite. The Vessels Conical Bell Lavatory with Water's Grove design shows a floral pattern of clematis, hibiscus, and Lenten roses. Lavatory and bath faucets from the Antique line are shown in brushed bronze. Other products in the house include the sok whirlpool tub and Water Tiles body sprays in the master bath. www.kohler.com.

SHADY CHARACTERSWhen evening comes, windows need to have coverings that enhance the room. Hunter Douglas products do the trick here, including Heritance hardwood shutters, Vignette linen window shadings, and Remembrance silk window shades. Jubilance Roman shades are also featured (seen here in the second-generation suite); they come in 82 fabrics from grass cloth to highly textured fabrics and sheers. www.hunterdouglas.com.