Set on a sprawling acre in Highland Park, the octagon-shaped home was set to be a spectacular, one-of-a-kind estate from the outset: it was designed by well-known architect Robbie Fusch of Fusch Architects, who had devised a plan to center the home’s rooms around a lush courtyard with a massive fountain. The client, a woman with impeccable taste and a specific vision, called Waterside when she began searching for a builder. “She had overseen drawings for an incredible, Italian Tuscan-style villa that would be set right in the heart of the neighborhood,” Paul says. “We were excited to have the chance to execute the concept and work with the client to bring her dream home to fruition.”

The client was intensely involved in every aspect of the home, and was the driving force behind every decision — big and small. “She had an uncanny eye for detail and knew exactly what she wanted every room to feel like,” Paul says. “This was her project through and through, and she did an amazing job from start to finish!”

Extraordinary features imagined by the client and penciled into the design during the building process included a multi-story master closet, oval dining rooms, hand-carved wood ceilings, custom stair rails, hand-carved paneling and the incorporation of original European pieces the client sourced during multiple buying trips. A period-authentic, hand-carved marble mantel — along with several other mantels — also were imported from Europe, as was a unique, hand-carved figure cut out of stone, now on the wall in the custom wine cellar.

Paul and the client spared no detail when it came to the home’s stucco and Italian limestone-clad exterior — which also boasts custom windows and doors — and on each element from the outdoors in. As the master builder on the project, Paul worked closely with the client each week to help bring her ideal space to life while providing swift solutions and ensuring a high level of quality. “The Euclid home is truly state-of-the-art with exceptional features,” Paul says. “In the end, we achieved her vision and ideal dream home. She absolutely loved it.”