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John and Becky Shepherd’s new home is all about the details.

There’s the heart-of-pine flooring, made from trees that once covered the 13-acre property on Alamance Road in Burlington.

The 8-foot-tall doors throughout the 4,100-square-foot house make it appear even roomier.

There’s the “glass porch” with a direct view of the two-level stone patio. Both spaces have fireplaces.

Then the pièce de résistance: intricately designed wood ceilings in the great room, study and breakfast nook — all made from trees once rooted on the property.

And that’s just the house. The property on Alamance Road also has a gazebo, two spring-fed ponds and outbuildings. The Shepherds say one of the structures, a cabin now used only for storage, was built in the 1930s. Across the pond, there’s a house a previous owner built in the 1970s, now owned by John Shepherd’s brother. 

The 1 ½-story, Country French-style home could be a perfectionist’s dream. It’s the result of extensive site preparation, countless hours of design work and a year of construction.

The Shepherds moved in last year, but work started in 2006 on the more than yearlong process of clearing the land.

“The property was overrun with poison ivy on most trees, grapevines growing wildly everywhere and wisteria choking out healthy trees,” Becky Shepherd said.

During the cleanup, “the trash pile was bigger than the house,” John Shepherd said.

Fortunately, the building process was nothing new for the couple, who has worked together on six homes, four of them new construction. “We really enjoy a project,” Becky said.

And this one’s an original, according to James Reavis of James Reavis Construction.

The Mebane-based builder has collaborated with the Shepherds on multiple projects over the past three decades. They have a similar approach to homes — all three are hands-on craftspeople.

“He builds one custom home at a time and he was here every day,” Becky said of Reavis, adding that he is “extremely particular.”

His praise was similar. “She’s unique the way she does things,” Reavis said of Becky, referring to her penchant for details and her habit of customizing her homes’ furnishings, whether they’re brand-new or antiques, with special upholstery or paint.

It’s a habit she alluded to herself. “I have to re-cover everything,” she said.

To achieve the look she wanted for the new house, Becky bought some new furniture and picked up some pieces from consignment stores. “I’m mixing some traditional in with the Country French,” she said. The attention she pays to each design task can be seen from the cushions on the banquette in the breakfast room to the precisely positioned holiday decorations throughout the home.

The entire project was a true team effort, from planning to construction. The Shepherds and Reavis had dozens of consultations on details about construction, as well as features from lighting to flooring. John, whose textile company’s office is nearby, was on site every day. And Becky, who has a passion for interior design, took charge of that phase.

The home’s plan was modified from the original plan the couple purchased from Garrell Associates in Georgia. The Shepherds decided they didn’t need the plan’s 7,000 square feet for their family of four, so they modified the size and interior details, including converting a sunroom into a room Becky calls the “glass porch.” 

They invested a great deal of time and effort in the details.

The home was framed with 2-by-6 boards, not the typical 2-by-4; extra insulation was used for energy efficiency and as a noise buffer because of the home’s proximity to the Alamance County airport; the wood floors have three coats of finish, as well as two coats of sealer, to ensure longevity; the trim and doors are faux-finished for an antique look; and the cedar shakes on the outside of the home are dipped in stain on both sides to protect against moisture.

“The whole house to me is very unique,” Reavis said. “It’s different than anything anybody else will have.”

To the Shepherds it’s a home, and their favorite spot is the study connected to the master bedroom and bathroom. It features one of the specially designed wood ceilings, a ceiling fan and comfortable furniture. “At night I want to go to that room,” John said.

While Becky still considers the home’s interior design a work in progress, she’s pretty pleased with their creation.

“Our plans are for this to be our last project, since we believe it can’t get much better than what we have here,” she said.

John echoed the sentiment.

“This is it.”