Originally, the idea was to simply spruce up the unfinished space above the garage, giving Keith Peabody his own man cave and a place to display all his sports and NASCAR memorabilia. It turned into a yearlong renovation project - including a state-of-the-art observatory - that completely transformed the Peabody's lakefront home in Sherrills Ford.

"Yes, of course it was my idea," laughs Cynthia Peabody, a CPA and budding astronomer.
She explains that it all started when Jennifer Pippin of Pippin Home Designs came over to discuss the project, and asked if there was anything else she wanted to change about the house.
"I told her I didn't like coming inside because I could really only see the lake from outside on the porch," recalls Cynthia.
The problem was that the house, which was built in 1994 and sits on about an acre of land, wasn't configured to take advantage of its great location. Instead, it was "focused inward," Cynthia explains.
With that in mind, the renovation plans were dramatically expanded to rearrange and open the home's layout, while enhancing its flow and functionality. Lots of windows and outdoor living spaces were added as well, turning it into a truly idyllic dwelling, complete with a one-of-a-kind stargazing retreat.

Opening Up
Built by Willis Spivey of Spivey Homes, the renovation features many dramatic changes. One of which occurred when the existing porch on the lakeside of the house was enclosed to expand the inside living space with a new great room and dining area. The kitchen, which previously faced the street and looked onto a brick wall, was also moved lakeside. In addition, giant windows were added to provide grand, sweeping views.
"I used to sit outside until dark so I could see the lake," says Cynthia. "Now we can eat dinner and just hang out and see the water. It totally changed everything."
In an effort to expand the outside living space, the home's original deck was removed, and a new, more functional multi-level patio and deck were built, which tie into the kitchen, dining and lounge areas. The patio contains lots of comfy chairs and couches, a grilling station and a personal plunge pool, which is essentially an extra deep Jacuzzi - an idea Cynthia got while vacationing in the Caribbean.
It's a tranquil setting, and one that takes advantage of the yard's lush landscaping and 400 feet of shoreline property. "Now that the weather is nice, we spend a lot of time on the patio cooking out and just enjoying the view," says Keith. "We even had a mister system installed to cool us off."
Of course, another one of Keith's favorite parts of the house is his new sports room. With a stairway leading up to it from the kitchen, it's the ultimate testosterone retreat. Sleek and modern looking, the room is painted an electric blue and has a bar, pool table and four big cushy chairs situated in front of a giant projection TV. The walls are adorned with sports and NASCAR memorabilia, including six stock car hoods and more than a dozen footballs signed by different Carolina Panthers.
The sports room ties into the upper deck and connects to the second-story master bedroom, which was bumped out towards the lake into the area of an unused deck. A stairway was also added, which leads up to the third floor where you'll find Cynthia's new observatory.

A Room with a View
The observatory, which is about 200 square feet, contains a custom-made glass dome, which opens 180 degrees to the outside and rotates to access a 360-degree view. There's a small seating area with a couple of chairs, and a few steps that take guests up to a custom metal platform and the Meade LX200-ACF, a super fancy telescope that is Cynthia's pride and joy.
Cynthia explains that she became interested in stargazing in 2003 when the Earth made its closest approach to Mars in nearly 60,000 years. "I bought my first telescope, and the next day I took it back and got a bigger one. Then I took that one back and got a bigger one. I really got hooked."
But these early telescopes were nothing compared to the high-tech, 166-pound behemoth she has now. "When I first got it, I didn't know how to operate it. I finally had someone program it for me and teach me how to use it," remembers Cynthia. "It's even got a GPS unit, and I can program it where to go. I love it."
Once the total renovation project was finished in late 2007, the home's square footage increased from about 2,200 to 3,500 (it's nearly 5,000 square feet, including the garage, porches and decks). The transformation has been dramatic, the Peabodys say, and it's unlike any other home on Lake Norman.
"It's pretty much a new house," says Cynthia.
"It's a lot more to clean, I'll tell you that," adds Keith. "But I'm not complaining; it's beautiful."