WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS -- For Michael Corlis, it isn't enough for him to build a house. It has to be more than a place for the owners to rest their hats.

"The goal is to make living in a home a pleasing experience," he said. "We want to enhance the lives of the owners through the house they live in."

His company, Corlis Design & Construction of Frametown, is building a $2.75 million home at the Greenbrier Sporting Club in White Sulphur Springs to showcase his passion for art and design. He said he hopes to attract a new market of customers at the resort known for its high-end real estate. The club, known for its exclusivity, is an incentive to promote his one-of-a-kind home designs.

"I have always wanted to build uncompromising houses," Corlis said. "When we started this company in 1983, we had to take the work we could get. But in the last few years, we have been able to build some great homes."

Corlis' unique home design is not necessarily in the structure itself, but in the details within the home. The designer incorporates many West Virginia artisans into his creations, using the talents of sculptors, woodworkers and masons.

"I like for homes to be a collaboration of ideas, both with the artists and the owner," he said. "The owners are building their dream home and I like to incorporate their ideas with the artists' talents. We want to push out vision, but not the aesthetics."

Corlis said much of his inspiration comes from designers of the 20th century. Among his favorite artists are Charles and Henry Green, two brothers from the early 1900s. The duo, who spent many summers at a family estate in Guyandotte, were world renowned for incorporating wood detail in many of their homes.

"Their father wanted them to be renaissance artists," Corlis said. "As a result of their education, they gained an appreciation for nature. They were sensitive to it and wanted to invite them into the home. Their work invites you to touch it and have reverence for the skill it took to create it."

Many of Corlis' homes rely on the use of wood to create the interior atmosphere. Because of this, the company formed Signature Woodmarks, a business that creates and manufactures one-of-a-kind cabinetry, furniture and architectural millwork.

"The detail is in the wood. The designs are simple," he said. "We never use veneers, only solid woods. We only use natural joints."

When cabinets are created, special effort is made to match the wood's grain. The goal is to create a design that looks simple, yet the natural details are meticulously planned. It looks as if it was carved from a single piece of wood, rather than several boards affixed.

Sculptures not only are used for aesthetic purposes, but also are functional. For instance, at a Charleston home, Corlis Construction & Design enlisted the skills of Spencer artist Jeff Fetty. The craftsman designed intricate metal rails for the home's grand staircase.

In the home's great room, the company took the owner's love for nature and installed a sculpture of the sun to decorate the cathedral ceilings. Directly below the sun, embedded into the hardwood floor is a crescent moon, balancing both the love of the universe and the aesthetics of the room.

And Corlis' collaborative efforts have become more popular among residential and commercial owners. Corlis' company has created one-of-a kind designs for law firms, physicians' offices and corporate boardrooms.

"Most offices are built with the bottom line in mind," he said. "But why not go the extra step? Most people spend as much time in the office as they do in their homes. They might as well make it a comfortable environment."

Lot 66 at The Greenbrier Sporting Club's Sugar Hollow will provide the opportunity to combine exclusivity with unique design. Construction began in May and the five-bedroom, five-bathroom home is expected to be complete in early 2006. Corlis said he hopes to have the home sold before then so he can work with the new owners and incorporate their ideas into the interior design.

"I would like for this to be an example of what we are capable of doing," he said. "If we prove there is a market for this here, we hope it will prove a lot of work for us in the future. We are showing people that art isn't just things you put on your walls. It can become a part of your life."