The first floor design of the home is one that worked well during the fifteen years they lived in their previous home (next door and recently remodeled by Jesse and Carol May), so that plan was modified to fit the Watsons' current needs. Because the front porch is the focal point of the house, as well as the focal point of family activity, Janet designed the home to provide three separate entries onto the porch. Buck contributed to the design of the home by eliminating the stairs from the entry hall, giving a wide-open view from the front door through the wide foyer, the great room, and the sunroom to the rear courtyard and mountainside, emphasizing the pastoral setting of the home.
The grandchildren, most of whom are ages 1 - 7, love having the wide open spaces that give them freedom to run and explore.
The home has several dining areas to accommodate the large family, including a side porch with a small table where Buck and Janet have most of their weeknight evening meals during the warm months. In the simple country kitchen, the green cabinets hint of the green of the cabinets in Janet's childhood home, as evidenced by a long-ago accidental drop of paint on the lid of her mother's cookie jar, which has been pressed into service as a utensil holder. A unique arrangement of windows over both the stove and the cleanup area allow a panoramic view of the pasture where the horses, deer and wild turkeys play. The adjacent laundry room doubles as a serving pantry for large gatherings, with a dishwasher, refrigerator-freezer, and cabinets for storage of china and serving pieces.
The goal in the design of the home was to maximize the outside view and to allow natural light as much as possible; hence, there are many large windows with transoms and glass doors. Many of the antique pieces throughout the home belonged to Buck's mother.
Of special interest is the buffet in the Dining Room, which was once a square piano that his mother had rebuilt into a serving table. Paintings and artwork throughout the home are primarily local and Alabama artists, with some pieces created by Janet, daughters Rebekah and LeeAnna, and daughter-in-law, Mary Tally. Much of the artwork displayed in the laundry room is by various grandchildren.