Abode: Oct 2018-March 2019

Put it in neutral Local designers on their go-to hues Inside.

Outside.

Home.

OCTOBER-FEBRUARY 2018-19

OLD AND NEW: ON GROUNDS AT MONROE HILL HOUSE CULTIVATING ‘HOME’ IN ESMONT’S POST OFFICE

Decades into a fascination with Brownsburg, one homeowner makes a move

And back again

Justin H. Wiley

Peter A. Wiley

434.981.5528 justin@wileyproperty.com

434.422.2090 peter@wileyproperty.com

132A East Main Street • Orange, VA 22960

503 Faulconer Drive, Suite 6 • Charlottesville, VA 22903

RARE OFFERING IN WESTERN ALBEMARLE

HUNTINGFIELD FARM - Beautiful 305 acres located on Ortman Road in the Greenwood area of Albemarle County. Offered for the first time in over 60 years, this is a perfect estate parcel with numerous streams, open meadows, and wonderful mountain views. Though only 20 minutes to town, the farm is completely free of traffic noise. Situated amongst a block of large estates that are protected by conservation easements, it is protected with a maximum of 4 division rights. MLS# 574548 • $3,495,000

WILDAIR FARM - A 126 acre farm with charming farm house, nestled in the heart of one of Western Albemarle’s most beautiful pastoral enclaves. The rolling mix of productive pasture, towering, mature hardwoods, a bold stream and two large ponds offers a diversity rarely found on a farm of this size. 11 miles from Charlottesville. A rare offering with incredible mountain views. $ 2,100,000

Justin H. Wiley – 434.981.5528

Peter A. Wiley – 434.422.2090

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ESTATE PARCEL IN GREENWOOD

CLASSIC CHARM AND MODERN AMENITIES

MERRYMOUNT - Located in the most desirable area of Somerset, is nestled amongst large estates, with incredible views of both the Blue Ridge, and the Southwest mountains. The 1850's house is perfectly situated on 5 acres, and could be bought with additional land, if needed. The 3 bedroom house is in need of renovations, but is structurally sound, and could easily be added onto. Much of the surrounding land is in conservation easement, and the view from this property will not change.

MLS# 566744 • $475,000

GREEN MOUNTAIN CONSTRUCTION HOME - Transitional home packed w/ modern amenities, exudes classic charm. Includes: a modern kitchen w/ all amenities & walk-in pantry, separate mudroom & laundry areas, conveniently located near the garage entrance. 1st floor master suite is spacious & private.

Open concept family room & flex spaces on the 1st floor allow the floor plan to be tailored to the purchaser’s specific needs. Large bedrooms & ample closet space on the 2nd floor make this home ideal for family life.

MLS# 573849 • $1,179,000

Justin H. Wiley – 434.981.5528

Peter A. Wiley – 434.422.2090

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STUNNING MOUNTAIN VIEWS

HISTORIC GORDONSVILLE ESTATE

EXCEPTIONAL FARM 14 MILES TO TOWN

AERIE FARM - Located in the Somerset area of Orange, this 1850 manor house has many improvements. The main house has 4 bedrooms, dining room, breakfast room, study, original living room, library and 2 galleries. The 170-acre estate is further enhanced by a 4 bedroom guest house, 3 stall stable, two new garage/workshops, studio, swimming pool, formal gardens, and a fenced cutting/ vegetable garden. MLS# 556528 • $1,950,000

SOUTHERN ALBEMARLE FARM - A beautiful, medium-sized horse farm or retreat, this turn-of-the-century farmhouse is well-sited in the center of 77 acres of fenced pasture and fields, with a beautiful stable, large pond and trails. The farm offers privacy and views and is adjacent to over 1500 acres of protected farmland. A 6-stall barn with power, water, bathroom, tack room, wash stall and shavings storage is positioned near the large outdoor ring.

MLS# 558491 • $995,000

Justin H. Wiley – 434.981.5528 C-VILLE ABODE

W W W.W I L E Y P R O P E R T Y.C O M

Peter A. Wiley – 434.422.2090 3

IN

THIS

IS S U E

Second view 36 When he was a student at Washington & Lee, homeowner Dave Perry-Miller wrote a paper about the historic village of Brownsburg for an architecture class and fell in love with the homes and the scenery in the area. When he purchased Briar Hill, he realized he’d seen the view from its windows before—in a painting he’d unknowingly purchased years earlier.

Shaping the meadow 47

STEPHEN BARLING

With her newly purchased 1742 home in surprisingly good shape, homeowner Sarah Van Steenburg turned to landscape architect Mary Wolf for help with the surrounding scenery. “It was not very inviting,” Wolf says. “One goal was having nice outdoor spaces for people to gather.”

The first step was leveling the earth in front and back to create separate, livable zones.

Briar Hill , page 36

308 E. Main St. Charlottesville, VA 22902 (434) 817-2749 n c-ville.com c-ville.com/abode C-VILLE ABODE

ABODE, a supplement to C-VILLE Weekly, is distributed in Charlottesville, Albemarle County and the Shenandoah Valley. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. Editor Laura Longhine. Abode Editor Caite Hamilton. Copy Editor Susan Sorensen. Creative Director Bill LeSueur. Graphic Designers Tracy Federico, Max March, Lorena Perez. Account Executives Erica Gentile, Theressa Leak, Alex Patterson, Kyle Robinson, Cindy Simmons, Beth Wood. Production Coordinator Faith Gibson. Publisher Aimee Atteberry. Chief Financial Officer Debbie Miller. Marketing Manager Anna Harrison. A/R Specialist Nanci Winter. Circulation Manager Billy Dempsey. ©2018 C-VILLE Weekly.

5

SCOTT WEISS

A R C H I T E C T TELEPHONE OR TEXT: 434-242-9288 EMAIL: SCOTT@WEISS-ARCH.COM WEBSITE: WWW.WEISS-ARCH.COM

STEPHEN BARLING

Hill House, page 47

BLUEPRINT

Celebrate the holidays with new flooring.

SPOTLIGHT 11

Fresh start In Esmont, a post office reno for three.

Design seen 15 VISIT OUR STYLISH NEW SHOWROOM 3285 Berkmar Drive Charlottesville, VA 22901 434-978-4454

A downtown building gets a sweet new look.

A closer look 17

From galley to U-shaped in a few easy steps.

tow n - f l o o r in g . co m Formerly Floors R Us

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Garden Green 23

Giving your landscape a bright future.

Interior tips 25

Bang-for-your-buck neutrals.

History house 28

Getting acquainted with UVA’s Monroe Hill.

Events 29

Homes on parade, antiques for sale, and more.

SCENE SETTING 58

Estate scale Keswick hunt country on the big screen.

Cover photo by Stephen Barling.

Styling assistance provided by Ivy Nursery.

Comments? E-mail us at abode@c-ville.com.

C-VILLE ABODE

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HIDDEN FOX

105+ acre offering unparrelled privacy minutes west of Charlottesville and UVA. Breathtaking views of the famed Blue Ridge Mountains, rolling countryside and beautiful hardwood forest, spring fed ponds, a quaint period farm house c.1890, two horse barns and show rings makes Hidden Fox and extraordinary opportunity to create one’s own “close-in” family compound. MLS#581135 Andrew Middleditch, 434.981.1410

1930 THOMSON ROAD

One block to UVA, completely renovated c. 1928, 4 BR residence. New kitchen, bathrooms, floors and porches. Charm and character of antique home with modern amenities. MLS#566332 $1,195,000 Jim Faulconer 434.981.0076

BELLEVUE

Circa 1769, 8,200 sq. ft., formal gardens, mountain views, 145± acres, full equestrian facilities, 2 cottages. National Historic Registry.

MLS#537630 $3,800,000 Visit: www.albemarleva.com Andrew Middleditch 434.981.1410

RAPIDAN RIVER FARM

Well-appointed country residence, spectacular Blue Ridge Mtn. views, river frontage, pastureland conveniently located to Charlottesville, UVA & Washington, DC is less than 2 hours.

MLS#575870 C. Dammann 434.981.1250

WALNUT HILLS

HISTORICAL, Georgian Revival mansion, built c.1882 by Gov. James Kemper.

6000 sq.ft. manor home w/373 splendid acres.

Long frontage on Rapidan River. $4,500,000 MLS#574009 Will Faulconer 434.987.9455

SOLLIDEN

247-acre estate showcases an English Countrystyle main residence with 7 acres of world-class gardens. Includes a stone guest house, barn, and 1800s log house. MLS#560478 $2,750,000 Steve McLean 434.981.1863

THE HOME TRACT

c. 1804, located in the very heart of Ivy, 5 miles west of UVA. On both the Virginia and National Historic Registers. Brick and frame 3-4 bedroom residence on 3.2 private acres. MLS#576114 $1,175,000 Tim Michel 434.960.1124

LOCUST GROVE TAVERN

LAFAYETTE

Tucked in a quiet and peaceful setting down a delightfully tree-lined lane is this attractive, three story clapboard house on 91 acres, great views, stream. MLS#574119 $2,395,000 Steve McLean, 434.981.1863

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS

Convenient location just around corner from 5th Street Station, only mins to Downtown & UVA. 2-story, 3BR/2.5BA townhouse has a great floor plan with spacious & open rooms. MLS#579720 $278,000 Will Faulconer 434.987.9455

Current owners have completed a magnificent renovation of this significant historic property originally built in 1812 and enlarged in 1857. Many original architectural details are intact. Conveniently located to Charlottesville, University of Virginia and Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello.

MLS#579971 $1,495,000 Charlotte Dammann 434.981.1250 or Steve McLean 434.981.1863

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Blueprint Design in all its many forms

In Esmont, a historic building becomes a home

RENOVATION

By Erika Howsare Photography by Virginia Hamrick C-VILLE ABODE

Take it to the bank ABODE 11

L

ike many people on the hunt for real estate during the housing bubble of the last decade, Mark Otis was being priced out of the market. So when he saw the old Esmont post office come up for sale on Craigslist in 2007, he took notice—both because it was a rare property he could afford, and because it was a bit of a landmark from his own past.

“Tim and I used to come down and swim in the quarry,” he says, referring to his friend Tim Rausse, “and we’d park at the post office.” He asked Rausse if he’d like to come tour the building—a two-story brick structure, originally the First National Bank of Esmont, built around 1903. The postal service rented part of the first floor, and it also held two apartments.

Both thought it was an interesting investment, and they decided to buy the building together.

As a historic structure in a once-bustling village, it had plenty of character—it came with more than its share of challenges, too.

The trouble started with deadbeat tenants and continued with a horribly inefficient boiler system, “like a Volkswagen in the basement,” Otis remembers. The first winter he and Rausse owned the building, they paid $7,000 in heating costs.

“We were counting quarters to fill that tank,” he says. Then a tenant called him and innocently asked, “Is it bad if the boiler shoots a big old fireball out the side every time it comes on?”

Thus the renovation started with installing an updated HVAC system, along with replacing the 12

electrical and pulling down unstable chimneys.

Over the years he’s owned the building, Otis has mastered the art of repairing plaster, repainted exterior moldings, redone kitchens and bathrooms, built decks, and installed fences—among other tasks on a neverending list. “This was like having a child,” he says.

The post office still occupies its downstairs spot, and the apartments have seen various tenants and friends come and go. Since 2011, Otis has lived here himself, with his wife Esther Lozano. They live upstairs under soaring ceilings, with tall windows and a generous staircase leading down to the shared foyer, where Otis has posted a historical photo of downtown Esmont when it hosted an active railroad depot.

The onetime bank “was never meant to be a domicile,” says Otis. “As much as I want to preserve its historical nature, you have to change some things. If it’s going to survive, it has to adapt.”

Though the onetime bank and current post office was “never meant to be a domicile,” says its owner Mark Otis, he and his wife have made various changes to the property over the years. A room that once housed a ping-pong table now serves as a nursery for the couple’s daughter; in the kitchen, they added a soapstone backsplash, glass-front upper cabinets, and a window seat.

C-VILLE ABODE

He’s tried to respect the structure while making the apartments as appealing and comfortable as possible. This has meant tackling long-deferred maintenance, like fixing plaster walls that crumbled at a touch (“In certain places, we had to put three inches of plaster,” he says). And it has meant adding certain conveniences, like closets, that weren’t part of the original program for the building.

A wall between the living and dining rooms of the upstairs apartment just came down a couple of years ago, creating a great room that also includes the kitchen. Here, Otis and Lozano tore out what previous renovators had built and designed a kitchen for their own taste: soapstone backsplash, glass-front upper cabinets, and a window seat where the sink had previously blocked the view. While some trim details couldn’t be perfectly matched with the originals, Otis thinks of those variations as his own contribution to a long series of modifications to this building. “I like the fact that it’s not perfect,” he says.

In the bathroom, Otis added stained-glass panes to the window for privacy and commissioned Corey Blanc of Blanc Creatives to fabricate a curved shower curtain rod. One of the latest additions is a rear deck that connects the upstairs apartment more effectively to the backyard, a shady and level space.

There have been times when Otis was grateful for the ways in which the building had been neglected; lack of attention helped preserve some details, like brass doorknobs and fireplace screens. Surfaces had only a few coats of paint rather than dozens. And some elements that had been removed were still around—next door or, in the case of the vault doors from the old bank, shallowly buried in the yard.

Otis salvaged and reinstalled what he could.

The project has taken Otis through several life stages, from the days when a certain upstairs room held a ping-pong table to now, when it serves as a nursery for the couple’s daughter. And he’s become invested in Esmont as a village, purchasing a small nearby house and the former general store next door to the post office—an even older building, dating to 1889 or 1890, which has an Esmont slate roof and the original long wall of merchandise shelving behind the counter.

“This has become such a part of who we are,” he says. “I love it.”

C-VILLE ABODE

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C-VILLE ABODE

VIRGINIA HAMRICK

BLUEPRINT n COMMERCIAL BREAK

Beautifully fresh Patisserie Torres is part of a renewed downtown building

By Erika Howsare

T

ransforming the building that now houses Patisserie Torres was “almost like an archaeological dig,” says architect David Timmerman with BRW Architects. It was a yearlong process just to renovate the exterior of the 1820s building on the corner of Third Street NE and the Downtown Mall—a building that has seen its share of change and damage.

As workers were creeping through what Timmerman calls a “brick-by-brick renovation” on the exterior—as well as shoring up against structural problems and remediating water damage—Brian Helleberg, whose signature restaurant Fleurie is just across the way, took notice. “I realized the owner was doing a major renovation properly here,” he says.

Helleberg thought the former Cappellino’s Crazy Cakes spot, tucked into the bottom level, might help him solve a space crunch in the Fleurie kitchen, while giving his pastry chef Serge Torres a chance to realize his dream of a dedi-

cated pastry shop. “We wanted to get the flourbased things out of Fleurie—the people whose skills are tailored to bread, pasta, gnocchi,” he says. A cooler-temperature, marble-topped workspace would give Torres what he needed while opening space in Fleurie.

Still, the patisserie space is only 700 square feet, so Helleberg and Timmerman had to think carefully to make it serve its functions. A curved wall, continuous with the counter and pastry cases, divides the room without shutting customers out. “There needed to be a definite boundary, but also transparency,” says Timmerman, who also wanted to “celebrate interaction, and bring the public into the kitchen.” This happens not only inside but from the mall, as a large window allows a view of baking in progress. Patisserie Torres may even offer baking classes, with students gathering around the work island, in the future.

Spaces both for presentation—like the pastry showcase facing the entry door—and for

storage are cleverly built into the design. Flour and other ingredients can be stored in bins under the work island, and overhead cabinets are built into a curved soffit that echoes the lines of the counter.

It’s all designed to make working more efficient and to connect customers to the “sophistication and playfulness,” as Timmerman puts it, of the pastries Torres creates. These include sweet and savory treats, many inspired by the South of France, just like the colors and materials of the patisserie: lavender paint and gray slate flooring.

The remainder of the building houses the offices of the local PBS station on the first floor, and startup business offices upstairs. Timmerman enjoyed making a “contemporary intervention in the historic context,” adding a glass and steel façade that didn’t mimic, but tried to enhance, the existing structure. “We’ve been able to bring dynamism to this corner,” he says.

It’s all designed to make working more efficient and to connect customers to the “sophistication and playfulness,” as Timmerman puts it, of the pastries Torres creates.

C-VILLE ABODE

15

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BLUEPRINT n FACELIFT

Around the island An Albemarle kitchen in mahogany and gray By Erika Howsare

R

ob and Amylynn Johnson bought a Cape Cod on a quiet Albemarle street in 2012, knowing they’d give it a major renovation at some point. Not only was it not quite the house they wanted, but Rob is the owner of Green Mountain Construction, and the couple aren’t the type to shy away from a house project. “We’ve made a habit of remodeling,” he says.

At this point, the house might be hard to recognize for someone who knew it before. It now has a full second floor, plus a major addition on the back: master suite upstairs, living room downstairs, and patio beneath. The renovation has changed up the parking, the entryways, the C-VILLE ABODE

deck, the guest rooms, and many other features, boosting square footage and bringing the house forward style-wise. But the very first phase happened in the most important room of all—the kitchen.

“We doubled the size of the kitchen or more,” says Johnson. Previously, the kitchen was a cramped galley-style space. “It didn’t suit our needs,” says Johnson; the family has two kids and wanted a space that could serve them communally rather than isolating the cooks. The renovation took over the former, separate dining space and added it to the kitchen, and the most recent phase connected the kitchen with a sun-

ny rear living area. “We wanted more light-filled areas to hang out,” says Johnson.

A fireplace that used to be part of the living room is now in the kitchen, with cozy seating nearby, and it got spruced up with a coat of paint, a refinished mantel, and a new soapstone hearth. There’s also a dining spot in this large space, sporting an unusual light fixture from Pottery Barn.

But, Johnson says, everybody eats at the counter: a curved mahogany bartop fitted with stools, wrapping around two sides of the U-shaped island that anchors the whole space. “The curve CONTINUED ON PAGE 19

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

in the wood created a soft touch and some flow,” Johnson says. “Two people can be in the middle, working on both sides.”

The kitchen is designed for convenience at every turn. There are two sinks, each with a garbage disposal; a special cabinet for the kids’ stuff that they can easily reach; and a raised dog food station that’s built into the end of a run of a cabinets.

White cabinets were custom-built by DD&T with beaded-inset doors, “a good clean look,” says Johnson. The upper cabinets are extra-deep at 15 inches. The cabinetmakers crafted a narrow pull-out to fit near the fridge, both to take up a few inches of extra space and to provide storage for grocery bags.

Contrasting with the mahogany bartop, the other countertops are gray granite. A diagonalgrid tile backsplash shimmers with metallic grays and whites, changing with the light. Like the rest of the first floor, the kitchen walls are painted a light gray.

High-end appliances include a Sub-Zero fridge and a Bosch dishwasher hidden behind a cabinet front. “We do a lot of baking, so we got an Aga stove with different ovens,” says Johnson.

A barn door, opening to the mudroom, is made of mahogany to echo the bartop and stools.

The flooring in the kitchen may be original, but overall the room has been thoroughly refreshed and, Johnson says, is seeing plenty of use.

“There are always kids coming and going,” he says. “Whenever people are here, they’re hanging out in the kitchen.”

The first phase of the homeowners’ multi-room renovation doubled the size of the original galleystyle kitchen, with room for a more functional U-shaped island and a connection to the home’s rear living area.

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BLUEPRINT n GARDEN GREEN

Winter to spring The garden’s many colors, in transition By Cathy Clary

A

C-VILLE ABODE

Fall checklist Turn off outside faucets and disconnect any timing devices before first freeze.

ROBERT LLEWELLYN

flock of relatives swooped in from San Antonio last July. Bare feet on grass, hiking the city reservoir, cooling off at Mint Springs, they lamented their drought-stricken landscape of home and envied our changing seasons and the wonderful possibility of snow. New eyes open ours and since then I’ve been reflecting on the ways the year morphs here in our little spot near the center of the state.

Unlike the seared semi-desert of west Texas or the relentless growth of Florida and the Gulf Coast, in the Mid-Atlantic we are blessed with distinct seasons.

Rich colors of late summer—mauve Joe Pye weed, sunny Rudbeckia and goldenrod, candy-pink Phlox, sky-blue chicory, pearly Queen Anne’s lace—weave through tawny meadows and ditches, the perennial opening act for the colorful climax of our deciduous forest’s fabled fall display.

Our tapestry of maples, oaks, and hickories rivals New England (who needs aspens and sugar maples when we have swamp reds and paper-white sycamores?). Blue Ridge Parkway and Saunders-Monticello Trail offer different perspectives of the transformation. In addition to panoramic views of the forest, the Parkway winds cars and cyclists through native patches of meadows while the trail gives pedestrians a slower-paced, eye-level look at the woodland and its understory.

Garden plants that see us from fall into winter have colorful foliage, seeds, and shelter for wildlife, and forms that catch the eye when bright colors are gone.

One of my favorite deer-resistant groundcover combinations is dwarf plumbago (Ceratostigma plumbaginoides) underplanted with small bulbs like miniature daffodils, snowdrops, grape hyacinths, or crocus. The plumbago reaches 8 to 10 inches and blooms cobalt blue from summer on, with sepals and leaves turning burgundy hues into fall. Starry flower stalks stay up through winter; rake out or cut down in early spring.

A vigorous long-lived spreader, dwarf plumbago is very late to start new growth.

The trick is to plant bulbs in between.

As old bulb foliage dies away, plumbago takes over and you have a low-maintenance groundcover that needs tending once a year.

For mid-level woody structure (specimen; back of border; transition between lawn and woods), the world of viburnums offers fall color, spring flowers, bird-feeding berries, and shelter.

They range from native to Asian, fragrant to stinky, evergreen to deciduous, so choose carefully. Look into Koreanspice (V. carlessii) for early fragrance; Winterthur (V. nudum) for fall color; evergreen Prague (V. ‘Pragense’) or deciduous densely twiggy doublefile (V. plic. tomentosum) with pure white summer flowers for screening.

Fall is the season for leaves and bulbs.

Don’t waste the former and don’t forget the latter. Rake leaves off lawns and away

from crowns of plants. Overwinter in wire cylinders to rot for spring soil amendment or shred now and spread as mulch for shrubs and perennials.

There is no better amendment for clay soil than rotted or shredded leaves.

Plant bulbs after the soil has cooled with the first freeze. Most are deer-resistant, except for tulips; crocus are iffy, susceptible to rabbits and squirrels, though many swear by the legendary “Tommies” (Crocus tommasinianus).

Check out brentandbeckys bulbs.com and vanengelen.com. for a large mailorder selection but don’t forget local garden center deals as the holidays approach. Get them in the ground for Thanksgiving, Christmas at a stretch.

Winter arrives with the solstice on December 21, and treats us to her barebones elegance until we just can’t wait for spring. The thing about seasons is that you’re always looking forward to the next one.

Test soil, spread compost and overseed bare spots in lawn (check out Healthy Virginia Lawns at hvl. albemarle@vt.edu) Prune boxwood for size and air circulation November to December.

Plant daffodils, snowdrops, crocus, Siberian squills, grape hyacinth, and other minor bulbs after first freeze.

Make new beds for spring with cardboard, chips, compost, shredded leaves.

Protect young trees from deer rubbing with wire cages.

23

BLUEPRINT n INTERIOR DESIGN

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29

BLUEPRINT n ARCH. HISTORY

Head for the Hill A former Monroe property blends old and new at UVA

By Lisa Martin

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James Monroe

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aze across the sea of red brick on the grounds of the University of Virginia, and a white structure set atop a rise to the west of the Lawn catches your eye. That’s Monroe Hill House, a property once owned by founding father James Monroe that now predates all that surrounds it.

“The house and Monroe’s law office and several outbuildings for his farm were built in 1790,” says Brian Hogg, UVA’s senior historic preservation planner. “It was likely red brick originally, but we suspect that as the house was enlarged over time; it was painted white to give it a unifying appearance.” Monroe had hoped to use the accompanying 800 acres to become a gentleman farmer like his friends James Madison and Thomas Jefferson, but his operations were rarely profitable.

By 1800 Monroe had resettled his family to Highland as he became governor of Virginia and later U.S. foreign minister, and the Monroe Hill House and grounds were sold in 1820 to become part of UVA. In 1817, then serving as the fifth U.S. President, Monroe took part in the ceremony laying the cornerstone at the planned UVA building site, and historians say he could have looked up from the spot and spied his former house across the fields.

Two wings of arched connectors between the original Monroe Hill buildings, constructed in 1848 as rooms for scholarship students, were “arguably the first additions to the university after Jefferson’s death,” says Hogg. Twelve larger buildings, called portals, were erected just west of Monroe House in 1929, and in 1986 the complex was christened Brown College, UVA’s first undergraduate residential college.

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DAN ADDISON

Historic Landscape Tour First Saturdays (through September) Tour the grounds of James Madison’s Montpelier to see how, over 250 years, it became a trove of champion trees and unique planting thanks to great care and preservation through multiple generations. Free. 1pm. Montpelier, 11350 Constitution Hwy., Montpelier Station. montpelier.org

Parade of Homes October 6-7, 13-14 Whether you’re ready to buy a new home or just looking for inspiration, this 55th annual event provides plenty of ideas. Tour custom homes—from the low $200Ks to more than $1 million—designed by local builders in neighborhoods in and around Charlottesville—from The Farms of Turkey Run to Glenmore to the Village at Moore’s Creek. Free, noon-5pm. Various locations. brhba.org

Tree ID Walk at McIntire Park October 6 This 90-minute walk on the trails at the site of the future McIntire Botanical Garden will help you learn how to identify trees using their leaves, bark, twigs, buds, seed casing, nuts, and many other features. Free, but registration is required.

10:30am-noon. McIntire Park. charlottesvillearea treestewards.org

63rd Shenandoah Antiques Expo October 12-14 More than 300 indoor dealers plus hundreds more exhibitors outside means this antiques expo is a can’t-miss for collectors and homeowners looking to score something special. While the primary focus of the show in recent years has trended toward Americana and high-country furniture and accessories, the event also includes fine jewelry, silver, glassware, primitives, Oriental rugs, and other C-VILLE ABODE

BLUEPRINT n EVENTS

THOMAS JEFFERSON FOUNDATION

“Every time I think of Brown, I think of the history of it,” says resident Jordan Chapman, third-year student and community outreach cochair of the college’s governance board. “All of the separate portals are named for professors from the 1800s who were big players in the history of the university.”

Hosting events like a speaker series, film screenings, cookouts, and field trips, the 300 students of Brown College seek intellectual and social opportunities to express their creativity. They even construct an annual haunted house on the Hill for Halloween, with the proceeds going to a local charity. “The people here like to express their differences and channel them into helping others and making the university community even better,” says Chapman. “I wouldn’t have wanted to live anywhere else.”

Holiday Evening Tours Fridays and Saturdays through December 30 Get a unique look at Monticello—after dark and decorated for the holidays. This tour provides a glimpse into how everyone at the Little Mountain —enslaved and free—celebrated the holidays in Jefferson’s era. Explore public and private rooms including the iconic Dome Room, and enjoy live musical performances in the parlor. $60. 5:15pm, 5:30pm, 5:45pm, and 6pm. Monticello Main House, 931 Thomas Jefferson Pkwy. monticello.org collectibles. Ample free parking. $10 (Friday) and $5 (Saturday and Sunday), 9am-5pm (Friday and Saturday), 11am-4pm (Sunday). Expoland, 277 Expo Rd., Fishersville. heritagepromotions.net

Thomas Jefferson Center for Historic Plants Open House October 13 Brent Heath, renowned bulb expert, presents “Bulbs as Companion Plants,” which focuses on combining bulbs with perennials, annuals, ground covers, flowering shrubs, and even vegetable gardens. Browse the nursery for trees, shrubs, and perennials available for purchase.

Free, 10am-2pm. Tufton Farm, 1293 Tufton Farm. monticello.org

Garden Basics: Shade Gardening October 13 Turn your garden’s uncompromising shady spots from a challenge to an asset after this two-hour instructional class. Free, but registration required: info@piedmontmastergardeners.org.

2-4pm. Trinity Episcopal Church, 1118 Preston Ave. piedmontmastergardeners.org

Architecture Tours at James Madison’s Montpelier October 20 During this themed tour (October’s is “Ghost-

hunters”), learn how ghost marks are used in the restoration of buildings on the property and how buildings are constructed and modified. $10 adults, $4 kids 6-14. 1pm. James Madison’s Montpelier, 11350 Constitution Hwy., Montpelier Station. montpelier.org

Garden Basics: Preparing the Garden for Winter November 17 Get practical advice, recommendations, and tips on how to properly put your summer garden to bed, and set yourself up well for spring.

Free, but registration required: info@piedmontmastergardeners.org. 2-4pm. Trinity Episcopal Church, 1118 Preston Ave. piedmontmaster gardeners.org

Historic Tree Walk at Highland December 7 Presented by the Charlottesville Area Tree Stewards, this popular (free!) 90-minute walk around James Monroe’s estate gives participants insight into the mature ash, black walnut, maples, oaks, and other native trees on the property. Learn how to identify trees in the winter using their structure, bark, nuts, and many other features.

Attendance is limited to 25, so register early.

Free, 9-10:30am. James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe Pkwy. charlottesvillearea treestewards.org

Wreath Workshops Various dates through December 3 For 32 years, Monticello has hosted a holiday wreath workshop. Monticello gardens staff will lead the three-hour project, for which all materials (12-inch straw wreath forms, pins, wire, etc.) will be provided, including a cornucopia of natural materials. Bring hand pruners. $75, varying times. David M. Rubenstein Visitor Center, 931 Thomas Jefferson Pkwy. monticello.org 31

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C-VILLE ABODE

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A second look For a historic tavern, another life on a hilltop

By Erika Howsare Photography by Stephen Barling 37

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38

C-VILLE ABODE

In a part of the Shenandoah Valley where history is prized especially deeply, just outside the village of Brownsburg, a relocated log cabin called Briar Hill is full of a special sense of the past. It embodies its own history dating back to the turn of the 18th century, when it was originally built on a different site nearby. And for current owner Dave Perry-Miller, it harkens to his past as a student at Washington & Lee. “I took an American architecture class,” he recalls, “and I did my architectural paper on Brownsburg in 1977.” He didn’t forget the little village, either: “For years I would fly from Dallas to visit my parents in Lexington, and it was a rare instance when that I didn’t drive out to Brownsburg to go by some of the houses where I’d interviewed the owners. I always harbored the hope that I would be able to go back to that part of Virginia.”

C-VILLE ABODE

After retiring from a real estate career in Dallas, Perry-Miller bought a notable home in Staunton called Waverley Hill in 2013 and soon embarked on its renovation. When he realized that house would be unlivable for more than a year during the work, he looked around for a place to fill the gap. “I thought, ‘I’m just going to have to get an apartment in town,’” he recalls— but Perry-Miller, the owner of five homes in three different states, isn’t really a renting kind of per-

son. He soon decided to purchase Briar Hill, which had been relocated and renovated under the direction of architect Bethany Puopolo back in the mid-1990s.

Perry-Miller was drawn to the view from this hilltop—a panorama of the Valley and Jump Mountain—and, in fact, had been gazing at it already for years in the form of a painting he’d purchased years before, likely painted from a CONTINUED ON PAGE 41

39

“What people respond to in contemporary houses is the openness and bareness of the lines. The log cabin has that, except it’s made out of chestnut logs. The simplicity is inherent in that property, and yet in the framework of a beautiful, old structure."

40

C-VILLE ABODE

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 39

neighboring hilltop. “It was in my library in Dallas for all those years,” he says. “I can’t believe it: I was looking at the view from my house.”

FINE DETAILS Puopolo took on the project after she was approached by Lois Key, a local resident who had noticed a Rockbridge County cabin falling into disrepair and convinced its owners to sell it. From the beginning, Puopolo was struck by Key’s commitment to the historic nature of the structure, probably a onetime tavern.

“She salvaged as much material as she could,” says Puopolo. “And she wanted it to stay in the same county; she didn’t want it to go out of the home area.”

Puopolo’s role was not only to help coordinate the dismantling and rebuilding of the cabin, but to design a kitchen addition that would modernize it—but not too much. “I teased Lois, she was such a romantic—the cabin had one bedroom and three fireplaces,” she remembers. Key was willing to access the basement from an outdoor entry and live with other less-than-convenient features, for the sake of preserving the cabin’s character.

While the new kitchen would be a very important living space, Puopolo didn’t want it to overshadow the original cabin. “I wanted to let the main volume be dominant,” says Puopolo, so instead of building the addition directly against the house, she designed a small connector or “hyphen” space, containing a mudroom, between the two. A wraparound porch helps to knit the two volumes together.

The details made the project. “This wasn’t a really crude log cabin,” Puopolo says. “Someone who had some skills had created it initially. You look at the mantel in the old part and it’s a pretty nice mantel.” She matched detailing on the beaded beams and chamfered posts, and tried not to alter anything unnecessarily as she found ways to fit closets and a bathroom into a structure from a very different era.

The kitchen design, with custom cabinets by Jaeger & Ernst, local soapstone sink, and salvaged wormy chestnut countertops, is “unfitted”—meant to look like a collection of furni-

For the writer’s studio, a separate outbuilding, the homeowner enlisted Glenn Wilson, the same builder who’d worked with the original team, to shore up stonework.

ture pieces rather than a uniform run of cabinetry.

Continuous with the cook space is a cozy sitting room with a stone fireplace and one contemporary touch: French doors to the porch.

INHERENT SIMPLICITY For Perry-Miller, the cabin was largely perfect as he found it. He’s made a few minor changes, enlisting Glenn Wilson, the same builder who’d worked with Key and Puopolo years ago, to shore up stonework and enlarge the writer’s studio (a

separate building). Craftsman Matt Johnson also built entry gates on the driveway, using traditional techniques with no nails or screws.

“What people respond to in contemporary houses is the openness and bareness of the lines,” says Perry-Miller. “The log cabin has that, except it’s made out of chestnut logs. The simplicity is inherent in that property, and yet in the framework of a beautiful, old structure. I think [Puopolo] was masterful in keeping things very simple.”

He appreciates, too, the history of the 86-acre property, which for many years housed a summer camp called Briar Hill that drew boys from Richmond and Charlottesville. The site of the house, he’s learned, was the former location of the camp’s tennis courts—one of the only flat places on the acreage. Elsewhere, a chimney marks the ruins of the onetime dining hall.

“There is something about that hillside that has a certain amount of magic,” he says. “Everybody involved has put in a little piece of their heart and soul, and you can feel that.”

Beloved Brownsburg Happily isolated within a sea of farmland, the village of Brownsburg looks out at the world with an exceptionally well-preserved face. A visitor might be astonished to stumble across such a concentration of log cabins, especially cabins in fine repair with matching placards to announce their dates of construction (most in the late 1700s) and original functions (tavern, smithy, etc.) There are also a historic bank building and schoolhouse, brick and wood-frame houses, and an antique store.

The village is recognized as a state and national historic district, with several nearby historic landmarks including Wade’s Mill. The little Brownsburg Museum’s current exhibit shows local handmade items from furniture to quilts and is open weekends through November. Even better, a Christmas house tour offers the chance to peek inside historic homes, including Dave Perry-Miller’s Briar Hill, on December 8-9. See brownsburgva.wordpress.com.—EH

41

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A Virginia Country Life

White Hart – 1998 Shelter and Associates English manor sited in the center of a 350-acre expanse of rolling northern Albemarle County farmland. Expansive views of the Southwest and Blue Ridge Mountain ranges, over 8,000 s.f. the 4 bedroom home, extraordinary setting and 20 min to Charlottesville. MLS 573304

The Gardner Farm — A personal parkland. Proximity to several international airports and mid-atlantic cities the Gardner farm is an expansive retreat of 1,563 acres that offers the highest degree of privacy and bucolic tranquility rural Virginia can offer. 4 miles of the South Anna River traverses the property with approximately 20 miles in trails extending through forests of poplar and oak. Several unique river crossings link this private parkland with numerous potential home sites, 4 scenic ponds and a 30 acre lake. MLS# 551631

Highland Orchard — Nearly 1,000-acres in Albemarle County, Virginia -20 min from Charlottesville and UVA. Situated among the headwaters of the Hardware River, Highland Orchard features a rolling pasture and woodland with a stylish contemporary residence situated to enjoy the spectacular views.

The Main residence, guest house, farm managers cottage, formal greens pool and host of complimentary farm buildings make this one of the most extraordinary farm offering in Virginia.

1432 Sandown Lane – Glenmore luxury with incredible golf course and mountain views. Situated on the 17th fairway with privacy, peace and quite.

The 6-bedroom house has a spacious kitchen, elegant living room (2-story) and wood paneled study. The terrace level includes extra bedrooms, office, media room and landscaped patio. MLS 572581

428 NE Second St. - North Downtown Charlottesville Downtown Charlottesville city home c. 1920 with high ceilings and three stories of living space. A rare offering with open floor plan, and excellent proximity to downtown on a magical street with enduring charm and character. MLS 581322

Keswick Estate — Located only 5 miles east of Charlottesville Keswick Estate offers the best building opportunities in the area. Adjoining the Keswick Hall and Golf Club with current renovations underway at the Hotel and and newly designed Pete Dye Golf Course, “Full Cry”, the chance to build your own signature custom home awaits.

Murdoch Matheson

434.981.7439

murdoch.matheson@sothebysrealty.com

murdoch-matheson.com

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under the roof fall relaxation sale

Reclining Chair was $829

$499 These Norwegian recliners come in small, medium, or large. Leather or fabric. Prices good on in stock models only. Shop soon for selection. best selec

*photos are representative of the models and not the exact coverings

*shown with optional star base, wood base is standard

www.undertheroof.com Motorized Recliner was $1,199 now starts at $729!

Motorized Recliner was $1,329 now starts at $799!

Ergo tilt chair with Ottoman was $1,509 now starts at $ 949

406 w. main street . downtown waynesboro 540-949-5044 tues-sat 10-6, sun 1-5

We See The Bigger Picture Experience matters during real estate transactions. Under tight timelines, you’re faced with making big decisions while managing important details. At Montague, Miller & Co., we’ve seen it all, and we take pride in our ability to guide clients to successful, satisfying outcomes through professionalism and honest counsel. As a threegeneration family company, we’ve been serving Charlottesville and surrounding communities for seven decades. With deep roots in Central Virginia, we’ve been a part of the region’s evolution and growth, helping to develop some of the area’s established residential communities.

CONSIDERING A CAREER IN REAL ESTATE?

LOOKING TO BEGIN A NEW AND DYNAMIC CAREER? Sign up for our Principles of Real Estate class. Come learn from the experienced and talented teaching staff of Montague Miller - Barbara McMurry, Rives Bailey and Pat Sury. This course is for those looking to begin a career in Real Estate who want to learn from from the best. Find out when the next session starts: MONTAGUEMILLER.COM/REAL-ESTATE-ACADEMY | 800.793.5393

TAKE A

HIKE! Humpback Rock

The current issue of Unbound goes all out with the best walks in the area, from a leisurely stroll at Saunders-Monticello Trail to an early morning sunrise finish line at Spy Rock. Whatever your pleasure, our list of 15 hikes will get you moving. Not a hiker? There’s something for you, too.

Shaping the meadow A 18th century house gets a modernized landscape

By Erika Howsare • Photography by Stephen Barling

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At the back of the house, a series of plants, arranged more or less by height, makes a transition from the patio to the yard and meadow beyond: woolly thyme, catmint, lavender, fothergilla, mountain mint, and muhly grass.

T

he house, dating all the way back to 1742, didn’t need much work. But the five-acre property surrounding it did. When Sarah Van Steenburg bought a historic house near Barboursville in 2015, she appreciated the renovation work already completed on the structure, and she was attracted to what she calls the “money shot”—the view from the upstairs front porch, with the Blue Ridge forming the backdrop to farm fields and woods.

The landscaping, though, wasn’t too inspired.

A past owner had planted some nice trees, but the lawn was more like a place to mow than to hang out. “It was not very inviting,” says land-

scape architect Mary Wolf. “One goal was having nice outdoor spaces for people to gather.”

Wolf looked at the outdoor spaces as a system and tried to improve overall functionality of parking, circulation, and living spaces. An oddly small fenced-in area in the backyard would have to go. So would overgrown shrubs around the diminutive front steps. Van Steenburg would need better access to the back door and a more graceful, classic look for the rear deck.

While the backyard sloped down into the house, the front sloped away a little too quickly. Wolf planned for earth-moving that would make both these areas closer to level, with

subtle terraces separating successive zones. Instead of retaining walls, Van Steenburg chose a more budget-friendly option: grass steps, their edges defined by stone, leading from one level to the next.

Another key decision was to convert much of the mown lawn on the property to meadow. With a grant from the Thomas Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation District, a large swath of the front lawn—there’s about an acre between the house and the road—became a wildflower meadow, as did smaller areas along the driveway and behind the house.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 51

The meadow provides endlessly changing visual interest that also benefits wildlife.

“It’s brought back the birds and butterflies."

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Time to Redecorate

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 49

The meadow accomplishes several things. For one, it helps to buffer the house from traffic on the road, by providing a bit more height. It spares Van Steenburg the need to mow large areas. And it provides endlessly changing visual interest that also benefits wildlife. “It’s brought back the birds and butterflies,” says Van Steenburg. Key native species in the meadow are Echinacea, goldenrod, coreopsis, rudbeckia, eupatorium, and Joe Pye weed.

Wolf kept some of the plantings that were already here, selectively removing others. In the front meadow, existing redbud, dogwood, apple, and maple trees stayed, while ailanthus and Leland cypress came down. The new, wider front steps are now flanked with boxwood and catmint, while autumn bride and oakleaf hydrangea line the façade and lead to large hollies on the house corners that Van Steenburg inherited from a previous owner. Walkways are more like stepping-stones than paths. “We didn’t want the pavement to show too strongly,” says Wolf.

Two new elm trees just in front of the house will grow to anchor this whole front-yard scheme, where a grassy lawn inside the curving drive provides a place to sit and take in the view, from meadow to mountains.

The backyard was a more complex challenge.

Wolf wanted to connect the side parking area more effectively to the back door, which meant shortening the deck and removing the odd little fence. Van Steenburg decided the diagonal decking didn’t fit the house and had it replaced with deck boards running parallel instead; Wolf added tall Joe Pye weed along the railing.

“We didn’t want to go crazy with hardscapes,” says Wolf. Steps lead from the parking up to a patio, made from salvaged fieldstone, with creeping thyme planted between the stones. Van Steenburg was able to handpick stones for the steps from the stash on mason Jon Heilbron’s property, along with a huge pocked chunk of rock that serves as a doorstep.

Two serviceberry trees flank the steps, and a series of plants, arranged more or less by height, makes a transition from the patio to the yard and meadow beyond: woolly thyme, catmint, lavender, fothergilla, mountain mint, and muhly grass.

The oval backyard is edged by switchgrass “to make a clean edge to the meadow world,” says Wolf, “but also to tie into it.”

While on the deck/parking side of the house a large existing redbud tree is the focal point, the opposite side features mature silver maples under which a shade garden, with ferns and mountain mint, is slowly taking root.

Van Steenburg, who moved from D.C. and still spends some time there, calls her Barboursville house “my sanctuary.” She’s enjoyed watching the meadow change season to season, and year to year. “I love the thoughtfulness of the lines,” she says. “The meadow gives it structure.”

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With a grant from the Thomas Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation District, a large swath of the front lawn became a wildflower meadow, as did smaller areas along the driveway and behind the house.

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THROUGH NOVEMBER 3

STAY WARM

In the Winter Garden

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VANERI STUDIO 52

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Custom Cabinets & Furniture From traditional to modern, kitchens to bathrooms to bookshelves to accent pieces.

Design services available C-VILLE ABODE

floor (2 offices,reception area,bathroom)and a 1 bedroom apartment on the 2nd floor • New roof,wall heat/ac units • Great front porch, private fenced yard and off-street parking.

mls ??????? mls 499612

434.220.5656

$Price

mls ??????? mls 496870

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190 Lynx Farm Road

$Price $495,000

sloanmanis.com

5105 Blenheim Road

This unique Ivy property offers on 3.86 acres just 7 miles from Cville. The 1800 sq ft ground level addition has a lovely mix of finishes with an open floor plan. It has 2 BRs w/attached Ba., a Great Room w/ gas fireplace, eat-in bar, heated floors in kitchen and all bathrooms. The kitchen is for a the serious chef with a commercial oven and dishwasher with generous cabinet & counter space with high end features to complete the space. 2nd living space with an outside entrance to a 2nd floor apartment w/1 BR & BA w/ open floor plan that would be great for an AirBnb. Large garage/storage space with roll-up door and open shed with electric.

M L S 581460

• First floor master suite and a finished terrace level • Quiet country living, great mountain views • 25 minutes to the heart of Charlottesville

$489,000

5763 St George Ave

Located within the Farms of Turkey Run subdivision, a stately all brick Georgian w/over 5400 finished sq/ft, 5 bdrs, 4 full, 1 half baths, 18 mins from Charlottesville. Privately situated on over 25 acres of open & wooded land, creek & pond site. Upscale home features quartz countertops, stainless appliances, hardwoods, 1st floor master suite, whole house generator, gated security, paved drive, community walking & riding trails.

MLS 495948

$925,000

3688 Green Creek Rd

Charming historic 5 BR/ 3 BA home built in 1890 in the heart of Crozet on a large, almost half acre lot in Crozet. The farmhouse style home has 2,757 finished square. Open kitchen with walk-in pantry, DR with a wood stove insert, formal LR, and spacious family room, hardwood floors.

Charming 3 BR, 1 BA ranch on just over 2 acres in southern Albemarle county. Well maintained and upgraded with Pella windows, water filtration system, newer HVAC and stainless kitchen appliances. Shed and dog kennel have running water and electricity. Enjoy the quiet of the country.

MLS 578674

MLS 576164

$444,900

467 Rolling Valley Court

24 Courtenay Glen Way

Located on the end of a cul-de-sac in the Foxcroft neighborhood, this 4 BR/21/12 BA home is in terrific condition. Large, open kitchen, breakfast nook/sitting area, family room, study/den. Pull down attic, 2 car garage. Private patio in the rear and a generous private side yard with a wooded view & easy access to the neighborhood walking trail. Neighborhood offers a pool & clubhouse.

MLS 579946

$164,900

$419,000

Located within the Farms of Turkey Run subdivision, just 18 mins from Charlottesville, this 21 acre lot with mostly pasture & mountain views is partially fenced with 3 board fencing.

MLS

526222

$255,000

434.220.5656 | sloanmanis.com | 415 Fourth Street N.E. Charlottesville, VA 22902 C-VILLE ABODE

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FALL in

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with your

CHARLOTTESVILLE 1801 Seminole Trl. (Rt. 29) | 434-974-6480 www.grandhomefurnishings.com

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YOU AND YOUR NEIGHBOR ARE DIFFERENT. YOUR HOMES SHOULD BE TOO.

LochlynHill.com | 434.227.5375 From the 250 Bypass, take the Park Street Exit and head North on Park. When you reach Pen Park Lane, turn right and enter Lochlyn Hill.

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Scene Setting

COURTESY ROSANNA BENCOACH

Pretty as a (motion) picture Evan Almighty, Major Payne, Food, Inc.—there have been many movies shot in our area that give us (even more) proof that Charlottesville is enviably picturesque. But none captures the spirit of fall in Albemarle quite like Giant, the 1955 classic starring Rock Hudson as a Texas rancher and Elizabeth Taylor as his polished love interest from Maryland.

Of course, the film wasn’t shot in Maryland: The opening scene follows Hudson’s arrival through a rolling landscape resplendent with horses and jockeys. Eventually he reaches Belmont (“Ardmore,” as it’s called in the film), a 23-acre Classic Revival-style estate in Keswick hunt country.

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10-20% OFF Custom Upholstery Sale October 1st-31st 218 WEST MARKET STREET, CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA 22902 434-970-1900 / MONDAY – SATURDAY 10 AM – 6 PM

Free Storefront Parking

LIVE CLASSIC The location, the style, the feeling you get when you walk through the door – every aspect of your home should be a reflection of who you are, where you've been, and the life you aspire to live.

Your best life begins with a home that inspires you.

frankhardy.com Greenfields | MLS 578924 Š MMXVII Sotheby's International Realty Affiliates LLC. All Rights Reserved. Sotheby's International Realty Affiliates LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated. Sotheby's International Realty and the Sotheby's International Realty logo are registered (or unregistered) service marks licensed to Sotheby's International Realty Affiliates LLC.