PLUS: Historic meets contemporary in a north downtown Airbnb ON SECOND
CRESCERE FARM
$6,950,000 | MLS 660037
746 746 breathtaking acres located in Madison County with long frontage on the Rapidan River, and numerous ponds and streams. This rare large tract offers excellent Blue Ridge views, with numerous stunning building sites, abundant fenced pastures for grazing livestock, with automatic waterers, fertile bottom land for crops, extensive road, and trail system, and well maintained barns, and a recently updated brick home for a farm manager. The property is in six tax map parcels, and is an ideal candidate for a conservation easement. This unique property combines beautiful land with amazing topography, complete privacy, long river frontage, no conservation easement, and within 2 hours of Washington.
JUSTIN H. WILEY | 434 981 5528
IRONWOOD
$3,950,000 | MLS 657943
Private estate minutes from Charlottesville and the University with wonderful Blue Ridge views. The 1888 traditional farm house has been completely renovated and decorated by a well known interior decorator, yet retains the charm and woodwork of the original house. The main house includes 3 bedrooms with private baths, large kitchen with high end appliances, family room, large living room with fireplace. Other improvements include a new guest / pool house, pool, and 2 car detached heated garage with charming office and a half bath. Also included is a tenant / manager cottage, chicken coop, and bee hives. All the improvements are beautifully situated on the 21 acres with complete privacy.
JUSTIN H. WILEY | 434 981 5528
LINDEN HILL
$3,750,000
GREENVILLE
$ 6,995,000 | MLS 650903
One of the State’s finest examples of Classical Revival architecture, sited on 716-acres of rolling, highly productive cropland with long frontage on the Rapidan River. The home is instantly recognizable with its 4 massive Doric columns and “M” shaped copper roof. Built in 1854, the residence was meticulously restored by Alexander Nicholson to its present condition. The river and its lowlands offer endless recreation including some of the area’s best duck hunting. Additional improvements include a restored, period summer kitchen, conservatory, pool and pool house, stables, numerous cottages, and farm infrastructure.
JUSTIN H. WILEY | 434 981 5528
PETER A. WILEY | 434 422 2090
CHERRY SPRINGS
$2,900,000 | MLS 658045
448 private acres centrally located between Orange and Gordonsville, with great views of the South West Mountains, and ample frontage on Madison Run Rd. The land is a mixture of open pasture, hay fields, and mature hard wood forest, with approx 6 mi of ATV trails.. The land is further improved with four wells, pond, under ground electric, roads, trails, long frontage Madison Run stream, and a small multistory home w/ fireplace, full kitchen, laundry, bath, and roof top office, that is being sold in "as is" condition. The property is currently being used as a cattle farm, and is currently in land use. The property is not in a conservation easement and can be subdivided
JUSTIN H. WILEY | 434 981 5528
Linden Hill is one of Charlottesville's most distinguished properties, set on over 1.3 acres of beautifully manicured grounds with impressive mountain views. This iconic, fully renovated 1920's 5-bedroom residence includes two charming cottages with two additional bedrooms, a heated, saltwater pool and spa, offering a luxurious yet private retreat just minutes from downtown, the University of Virginia, shopping and schools. A gourmet kitchen boasts a Lacanche range, stand-alone subzero fridge, quartzite countertops and exceptional custom cabinetry. This is a rare opportunity to own one of the finest estate-caliber properties Charlottesville has to offer.
PETER A. WILEY | 434 422 2090
DAVIS SHOP ROAD
$625,000
A private, elevated setting for this charming 3-bedroom home in the Western Albemarle district. The home sits on 5.5 acres just north of Free Union in the Ivy Elementary School district. No HOA and plenty of land makes this a rare offering! The one level floor plan boasts a large family room with vaulted ceiling off the kitchen, two masonry/stone fireplaces, hardwood floors, a beautiful sunroom, skylights, and a generator. Good out buildings including a stand-alone garage with an upstairs that could easily be turned into finished space. A rural setting with an awardwinning vineyard down the street yet only 20 minutes from Charlottesville.
PETER A. WILEY | 434 422 2090
Double take 22
Architect Robert Paxton is no stranger to updating former projects. So when new owners purchased a home he’d designed in the 1990s, he jumped at the chance (“I always enjoy being creative about how we can get as much value out of the original house, and make it work,” he says), giving the homeowners more space for their larger family.
c-ville.com/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. ABODE Editor Caite Hamilton. Contributors Carol Diggs, Shea Gibbs, Sean Tubbs.
$1,195,000 | MLS 653080 | Staunton, VA Court Nexsen, 646.660.0700
Blueprint
Design in all its many forms
Character contemporary
&
Honoring both sides of Charlottesville
By Carol Diggs
Visitors come to Charlottesville to explore its long history and enjoy its thriving contemporary culture. So why not stay somewhere that offers a taste of both? That’s the ethos behind the Jefferson Guest House, a newly renovated 1920s residence in the heart of downtown.
Owner Reid Nagle wanted to renovate the building as a short-term rental while retaining its historic character (the Charlottesville office of his Florida-based equine training firm, Big Lick LLC, is in the renovated house next door). Work on the guest house began in 2022, with a team of local firms: principal architects Bob Pineo and Mark Merolla of Design Develop; design architect Cecilia Hernandez Nichols of Formwork; and contractor Lee Construction Group.
Interior designer Kathy Heiner of KLH Designs was brought on in September 2023. “From the first, it was super interesting to me what a collaborative effort this was,” Heiner says. As a property listed with the Stay Charlottesville network, the Jefferson Guest House had to offer certain modern amenities like king beds and upgraded bathrooms, but the team was committed to retaining the elements and feeling of a century-old home. (They also added a fully renovated one-bedroom apartment on the lower level).
So, from the street, the three-story corner house looks like many of Charlottesville’s brick residences, with its high peaked roof, tall windows, white trim, and semicircular transom over the front door. Even the holly tree by the entrance is old enough to have grown to attic height. But there are modern touches, too—the side porch, with its clean-line metal railing and outdoor grill, and the spacious off-street parking lot (a necessity in downtown Charlottesville).
The interior shows the same attention to both historical elements and modern style. While the house was taken to the studs before renovation,
the tall windows, dining-room pocket doors, stairway, second-story layout, and attic elements were all retained. For modern tastes and needs, however, the bathrooms were all upgraded and every room has its own minisplit (independent ductless HVAC system). The large chef’s kitchen is completely contemporary, with good natural light, an induction cooktop, two wall ovens, a large island with eating area, and extensive storage.
It’s a challenge to decorate a rental space that will be lived in by a variety of people. Heiner chose to integrate the interior’s historic features with the contemporary elements by keeping the color palette neutral and consistent throughout the house. Walls and trim are the same soft gray (Benjamin Moore Light Pewter—gloss for baseboards, satin for walls) throughout; furnishings are in shades of gray, dark blue, and tan. Because the century-old rooms aren’t standard sizes, Heiner had all the floor coverings made to order from the Ceiling & Floor Shop in a variety of neutral shades and textures. Which is not to say there aren’t touches of whimsy—the dining room chairs have varying bright colors on their stiles, and the Nanimarquina foyer rug is a flamboyant flower in shades of light gray, deep blue, and rose.
A UVA grad who has worked in fashion and film as well as interior design, Heiner, on her website, describes her design philosophy as “timeless combinations and comfortable spaces, adding color and playful elements.” Often, as is the case at the Jefferson Guest House, those added touches are artwork—and Heiner made sure to use local and regional artists throughout the house.
Front and center in the dining room are two large abstract painting by Frank Phillips, chair of the arts at St. Anne’s-Belfield. The large resin sculpture on the wall of the foyer is by Ana Rendich, a Spotsylvania artist whose works are shown at Les Yeux du Monde and the Quirk Gallery in Richmond. Also in that space are two smaller multimedia works (photo collages with embroidery) by local artist Heather Beardsley.
The contemporary chef’s kitchen features an abundance of natural light, an induction cooktop, two wall ovens, and a large island with eating area, while the third floor seating area features a wallmounted TV, plenty of seating, and framed images taken by local photographer Robert Llewellyn.
The living room features work by Cynthia Burke, who has a studio at McGuffey Art Center, and Richmond artist Frankie Slaughter. While keeping the palette consistent, Heiner changes things up with two chairs and pillows in a vibrant jungle floral print from Dutch firm Moooi.
Upstairs are three king bedrooms with two baths (one en suite), again using the warm neutrals and textures that create a consistent and calm environment. In these rooms are several collage/encaustic prints by Slaughter, as well as abstracts by Catherine Booker Jones and Babette Herschberger.
The third floor feels very much like the attic it once was, with wood walls now painted gray and the hand-hewn beams exposed and the original flooring clear-coated. This informal gathering place has lots of comfy seating, a wallmounted television, and two large photographs by Earlysville photographer Robert Llewellyn. The two bedrooms share a full bath with a gable window. The larger bedroom features a king bed with a wrap-around headboard including a light and nightstand on each side (“we just barely made this fit,” says Heiner) and photographs by Somerset-based Elizabeth Perdue. The smaller bedroom has twin beds for the children—or for those of any age who like sleeping high up in the attic under the eaves.
Zero heroes
Local design firm works with PVCC for environmental milestone By Shea Gibbs
Charlottesville is home to the country’s first net-zero community college building after the recent completion of a project nearly seven years in the making.
Piedmont Virginia Community College’s new Woodrow W. Bolick Advanced Technology and Student Success Center wasn’t supposed to be a landmark environmental structure when multiple design firms presented the school with bids in 2018. It wasn’t supposed to be a net-zero structure even after VMDO Architects won the contract for the new training facility and student life center.
But according to VMDO principal Jim Kovach, the company’s focus on sustainability means that VMDO is a national leader in netzero and net-zero-ready buildings. So, after PVCC received a critical grant from the state, the pieces were in place to create the first building on a two-year university campus that produces as much energy it consumes over the course of a year.
“At the outset, we all were dedicated to delivering a high-performing building,” Kovach says. “When we learned the governor of Virginia had an interest … it helped funnel the funds that were needed.”
Naturally, net zero comes at a cost. Kovach says multiple approaches to energy production typically are required to offset a structure’s annual energy use, and the Bolick Center was no exception. A geoexchange system provides the building’s heating and cooling, and solar panels are prevalent throughout, specifically in a canopy floating over the facility’s parking lot and lain across the full roofscape. High-performance walls, roof, and windows were also critical.
“We really try to take a holistic approach,” Kovach says. “We didn’t want to just greenwash a building that wasn’t designed to be net zero. We wanted an integrated package.”
One design consideration for the training center made the photovoltaic cell allocation simpler than it is on many other projects. Because the facility is education focused, VMDO wasn’t compelled to disguise the PV panels. They’re out in the open where the evidence of net zero is on display for students and others
to see. They “tell the story of achieving net zero,” according to Kovach.
Still, the project’s many moving pieces, including introducing the net-zero goal after design was nearly complete, required more than 20 rede-
signs—and that’s a conservative estimate, Kovach says. VMDO worked closely with PVCC and its president at the time on each design iteration, and the architecture firm also conducted several outreach workshops with the student body.
VMDO recently completed the country’s first net-zero community college building, the Bolick Center at PVCC.
TOM HOLDSWORTH
“We wanted to elicit some responses and see how they envisioned this hybrid building, what kind of assets they wanted,” Kovach says. “Not everyone was super pumped at every phase, but we’ve done this enough to know the client is not critiquing us as designers but giving us input.”
Over nearly eight months of iterations, VMDO gathered as much input as possible. The result is a dual-purpose structure offering a manufacturing and robotics lab, a cyber-security and forensics lab, instructional spaces, and administrative offices, while also serving as a student center with a café, group meeting spaces, and ample outdoor public space.
With or without net zero, PVCC’s goal at the project’s outset was to create a physical hub for a commuter university that lacks the communal elements of most four-year schools. In addition to being a “central pedestrian campus landscape, the building will serve as a new visual landmark,” VMDO said in a statement after completing the project.
The Bolick Center itself is divided into three interconnected pieces, VMDO says: a pavilion, portal, and academic/advising wing. The pavilion includes the event space, café, lounge areas, student organization offices, and study spaces, and creates a bridge from the interior spaces to the campus, featuring multiple transparent assemblies to create a sense of openness.
In terms of aesthetic, the center’s palette is constrained and simple, Kovach says. But the overall design is modern and connected to its exterior in a way that takes the structure out of the ’70s and ’80s institutional mindset. In addition to connecting the structure to its surroundings, the building’s transparent walls and panels also contribute to its educational aims. For example, the school’s cybersecurity program relies on a large number of computer servers, and the rooms holding them have been intentionally left visible to those walking through the hallways.
Net-zero building in the United States is still in its infancy. The New Buildings Institute estimated in 2020 that North America was home to about 700 net-zero structures. The number has been rapidly growing and is likely now well into the thousands, but net-zero buildings still make up a low percentage of overall construction starts.
“It’s not the most popular approach to building right now, but we are trending in a positive direction,” Kovach says. “We think [net-zero structures] need to be built more frequently and with more focused intent.”
Annie Gould Gallery
A unique art gallery located in
Home sweet testdrive?
Have you ever wished that you could test drive a home? Or that you could hire someone to move in and get the firsttime kinks out? Meet Mike and Isobel Sadler of Charlottesville Area Builders.
Charlottesville Area Builders is a third-generation design/build business now in its fourth decade. Mike found his Marine Corps background in logistics transferred well into the construction business; he became CEO in 2017. His wife Isobel’s background is in education, but her penchant for detail led her to work with Mike on several client jobs. Soon, he asked her to join the company full-time, and they are now co-owners.
CAB has done urban, suburban, and rural homes “all within 45 minutes of Charlottesville,” says Mike. “I know the regulations for six counties.” For most of their homes, CAB uses its own stable of local architects and contractors, but they also do work with the client’s architect. Through Mike’s network of local landowners and realtors, he can also help clients find land to build on. Their jobs are usually houses in the 2,500- to 4,500-square-foot range.
Keeping CAB a mid-level company (they build eight to 10 houses a year) enables the Sadlers to guarantee quality and client service, says Isobel, while having enough work to keep their contractors busy. Two jobs a year will be spec houses—and every couple of years, Mike and Isobel will move into one with their family of four small dogs, all rescues.
“We’ve been married 12 years,” says Isobel, “and we’ve lived in six new builds.”
The practice of test-driving a house began with Mike’s father as a way of trying out new products and design elements to be better able to advise clients on their home-building projects. “We try to put ourselves in the shoes of our clients,” Isobel explains. “We want to feel what they feel. You hear so much about how stressful [the process of building a home] can be—we want to streamline that process.”
“We also get to try out new trends, things we want feedback on,” Mikes adds. “We can educate ourselves about a product, but living with it is different.”
The couple has checked out the products from filler faucets on soaking tubs (the latest bathroom trend) to wave flush toilets (“not for families with kids,” says Isobel). She notes, “We’ve tested a lot of pre-
Mike and Isobel Sadler build two spec homes per year through their company Charlottesville Area Builders—and then they move in. “We try to put ourselves in the shoes of our clients,” says Isobel.
finished floors—we’re very particular about wood flooring.”
Even the little things matter, like the newly popular push-to-close cabinetry. “It looks fantastic,” says Mike, “but be aware—if you happen to bump into it, the door’s going to open.” (Again, maybe not the best for families with rambunctious kids.)
In one case Mike recounts, they installed a new type of energy-efficient water heater in their test home. It turned out that every time the power went out (even for a minute), the heater had to be manually reset—or no hot water. “We changed that out,” he notes.
In building spec homes, Mike and Isobel are designing with resale in mind. They incorporate
It’s this local firm’s business model By Carol Diggs
SUPPLIED
PHOTOS
what they know the market is looking for, and are constantly tracking trends in appliances, doors, colors—even incorporating charging stations for electric cars.
Just as CAB’s spec homes are geared to fit the site (contemporary? family suburban? modern farmhouse?), Isobel designs the interiors to suit the house. “We like timeless, classic looks,” she says, “and the furnishings are different for each home—we do sell the spec houses furnished.”
How does it work, to decorate and move into a home that you know you will be leaving in a year or two? “We’re pretty minimalist people,” Isobel explains. “The mindset is, we’re not attached to things.”
Mike sees it this way: “Each house is a new chapter in our life.”
“And I’m a pretty efficient packer,” says Isobel. Which is most likely a huge understatement.
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:
‘Welcoming site’
UVA unveils preliminary design for new Center for the Arts
By Sean Tubbs
As the University of Virginia continues to expand onto Ivy Road, its buildings are creating a new urban fabric for the public institution’s Charlottesville footprint. In December 2024, a committee of the Board of Visitors reviewed a preliminary design for the proposed Center for the Arts, and recommended a smaller building.
“You’re dealing here with a welcoming site to the university,” said John Nau, chair of the Buildings and Grounds Committee.
The Center for the Arts would be located in the northeast corner of the Emmet/Ivy Corridor. As presented, the building would house the 1,200-seat Richard and Tessa Ader Performing Arts Center and serve as the new home of The Fralin Museum of Art and the Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection. The Department of Music would also move to the site, freeing up space for other UVA uses at Old Cabell Hall.
“The Center for the Arts will have an internal promenade on the ground floor that builds on the design guidelines of the previous buildings developed in the Emmet Ivy District,” said Gary McCluskie, an architect with the Toronto-based firm Diamond Schmitt, which has been hired to design the arts center.
Those buildings are the School of Data Science, the Virginia Guesthouse hotel, and the Karsh Institute of Democracy. One rendering shown to the Buildings and Grounds Committee depicted the possibility of films being screened on media walls above the entrance to the theater.
Nau expressed concern that those media screens might distract people at the busy intersection of Emmet Street, Ivy Road, and University Avenue.
“I have seen traffic come to a halt around sporting venues around the country that use these screens,” Nau said.
The project has an internal budget of $315 million. Nau and others questioned the scale and
asked whether the center is something UVA really needs to build. Another committee member asked for updated financial projections to see if the center would provide revenue by attracting shows that currently don’t have an appropriate venue in the greater community.
While part of the funding for the center comes from a $50 million donation by the Aders, the bulk of the project might depend on a $200 million capital funding request made to Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin and the General Assembly. UVA’s Senior Vice President for Operations and State Government Relations Colette Sheehy said Richmond has already authorized preplanning work as well as given the green light to proceed with design.
“That is normally a signal from them that they are going to support the construction,” Sheehy said.
UVA President Jim Ryan said the project has been in the works for a long time. The building’s large size is comparable to what’s being built nearby, he said, and the structure would hide the Lewis Mountain parking garage. Ryan also noted that moving The Fralin would allow that building to serve as a new entrance for the School of Architecture, which is currently tucked away from public sight.
“I don’t know if you’ve ever tried to get to the architecture school but if we wanted to create a secret spot for architecture, we succeeded,” Ryan said.
Earlier in the meeting, the committee also approved amending UVA’s Major Capital Plan to add $160 million for the construction of three residential buildings at the western end of the Emmet Ivy District. BOV member Bert Ellis was the lone vote against doing so because he said UVA needs to cut spending.
This story originally ran in C-VILLE Weekly.
Home work
Learn a new skill from local pros By Caite Hamilton
Maybe the tired “new year, new you” adage should apply less to you personally and more to your...home? Start the year off with a lesson from one of these professionals—from floral arranging to watercolor to creating a whimsical wreath out of tiny terracotta pots.
Wednesday Crafts at We Grow Floral Shop
Wednesdays, 1-3pm Art teacher and WeGrow owner Daisa Granger Pascall leads this affordable weekly craft workshop—think dried-flower art or terrarium-building. All materials are provided. Just bring your creativity! $10, wegrowshopva.com
Tomato Potting & Seed Starting at Fifth Season Gardening
Saturday, March 15, 11am-12:30pm Through this hands-on workshop, learn seasonal seed-starting, up-potting, seedling care, and planting schedules for Zones 7 and 8. You’ll leave with a full tray of seasonal seedlings that you’ve planted yourself and can take home to grow. $30, fifthseasongardening.com
Garden Basics: Pollinators for Four Seasons
Saturday, March 15, 2-4pm Pollinators—butterflies, bees, birds—are responsible for much of the food we eat, but their populations are declining. In this workshop, learn how to support pollinators and enjoy them year-round by providing food and shelter in a home garden of any size. Free, piedmontmastergardeners.org
Watercolor Camp with Amy Woods at Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards
Handmade vase workshop at BeJust
Thursday, March 13, 6-8pm Potter Maja Sandvang will walk you through creating your own unique vase. Suitable for beginners, the workshop will invite participants to choose from a selection of glazes and learn to the art of hand-building vases with porcelain clay. Completed vases will be available for pick-up within a month of the workshop. $164, bejustcville.com
Sunday, March 16, 11am-4pm Indulge in a leisurely five-hour watercolor workshop with artist Amy Woods as she guides you through custom color-mixing, paint-to-water ratio, marks and brush strokes, and embracing the blooms and bleeds. Halfway through, enjoy a delicious Pippin Hill lunch and tasting flight, then finish off the day with a glass of bubbly and a supplies kit to replicate at home what you’ve learned. $275, pippinhillfarm.com
Living history
The Virginia Department of Historic Resources added a Charlottesville property to its list of landmarks in mid-December 2024. The James Minor House at 1817 Fendall Ave., noted for “incorporating elements of colonial Virginia’s classical architecture into the economical construction of the Great Depression,” according to a press release, was built circa 1937 for James Minor, a local lawyer who helped draft the state Constitution in 1902.
“The main section of the house stands two stories above a full English basement, which is fully exposed at the west elevation of the house and partially visible at the east elevation of the house due to the sloping lot,” reads the VDHR description of the property.
Milton L. Grigg, best known for his work on the 20th-century restoration of Colonial Williamsburg and Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, designed the Venable neighborhood home, a wood frame and stone masonry structure, in the Dutch Colonial Revival style. CH
Dual treat
Real estate/design team helps homeowners with unique approach
By Shea Gibbs
Jennifer Eberline and her husband wanted the kind of home that wasn’t on the market if you didn’t know where to look. But with a little help from a realtor and a designer, both with extensive architecture expertise, the family willed what they wanted into being.
In 2017, Eberline was casually working with her real estate agent, Andrea Hubbell, to find more space for her on-the-go family of four. Hubbell showed her three or four houses, including a large four-over-four on Rugby Road sitting on three quarters of an acre.
None of the properties seemed quite right, but Hubbell pushed for the Rugby Road location. Sure, it was overgrown, dilapidated, sprawling, and poorly planned, but with the right kind of love and attention, it could be perfect for the Eberlines’ needs.
“We were really just in kind of a discovery phase,” Eberline says. “But when we opened up the link Andrea sent, she was spot on. We couldn’t not go see it.”
The Eberlines worked with Hubbell through a whirlwind selling-andbuying process and found themselves in their new home within weeks. The first order of business was cleanup—painting, organizing, and landscaping. The next step: Refill the financial coffers before embarking on some major renovations.
The biggest design flaw in the new house as-purchased was a hastily attached garage. Built as an unattached structure, the garage had later been glommed onto the home’s kitchen in a way that failed to optimize space and flow. By 2021, the Eberlines were ready to make the changes Hubbell had helped them see were possible back in 2017.
Enter Hubbell’s hubby. Brian Hubbell is the primary design force behind the husband-and-wife team that is HubbHouse, a company the couple is increasingly marketing as a soup-to-nuts real estate and renovation service.
For the Eberlines, Hubbell had plenty of ideas about how to improve the Rugby Road home. He created a design that would raise the previously low, 7-foot ceilings and make the space feel airy and bright without changing the kitchen’s physical footprint. An enlarged exterior picture window, pink terra cotta floors, and white oak cabinets all contribute to the brighter feel, and the Eberlines say they can now use and move through the space in a more sensical way than ever before.
“The challenges were the same ones we see in so many houses that have undergone additions over the decades,” Hubbell says. “The connections aren’t as thoughtful as they should be. It was this claustrophobic, dark space. They cook and spend a lot of their lives in the kitchen—the kids coming home to do their homework and science experiments, baking projects, and nightly dinner and coffee in the morning. The challenge was, how do we make this space feel twice as big?”
Other renovations followed the kitchen project. HubbHouse redesigned the Eberlines’ primary suite upstairs, again giving the space an improved layout and flow without changing its footprint. The second upstairs bathroom likewise received a remodel.
In the basement, HubbHouse and the family conspired for a project they like to call a secret, transforming a partially finished space into a gym, guest room, bathroom, and speakeasy. Dwell Construction acted as contractor for each of the renovation processes, and Eberline says the group, with plenty of help from HubbHouse, stayed within her family’s budget constraints throughout.
“Brian is an incredible partner, working not just with us but also with the Dwell team,” Eberline says. “No matter what the project, he is such a meticu-
With their powers combined, realtor Andrea Hubbell and designer Brian Hubbell hope to help potential homebuyers see the possibilities, turning fixer uppers into forever homes.
lous architect. He spent the time that was needed to understand the nuances of the project and how we needed the spaces to function—how you move through them and how you live your life.”
For the Hubbells’ part, Brian admits he has a certain aesthetic and knows his design perspective isn’t ideal for everyone. If you’re looking for Victorian revival, he offers as an example, he might not be your guy. But Andrea says she and Brian hope that in certain situations, their combination of architectural, real estate, and design expertise—along with a dose of open mindedness and true collaboration—can open up the market for homebuyers looking for that just-right space.
Eberline, at least, says the working relationship was ideal for her and her family.
“It was such a fun project,” she says. “We have an aesthetic ourselves—we tend to lean a little more traditional—but Brian met us where we were. We love his modern touches, and he managed to strike a balance between those and the history and traditional details of the house.”
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REVISITING A HOME DESIGN FOR A NEW OWNER
BY CAROL DIGGS
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROBERT RADIFERA
How often do architects get asked to redesign their own work? For long-time Charlottesville
architect Robert Paxton, principal at Dalgliesh Gilpin Paxton Architects, a home he had designed near Ivy in the late 1990s had been purchased by a new owner who loved its style but had some other elements in mind.
The qualities that drew the new owner to the house, says Paxton— “classic proportions, high ceilings, and lots of natural light”—were a direct result of the original clients’ assignment. The couple had lived for years in Paris, and wanted a home incorporating the elements of French style: an entry court, symmetrical layout, shingled Mansard roof with arched-top dormers, French doors and French windows, high ceilings. The home that Paxton and colleague Roger Birle designed served the family well for two decades—and when it was time for a new family, says Paxton, “it was an honor that the client reached out to us.”
The new owner wanted to keep the house’s style and character, but needed more space for a larger family. The three second-floor bedrooms were renovated for three teenagers, adding an adjoining den/game room in existing storage space above the garage. The major ask, though, was adding a complete owners’ suite and guest suite on the first floor.
Paxton explains his firm frequently works on houses it has designed, and he was excited about taking his original plan to another level. “I always enjoy being creative about how we can get as much value out of the original house, and make it work,” he says. One big
Many of the home’s original design elements— classic proportions, high ceilings, and lots of natural light— were kept in the renovation.
plus: The owners’ suite addition created a five-part composition that was classically French. “The enhanced program completed the symmetry of the house,” Paxton says, and reinforced the gravel entry court and entrance foyer as a central axis and focal point. The larger layout also enabled Paxton
and project architect John Peterson to expand the rear terrace and add a pergola there. (Rachel Lilly was the landscape architect.)
During the renovation, the DGP team did its best to make use of the house’s materials and assets. “We try to be sustainable, and reuse/reclaim as much as we can,” says Paxton. All the existing flooring was retained and refinished, and the materials for the small pergola off the living room, displaced by the addition, were re-used on the new one.
The first-floor living and dining spaces were little affected; the kitchen and adjoining laundry room got a major overhaul. The original clients had specifically asked for a galley kitchen, but the new owner wanted to make the kitchen lighter, more open, and more connected to the family eating/living space. Removing the kitchen’s interior wall and replacing it with a large marble-topped island and seating area created a more open and inviting great room, and enlarging the kitchen window brought in both added natural light and the vista of the garden beyond. (An added French country touch is the exposed reclaimed-wood beams from The HeartPine Company in the renovated kitchen.)
The laundry room was remade into a wellorganized pantry with sink, refrigerator, and plentiful storage space—as well as warm darkblue walls (in Farrow & Ball Hague blue) and veneered wood over metallic wallpaper on the ceiling, in a nice contrast to the airy neutrals of the living spaces. Reorganizing the space allowed for a mud room that offers access to the newly enlarged rear terrace, as well as to a stairway to the kids’ den over the garage. (In the original plans, that space was left unfinished, although Paxton had wisely included framing for future stairs.)
The major work was the addition of about 2,300 square feet on the house’s western side to accommodate the owners’ suite and guest suite (a living space for her mother was one of the client’s must-haves). This end of the house is virtually self-contained: a spacious southand-west-facing primary bedroom with access to the rear terrace; primary bath; his-and-hers closet/dressing rooms; an office and laundry room—as well as a workout room upstairs. The guest suite, which during construction was called “mom’s room,” has its own foyer, bath, and walk-in closet. And in case of more visitors (such as future grandchildren), there’s a separate bedroom with bath in the attic.
The client also wanted to put a personal stamp on the furnishings, and turned to Chloe Ball, owner of Kenny Ball Design (Kenny is her father, and owner of Charlottesville insti-
The major work of the renovation was in the kitchen, where the new homeowners wanted to open the space to the living room, and the addition of 2,300 square feet on the house’s western side, which made room for the owners’ suite.
tution Kenny Ball Antiques). Many of the materials and paint colors had been selected during the renovation in consultation with the DGP team, but the client asked Ball for help in choosing furnishings, fabrics, wall coverings, and fixtures.
“[The client] has very definitive taste—elegant, timeless, but comfortable,” says Ball—as well as an eclectic approach to interior décor. Fortunately, the home’s high rooms, light-filled interiors, and neutral colors allow for contemporary pieces to live well with its French classicism.
A stunning example is the interior foyer. Its wallpaper of weeping cherry trees and stylized water (Wave and Blossom from Gracie Wallpaper) echoes Japanese woodcuts, but coexists comfortably with Urban Electric sconces and a tiger-stripe upholstered bench from 1st Dibs. Beyond is the small formal dining room, made more intimate with a circular table (the Radeski from Gregorius Pineo) surrounded by six
semicircular custom-upholstered chairs. The handpainted wallpaper is Marble from Gracie, and the amazing floating-balloons ceiling light fixture is Cloud from Apparatus Studio.
There are more whimsical touches around the house. The powder room wallpaper swirls with graceful fishes swimming in a silvery sea, while mom’s bathroom gets the regal sarus cranes (both papers from de Gournay). One corner of the family room features a little nook with a built-in banquette and a modern Indian/Persian-style rug from Stark Carpet. The client’s office is totally contemporary, with wood walls and built-ins complemented by a wall covering (District by Kelly Wearstler for Kravet) that Ball chose “to play off the busyness of the shelves.”
But there’s still that touch of France, in the oversized mounted posters hanging in the teens’ den—repurposed from the owner’s former house, just to reinforce the theme.
Young folks
Can the city grow its lagging percentage of under-25 homeowners? By Shea
New survey data shows that only 2.8 percent of Charlottesville’s homeowners are under the age of 25—a number that’s notably lower than state and national averages.
According to a recent report from the web-based consultancy Construction Coverage, the share of home purchase loans that originated in Virginia in 2024 was 4.4 percent. That ranks 29th in the country on the metric and puts the state below the median under-25 ownership share of 4.85 percent. Midwest states, where homes are most affordable nationwide, tend to have the highest young ownership rates; Iowa and North Dakota boast under-25 shares of more than 10 percent.
Turning to small metro areas, Charlottesville’s 2.8 percent ranks 204th in the country, placing it in just the 20th percentile of areas included in the Construction Coverage data. Lima, Ohio, is the highest-performing small metro, with 17.3 percent of home loans being held by individuals less than a quarter-century old.
“Charlottesville is just so expensive,” says Darian Cochran, principal broker for local firm Avenue Realty. Cochran notes that the local area’s median home price last year was $530,000, a significant jump from $440,000 in 2020.
Homeownership among under-25-year-olds matched its historic peak in 2020 before falling back by 2023, the Construction Coverage data indicates. And if current national home prices and lending rates persist, that trend won’t reverse anytime soon.
Still, Cochran says young folks who want to own can find ways to get creative. In the local market, he rarely sees co-ownership loans, a way for young adults to pool their funds with friends or family. Strict contractual guidelines are needed to make it work, Cochran says, but it can help young buyers stretch their constrained budgets.
Other effective approaches are personal equity-share agreements, where relatives or friends secure a portion of a buyers’ home equity in exchange for lending, or direct loans from friends or family. “When loans are fully financed by a family member, we typically see lower interest rates than the going rate by about a point,” Cochran says.
Gibbs
House hacking, where income properties bring in enough rental revenue to offset mortgage payments, can work for folks with relatively low incomes. “The rule of thumb for house hacking is that the rental income should be about 40 percent to 50 percent of your mortgage,” Cochran says.
Prospective homeowners without large down payments on hand or the ability to take on high interest loans might also seek seller financing. The arrangement, where the property owner provides the loan—usually at lower interest rates than would be available from a traditional lending institution—is rare in strong markets. But Cochran suggests homeowners can sometimes secure seller financing on housing outside the city center after it’s been on the market for an extended period.
Is there hope for young homebuyers? Cochran thinks so. Virginia and the Charlottesville area are still far more attractive to under-25 owners than the most exclusive housing markets in Hawaii, California, and Massachusetts, all of which have under-25 ownership shares of less then 2.5 percent. Young homebuyers simply have to educate themselves. The under-25 demo is such a savvy generation, Cochran says, but many young people come to him knowing little about credit scores, financing options, or appropriate down payments.
“You have to come up with a plan—appropriate expectations, spending habits, and savings goals,” Cochran says. “You also have to understand that your first home is not your forever home. You don’t need a 20 percent down payment anymore. That was our parents’ generation.”
Home Sweet Home
Into the blue
When Maria Burke Interiors was tasked with updating a midcentury Lewis Mountain split-level, the designer knew the stained pine room at the back of the house would be a bit of a challenge.
“[It had] some lackluster lighting,” Burke says. “The room felt dark and a little sad.” So she leaned in, turning it from a dingy office to a cozy sitting room with a TV.
Burke chose Benjamin Moore’s Van Deusen Blue (“I love the color in every type of light,” she says) for the walls, and filled the space with a mix of old and new pieces—a custom sofa, lamps from Visual Comfort, an ottoman from a North Carolina-based consignment store, Fermoie pillows.
“[The room] just draws you in and makes you want to curl up with a book, glass of wine or cup of coffee,” she says. “I think it is the most frequently occupied room in the house.”
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