Home Magazine
High Country Press
Home, Garden & Remodeling
SHOWCASING HOMES Summer 2019
Home Sweet Home David Patrick Moses • Dianne Davant • Enterline & Russell Bill Dacchille • Molly Northern Designs • Precision Cabinets
Celebrating CraftsmanSHIP Across THE HIGH COUNTRY Summer 2019 |
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CELEBRATING 40 YEARS!
DIANNE DA V ANT &ASSOCIATES Margaret Handley,
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Dianne Davant, ASID Pamela McKay, ASID
Priscilla Hyatt,
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Table of CONTENTS Experience and Talent Mean Everything.......................6
David Patrick Moses, who has called the High Country home since opening his own business in 1981, is still hard at work designing homes and businesses.
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Restoring a Piece of History......50
Mike and Molly Northern took a 200-year-old cabin and, thanks to Molly’s interior design expertise, turned it into a stylish mountain cabin.
6 Enterline & Russell Keep Getting Things Done........30
50
Tom Enterline and Raeford Russell have been friends since college and have kept that friendship going for 36 years of construction work in the High Country.
Four Decades of Design........... 18
Interior designer Dianne Davant Moffit has been in the High Country for almost her entire life and has operated a design studio here for 40 years.
A Quarter Century of Remodeling Expertise with Dacchille Construction.............40 Cabinet Making. .....................56 Bill Dacchille is an expert in construction and he details why remodeling a home might be the best way to go for customers looking for a fresh, new appearance.
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Precision Cabinets in Boone is celebrating 25 years of excellent craftsmanship and the highest quality of customer service helping folks with their cabinetry needs.
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High Country Press Home Magazine is published by High Country Press Publications of Boone, North Carolina. All content Š 2019. All rights reserved. Reproduction, either in whole or in part, is forbidden without written permission from the publisher. Paid content throughout the magazine.
High Country Press Publications P.O. Box 152, Boone, NC 28607 828-264-2262
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Celebrating Home Ownership T
his year’s Home Magazine is a tribute to the many craftsmen, architects, builders, designers, landscapers and the many people associated with these trades whose skills are responsible for creating the beautiful homes and commercial structures you find across the High Country. Owning a home is a wonderful thing. It’s where you spend most of your time, making memories with your family and friends. It’s where you establish roots within the community and where you hope your grandchildren will visit and play. Your home requires a lot of attention and love – and big ideas. There is nothing wrong with dreaming big. Have you ever thought about an outdoor kitchen complete with a grill, fire pit and pizza oven? Anything is possible. You can always modify your plans, and if you don’t like where the project’s going, you can tear it down and start over. After all, it’s your castle. It’s not just a home or
a place to take shelter. It’s truly something that you can take pride in; something that you can share with your family for special occasions, or just a place to sit on your front porch and enjoy a beautiful sunrise. In this issue we feature a number of businesses that have been providing their expertise for many decades to the design, construction and furnishing of many beautiful homes in the High Country. We have a number of stories about people who make houses beautiful – from designing them, to building them to furnishing them. We think you will enjoy learning about some of these builders and designers – and seeing their work. You’ll also find ads that can help you keep your house up to date. We hope you enjoy perusing this guide and hopefully it saves you from some heartburn and frustration during your next building project.
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Trusting the Process
David Patrick Moses Architect Still Hard at Work in the High Country By Nathan Ham
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or a man whose architecture career spans almost five decades, you will never hear David Patrick Moses brag about it. His humility is admirable for a man who has designed everything from multi-million-dollar homes in gated communities to robust commercial properties and countless new and renovated projects along the way. “I’ve done a lot of work in our mountain community since starting my practice here in 1981. I’m older than most of my clients now” David jokes, “Many of the realtors and contractors I worked with over the years are now retired.” Moses recently sold his former building and relocated his practice to the Grandfather Center in Banner Elk, just one-half mile from his previous location. He wants everyone to know “We are still in business and doing all we can for our clients.”
How It All Began
Moses graduated from Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and began his work in architecture in 1974. He then moved to Charlotte in 1977 with his wife, Maureen. “North Carolina was really starting to grow in 1977. During the four years I was in the Queen City, I did a lot of residential projects in Linville for the firm I was working with at that time. I looked forward to my trips to the mountains I began to dream of living here. David says at the time there were only one or two ar-
David Patrick Moses 6
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Castle House This residence of almost 18,000Sf is sited on a large tract of gentle sloping land with a western long-range view. Built primarily of locally quarried Grandfather stone and heavy timber, the owners program dictated an up to date castle design with a primarily open floor plan with large arched windows and interior gothic stone arches dominating the interior/exterior design.
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House on the Hill View was key to this home placement on the property and the total lowprofile design concept. Heavy timber, bark and natural wood siding, stone and natural light also played an important role during the design process.
chitects who worked in the area. “We had our baby, not much money, and not a lot to lose. So, we decided to take a chance and follow our hearts to the High Country.” “My dad and mom loaned us enough to pay our rent, buy our food and put gas in the car. We opened our business at the entrance to Mill Ridge and within a year, I was able to pay my parents back. We were blessed to be able to live and raise our family in this very special, beautiful community. 8
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One of the other architects in the area at the time, Ray Howell, reached out to Moses to see if he would be interested in joining his firm. “While I appreciated his offer, I wanted to continue with my own practice. We really didn’t consider ourselves competitors since each of our practices focused on different types of work. Throughout the years since his call, Ray and I became friends and colleagues.” As in the case for every small business owner trying to get a start in a new location, David had to find a way to get some name recognition and find new leads on jobs, both for homes and commercial properties. “When I started my practice, the two groups of people that I visited were realtors and contractors. I wanted to let realtors know that I was available to help them and their potential buyers analyze property to determine which lots would best meet the requirements of their new home or business. Many realtors began to call on me for help, which also helped me to meet many of my new clients. I also wanted the general contractors to know I was available to them and their clients to provide design and construction document services for use during the construction process. These services were beneficial, of course, to the owners to have a quality set of documents. It was also beneficial to the contractors to have all the information they needed to apply for a building permit and construct the project. As his career continued to grow in the High Country, David had the fortunate chance to make history by designing the first freestanding, two story Wendy’s in the United States. “It’s one project I had so much fun with. People don’t realize how tough of a project that was because of its location adjacent to Boone Creek. It required caisson foundations that are not typical in this area” he said. “I was really happy and excited that the owner asked us to take the prototypical Wendy’s layout and create a look and feel that would give our Wendy’s a distinct mountain character, completely unique for a fast food restaurant in the High Country. It’s a landmark in Boone. So many people give directions based on its location.”
Some of the other well-known commercial projects that David Patrick Moses designed include the AppalCart Offices and Maintenance Facility on the Highway 105 Bypass, the ASU Chancellor’s Residence, Boone Dermatology, Hospitality House of Boone, St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Church, the renovation to Ross Automotive , Skyline Communications Sales Showroom and Retail Building renovation, Lost Province Brewing renovation, and the original High Country Bank building in the New Market Centre in Boone; the Avery County Humane Society and the Hugh Chapman Family Center in Newland; the Blowing Rock Fire Station #3 and the American Legion Building renovation in Blow- Office Conference Room Photo: David and Elaine discussing design details of a current project. ing Rock. We currently have several new and renovated projects under many years and had numerous young als have gone on to become successful construction including The Greene people learn about the workings of an architects themselves or have become County Wellness Facility in Snow Hill, architect’s office. Many of those stu- involved in the design profession and NC, Chestnut in Blowing Rock, an up- dents and other very talented individu- construction industry.” scale condominium project, and Currently, Moses’ right hand the new President’s Residence and Associate is Elaine Swieter, at Lenoir Rhyne University in Senior Project Coordinator and Hickory, NC, and Carolina TimCAD Tech. She has been with berworks Manufacturing Facility the firm for over 22 years and in West Jefferson, NC. handles many of the day to day project coordination issues and It Takes A Team all computer drawings as well as Through all these years, Mosome client meetings and on-site ses says his practice could not inspections/observations. Lisa have been successful without the Jones, part time office assistant/ help of many talented employees. manager for over 20 years, makes “They have been invaluable to us. sure the office runs smoothly We were involved with the intern and all the correspondence is From left to right, Patty, Lisa, Maureen, David, Elaine program at Appalachian State for promptly sent. Patty Robinson,
Red Roof House
Gardens and a water feature will be installed under the bridges to accent and enhance the entry sequence to the front door which opens to 3697SF and to a magnificent view to the profile of Grandfather Mountain. Summer 2019 |
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This craftsmen style residence built in Hickory on open and gently sloping terrain captures the look and majesty of a former time using natural materials.
Inc., David E. Looper and Company, General Contractors and Dianne Davant and Associates, Interior Design. “So, the firm does have my name, but it is not just me. One person could not do this job alone. It takes a team, our team for whom I am most grateful.”
Trusting the Process
White House new to the firm over 2 years ago, has her own bookkeeping firm and helps the office with their invoicing, day to day project time recording and all general bookkeeping needs. And finally, there is his wife, Maureen, who has been by his side all these years. “She has been my support, strength and confidant from the beginning. She initially set up our bookkeeping system and handled all aspects of the financial part of the business until she took a 14-year maternity leave to be at home for our 3 children, Megan, Davy and Mikey. She returned full time from 2002 until 2017. Now she assists Patty as needed. “ When designing a home or commercial property, Moses looks at it from much more than just his point of view. “I’ve never considered the realtor, the buyer, the architect, and the builder as four individual entities. I consider us as a team because it takes a team to build a project”. Some of the realtor, contactors and interior designers Moses has worked with through the years include Premier Sotheby’s International Realty Blowing Rock, Coldwell Banker Blair and Associates, Enterline and Russell Builders, 10
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It All Starts with Choosing the Best Site The lot where a home or business is situated determines to a large extent the character and style of the project and how it will relate to the property. “My 42 years of experience understanding of the topography, climate, orientation and views in this region give me a distinct advantage over an architect from outside the area. Accessing these mountain properties can be tricky and must be carefully assessed if the project is to be successful,” Moses says. “The entrance to the site begins to form the entry sequence to the house/ building on the property.”
The Design Process
An architect helps translate the client’s “feel” for their project into a design. David has had clients bring him their own hand drawings, photos from magazines, and even a bowl or a painting, hoping these would help him create a design to match their vision and/or feeling for their home or business. When David sits down with a client the most important thing that he can possibly do during that first meeting is to simply listen. “I listen to the clients as they tell me what they want, and I do not dictate to them what they should have. I can suggest improvements, but the decision is up to them. I have always believed that listening is my fundamental job.” “Then together we design the project that my clients want.
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I share my knowledge and experience to help their vision become a reality. It is a very personal relationship.” Once the layout and orientation of the property are determined, the thought process is further developed in the design layout for the project. Construction analysis and detailing also begin to factor into all aspects of the design process. The style and appearance of the project begin to evolve. The entire design process, which begins as an idea based on the site conditions and the owner’s design parameters develop into a design concept, which will ultimately become a reality in the form of floor plans and elevations/renderings presented to our clients for review and comment. “Sometimes I begin the design and the pieces might not fall into place as I would like, so I take that drawing or idea and set it
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Boone Dermatology Heavy timbers and a unique mountain design dominate the interior and exterior of this building of almost 10,000SF. The lodge look was a programmatic requirement and when coupled with the specific needs of a dermatology office helped to create a warm welcoming and peaceful environment. aside and then go for a drive, or maybe go home and cut the grass; just do something different. When I come back to the project, amazingly it all comes together just like I had hoped for. I just need to take a break and think about it”. The client also has new insights that are considered as the design evolves. Typically, the initial design process is completed in 2 to 3 weeks. Once the preliminary design has the owners’ approval, the firm prepares the necessary construction documents for bidding and construction. For a typical residential project, it can take anywhere from 6 to 10 weeks to complete a set of construction documents. Fees for projects will vary. David says he typically works on a fixed fee
basis for new residential and commercial projects. The fee is based on the amount of work his clients want him to provide.
Choosing and Working with a Contractor
Next David and his clients interview contractors for the construction process, choosing the best fit for the clients. Once the contractor is selected then construction process begins. “Another big advantage to my clients is the fact that I am local. I am available to help the contractor and observe the process as the construction progresses, being available to the owners and the contractor to visit the site on short notice as needed.”
Renovations & Additions
Avery Humane Society This project of approx. 18,000SF has solar panels, a rainwater collection system and a high-end HVAC system. These systems combined with the mountain look and an updated design create a wonderful working/living environment for its human and animal occupants. 12
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In addition to new designs, Moses is also wellversed in renovation and addition projects. The process of design applies to these projects as well. “I love doing additions and renovations. I like to work on older and tired homes and buildings to
create new, updated designs that will meet the current needs of their owner” said Moses. “I’ve done renovations to houses that I designed 25 or 30 years ago. A house I designed in 1985 was recently sold and the new owner came to me with ideas for the addition and renovation that they wanted to undertake. We gathered all their design criteria, revisited all the existing conditions, and created new design concepts to meet their current needs”. Renovation and addition project fees are billed on an hourly basis, which gives his clients the flexibility to have him do just what they believe they need for him to do throughout the course of the project.
Choosing the Right Fit
Having someone professional de-
Chestnut in Blowing Rock Built on the site of the old Blowing Rock Hospital and Davant Care Center, these exclusive condominiums with open floor plans, elevators and outdoor living spaces overlooking Blowing Rock have unparalleled views to Grandfather Mountain and Moses Cone Manor in Price Park. sign your new project or renovation is an important step in the construction process. David has some advice for you if you choose to hire an architect to design your project. “If a
client wants something special that’s designed specifically for them to meet their needs and wishes and work well on their site by blending into the natural surroundings, then they should hire an architect. However, they must find an architect who is a fit for them who will listen and have the understanding to design the project to meet their programmatic needs giving them the special design they are looking for.” For a look at some of the Elk River Club Covered Patio projects that David Patrick Moses has designed, visit Located in a private club in Banner Elk, his website at www.dpmarch. this new open-air facility serves as a popular com. If you have a project gathering/dining space for their members to enjoy the open views across the rolling hills you would like to have him of their beautiful golf course. design, give him a call at (828) 898-6396. t
Skybest Communications’ Sales Showroom and Retail Building/Boone: From a former laundromat to a high-tech communications showroom, the owners wanted this building to be representative of their businesses moving into the advanced tech world of the 21st century. Stone, large open expanses of glass and arched canopies dominate the exterior look. Summer 2019 |
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5 Reasons to Have a Good Construction Contract
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f contractors and construction crews are working on your home and property, protect yourself with some sort of binding contract. In case issues arise down the road, you’ll be thankful you did. It’s not uncommon for problems to surface, even in the simplest of projects. So it’s important for the general contractor, subcontractors and homeowner to consider how disputes or misunderstandings should be handled. Creating a contract with all parties involved allows the demands to be spelled out clearly and in the end is a deciding factor in doling out responsibility for various stages of the project. A contract also sets a timeline for completion. Designating a third-party mediator might be helpful in keeping the relationship between the homeowner, contractors and construction crews on the positive side. Following are some recommendations from Paul Capua, an AV-Preminent-rated lawyer, founding attorney of Capua Law Firm in Boone and Miami, Fla. Capua’s practice focuses on U.S. & International construction litigation and arbitration. He’s represented contractors and institutional clients in state and federal court. Capua lectures and trains clients on risk management and contracting principles in construction matters. For more info about upcoming seminars, visit www. capualawfirm.com.
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Negotiating a contract forces the owner and general contractor to sit together, work through difficult issues, and make tough decisions when everyone is in good spirits. This “meeting of the minds” should be viewed as an opportunity to manage expectations and eliminate misunderstanding. (e.g., the plans show a retaining wall on the property, but it is not included in the control estimate. Who’s responsible?)
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General contracting is governed by the law of contracts. Therefore, contracts are a major and essential part of construction projects, large and small.
One of the fundamental aspects of risk management is understanding and protecting each party’s silo of responsibility. Contracts define the roles and responsibilities of the numerous parties involved in construction projects– e.g., owner, architect, engineer, contractors, etc., and so without a good contract, there is diffuse and unclear accountability, which creates problems. (e.g., who is or should be responsible for foundation problems, the structural engineer or contractor?).
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A good contract includes essential clauses specifically tailored to the project and risks. A good contract avoids “gotcha” clauses that create liability and unfairly allocate risk.
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Using Local Suppliers Makes The Most Sense For A Lot Of Reasons
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aking the right choices when building a new house or remodeling your existing home is a learning experience, and taking the time to seek out the best advice and professional help will prove invaluable. A building project is a hefty investment where decisions and choices are something the homeowner will be living with for a long time. That’s why seeking professional help is so important. David Shell of Mountain Tile has worked with hundreds of customers, and it’s not unusual for him to see someone walk through the door that has been through a bad experience by trying to get by on the cheap. “I understand that building projects and remodel jobs involved quite a bit of money,” said David. “But using bargain materials and Internet sites will usually cost you more money down the road when problems arise from poor quality products and less than ideal service after the sale.” When you start shopping for the products and services you’ll need for your projects, David recommends a local company. “Look for a local bricks and mortar store that has been in business for a number of years,
and has roots in the community. You’ll find that service and selection of products is far superior than what you find online or at the big box stores.”
Mountain Tile owners, David and Trudy Shell (right) and sales associate Cassi de la Cerda
Mountain Tile, for example, are experts on tile. “Tile is all we do,” says David. “We’re not selling appliances, landscaping stuff, cabinets and the like. We’re experts on tile, and that’s what we focus on for our customers, from helping to choose the right products for their needs, to the right materials for making sure it is installed properly - and we’re here to fix any problems or answer any questions that may arise.”
Local showrooms offer a customer a chance to see and feel a product. “Our in-store selection of products is quite substantial,” says David. “And our showroom is a great place to talk about ideas. We can lay different tiles out to see how they look together. It’s not uncommon for a client to stop by a number of times to fine tune ideas.” “Our staff knows tile!” says David. The first steps of a new project can be scary. Local product companies help you get started. “We can get your questions answered,” David added. “We can help you design and layout what you what. Just come in and see us, we can piece it together and make it work and make it happen. We’ll get you educated and won’t lead you astray.” David is quick to point out this philosophy applies to the other local businesses that provide services to homeowners and builders as well. “We’re all right here locally to give you outstanding service. There’s no need to drive hours. Shop local for all your home improvement needs.”
Donate Your Stuff. Help Us Build Homes. Change Lives Together.
We accept new and gently used furniture, household items, appliances, building supplies, and much more! All donations are tax deductible and better yet — we offer free, easy pick up! 100% of Watauga County Habitat for Humanity Restore profits go to fund local home building efforts in Watauga County
Don’t Throw Away, Donate Today! 1200 Archie Carroll Rd. Boone, NC 28607 (828) 268-9696 www.wataugahabitat.org/restore 16
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BOONE’S PREMIER TILE SHOWROOM
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Dianne Davant & Associates
Forty Years of Design
“As far as style, things have become much more contemporary. Clean lines, natural elements, and a connection to the outdoors. Right now we’re doing a lot of what we call ‘mountain modern’.” By Jan Todd
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Salem College in Winston-Salem tyles have changed in the prior to transferring and graduating forty years since Dianne from Appalachian State University Davant Moffitt first opened with a major in Housing and Inteher design studio in the High riors and minors in Business and Country, but one thing has not Art History. changed — her commitment to The majority of her early work give her clients the very best of was for vacation homeowners. what their visions are. “The mountain communities were Located in Banner Elk, the different, then,” Dianne described. North Carolina studio of Dianne “There were very few full-time resiDavant and Associates houses a dents in our area. Most of the popteam of brilliant designers, busy at ulation was folks who would come work bringing to life the homes of from the cities or from Florida to entheir clients’ dreams. The firm has joy the cool mountain air during the a second location in Stuart, Florsummer months.” ida, about 40 miles north of West Many of her clients, after seeing Palm Beach. Dianne’s work on their mountain Residential and corporate dehomes, wanted her to come design sign work takes Dianne and her their other residences. The demand team all over the country, and for her services in southern Florida even internationally, to cater to an became so great that opening a influential client base on projects second office there made sense for including the Miami Dolphin’s proher business. fessional football stadium, luxury Dianne even had a third studio country clubs, corporate yachts location during the early 1990’s and jets, upscale restaurants and in Big Sky, Montana. “Some of cozy mountain homes. No matter my Florida clientele had vacathe price tag or size of the project, Dianne Davant celebrates 40 years as an interior designer, with a studio in Banner Elk and a second tion homes in Montana, and I the goal is the same: to create a studio in Stuart, Florida. designed their homes there. It classic, comfortable, and enduring was a lot of fun, using Western space that is as unique and extraorthemes, and I’ve carried a few of dinary as the client. Dianne Davant Moffitt was born and raised in Blowing those ideas over to inspire some of my projects in the North Rock, the daughter of who she describes as a “country doc- Carolina mountains.” tor and a genteel Southern lady,” — Charles and Harriet Davant. Her father, who passed away in 2003, was instruDesigned for Success mental in the support and opening of Blowing Rock Hospital Dianne said much of her success is shared with her team in 1951. Her mother, who is 96 years old and resides at the of designers. The Banner Elk team — including senior deFoley Center in Blowing Rock, is known as an influential vol- signers Margaret Handley and Pam McKay, and design asunteer who advocated for quality medical care and educa- sistants Nicole South and newly hired Kinley Sandorn — run tion in the community. the North Carolina studio. Dianne took the majority of her interior design courses in Margaret has worked with Dianne for 23 years, and Pam
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From the Mountains to the Coast
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The Davant team travels the world to find fixtures and accent pieces for their clients. The Davant team salvaged items from a castle for a gothic styled home in the Elk River Club (top right and top left), and incorporated a Peter Fillerup antler chandelier in a Linville Ridge project (center). Photos by Dan Forer
has spent 18 years with the firm. They each have a distinguished list of clientele, though they often collaborate on projects together. Priscilla Hyatt Councill, a fourth generation Miamian who grew up in Hound Ears, moved back to Florida to help run the firm’s Florida location. Each of the designers at Dianne Davant and Associates is professionally ASID (American Society for Interior Decorators) certified — a distinction that sets the firm apart from others in the High Country. “It’s about education,” Pam explained. “We’ve studied design and know building codes and regulations. It goes beyond just being good at making things look good, or just having a knack for decorating.”
Dianne explained that to be a professional member of ASID, designers must complete interior design education from an accredited institution, participate in continuing education, and pass the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) exam. “Passing the exam is a big deal,” she said. “It takes years of education and experience and a lot of hard work. It is very difficult.” “An allied or associate member of ASID hasn’t passed the exam,” she continued. “When clients hire a designer with a professional ASID designation, they know they’re hiring someone who has a much higher level of education that what we’d call ‘decorators.’” Margaret added that in some states, including Florida, a license is required to practice interior design. “If a state
requires a license, you can’t call yourself an interior designer unless you are licensed — it is a distinction that many people don’t even know exists.” All of the senior designers in the Davant firm are licensed in Florida. In addition, Margaret is LEED GA certified – Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Associate — which means she has a documented understanding of current green building principles and practices. Margaret and the other designers in the firm have taken many continuing education courses in LEED principles to incorporate earth friendly features in their designs. “I just completed a house that was Gold LEED certified,” Dianne said. “It is a totally sustainable home, which is very expensive to do. There must be
Above left, a rare collection of Southwestern cowboy art inspired the design of a home in Linville Ridge. Right, Dianne Davant Moffit’s own kitchen is accented with warm colors and stonework, blending with the beautiful mountain scenery. Photos by Dan Forer (right), Todd Bush (left.) 20
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Dianne Davant & Associates Banner Elk staff: Heather Simon (seated on left). Back row: Margaret Handley, Angela Tuck, Pam McKay, Nicole South. Seated: Gary Fox, Dianne Davant and Pete Brown.
solar power, and materials used must be sustainable — materials such as bamboo which are easily regrown, reclaimed materials, and easy to produce materials that have the least impact on the environment.” “Even if a home isn’t LEED certified, part of our jobs as designers is to make smart decisions,” added Pam. “We should pull from local resources, present options such as LED lighting, and select fabrics that are made from natural materials instead of synthetics that use a lot of chemicals to produce.” The level of education and professionalism, along with their design philosophies and commitment to their clients, has resulted in a reputation second to none in the High Country.
of the project,” continued Pam. “Sometimes we do full construction, other times we just change paint color. We work with lots of different types of clients, at all budget levels.” For a new build, the designers get in-
volved at the planning stage, before the ground is broken. “In looking at plans, it is rare that we don’t make a tweak or two,” Dianne commented. “It’s good to be involved at that stage because we can look at things with a fine-tooth
Different by Design
The Davant team doesn’t have a trademark “look.” Every job is completely different, just as every client personality is different, explained Pam, who has gained the reputation as a designer who likes to “push the envelope” in creativity. “Our process varies by the scope
Stuart, Florida staff. Seated on the left: Priscilla Hyatt Councill, Carol McCarvill, Alyce Kavanagh. Back row: Katie Giana and Dianne Davant. Summer 2019 |
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A Mountain Modern Remodel
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lements of nature play a major role in what is known as “mountain modern” style. Native cut wood and local stone, along with other natural materials, take center stage. The exterior of the home is designed to blend in with its environment, with the views and landscapes incorporated into the design. Outdoor living spaces — covered porches, outdoor fireplaces and firepits, and furniture constructed to withstand the elements yet look and feel like that of an indoor living room — are designed to seamlessly extend the indoor living to the outdoors.
This renovated home in Linville Ridge had “great bones,” said Pam McKay. “It was built in the early 1980’s and was a little dated. We refinished the floors to the dark rich wood to warm it up, and restained the tongue and groove on the ceiling.”
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Beauty in the Details
air-on-hide fabrics, a trending finish where fur is left on the hide during the tanning process, offer unique textures and often unexpected styles and colors. This cocktail ottoman features an inset wooden tray to provide a solid surface to hold drinks and snacks.
This casual, yet elegant seating area includes a side table that replicates a silver leaf tree trunk. Its smooth top mixes in different textures, and the silver sheen adds a splash of glamour. The aqua wool variegated rug and cow-hide pillows on the swivel chairs add more textures.
Whereas a typical mountain vacation home years ago was a log cabin filled with bear rugs, today’s style is cleaner and simpler, with open floor plans, tall ceilings and large windows letting in natural light and beautiful views.
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The master bath was completely gutted and redone, with a pedestal tub, a mosaic marble floor, and a marble shower. “This style is a little unusual in the mountains, with all the white, but that made it crisp. The tree trunk side table next to the tub and the shaggy Flokati rug gives the bath a warm mountain flair,” said McKay.
This mirror is made from reclaimed distressed wood. Reflected in the mirror is a Ralph Lauren antler chandelier with crystals for a perfect blend of rustic and elegance. The chairs, part of the client’s existing furniture, were recovered in a faux chenille wood grain fabric. The natural birch bark wall, used in the living room of a remodeled home in Old Linville, provides texture and blends with the outdoor scenery. Gorgeous fabric used on |
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comb and change things up as needed.” Throughout the process, the designers work side-by-side with the architects and builders. They serve as advocates for the client and are the contractor’s allies as they lay out options for the client and translate the client’s vision into builder’s language. No matter the size of the job, the most important part of the design process, according to Dianne, is, “Communication, communication, communication.” “Most people know what they like, the general direction they want to go,” she elaborated. “They’ll know if they want eclectic and funky, contemporary, transi-
Whether in the mountains or by the sea, Davant and her team incorporate the scenic landscapes in the design of the homes, choosing complementary colors and styles to accent natural elements.
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the sofa pillows reinforce the natural theme and provide a pop of color. The spool chair was recovered with a faux wood grain fabric, and the green pillow is a hair-on-hide leather. The side table is made from petrified wood with inlaid Lucite.
Many of Davant’s clients hire the designers for vacation homes. This bedroom, designed by Pam McKay, is perfect for a slumber party in the mountains. It is one of the most “liked” and saved images on Houzz.com, an on-line source for decorating ideas. “There’s a fabulous use of patterns in the room, from the striped rug to the multi-colored Ikat design on the draperies and duvet colors, a nice mix of bright colors and patterns,” said McKay.
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his home, located between Valle Crucis and Banner Elk, was a traditional mountain home purchased and then remodeled. Margaret Handley said they used simple lines and a monochromatic palate to maintain the rustic style of the original home. Rich leather furniture and warm wood were incorporated in the main living area.
The painting over the credenza in the dining room is by artist Margaret Salisbury, sourced locally from The Art Cellar in Banner Elk. The owners’ existing table and chairs were scaled up by adding high back iron and leather host and hostess chairs, which tie in beautifully with the striking iron chandelier, said Handley.
A Sophisticated Mountain Modern Retreat
In the master bedroom, Handley used a cream and white palate to highlight the client’s existing rich primary colored rug. Over the bed, local clay artist Lisa Stinson placed individually cast clay birds on the wall to simulate a swirling pattern of flight. 24
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tional or traditional. We work with them to pull out their when we unpack everything, accessorize, and get the paintings on the wall, it is so rewarding.” innermost vision.” She likes it best when she can do what she calls “a big Pam added, “We’re really good listeners, which makes us good at what we do. Our job is to give the client a house reveal” — with the client staying away during the installation so she and her team can they’re comfortable in and present the end product, with they’re happy to live in eveverything complete. “And ery day.” I do mean everything,” said Margaret agreed. “It’s Dianne. about what our clients want “We’ll even unpack clothes — not about our personal and kitchens for our clients,” preferences. We take what Dianne said. “We’ll have we learn about our clients things in place to the nth deand put a design together gree, down to the toothbrushto suit their needs, somees if they wish.” thing that will be comfortOnce, Margaret pulled a able for them and inviting load of groceries on a sled to their friends.” — uphill in the snow — for a “We don’t ever want to client coming to their newly force our ideas on people,” decorated mountain home said Dianne. “There are for Thanksgiving holiday. “We designers who are noted wanted them to walk in and for always doing a certain have everything ready for look, but that’s not how No matter the price tag or size of the project, the goal is the same for their vacation, including the our team thinks. We like to Dianne Davant & Associates: to create a classic, comfortable, and ingredients needed for their be creative, not go back enduring space that is as unique and extraordinary as the client. holiday meal.” to the same concepts time The “never say no” phiand time again.” Dianne’s favorite part of the process? “The installation!” losophy that Dianne employs when working for clients has she exclaimed. “That’s when everything comes to life. We inspired the work ethic of all designers and staff on her team. have these visions of what the end product will look like, but “As Dianne often says, where there is a will, there is a way,”
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said Priscilla. “There are so many obstacles we face as interior designers but learning how to face those obstacles and find solutions is what makes a project successful.” Dianne stressed that it is important to her to complete every job on time, no matter what. “I remember one job in Palm Beach, and there was a piece of furniture we had ordered that was a central piece in a room. I was on the balcony talking to the supplier, and I told them I’d jump off the balcony if they didn’t get it delivered on time,” she laughed. “The supplier couldn’t produce the piece by the deadline, but they gave us a beautiful loaner so I could have the house finished for the “big reveal”, with everything in place, and I just had to switch out the ordered piece when it came in,” recalled Dianne. “Never say no. If the client wants it, we’ll get it done, by golly!”
Designing into the Future
Thinking over the past 40 years, Dianne said many things have changed. “Clients are so much more educated about
design now,” she said, citing internet access to sites such as Pinterest, and television networks and shows devoted to remodeling and design. “As far as style, things have become much more contemporary,” she said. “Clean lines, natural elements, and a connection to the outdoors. Right now we’re doing a lot of what we call ‘mountain modern,’ a look that balances sleek design and comfort, with the home blending into the surroundings and the views and landscapes incorporated in the design.” “But then, we still do a lot of classic mountain homes,” she continued. “Some like the traditional. People are so different — that’s what makes our jobs so much fun.” t Dianne Davant & Associates has two studios. The North Carolina studio is located at 5111 Highway 105 South in Banner Elk. Phone number: 828-898-9887 or 828-963-7500. The Florida Studio is located at 613 S. Colorado Ave. in Stuart. Phone number: 772-781-1400. Check out their website at: www.davant-interiors.com
Outdoor Spaces
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eautiful outdoor living areas add value and enjoyment to a mountain home. Innovations in fabrics and materials have come a long way in recent years, providing weather resistant finishes for furniture and electronics.
Modern outdoor furniture is easy care and weather resistant. The glass wall of doors opening to the porch stack, so it can be completely opened up to provide a seamless joining of the indoors to the outdoors, perfect when entertaining guests. The furniture on the porch has the appearance of white birch bark but is actually weather resistant aluminum In the Moffitt’s mountain home, their outdoor living space includes a large covered porch — perfect for entertaining — with a stone fireplace for chilly evenings.
A see-thru tiled fireplace features a hearth and mantel constructed of concrete, made to look like a wooden beam, while resistant to extreme weather conditions. 26
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MacHouse Designs CONSIGNMENT Opening August 2019 1516 Main Street in Blowing Rock
Offering furniture, rugs, repurposed, antiques, consignment, also offering art, custom florals and accessories for your home. Check us out for your home furnishing needs, or come consign with us. Email us pictures for your consignment approval. '".*-: 08/&% #64*/&44 Scott and Maria Coombes have a 12-year-old daughter Katie and have lived in Blowing Rock for 15 years. During this time Maria has been accessorizing homes and businesses in the High Country. Call on her for your design needs.
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Highland Landscape Supplies Delivery or Pick-Up Available
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No job is too big or too small for companies. They can seed, plant and mulch by hand or excavate swaths of land, moving giant boulders to make a natural-looking swimming hole. While mowing and weedeating lawns in the summer comes to mind when thinking about landscaping services, these talented professionals offer much more throughout the year to help maintain the beauty of your property. Boulder gardens, calming waterfalls, stone patios and a seasonal array of colorful flowers are just a few landscaping ideas you can incorporate in the backyard. All create a juxtaposition of sights, sounds and textures.
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o make your yard beautiful, sometimes you have to bring in the big machinery for landscaping work that is outside the scope of lawn maintenance. No need to fret though. The excavators, backhoes, mulchers and track loaders – not to mention all the attachments like augers, buckets, forks and blades – will have your property looking spectacular in no time.
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he best-selling plant for the Mustard Seed Market in Blowing Rock is the hydrangea, according to co-owner Danielle Stewart. “That’s probably the bestseller hands down,” Stewart said, noting that they carry about 30 varieties of the hydrangea. Other best sellers include the flame azalea, rhododendrons, conifers and Japanese maples. All of these plants do well in the High Country’s climate. The Mustard Seed Market prides itself in specializing in varieties that are both cold hardy and interesting throughout the four seasons. They also plant with “wonderful organic soils,” Stewart said, so customers “don’t have to do all the dirty work.” See info on Mustard Seed Market below.
Summer 2019
We called around so you don’t have to. Here’s an idea of approximate costs for landscaping equipment rentals and materials such as mulch, sand and gravel in the High Country. Costs will certainly vary.
Materials Pine Mulch ................... $25/per yard Red Dye Mulch ............. $38/per yard Screened Topsail .......... $40/per yard Topsoil Mix.................... $45/per yard Red Mortar Sand ........... $70/per yard Granite Gravel ............... $40/per ton Decorative Boulders ...... $95/per ton
Equipment Rentals Roto Tiller...................... $40/per day Backhoe Mini . .............. $180/per day Stump Grinder .............. $265/per day Track hoe ...................... $200/per day Pressure Washer ........... $45/per day Lawn Trimmer ............... $26/per day Leaf Blower ................... $29/per day
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Enterline & Russell Builders
Challenge Accepted
Still Going Strong After 36 Years 30
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Tom Enterline
Raeford Russell By Nathan Ham
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om Enterline and Raeford Russell have seen the construction industry change quite a bit over three decades. The construction company has faced material changes, code changes and equipment changes. “We were one of the first companies in the area to use nail guns back in 1983,” says Enterline. They also saw changes in the economy, booms, busts and then the great recession. “We managed to keep the wheels rolling through the good and the bad times,” says Russell. One thing is for certain: If there’s a difficult project in need of some ace craftsmen Enterline and Russell are up for the challenge. Tom and Raeford have known each other since their time at Appa-
Tom and Raeford at a construction site in Blowing Rock in 2006. Summer 2019 |
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This Elk River house was constructed in 2008 near the time that the economic recession hit. The boulders pictured here were excavated out of a lake that was being built in Morganton. Tom refers to this house as the “Flintstone House.” Those boulders had to be set in place with a chain hoist like you would see in an automotive repair shop for lifting and dropping engine blocks. The boulders were lifted and then rolled into place. In 2019 Enterline & Russell returned to build a 45-foot tall addition to his deck that would include additional outdoor dining space to include a pizza oven, a grill and a pellet smoker.
lachian State University. “We needed work one summer so we sought out and started working on small construction projects. We built decks, carports, and gazebos in Blowing Rock and Hounds Ears,” says Russell. “It was a great time for us. After college, we continued to hustle up work. We would ride around in a pickup truck to job sites and ask if they needed anything done.” Enterline said. “We were lucky to get contracts as carpentry sub-contractors on some projects with high visibility. Word got around and people started asking us to run entire projects.” Enterline & Russell Builders started in 1983. Construction was booming in the 1980s and 1990s. At one point Tom and Raeford had 85 employees on the payroll. The great recession forced them to change their business model and reduce the total number of workers in house and increase the use of subcontractors. “Latino labor crews were working cheap and we could not compete against them. We found it more economical to work our skilled workers with the subs to make sure the quality stayed up but also keep the costs down. Today we have 13 skilled craftsmen on our full-time crew,” says Russell. Despite the downturn in the housing market and the economic recession, Enterline & Russell Builders has had plenty of work thanks to their outstanding reputation and their customer service that comes with every finished project. The company works on both residential and commercial projects. In addition to very fine second homes and condominiums, they constructed the Watauga County Library, the Blowing Rock Police Station and renovated the clubhouses at Linville Ridge and Elk River Country clubs. Restaurant work included Woodlands and Lost Province Brewery. They built the St. Francis of Assisi Catholic church and rebuilt the St. Marys of the Hills Episcopal Church. “Commercially we’ve built ski shops, retail stores and two 32
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“With these custom homes, people are putting a lot of money, time and energy into them. It’s really more than a place to live. It is a personal statement. They do not just hire us to build stuff for them. They hire us to manage their money. It’s hard to get more personal than that.” banks for Highlands Union,” says Enterline. “Indoor pools, doctors’ offices, warehouse facilities, and office buildings.” Enterline & Russell also constructed the Watauga County Humane Society building, the Animal Emergency Clinic and the Pet Care Clinic of the High Country; they also remodeled the Appalachian New River Veterinary building. “Dogs and cats kept us going for a while.” joked Raeford. Both Tom and Raeford take pride in getting some of the more difficult construction projects to take on and then getting to admire the finished project. “We’re lucky. We tend to get the more challenging jobs and so we get to build a lot of cool stuff” said Tom. “A house hanging off a cliff or remodeling one that is sliding down the hill.” Regardless of the job, Enterline and Russell both want to see their customers happy. At the end of the day, that’s what is most important. “That’s what separates the good builders from the not-so-good builders. Your job is to put up an exceptional piece of construction. My goal has always been that we want to please our customers, but when you’ve really done a good job that’s when another carpenter or electrician or stonemason walks into the room and goes ‘wow, this looks good.’” said Enterline. “With these custom homes, people are putting a lot of money, time and energy into them. It’s really more than a place to live. It is a personal statement. They do not just hire us to build stuff for them. They hire us to manage their money. It’s hard to get more personal than that. It’s a responsibility, we work really hard doing a detailed job and we are very detailed at keeping track of where the customer’s money goes. During the construction process, Enterline & Russell Builders will update the customer
Enterline & Russell have their crane on site to assist in building a 45-foot tall deck as an addition to a house they first constructed in 2008.
The crew on site for this project are: Ernesto, Toby Hicks, Dennis Eldridge, Jose Lopez posing here with Tom Enterline. Summer 2019 |
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This is a summer home known as The Castle located in Elk River that was being built in 2010. Tom says this house allowed their company to keep a lot of local craftsmen busy during the economic downturn, at one time employing 30 craftsmen working with the stone exterior.
weekly with a report and photographs describing the work that is ongoing. “Each month I prepare the customer a budget report,� says Russell. After the project is finished, you can bet that Tom, Raeford and their crew will still be willing to help with any maintenance issues, even things as small as tightening a doorknob or adjusting a
light fixture. “We go back for years for people to help them with these projects, especially during the summer, we’ll go out and do little maintenance things. Customer service is key; they need someone to help them take care of these buildings,� said Enterline. “They want a good product, they want a nice
house, they’re spending a lot of money and they want something they can be proud of as well. I don’t have any finished project that I would be ashamed to walk back in, that’s for sure.� “Not only am I proud to take anybody back into it and show you what I’ve done, but I can also walk in and talk to that person like a friend,� said Russell.
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Shared Memories
With over three decades working together, Tom and Raeford have a lot of memories and stories from over the years and typically, they still have a pretty good ending no matter how tough things started early on. “We had to tie a crane to a track hoe and lower the crane down below the house because the house had a stamped concrete driveway and we were afraid that putting the crane on the driveway would crack it and there would be no way to make it look the way it was,� Tom said. Another even crazier story involved the purchase of a large fireplace surround in California and its journey across the country to Banner Elk. Tom got on a flight to Carmel, California, to look at the fireplace that the homeowner had purchased. The fireplace was so large and expensive that they couldn’t find a shipping company that would transport the fireplace from California to Banner Elk. “I got on the phone and called Rusty Hicks. He grew up in Boone and played football at Appalachian State. He and his dad trucked stuff out to California and back. I called him and asked if he ever was close to Carmel California. He said
One of the more recent completed projects seen here was this Blowing Rock home constructed in 2016. The home overlooks the Johns River Gorge outside of Blowing Rock on the way to Grandfather Mountain.
This home in Aho roughly about a quarter of a mile from the Blue Ridge Parkway was finished around 2008.
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This Blowing Rock summer home featured a second kitchen that was originally going to be outdoors but the homeowners decided to cover it up and keep it inside.
‘Tom I’m about 30 minutes from Carmel right now.’ I asked him to ride over to this guy’s place and see if he could haul the fireplace back for me,” said Tom. “Rusty sees it and they load it up on a truck and he drives it back to Banner Elk.” The fun, however, was just beginning. “That thing was so heavy we were putting a piece of the fireplace on a dolly and rolling it into the house and the wheels of the dolly would go through the
One of the earliest and largest projects completed by Enterline & Russell in 1997 featured all local craftsmen inside and outside the house for furnishings, décor lightning and everything else in between.
plywood. We had to beef up the flooring just to roll the pieces into place,” said Tom. It has been a lot of hard work and still some fun and a few laughs along the way for these two business partners of 36 years. “It’s a great partnership and one of the things is we’ve got complementary skills. I’m a structure guy, I go in at the beginning of the jobs and do the foundations the framing and deal with
the sub-contractors who rough in the plumbing the heating and the HVAC. About the time the wall coverings go on Raeford comes in and manages the finishes of the house,” said Tom. “He deals with decorators, painters, flooring, and tile. He buys cabinets, custom doors, and interior trim. Raeford and I have been really lucky guys. We’ve had some great customers; we live in a great part of the world and have built some really cool stuff.” t
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What’s New reen uilding ractices Switch To LED Programmable or CFL Lights Thermostats I T
he average household has more than 50 light bulbs, and just replacing one light bulb with an energy-efficient one can save homeowners $30-80 in electricity costs over the lifetime of the bulb, according to the federal Energy Star program. Quick Tip: If you aren’t changing all of the bulbs for whatever reason, consider at least changing the bulbs in fixtures that are used the most.
t sounds boring, but a programmable thermostat will conserve energy and save you money. This is perhaps the easiest and least noticeable change in using less energy. If nobody is home during the work or school hours, set the thermostat according to your family’s schedule.
Look for the Energy Star Label: Windows, Doors and Skylights
Energy Audit & Weatherization
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any companies and nonprofits offer energy audit services, which will access your home’s energy usage. Professional energy auditors will also conduct a blower door test to find areas of the home that aren’t airtight. Low-cost weatherization improvements include simple fixes like weather-stripping doors and windows. One of the most cost-effective measures to increase the energy efficiency of an older home is to blow loose-fill insulation into walls and attics. It’s among the highest return on investment projects out there.
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efore you buy windows, doors and skylights for a remodel or new construction, look at the NRFC (National Fenestration Rating Council) label on Energy Star qualified products. These labels will tell you the energy performance per U-factor, Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) and air leakage. The U-factor is the rate at which a window conducts non-solar heat flow and SHGC is the fraction of solar radiation released as heat into the home. Also if you purchase an Energy Star product, make sure it qualifies for your region of the states.
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A Little About Our Team
Our team is made up of several departments including company officers, accounting, finance & administration, estimating & project management. Within each department there are experienced and qualified individuals there to assist you. You will be introduced to the staff and the role each member plays here at the Greene Construction office. When choosing a construction company you are faced with several large factors to consider. By choosing Greene Construction you can feel at ease, because we are a uniquely qualified group of professionals that are dedicated to taking your project from the starting of a concept to completely finished in the most efficient and cost effective manner. Our track record speaks for itself, and our number one goal is to provide superior service, along with a product that not only are we proud of, but you will be too.
Commercial Work
Our commercial work involves projects where the public is served by our customer and therefore, we must always be thinking as the business owner and how best to serve the public from their perspective. This requires that both safety and function be a top priority.
Residential Work
A home is a large investment in the future. We have worked with many families for over 60 years helping them to build that future. We encourage making the house fit the land, not the reverse. This is the most economical as well a necessity in preserving the natural beauty of our area.
Industrial Work
Our industrial work is based on an individual’s idea for a product and their need for help in developing a facility to put that idea into production. We must always be thinking of material flow and personnel flow in the design and construction. We have had many opportunities to assist our local industries in putting their ideas into efficient and productive facilities.
Institutional Work
Institutional work in the High Country centers primarily on school, church, government and medical buildings. We have had the opportunity to work with these institutions in both design and construction. Our involvement has been from a customer’s need expressed, review of the need and how to solve, concept design of a solution and construction. Many times this is much more that a building, but a need being met that in turn serves our entire community.
Other Projects/Services
www.greeneconstructionnc.com
Part of the diversity that is Greene Construction includes working with individuals with special needs and projects. These may include driveways and walkways, parks which emphasize structures with a visual message or a fire pit on someone’s patio. We enjoy the challenge of adding a special touch to a vision. Summer 2019 |
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Redesigning and Remodeling with
Dacchille Construction
While many buyers may want to have a brand new house from the ground up, sometimes remodeling is the way to go, especially if you want to get more bang for your buck. Story by Nathan Ham • Photography by Tara Diamond
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here is a lot to be said about the “bones” of a home. With a sturdy, well-constructed skeleton, it becomes a whole lot easier to renovate and update your home without breaking the bank. Bill Dacchille, the owner of Dacchille Construction in Boone,
has had his own construction business for 15 years now in the High Country. Bill worked in construction during his early years before devoting two decades to working in the Southeast ski industry as a sales rep. In 2004, Dacchille decided to get back into the construction world with his own business. Through years
The living room and dining area pictured here at one of the most recently completed Linville Ridge remodels changed from a rustic look with lots of hardwood accents to a grey, white and black contemporary design with a large white fireplace completed in late May.
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of work on new construction, remodeling, and renovations, Bill has a lot of knowledge and experience to share with homeowners looking for a more modern approach to their homes. “We tell people all the time that if you see something you think is special, you don’t have to ask if we can do it. If you can describe it or if your architect can draw it, then we can build it!” said Dacchille. Much like any great craftsman, Bill and his crews take a lot of pride in their work and that is especially the case with remodeling. “Our goal is always to be that when you walk into one of our projects, I don’t want you to say that you can see where things have changed. If you can tell where new walls start or stone work joints are, then we have not done something right,” said Dacchille.
expensive that we can take something already existing, and with some creativity and good design, excellent craftsmen can take one thing and turn it into something very different,” Bill said. “If we can stay inside the existing perimeter of a house, that’s the most cost-effective way to change a home. It’s a big benefit in a lot of ways.” Bill said that typically, a homeowner who decides to remodel their existing property would save at least 25 percent by remodeling instead of starting over with new construction. “If you are spending a large dollar amount, those dollar figures will add up fast,” he added. “Changing some things
Why Remodeling Might be the Best Fit
While many buyers may want to have a brand new house from the ground up, sometimes remodeling is the way to go, especially if you want to get more bang for your buck. “The cost of new construction has gotten so
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The kitchen area underwent a major transformation after replacing the dated wood cabinets and older appliances (top photo) with a fresh look that included newly painted white cabinets and stainless steel appliances with matching new hardware for the cabinets (bottom photo).
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Before In the master bedroom, the grey and white remodeling trend continued, once again replacing the wooden trim along the large windows and adding a fresh coat of paint with more contemporary lamps and furniture surrounding a king-size bed.
such as flooring and adding fresh paint can modernize a house without spending a whole lot of money.” Having an existing home to modernize can also save you money in the long run with other slight upgrades like fixtures and alreadyexisting landscaping. “We can take original doors and simply by painting them and changing the hardware, suddenly we give it a totally different look. You can do those types of things pretty economically,” said Bill. “One of the great things about buying an existing home is
that you own mature landscaping. Landscaping is very expensive. You’ll spend a lot of money just to get young landscaping, or you can buy something that
job experience that allows him to be able to not just save homeowners some money but also gives them a great finished product that fits the way of life here in the High Country. “We have done so many interesting remodels now that there’s very little that becomes what I would call difficult. There are challenges, like how do we take something that looks old and dated and change it significantly without rebuilding the house,” Bill said. “Because modern has become more popular, there’s ‘mountain modern’ and
“We have done so many interesting remodels now that there’s very little that becomes what I would call difficult.” has landscaping already in place.” There are always some challenges when remodeling a home, but Bill says that his crews have had a lot of on-the-
Before In this downstairs living area, the fireplace was painted white to match the upstairs fireplace. The grey and white paint on the walls and ceiling along with the large open window area really brightened this area quite a bit. 42
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The master bathroom does not even look the same after work crews added in the new tiles, white paint, skylight and an additional window (top), compared to what the bathroom used to look like with the wooden accents and the two smaller windows.
Before ‘modern mountain’ in my mind. We can take a mountain house and pull it towards the modern, and then we can take some houses that were probably mid-century modern and continue to modernize it but give it a little bit of a mountain feel.” Customers also get a chance to make their own mountain getaway feel as customized as they would like. Dacchille Construction is able to give them that opportunity to do something that might be a little different. “In their vacation home, people like things out of the ordinary, something you might not put in a house you lived in 24/7,” Bill said. “Unique bathrooms have become a fun thing to do. We come up with a lot of interesting shower designs.”
Remodeling and Construction is a Team Effort
From the beginning of the process to the final days of construction, putting together a beautiful home takes a lot of work and input from more than just the workers on the job site.
Many customers have lots of ideas on their own, other customers rely heavily on architects and input from Dacchille. “We work a lot with Coffey Architecture. We use Hunter (Coffey) often for conceptual designs,” said Bill. Being able to take a blueprint on paper to the finished product though is the biggest step in the process. “I always give my architect a hard time. I say you’ve got the easy job, all you have to do is draw out a pretty picture. I’ve got to make the pretty picture come to life. You were just good with crayons when you were little,” Bill laughed. Bill relies a lot on other local businesses in the area, including Precision Cabinets, owned by Ken Murray. “Precision Cabinets always does a great job with our cabinet work,” said Dacchille. Stone Cavern, owned by John Buford, is another local business supply tile and stonework for a lot of Bill’s construction projects. Bill and John go way back to when both used to work in the ski industry. Bill worked as a sales representative while John focused his time in retail. Summer 2019 |
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The living room area in the second house that Dacchille Construction had recently completed in Linville Ridge saw a complete change to the ceiling adding the additional beams and adding a sturdy tile flooring to look just like wood floors (left).
Before At the end of the day, making the customer happy is always the most important thing. That’s one of the reasons why Bill includes the customer in nearly every aspect of the construction process. “We don’t leave the clients alone anymore. They get themselves and us in trouble every time,” Bill laughed. “We have to be there and say yes we can do this and yes we can do that, but it will be more difficult and more expensive.” Bill says that he will meet the client and take them to places such as the stone yard to pick out the marble slab they want for countertops and tiles for flooring. The customer is able to see
what the entire marble slab looks like instead of just a sample size. “It takes a while to sit down with your client and go through things that they want, then you get on site and not everything is perfect so you always have to do a little more on site,” Dacchille says.
Two Recent Linville Ridge Projects
In mid-June, Bill Dacchille was kind enough to let us look around in a pair of homes that his crews were putting the finishing touches on. The first house was a four bedroom, four bathroom, 3,000-plus square-foot
house owned by Gary and Lisa Hertzberg. The couple, who also owns a home in Florida, purchased the house in August of 2018. The remodeling work began around Labor Day and most of the work was completed by Memorial Day of this year. Gary had a wonderful experience working with Bill and his crews and made sure to give credit to his wife for her help in designing what they wanted to see the house turn into. “This was more my wife’s vision than anything else, with a combination of help from Bill and Keith (Grogitsky). It wasn’t exactly like this from the first plan, but it became this,” Gary said. “Over a sixThe dining room area upgrades featured much more window space (left) than in the original design (below). You also get another good view of the new flooring that the owners put down to withstand their two large dogs.
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Master bedroom upgrades included a much more modern look with a larger window next to the bed and much more modern furnishings, including the ceiling fan blinds that left just the right amount of light in.
Before it had an open floor plan. We had seen month period of time, we came back four room and kitchen. “It was really easy to take this house a lot of houses, but we knew this was a or five times and met with Bill’s countertop people, cabinet people, and tile people. from the mid-90s and turn it into a 2025 house that we could do a lot with,” said Gary. “Bill has a great team, he’s got All of them had designers on staff to meet house,” said Bill. Gary and his wife were happy with people that are so devoted to him that with us and we would go through various selections. Everything in the house was their purchase and even happier that have worked for him for so long. I think it all looks great.” renovated.” “In their vacation home, people like things out of the ordinary, The next house From top to botwas a slightly smaller tom, this house was something you might not put in a house you lived in 24/7,” house where the entruly a big remodeling task. The kitchen Bill said. “Unique bathrooms have become a fun thing to do. tire living space was on one floor at a little and bar area were under 3,000 square torn out and all new We come up with a lot of interesting shower designs.” feet. cabinetry was added. The owners, who were not there at The fireplace was painted a unique they chose Bill’s team to do the remodthe time, wanted a very modern appearwhite color that blends nicely with the eling work. “This house appealed to us because ance and planned on spending a lot of greys used in other parts of the living In the kitchen, these homeowners completely remodeled this area, adding in brand new marbled stone for the bar, new cabinets, new appliances and a much more modern lighting fixture than in the previous house with the small lights and a ceiling fan.
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The outdoor living area may be the crown jewel of this house. The below photo shows the original wooden deck. The covered deck with Trex composite deck flooring has ample seating space and a uniquely constructed gas fire pit that allows for the homeowners to keep that great mountain view without a large iron fire pit in the way (at right).
Before time outdoors. They wanted a large living space to entertain guests and a unique bar in the kitchen area with small chilling areas for wine and beer. “The homeowners have a very interesting business. They build out tour buses for musicians to use on the road. They are used to some very contemporary, very modern looks so they knew what they wanted in their house,” said Dacchille. Bill said this house was probably one of the older homes built inside the Linville Ridge Development as a late 70s, early 80s house. The covered deck offers a ton of space with terrific views. The deck is also made from Trex composite boards that are very much maintenance-free. The manufacturer boasts that their boards never need to be stained, painted or sealed, they do not fade or stain and they do not rot, warp or splinter. In the middle of the deck is a flat, gas-powered fire pit that is low enough to the ground to not take away from the beautiful mountain views. To see additional samples of Dacchille Construction’s work, visit their website at www.dacchilleconstruction.com. t
Business owner Bill Dacchille has been doing construction projects in the High Country since 2004.
Before As you turn in from the road, the view of the home certainly changed a lot from its original look (above) to the current look (right). The mature landscaping and driveway have stayed the same, however the new garage doors and new look to the entire property adds a much more modern feel. Summer 2019 |
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7 Ways That an Arborist can serve you Arborists offer a variety of services from creating sweeping views and
healing distressed trees to removing hazardous trees and cleaning up storm debris. Tree service companies employ knowledgeable and skilled professionals. Before you consider doing the work yourself, consult a certified arborist and save yourself from a potential trip to the emergency room.
You Can Trim Your Trees for a View Clearing for a Sweeping View
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view can add enormous value to your property or home in the mountains. But not every home is built on a meadow. This is where an arborist comes in. Tree service companies can enhance the view or outright make one by selectively clearing trees on your property.
Be Proac tive: Protec t Your Investment
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n most cases, it’s better to be proactive than reactive. An arborist can visit your home and point out hazardous trees surrounding your home – think diseased or dead trees, those with dangerous limbs or roots of a big tree compromising a home’s foundation. Cable bracing might be possible to save a tree you adore. Consider reaching out to an arborist to potentially save you money down the road. You probably won’t regret it the next time a 100-mph gust of wind blows through during winter.
Windbreaks, Privacy Fencing & Beauty
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he last two bullet points are bordering in the realm of landscaping, but they are essential amenities that tree services can offer. Trees can provide windbreaks and privacy fencing to your property. They can also beautify your property and home. Check with an arborist who can recommend and plant the proper trees for your exact situation.
Emergency Tree Service
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rees might look perfectly healthy but have structural defects that aren’t visible to the naked eye. Perhaps saturated soil and windy conditions create the “perfect storm” for a big tree to uproot and fall. Maybe storm debris is blocking your driveway and you can’t make it too work in the morning. Many arborists offer emergency tree services that even some forethought can’t prevent.
W
Planting
hile arborists are famously labeled as “tree surgeons” and are visible in the aftermath of storms, they are also defined as cultivators of trees and shrubs. Consider hiring an arborist to help you plant trees, so they’ll be standing for generations to come.
Stump Grinding and Pruning
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tump grinding and pruning are just a couple more services that arborists offer. They have the proper equipment to safely grind stumps and prune trees that are way out of reach even for a basketball player or those standing on a ladder.
Heal Your hemlocks & distressed trees
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number of Western North Carolina arborists specialize in protecting and preserving Eastern Hemlocks, which have been ravaged by the hemlock woolly adelgid, a non-native insect that can kill a mature Hemlock in as little as a few years. Consider calling a certified arborist to figure out treatment options to help the hemlocks on your property. Of course, they can also provide services to heal other distressed trees.
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McKee Tree Service Serving Avery, Watauga & the High Country since 1974
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A beautiful garden is not by chance. Services Include: 1SVOJOH 5SFFT BOE 4ISVCT t 5SFF BOE 4UVNQ 3FNPWBM t 5SFF 'FSUJMJ[BUJPO $SBOF 3FNPWBM 4FSWJDF t *OTFDU BOE %JTFBTF $POUSPM '3&& &TUJNBUFT BOE $POTVMUBUJPO Estimates and consultations are free, so call today to find out how we can help add to the beauty and value of your home. Summer 2019 |
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Mike & Molly Northern
THE BEE THE BOXWOOD
MOLLY NORTHERN INTERIORS
Before 200 year old cabin in Blowing Rock, owned by Mike and Molly Northern 50
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“I’ve always loved this place ... I knew Molly would love it and want to take it on as a project.” - Mike
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any people would love to own a piece of history. For one High Country couple, this special opportunity came along in the form of a Pre-Civil War Era log cabin nestled in the mountains of Blowing Rock. The cabin, owned by Mike and Molly Northern, is estimated to be over 200 years old and was originally located on a farm in
Boonville, NC before being moved to The High Country in the late 1960’s. About 10 years ago, the cabin was enhanced with an addition and renovation that resulted in an updated kitchen along with two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Fortunately, the cabin retains much of its original structure. The same family owned the cabin for all of its 200 years until the Northerns pur-
chased it last spring and soon after, Mike and Molly began transforming the quaint mountain cabin into an updated, fresh, restful retreat. “I’ve always loved this place. It was one of my client’s homes and when they mentioned to me that they were thinking of selling it, I knew that Molly would love it and want us to take it on as a project,”
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“I wanted to brighten it up by using white upholstery and accessories to create a cozy yet fresh, minimalists feel.” - Molly
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said Mike. “I’ve been in the property management business for about 20 years now and obtained my contractor’s license four years ago,” said Mike. “We have done many small projects together and when this cabin came along, I knew it would be a great fit for Molly and I,” he added. “We do remodeling, additions, whatever the client may need, we can do. Many times, if they need design advice or help, I will refer them to Molly. We work well together.” Molly who was born and raised in Boone is the daughter of Bain Winkler and John Winkler, a longtime developer and builder in Boone. “I first remember being exposed to construction and how buildings come together while riding around with my dad as he was checking on his differ-
ent job sites before he would take me to preschool in the mornings. I’m sure I got my appreciation for problem solving and architecture from him” said Molly. “From groundbreaking to completion, I always loved watching the progress of a building project.” “My mom, a retired kindergarten teacher, has a great sense of style and really good taste. She instilled in me a love for old houses and antique furniture”, Molly added. At an early age, Molly discovered her passion for interior design and knowing she wanted to pursue a career as a designer, she was accepted into the design program at UNCG. However, living in Greensboro could not match the mountain life she had grown accustomed to, so she transferred to Appalachian State to finish her degree.
After a brief time living in both Hilton Head, SC, and Rural Hall, NC, Mike and Molly moved back to The High Country to settle down and raise their family. The couple has three children. Austin, their oldest, is 22 and a 2019 graduate of Liberty University. He also operates Blue Deer Cookies on 321 between Boone and Blowing Rock. Their son Ridge, 20, is currently serving in the United States Air Force and is stationed in Oklahoma City. Their daughter Georgia is 12 and a rising seventh grader who loves to laugh and dance. For 17 years, Molly was a design partner at Northern Parker Interiors in Banner Elk, NC and worked throughout the Southeast on a multitude of projects. “I’ve been fortunate to have worked with so many great clients over the years”, Molly said. In October of 2017, Molly opened The Bee & The Boxwood and Molly Northern Interiors, located at 215 Boone Heights Drive. The Bee & The Boxwood is an upscale gift shop featuring a collection of beautiful gifts and home accessories selected with what Molly defines as “the charm and warmth of the Southern Mountain lifestyle” in mind. The shop has everything from baby gifts, candles and jewelry to lamps, antiques and upholstery as well as original paintings by local artists. “The shop has been so much fun and is a great way to showcase my aesthetic,” said Molly. “I loved the idea of having a really cute gift shop within an interior design studio. I wanted “The Bee”, as Molly calls her shop, “to be a cheery and inviting spot for people to come shop.”
“The master bathroom ... might just be the highlight of the cabin.” - Molly
Design Studio
Located within the shop, Molly’s design studio, Molly Northern Interiors, car-
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Before
Luckily, the kitchen cabinets were in great shape but a bit dark. So, we had them painted, enlarged the window, added a gorgeous marble countertop, great new hardware, a farmhouse sink and a pretty bridge faucet.” - Molly
ries many of the design industry’s finest lines of furniture, fabrics & wallcoverings. Molly is delighted to help clients with any project no matter the size or scope. “I’ve helped with everything from choosing a single paint color to designing an entire home.” Given her love and passion for her profession as a designer, it was no surprise that she knew exactly what she wanted to do with this cabin project. “Instantly, I loved how charming it was and saw the potential. I could visualize everything I wanted to do,” said Molly. “I wanted to brighten it up by using white upholstery and accessories to create a cozy yet fresh, minimalistic feel. I immediately knew that I didn’t want it to feel like a typical log cabin that can often be a bit dark.” For the most part, the cabin was in really good shape, but the Northerns found several important ways to improve the look of the interior. They completely renovated the upstairs bathroom and painted all of the pine trim and ceilings throughout the cabin. In the kitchen, they
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replaced the small window over the sink, painted the cabinets, replaced the counters and added a farm sink and bridge faucet. In the living room, they replaced a window with a set of french doors to open onto the large, wrap around porch. The most challenging task was adding a master bath. “The existing master bath was way too tiny and there was no closet in the master bedroom and I knew that would
“Instantly, I loved how charming it was and saw the potential ... I immediately knew that I didn’t want it to feel like a typical log cabin that can often be a bit dark.” - Molly have to be addressed,” said Molly. “The new bathroom is a great size. First, we turned the existing bathroom into a closet. Then, we added the new bathroom next to the bedroom and turned an existing bedroom window into the doorway. The master bathroom took the longest amount of time and was the most involved portion of the project, but I think it might just be the highlight of the cabin,” Molly said. As for the exterior, in an effort to cre-
ate a quiet, cohesive look, Molly carefully chose a color for the board and batten additions and all of the exterior trim that would best compliment the beautifully aged logs. One of the most unique features of this mountain cabin are the numbered metal plates found on many of the logs. Numbering the logs was necessary so that, after being brought to Blowing Rock, the logs could be reassembled correctly. “Log cabins are like a jigsaw puzzle and 200 years ago, each log would have been hand notched to perfectly fit the log above and below it,” says Mike. The Northerns hired their friend and landscape designer, Sonya Garland of Hawk’s Mountain Garden, to add to as well as freshen up the grounds surrounding the cabin with ferns, hydrangea and boxwoods as well as a beautiful flagstone patio. “Sonya did such a gorgeous job with the landscaping around the cabin. I’ve always loved her well balanced, straightforward approach to landscape design,” said Molly. “We have really enjoyed working on the cabin and couldn’t be more pleased with the finished product,” says Mike This restful setting and charming cabin will be on display this July in the upcoming 2019 Blowing Rock Tour of Homes.
with before finally contacting a designer,” says Molly. “Before choosing a designer, make sure you like their aesthetic. Ideally, try to see some of their work before contacting them. Also, be open to new ideas. A great designer will most likely suggest something you’ve never thought about but will end up absolutely loving!”
New Design Trends
“As seen in our little cabin, one of my favorite trends right now is using furnishings that are simple and monochromatic with pops of color,” says Molly. “Wallpaper has definitely made a comeback, especially in small spaces.” “Sleek, linear, slightly modern cabinet hardware is also one of my favorite new trends.” t
When Do You Need an Interior Designer?
If you feel like your home is starting to look a bit dated and needs to be refreshed, finding a good interior designer is one of the best decisions you can make. “It’s so important to get advice before starting a home improvement project. I’ve seen many people make costly mistakes or selections that they just weren’t happy Summer 2019 |
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Precision Cabinets, Inc. Celebrating Their 25th Anniversary Premium cabinetmaking shop whose employees only provide the highest quality of customer service.
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By Joe Johnson
recision Cabinets, Inc., celebrating their 25th anniversary this June, continually strives to provide exemplary customer service to clients in need of highquality cabinetry in the Boone community. Ken Murray, founder and owner of Precision Cabinets, has a passion for woodworking and furniture cultivated by a lifetime of hands-on experience. “I was born in Winston Salem. My dad was an employee at Lowe’s,” said Murray, “He got transferred to Boone in 1967, I think. I was 5 years old when we came to Boone. I grew up in Boone, went to Appalachian Elementary School, then Hardin Park
when it opened, then Watauga High School, and then Appalachian State University. I majored in Industrial Technology and Business Administration; at that time, the major was called Industrial Arts, then it changed to Industrial Technology and it’s called something else now. I grew up around building, with my dad being at Lowe’s; I was always hanging out in the warehouse, the sales center, and on jobsites. I have an uncle who taught brick masonry in Ashe County as well, and I was around as he was building houses. So, I was always pretty good at doing stuff with my hands, and when I got to Appalachian, I got into it more than I did at Watauga High School, as far as woodworking. I had a con-
Ken Murray, founder and owner of Precision Cabinets, Inc.
Photo by Todd Bush This customer asked to incorporate bar stools from a local drug store back counter. The island is in a custom blue stain. 56
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The Precision Cabinets, Inc. building, located at 1324 Old US Highway 421 in Boone, North Carolina, serves as the hub location for Precision Cabinets, Inc. business activities, with a showroom boasting a diverse range of cabinetry as well as a custom cabinet workshop directly attached to the showroom. centration in woods and drafting. Before I said, “I went to a job fair, I think it was in fit their bill for loyalty and not be there for got out of school, I had a job lined up with Waynesville, North Carolina, before I gradu- a year just to move on to the next place. I interviewed with them and showed Hickory Chair Company in Hickory, them pictures of things I had built at which is one of the older companies Appalachian, because in the furnifounded in 1911 and famous for their ture and woodworking program at 18th century furniture. I went to work Appalachian I had built furniture; but for them as a trainee and ended up I also learned basic skills as well in in product engineering. After five the program, not just manufacturing years, my boss moved on to the next skills. There were a lot of manufacturposition up and I wound up being ing people in the furniture industry at the Product Engineering Manager at the time, most were machine operathe main plant in Hickory.” tors but not really woodworkers. ApMurray credits Appalachian State palachian taught woodworking; why University with helping him achieve his goal of becoming an expert The inside of the Precision Cabinets, Inc. custom cabinet this is done this way, how you build it from scratch, what woods are approwoodworker due to the University’s workshop, which is directly connected to the main priate for this style and this period of exceptional woodworking programs. cabinetry showroom in the same building. furniture, etc. I just really enjoyed all “Appalachian State University had a great woodworking program. I’m not going ated from Appalachian, and Hickory Chair that was involved in that program. In fact, to say ‘furniture program’, because it was happened to be there looking for manage- after Hickory Chair wound up hiring more indeed a woodworking program,” Murray ment trainees; potential people that would people from the Industrial Technology pro-
(Pictured from left to right) Bryan Berger, Darryl Brown, Micah Greathouse, Ken Murray, Emily Leonard, and Cass Bacot. The Precision Cabinets, Inc. team gathered together in the custom cabinet workshop, directly adjacent to the main showroom. Summer 2019 |
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Darrell Brown sands and fine-tunes a cabinet after assembly before it goes in to the finishing room. Mostly, Darrell cuts parts, assembles cabinets and does some installation work. He’s been with Precision Cabinets, Inc. for 6 years now. Time flies! gram at Appalachian, Hickory Chair’s Vice program which taught Machine Operations Pioneer and Mountaineer!” Murray’s education at Appalachian President wound up on an advisory board at and Engineering. So, I ended up at Hickory Appalachian for furniture; they changed the Chair and after four years being a Product State University and subsequent tenure as Project Engineering program later to be more furniture-oriented to get “After 25 years, it’s been fun; I enjoy the work and Manager at Hickory Chair deepened his expemore people going into the I enjoy the people! We’re good at leading people further rience with woodworking, furniture industry in Hickory, through the process and dealing with all the and eventually allowed him Lenoir, and High Point. I was to return to Boone. “I went the first one Hickory Chair emergencies that come up.” to work at Hickory Chair hired from the program! All of the other furniture companies that I went Engineer at the main plant I became a Proj- and after a few years they hired a few more and interviewed with asked me where I went ect Engineering Manager at the main plant people from the Industrial Technology proto school, and I told them, ‘I’m in the In- and all the people who worked for me came gram at Appalachian. Most of them started dustry Technology program at Appalachian out of Catawba Valley Community College. there and moved on,” said Murray, “But State University,’ and their response was, They have a great furniture program, but one of the guys they hired started doing ‘We only hire NC State Engineering gradu- Appalachian State University had a great woodworking with me; we were using each ates or Catawba Valley Community College woodworking program also; at that point, it other’s basements as workspaces. We built folks as their programs are geared toward was just unknown to a lot of manufacturing 18th century furniture and repaired furniture our needs.’ Most of those working the people. It was a great experience at Appala- that people had bought at auction sales Hickory area had come out of the C.V.C.C. chian and I still support ASU. I am a proud from furniture outlets. So, I figured, maybe
(Left) Cass Bacot checks the measurement on a piece of material that goes into the cabinet. He takes on cutting the parts, some assembly, and installation work. (Right) Micah Greathouse in the spray-booth, finishing up a cabinet. He is Precision Cabinets’ finisher, and does some shop cutting, assembly and installation work. 58
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Bryan Berger is the shop foreman and manager, and he does everything. From helping do cut list, figure out how a cabinet’s going to be built, what needs to happen on the job and the order it needs to happen in, Bryan gets the job done! I should go back to Boone and build furniture! The more people I talked to, the more I found out you can’t make a living building furniture unless you live in the Northeast, where there’s places like Boston where people will pay for really fine furniture, so I started asking around and one of the machinery dealers I talked to said ‘Well, there’s a guy in Boone who has been in the cabinet business for 15 years, and he might be ready to do something else; you might want to talk to him!’ That was Curtis Payne, I talked to him and he was ready to sell, so myself and another guy from Hickory Chair who worked with me decided we would come to Boone and try to make it in the cabinet business! We bought out Curtis, bought his equipment, and rented this shop for several years. The guy who came from Hickory Chair with me lasted for about a year and decided he wanted to go back to Hickory Chair, so they hired him back. I bought his part of the stock since we had formed a corporation. Precision Cabinets, Inc. has grown from there!” Since the emergence of Precision Cabinets, Inc. in 1994, it has evolved into a premium cabinetmaking location whose employees provide only the highest quality of customer service. “That’s the one thing you get by going to a custom cabinet shop versus buying at
Inspiration & Craftsmanship
Superior Quality Brands & Handmade Custom Cabinetry
PRECISION CABINETS, INC. www.precisioncabinetinc.com Full Service Design Center On-Site Showroom Inspiring Mountain Homeowners Since 1994
828.262.5080 1324 Old Hwy. 421 South, Boone, NC
Bryan also sets up machines for the other guys and shows them what needs to be done. He builds the really custom stuff that’s odd – such as the curved piece Bryan is working on in the above photo according to a client’s specifications. Summer 2019 |
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Photos by Todd Bush
A kitchen with Precision Cabinets, Inc. cabinetry implemented into the design. The large range hood focal point makes a statement in the room. That’s in distressed maple and the hood is a black finish on maple. a big box store. You get customer service. customer back and said ‘this is what you to do business the way business used to be A week doesn’t go by that we don’t have need. It’s at Lowe’s in aisle so-and-so, and done. We don’t listen to all those people somebody come in with a broken hinge, a that’s the best I can do for you!’ and the that tell us ‘You need to charge for going out broken drawer slide or a broken drawer, and customer said ‘that’s wonderful, thank you! to a jobsite,’ or, ‘You need to charge for doing a drawing,’ or, ‘You need to we’re here to help if we can,” charge for doing a consultasaid Murray, “For example, I tion,’ We feel like we’re local spent ten or fifteen minutes and we like the way business with a guy this week, and used to be done; we do busifound an answer for what they ness with a handshake. I still were looking for and where to have some contractors that find it, because I didn’t have it. call and say, ‘Go ahead and Somebody actually brought in start! We’re going to go ahead a round vent, about two inches and do this,’ and I go ahead in diameter, that somebody and do it because I know that had put in a cabinet years they’re going to pay us; they’re ago to serve as a vent for the going to take care of us, besink or whatever. My guys cause that’s what honorable looked at it and said ‘no, we business people do!” don’t have anything like that, Precision Cabinets, Inc. but Ken can probably find is able to achieve the highsomething like it for you,’ so The bath vanities included in the photo above are examples of a Bob Timberlake design. The vanities are located in a house that est quality of craftsmanship they left the vent with us, and had to be approved by the Bob Timberlake designers. possible due to their custom I said ‘that’s a soffit vent from It’s a master bathroom, his and hers vanities in cherry. shop, staffed by four expert a house that somebody put in craftsmen who work with only a cabinet!’ I don’t have access to that exactly, but I looked it up on Lowe’s I’ve never had someone I’ve contacted tell the most dependable, efficient equipment website, Lowe’s in Boone had 11 packs of me what it is or where it’s located!’ We just available. “A lot of the equipment came with them. They come six to a pack, called the try to be good, local, friendly people. We like the original deal, but we’ve bought new 60
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We like to do business the way business used to be done. equipment, because equipment does wear out,” said Murray, “We’ve replaced some equipment. Llast year we replaced the sliding table saw we had, that was new to the previous owner in 1985. So, we replaced that saw with a used 10-year-old saw that was still $30,000. Then, this past year we bought a new boring machine and we also bought a new Saw Stop table saw, which is one that if you touch the blade, it immediately stops and doesn’t cut your finger. Fortunately, I still have all my fingers! By moving to the location that we’re at now, we’ve been able to create a showroom where we show factory cabinets, mainly three different brands of factory cabinets that we can fit most any need with. Then we have our own custom shop where we build the really custom cabinets and build cabinets for commercial jobs. Most of the custom shop items that we do are for residential jobs that you just can’t buy as a standard item from anywhere. They’re looking for what the architect has drawn, which can be very specific.” Precision Cabinets’ custom shop is directly adjacent to the showroom, which complements the craftsmanship of Precision’s employees with a wide selection of factory cabinets that can be crafted to customers’ preferences. “In today’s world, people have come to think that most everything is instantaneous and it’s not so in this business,” said Murray, “There are too many choices; I tell people, ‘In the 1960s and 1970s in this area, if you were building a house, the contractor would probably ask you if you wanted oak or birch and did you want it light or dark for your cabinets. Then you came home, and you had cabinets! Whatever they built was there in the house, and that was it. Today there’s too many choices, and that’s all consumer-driven by everybody wanting something different. The three brands of cabinets that we sell: Mouser, which is made in Kentucky, Medallion, which is from Minnesota but also has plants in several different states, and Bertch which is in Waterloo, Iowa. Probably we’ve 50 to 75 door styles and five to ten different wood species each, and more colors than you can imagine, or will do a custom color if you want a custom color. Of those factory cabinets, we’ve been Bertch and Medallion dealers for around 23 years.
A library/office/sitting room. Those cabinets are pine with a distressed glaze finish, creating the entry-way to the master suite. That’s a custom piece that was built in our shop.
A master bedroom entertainment center, bookcase, and dresser combination. That’s a painted maple cabinet piece that’s custom built in the Precision Cabinets, Inc. shop!
An example of a rustic knotty alder distressed glazed master bathroom; One of many custom factory cabinet lines offered by Precision Cabinets, Inc. Summer 2019 |
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Photos by Todd Bush (Left) A laundry room, custom designed to fit what the client wanted. Those are a factory manufactured cabinet with Precision Cabinets, Inc. installation. (Right) A rustic maple in a factory cabinet, installed by Precision Cabinets, Inc. into the home of owner, Ken Murray. We always say, with Bertch, if you wanted zebrawood painted blue for your cabinets, they’d probably do it! Most everything built in most houses can be satisfied from one of those factory brands, and they typically have a five to eight week turnaround from the time the order is sent in.” Murray emphasizes working with customers from the very beginning of their home improvement projects and urges them to meet with the team at Precision Cabinets to work through the cabinetry process. “For potential customers: don’t hesitate to come in to Precision Cabinets,” said Murray, “What we prefer is that you give us a call first and tell us you’re coming in, because we’re not a big box store where there is always someone sitting at the desk; we
go out to the jobsites ourselves. It’s best to call and make an appointment. Come in and bring what ideas you’ve got ,or we will come out to your house to see what you’want to do and measure the space. If it’s a remodel, that’s usually what happens; the first step is calling us to set an appointment, then we go out, look at what you’ve got, measure it, get ideas of what you’re trying to achieve and what the house is like, and we come back and my designer sits down and works out the proper look and layout, we call you in to come look at the drawings, then we go from there! If it’s a new house, set an appointment, bring us in the house plans, and we’ll discuss what your ideas and thoughts are; even if you don’t have the plans, we can usually get the plans from the architect.
That’s the first step: call and make an appointment, because someone is not always in the showroom. We are often out elsewhere working with clients! We try to take care of walk-ins as we can, but it’s better if you call and make an appointment so we can give you our full attention when you get here. We don’t charge for a consultation. We also don’t charge to come out and look at cabinets and we don’t charge to do a drawing. If we do a drawing and you want to make changes to the drawings, then we have a fee for making changes to the drawing; we hope that people are honest and above-board and if we do a drawing, they don’t take that drawing to somebody else because most shops do charge for the drawings that they release. We just don’t
Rustic knotty alder bathroom cabinets, custom-designed to what the client was looking for – using a vessel bowl instead of bowls that are under the countertop. (Second Picture)- A master bath / dressing area / makeup area which is in a painted maple with a distressed glaze. (Third Picture)- A kitchen with three different colors, custom-designed using one of our factory manufactured cabinets. 62
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“A combination of two different brands of factory-manufactured cabinets; The red piece was custom-built in the Precision Cabinets Inc. shop and finished by myself. That’s my kitchen!”- Ken Murray. (Right)- One of the custom factory manufactured brands offered by Precision Cabinets, Inc. with 2-tone and the features and layouts to client specifications. charge to go look at a job, to measure, to lay it out and price it; we just don’t charge for that. We don’t get taken advantage of too often. I know there are a lot of shops that charge for a consultation, charge for going out to a jobsite, or charge for drawings; I know the big box stores won’t do anything without a charge involved.” Murray expressed his joy with Precision Cabinets, Inc. upcoming 25th anniversary in June, explaining, “After 25 years, it’s been fun; I enjoy the work and I enjoy the
people! I occasionally have a client that needs a bit more handholding, and we’re good at that! We’re good at leading people through the process and dealing with all the emergencies that come up. I enjoy what I do; I enjoy coming to work. It’s like every other job in the furniture industry as a whole, not just Hickory Chair; you get to be around great people. I love the people I work with. It’s been a good ride; I’ve made a decent living for myself, my family, and my employees. I don’t have too much turn-
over either, so they must like working here at Precision Cabinets!” Precision Cabinets serves as a beacon of success for small businesses in the High Country due to their customer service, passion for fine cabinetry, and the continued support they show to the Boone community and its members. As explained by Murray, “The big thing is: we’re not the cheapest, we’re not the most expensive, but we don’t have an unhappy customer that wasn’t satisfied in our 25 years of business.” t
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