C H A R L O T T E
Real Estate News
home design
page 4
dedicated to showcasing charlotte’s distinctive homes
“The Carmel Road Corridor is an easy location to live and love where you live. Homeowners that live along this corridor wouldn’t choose to be anywhere else.” – Carrie Brighton, Real Living Carolinas Real Estate
Corridor of convenience Homebuyers turn to the Carmel Corridor for the perfect mix of comfort and convenience - story on page 6
design instyle
design trends
association answers
straight talk
Function and style p14
Counter culture p18
Acts of God? p21
Backyard bullies p22
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|real estate news
what’s new? compiled by Whitney Berongi
PREMIER SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY WELCOMES NEW ASSOCIATES Premier Sotheby’s International Realty recently announced three new associates who have affiliated with the company’s North Carolina offices: Allison Krivatch, Asheville; Sean Krivatch, Asheville; and Christopher Philips, Blowing Rock. Headquartered in Naples, Fla., Premier Sotheby’s International Realty has over 1,200 associates and employees in 40 locations throughout Florida and North Carolina. For more information, visit premiersothebysrealty.com.
Christopher Philips
DICKENS MITCHENER AGENTS NAMED AS AMERICA’S BEST REALTORS Dickens Mitchener Residential Real Estate has announced that seven of its agents were selected as America’s Best Realtors in North Carolina for 2020. Joan Goode, Vicky Mitchener, Aubrey Grier, Heather Mackey, Ducie Stark, Isabel Roberts and Shelly Rydell were named on the list, which is compiled by Newsweek and REAL Trends. The list comprises the top 165 real estate professionals in North Carolina. The seven Dickens Mitchener agents placed in the top 54. For more information, visit newsweek.com/americas-best-realtors-2020/north-carolina.
Sean Krivatch Vicky Mitchener
Joan Goode
Aubrey Grier
Heather Mackey
Isabel Roberts
Ducie Stark
Email real estate news to homedesign@charlotteobserver.com. C H A R L O T T E
home design Editor
Coordinator/Designer
Christina Darnell
Melissa Kennelly
Creative Strategy & Real Estate Advertising
New Home Builder Advertising
Buck Brice, bbrice@charlotteobserver.com
Suzanne Parker, sparker@charlotteobserver.com
Sales Director Vic Bowers, vbowers@mcclatchy.com 336-402-4673 Section published by The Charlotte Observer • 550 S. Caldwell St., Charlotte, NC 28202. Editorial material in this section is the responsibility of the Observer Content Studio, 704-358-5185. It did not involve the news staff of The Observer.
Is there a neighborhood you’d like to see featured? Do you know of a new design trend on the rise? Did you use one of our ideas for your own home or home purchase?
We’d love to hear from you. homedesign@charlotteobserver.com
facebook.com/TheCharlotteObserverHomeDesign *Copyright 2020 by The Charlotte Observer. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or reprinted without written permission.
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|living in the Carmel Corridor DID YOU KNOW? The once rare Great Blue Heron rookery can be found nestled in the treetops along the greenways in this area, so don’t forget to look up.
by Julie Cooper
EAT Blanchard’s Deli Head to this Carmel Road favorite for the best hot dogs, sandwiches and cake in town. facebook.com/Blanchards-Deli
PLAY Carmel Country Club Have a ball at this popular Charlottearea golf club, replete with two championship-level courses, an incredible pool complex and tennis facility, and one of the most active Ladies Golf Associations in the area. carmelcountryclub.org
EXPLORE The Greenway Immerse yourself in nature on the Lower McAlpine Creek, McMullen Creek and Four Mile Creek horseshoe-shaped greenway that runs almost 6 miles through South Charlotte. mecknc.gov
I
n the 1980s, people were wearing parachute pants, rocking big hair and listening to Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” on their Sony Walkman. Forty years later, the world is much different with its skinny jeans, smooth hair and Apple airpods reigning supreme. Looking back to Charlotte in the ‘80s, the scene was just as different. Then, Charlotte was a big town trying hard to become a big city. Its population was almost 315,000, skyscrapers were shooting up out of parking lots, the Hornets began to play and Downtown became Uptown. The Carmel Corridor also got its start in this decade. Now one of Charlotte’s prime locations, the corridor is conveniently tucked between SouthPark and the Arboretum. It features a collection of sought-after subdivisions on both sides of its length with Carmel Country Club located at its heart. “Much of Carmel Road was developed 30 to 40 years ago,” says Carrie Brighton with Real Living Carolinas Real Estate. “The character of the established neighborhoods is part of its appeal. In recent years, there has been infill development of new construction and individual lot sales.” The development is consistent with the area’s popularity. With its strong school selection, proximity
to green spaces and convenience to shopping, Uptown and more, the Carmel Corridor is a true Charlotte favorite. “The Carmel Corridor is a perfect combination of comfort and convenience within a residential-based corridor,” Brighton says. “Living off Carmel Road affords multiple routes to Uptown and the airport in less than 30 minutes any time of day. On top of that, there is no congestion along Carmel, allowing you to get to Ballantyne or SouthPark in less than 10 minutes.” Only adding to its appeal, the Carmel Corridor also features a diverse array of housing at numerous price points. “The variety of price ranges makes the area attractive to a large percentage of home buyers,” Brighton says. “With the pandemic, folks here have found ways to stay happy and healthy thanks to the amount of outdoor activity in the area. It’s saturated with bike lanes, sidewalks and tree-lined streets, providing ample opportunity to get out and enjoy the friendly neighborhood.” “The southern end of the corridor also has access to amazing greenways along McMullen, McAlpine and Four Mile Creek and isn’t far from Little Sugar Creek. The greenway system is our area’s best kept secret, but one that should be enjoyed by everyone,” adds Melanie
Coyne with HM Properties. “The variety of neighborhoods along the extent of the corridor is incredible,” she continues. “From the gracious homes in Dovewood and along Green Rea Road to the charming older neighborhoods tucked back along the creeks, the Carmel Corridor is much more than just a commuting route.” And even more development is on the way. The Enclave at Foxcroft is a new development by Simonini at the northern terminus of Carmel Road. “It’s almost sold out now,” Coyne says. “Closer to 51, Eastwood Homes is also developing a new community called Blanchard at Carmel Townhomes, but those have not come online yet.” For everything it offers, the real estate market—even during this uncertain time—remains stronger than ever. “The market is on fire,” says Coyne. “Most houses sell within days of going on the market, at all price points.” “This is an area of town where growth and price increases have been steady year over year, providing strong equity for sellers and confidence for buyers,” says Brighton. “The Carmel Road Corridor is an easy location to live and love where you live. Homeowners that live along this corridor wouldn’t choose to be anywhere else.”
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living in the Carmel Corridor| 5011 Carmel Club Drive, Charlotte, NC 28226 Price: $1,899,000 MLS: 3592115 Listing Agent: Carrie Brighton, Real Living Carolinas Real Estate, 704-241-4418, cbrighton@ realliving.com Impressive custom home built in 2009 designed for entertaining and comfort. Master suite with sitting area on main. Wet bar and wine cellar connect to kitchen featuring commercial-grade appliances. Kitchen opens to outdoor living space with built-in heaters, patio and outdoor kitchen. Level yard. New HVAC systems (May 2020). Three-car garage and golf cart garage. Private guest wing on second floor. Well for irrigation, sealed crawl space, updated sound system, drop zone, large walk-in attic space, exterior trim painted (2018). Tuckaway Park is a private circle of homes surrounded by Carmel Country Club golf course.
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|living in the Carmel Corridor 5312 Huntwell Commons Lane, Charlotte, NC 28226 Price: $674,900 MLS: 3618787 Listing Agent: Patty Hendrix, HM Properties, 704-577-2066, patty@hmproperties.com Fabulous townhome across from Carmel Country Club. Open kitchen to breakfast and family room with fireplace. Kitchen island with bar seating. Stainless Viking gas burner cooktop, stainless JennAir wall oven, microwave and warming drawer. Granite countertops. Butler’s pantry with wet bar and wine fridge. Spacious master suite with lighted tray ceiling and two walk-in closets. Elevator. Fourth bedroom and bath on third floor, plus bonus room with wet bar and refrigerator. Inviting covered patio with wood-burning fireplace and gas grill. Two-car attached garage plus golf cart garage. Outside painted in 2015. Roof 4/20. Generator.
2823 Providence Road #354, Charlotte, NC 28211 Price: $790,000 MLS: 3642243 Listing Agent: Judy Raghavan, HM Properties, 704-807-9970, judyraghavan@hmproperties.com This spacious two-bedroom open floor plan boasts large bedrooms on opposite sides of the condo. Open kitchen is beautifully appointed with white cabinetry, island and built-in wet bar. Customized closet system and light neutral finishes. Fifth floor overlooking an English garden. Enjoy the amenities: 24-hour security, concierge, fitness center, business center, coffee bar. Tennis/pickleball courts, pool. In the heart of SouthPark on 9 beautiful acres, walkability to numerous neighborhood restaurants and shopping.
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living in the Carmel Corridor| 5921 Masters Court, Charlotte, NC 28226 Price: $1,685,000 MLS: 3618461 Listing Agent: Lisa McCrossan, Ivester Jackson Distinctive Properties, 704-620-0328, lisam@ ivesterjackson.com Open the door to this welcoming colonial home. So much rich history in this house, designed to look like a famous tavern in Williamsburg, Va. Built in Charlotte in 1978, this home exudes Southern charm and has many materials from the 1600s, including unique brick in the kitchen that came from the ballast of a ship that sailed from England to Charleston. The flooring is hand-hewn heart of pine. Five handmade brick fireplaces, gracious formal living areas and a renovated master bath. Basement has a second kitchen, bonus room and bed with a full bath. The private lot is more than an acre and overlooks Carmel Country Club’s South Course 8th fairway. Gardner’s greenhouse. Selling in as-is condition, no known problems.
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|living in the Carmel Corridor 8325 Eagle Glen Way, Charlotte, NC 28210 Price: $2,525,000 MLS: 3566785 Listing Agent: Liza Caminiti, Ivester Jackson Distinctive Properties, 704-526- 6695, liza@ ivesterjackson.com Three-story home in gated Seven Eagles on the 3rd green of Quail Hollow Club golf course. Family floor plan great for entertaining. Main level with oversized rooms with stylish office/den with custom built-ins and fireplace. Second level with four large bedrooms with ensuite baths, including master with sitting room and fireplace. Enjoy Quail Hollow tournaments from covered patio/terrace or upper terrace located off master. Third floor with ensuite bathroom can be bedroom/bonus. Ten-foot ceilings, beautiful millwork, SieMatic kitchen, Marvin doors and windows. Attached two-car garage and detached garage with guest quarters. Freshly painted, new carpet and updated kitchen.
9017 Tynecastle Commons Court #11, Charlotte, NC 28226 Price: $799,900 MLS: 3621041 Listing Agents: Dee Reid, 704-281-3913, deereid@ ivesterjackson.com; Tar Reid, 704-905-8221, tarreid@ivesterjackson.com; Ivester Jackson Distinctive Properties SouthPark’s newest luxury townhomes. English modern living featuring renowned Greg Perry design, wider floor plan that feels more like a single-family home, master on main, abundant light throughout with 10-foot ceilings, floor-toceiling aluminum windows, two courtyards, fireplace, private driveway and two-car garage, glass front door, professional appliances, hardwoods, millwork and more. Luxurious finishes included in price, and you choose. Located in Strawberry Hill community of SouthPark—easy walk to dining and shopping. Lock-and-leave lifestyle. Three units reserved and four under contract—only seven still available.
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All photos provided by Frontgate
|design instyle
Function and style Whether refurbished or modern, the sideboard fulfills both purposes by Vicki Donatelli
S
ideboards, buffets and servers are cherished by homemakers. In the 18th century, dining rooms were furnished with long serving or “slab� tables. They often had stone tops and were used to cut and serve foods. By the end of that century, slab tables were being replaced by sideboards.
Newer styles provided both a serving surface and storage for dishes and flatware in fashionable dining rooms. They served the same purpose in farmhouses and cottages where dining took place in the kitchen. From formal to rustic, they became the mainstay of homes.
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A buffet is the lower half of a china cabinet used for storage. Traditional china cabinets lost their appeal as dining rooms began to disappear and home design embraced open floor plans and an eclectic style of décor. You can transform that dinosaur into a sideboard by simply removing the top chain cabinet (most came in two pieces). If the top of the buffet is
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not in perfect shape, a slab of marble or quartz is a simple and affordable solution. Dark wood cabinets are easily painted to blend with your décor. My favorite paint has always been Anne Sloan’s Chalk Paint. It covers most types of finishes without any major prep work. An easy top coat of wax will protect the finish so it can be
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used for food presentation or a chic bar. Don’t feel like hauling grandmother’s furniture to your house or spending your Saturdays haunting flea markets and antique shops? Check out some of the great new sidebars being created by today’s furniture manufacturers. The Micah sideboard by Frontgate is crafted from acacia wood. The raised geometric panels on the front provide depth and substance to this multi-functional piece. Inside removable shelves allow for storage of tall vases, serving pieces and stacks of dishes. A sideboard’s function is to assist the host or hostess when entertaining. The Winslow beverage server has a finished top that opens to reveal a removable hand-polished stainless steel drink basin that holds bottles with plenty of room for ice. Behind the double doors are adjustable shelves, wine glass racks, wine bottle racks for up to 15 bottles and a drawer for storage. You don’t need a dining room to enjoy this modern take on the traditional sideboard. It looks great in a living room or kitchen.
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Outdoor entertaining is more popular than ever. Trying to socialize and socially distance is easier when we get together outdoors. Frontgate, long known for innovative designs and solutions, has introduced an outdoor buffet table. The Luca is crafted of powder-coated aluminum with stainless steel accents. The top opens like the Winslow to reveal a removable beverage tub. Whether you recycle the base of an old china cabinet or purchase one of the newly designed sideboards, you will enjoy the additional serving surface and storage space. Whether you call it a sideboard, buffet or server, they all perform two of the essential services that make some furniture pieces classics—function and style.
Vicki Payne Donatelli is an interior designer, project coordinator and popular speaker for renovation and new construction projects. She is the host of the national PBS series “For Your Home.” Visit her blog at ForYourHome.com.
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|design trends
Counter culture From creamy white marble to dramatic black granite, here’s how to choose the right countertop for your kitchen and budget by Julie Cooper
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he kitchen is the heart of the home. It’s where families gather and friends laugh over cheese plates and wine. It’s where the kids sit after school eating cookies as they tell about their day, and where food is prepared with love. It’s the place where all the action happens. It’s important to have a space that speaks to you and your lifestyle. With the array of kitchen countertops available ranging from natural stone to engineered quartz, steel, wood and even recycled materials, finding the right fit for your home can take some research. Here, you’ll find everything you need to know to feel confident in your countertop choice.
THE NATURAL ROUTE “The beauty and colors that natural stone provides is unparalleled,” says Allyson Williams with Legacy Countertops. “Natural stone is quarried from the earth, so the colors and veining can change dramatically from slab to slab. That means they can also range from hard to porous, depending on the specific material. Some natural stone may need to be sealed to protect it from staining.” Granite, marble, quartzite and soapstone are natural stones, hailing from the earth. These will be incredibly unique as they’re made by Mother Nature and not in an assembly line. That being said, it can be easy to find slabs of these natural
stone options that won’t have a tremendous amount of veining and “excitement.” “I would always recommend real stone if it’s in the budget,” says interior designer Mary Tobias Miller, owner of abode home. “Marbles require more care than quartzite and granite, but you can find that creamy white coloring that so many people want in their kitchens and bathrooms these days.” You can still find exotic marbles with lots of colors and veining to provide some “wow” to a wet bar or other smaller space. “Quartzites look like marble and are more durable than granite, but the palette is more green, gray and beige,”
Miller says. “Marble and quartzite seem to be the most ‘on-trend’ option for kitchen countertops right now.” However, they do require a bit more maintenance and can be the more budget-busting option. This is where granite comes in. This natural rock dominated the countertop scene for years thanks to its strength, durability and beauty. It’s fallen out of the spotlight thanks to the creamy white marbles that have won a lot of homeowners over, though. But, according to Miller, granite can still be a striking choice in the kitchen. “The traditional speckled granites are very durable and cost effective, but they have taken a bit of a backseat in terms
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of popularity,” she explains. “However, a honed black granite is still great looking and can be used in so many trendy ways if paired with the proper paint colors.” The natural route doesn’t have to mean stone only. Butcher block and newcomer porcelain offer homeowners even more choices. Like stone, they have their own pros and cons. “Butcher block is attractive and warm, but think ‘look, don’t touch,’” says Miller. “It will likely wear faster over time as it is porous. It takes a great deal of care and supervision, because without care, it can splinter and stain over time. However, it is gorgeous.” “Porcelain counters are a bit newer, but they are versatile,” she goes on to explain. “They are nonporous and shouldn’t stain and are still relatively reasonable in price.” Recycled materials are also on-trend in the countertop scene. “We carry Vetrazzo, Curava and Eco by Cosentino,” says Williams. “These products are made with recycled materials from things like glass bottles, seashells, earthenware and more. They are durable, eco-friendly and offer beautiful handcrafted designs.”
ENGINEERED ELEGANCE Of course, going the natural route isn’t for everyone. Some homeowners choose engineered options for ease and beauty. “Engineered stone is manmade, using a combination of natural quartz and resins, which produce a hard and mostly maintenance-free surface with a modern look,” Williams explains. “Quartz is probably the easiest to maintain.” According to Miller, stainless steel is also a durable manmade option but is inherently industrial feeling. If taking this route, she recommends balancing the coolness of the steel with warm wall colors. To get the look and feel you’re after, it’s best to do your own research and consult the professionals. “Do you want the space to feel light and airy or dramatic and moody?” asks Miller. “The counters you select will have a large impact on the feel of your space. It’s also important to think about how you use your kitchen—are you a chef or do you heat up takeout to prepare for dinner? Have a plan in mind, and consult a professional to achieve your dream vision. There are many distributors of marble and stone in Charlotte. Take your time to visit a few and see the slab and tile choices in person.”
When you place an announcement in the Celebrations section, it also appears on charlotteobserver.com for 30 days. To order Celebrations announcements, which appear both in-paper and online:
704.358.5260. To view Celebrations online: Go to charlotteobserver.com, click Living Here, then Celebrations.
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Photo by Michael Blevins / Courtesy of Abode Home
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association answers|
Acts of God—or owner negligence? My neighbor’s tree fell and crushed my house. Who’s responsible? by Mike Hunter
O
ver the past couple years, we’ve seen an increasing number of old-growth trees being toppled in severe storms. Homes, cars, fences and other property have been crushed. In one recent case just a few blocks from my home, the resident was killed. We are getting an increasing number of inquiries from our clients about who is responsible for the property damage (or death or injury to persons) from falling trees and limbs. Perhaps the increase in these severe weather events causing these incidents can be attributed to climate change. I am not a climate scientist, and this column is not the place for that debate. Most of these cases involve old-growth trees that have reached the end of their expected life span, but there was nothing to indicate the tree was at risk of toppling. In other cases, it involved trees that were leaning or showed evidence of root decay or other tree disease. I recently had a large tree removed from my home on the advice of an arborist. When the tree was cut down, we discovered carpenter bees had created a cavity in the trunk about 12 inches in diameter from the ground up. During a severe “downburst” storm last fall, another large, healthy tree in my backyard was literally snapped like a twig at a point about 6 feet above ground, where the
trunk was about 14 inches in diameter. It fell on my neighbor’s fence, barely missing their house. The question is whether a property owner is liable for damage caused by a tree falling from his/her property onto adjacent property. The North Carolina General Statutes provide no guidance, so we must look to appellate case court law, and there is a dearth of judicial opinions on this issue. The leading case on the issue is Rowe v. McGee from 1969. In that case, the court confirmed that where a landowner essentially knows that a tree on his property is in a dangerous condition, which makes it possible or likely for the tree to fall and cause property damage or personal injury, he has a duty to eliminate the danger (by trimming or removing the tree). This rule applies to individual lot owners, as well as HOAs with trees on common areas that might pose a threat to adjoining property. In a 2018 article, N.C. State Extension Professor Robert Branan wrote: “Under negligence theory, the landowner is under a duty to eliminate a reasonably foreseeable danger a tree may pose to adjoining property. Various facts point to the issue of foreseeability, including but not limited to whether a tree is dead or visibly dying, whether it leans prominently toward the adjacent tract,
whether limbs of the tree have extended far across the property line, whether the limbs extend over where cars are parked or other structures, or the tree-owner cut through a large anchoring root of the tree. If these or similar facts are produced, the trier of fact (judge or jury) may find that the owner of the tree could have foreseen that it was a matter of time before the fell. Whether the direction a dead tree would fall was itself predictable may be irrelevant. Also, while normally “acts of god” events—e.g. hurricanes—do not themselves assign liability, the effects of violent wind and heavy rain on an ailing tree and its root-hold could be viewed as something foreseeable. If the trier-of-fact (judge or jury) finds that a reasonable person would have known of these facts about a tree, it could find that the owner acted unreasonably in waiting for the tree to cause damage, and could therefore assign the owner liability for the damage and removal.”
You can read more of Branan’s article by searching for “Comment on tree liability.” In general, property owners are not responsible for damage caused to others by “acts of God”—in this discussion, meaning the toppling of trees that showed no evidence of rot, disease or leaning toward adjacent property. However, if Property Owner #1 provides notice to Property Owner #2 of a perceived threat from a tree located on Property Owner #2’s lot, and the tree is in fact diseased, leaning or otherwise likely to fall, Property Owner #2 likely has a legal duty to eliminate the risk of damage or face possible liability for the resulting damage if the tree (or limbs) fall on Property Owner #1’s property. If you or your HOA have trees located close to property boundaries that may pose a threat to adjoining property, you would be well-advised to have a professional arborist inspect them and provide a written opinion on whether the trees are healthy, or if they pose a threat to adjoining property.
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|straight talk
Backyard bullies Taming vigorous plants is tough but rewarding by Allen Norwood
Z
innias are the bullies of the summer flower garden, at least at our house. They shoulder the daisies and coneflowers out of the way and then bloom prolifically in vibrant hues just to show off for the finches and butterflies. They tower over lesser plants—literally. Zinnias are almost foolproof, and they love hot, miserable weather. I have been told—repeatedly—that I tend to overplant them, but I’m trying to do better. This year I planted smaller patches with what were supposed to be smaller varieties. I tried semi-dwarf pumila in mixed colors. The package said they should max out at 24 inches tall. The seeds took that as a challenge. The “semi-dwarf” zinnias average 48 inches tall—average!—and some stretch taller than 60 inches. “Wow!” said Ed Davis, horticultural supervisor and landscape architect at
UNCC’s Botanical Gardens. Then he took a deep breath and tried to explain how that might happen. Could just be that the seeds weren’t carefully sorted and labeled. Or that the soil is especially fertile, that the sun and moisture in that spot happen to be perfect for zinnias. Sometimes, when plants especially like a location, they can go a little crazy, he said. That happened in the native wildflower garden at UNCC. “Even with my own experience, [we planted] when the soil was too rich, too fluffy. Everything grew like gangbusters.” Swamp sunflowers—“a great plant”— once grew so vigorously that they took over a third of the wildflower meadow. Davis said he had to be ruthless with the sunflowers, and I vow—again—to get tough with the zinnias. Next year, I’ll plant even smaller beds to give the perennial daisies, coneflowers and black-
eyed Susans a little more elbow room. Early August is not a time to plant, but it’s a great time to plan for fall and next spring. If a plant in your yard doesn’t like a location, try another plant or another spot. If a plant enjoys a spot so much that it crowds out others, use some restraint. Try mixing native plants into your garden. “We like to encourage our visitors to use more native plants with their colorful annuals,” Davis said. “They’re especially attractive to pollinators like hummingbirds and bees.” Even that’s not foolproof, though. While it’s good to allow things to mix and mingle, he said, some plants can, indeed, turn into bullies. Those sunflowers did. So did mountain mint, which is a magnet for pollinators. “It’s a little bit of a thug,” he said. When it “escapes,” it has to be ripped out.
For ideas and inspiration, visit the wildflower display at the UNCC Botanical Gardens. It’s open now, and admission is free. Basically, you can visit during daylight hours, Davis said, although parking can be a challenge at busy times. For directions and more details, visit gardens. uncc.edu. The National Audubon Society’s website offers an online tool to help you select native plants for this area. If you’re a new gardener, give zinnias a try next year. Sow seeds after the last frost, or about mid-April around here. They’re beautiful, even when summer turns brutal. And you might want to start with a dwarf variety. They should behave better than semi-dwarf.
Allen Norwood: homeinfo@charter.net
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