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Publisher’s Letter Winter is finally over and spring is here. As a new season arrives, it is with great pleasure that we release the second issue of the High Country Home Magazine. You will notice a vast array of changes. Although our inaugural issue was a huge success, it was simply a platform from which to build. With the first issue complete, and feedback received, we have once again endeavored to bring you a better product. We have compiled insight, suggestions, tips, and tidbits from professionals in every area of the home. From the kitchen to the garden; the den to the deck--you will find insight on how to enhance the environment in which you live. Stuffed within these covers lie beautiful imagery and an abundance of resources. Inside are images meant to inspire, tips to facilitate, and articles to enlighten. As promised, we have produced our best issue yet! With functionality as the benchmark and simplicity as the cornerstone; we have endeavored to amass a compilation of skilled professionals and amazing products for your review. So whether the faucets are leaking; the furniture no longer enhances; an expansion is on the horizon, or a new home is required -- we have someone who can help. From décor to design, lighting to landscaping, we have it covered. Inside you will find a glimpse into some of the most alluring homes in the area and view some of the finest workmanship offered locally. We have displayed the best around in new construction and remodeling. We have even included information about some of the finest communities in the High Country. This is truly a collection of the Best of the Best and Who’s Who, in the home industry. The Quality emanates from the images of their accomplishments showcased within, pleasing even the most persnickety among us. What an experience this issue has been. It has exceeded all of our expectations. Heartfelt thanks are extended to all of those who have contributed years of experience and expertise to this venture. With their help, we have raised the quality of this publication. The most rewarding aspect of this venture has not been the completion of the project, rather getting to know the remarkable individuals who are a part of this publication. Many of which have spent numerous hours with us and watched this grow and develop. To you--we again say thanks, and to the readers I must advise to not miss a single issue! Each one will be filled with new and exciting content. So grab a chair, get comfortable, and dive into what will undoubtedly be-the first of many journeys through a High Country Home.
Please email us with any inquiries, feedback, requests for info, or home submissions (for our new design profiles section) at highcountryhomemagazine@gmail.com.
We are proud to do our part by printing our magazine on recycled paper with soy ink.
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Chris Rabon, owner of Market Connection is from Chipley, Florida or as we like to call it, lower Alabama, He has lived in Boone long enough to call himself a local. He opened the doors to his business four years ago. Out of a home office he was able to publish successful maps and incentive based publications. By combining his background in both sales and marketing with a hard work ethic and entrepreneurial drive he grew the company to where it is today. Market Connection is responsible for this fine quarterly home magazine, an innovative idea that Chris thought of while renovating his home. The success of this magazine has spawned ideas of expanding into other areas that need a resource magazine like this one.
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Editor’s Notes Hi! Over the last six months, since we launched our inaugural High Country Home Resource Guide, a lot has changed. The magazine was received very well. Don’t get me wrong, but we felt there were many adjustments we could make to better the publication. We have changed our editorials to feature the best content, eliminating many of the “advertorials” and replacing them with articles by professional writers and editorials by expert service providers. Not to mention, the photography has increased in quality two fold. We have reorganized the magazine into five different sections: seasonal features, home resource guide, design profiles, green, and the marketplace. Now, not only can you read about the best tips and tidbits for your kitchen, bath, interior design, art, outdoor living, upkeep, and garage needs, you can also stay informed on home industry events or read about environmental issues in the home industry. You can get blown away by design profiles of the most amazing builders, homes, and communities in the High Country. And, you can also shop for both the products that make your home better, and if you’re in the market, a High Country dream home. In addition to the upgrades in print, we are currently constructing a new website at homeresourcecarolina.com and hope to include forums, directories, and more. Check in if you get a chance and contact us about what you think. All these changes were made with you in mind, and from the bottom of my heart, thanks and enjoy!
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Jon-Paul Grice is a graphic designer and editor from Southern Pines, NC. He graduated from Appalachian State University with a degree in journalism. After a two year beach break in San Diego, California, JonPaul has rejoined our team. As the graphic designer, his designs are classic and clean and sure to satisfy. But his most important characteristic is his ability to challenge the people around him. He is definitely an asset to this team.
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Our Staff In September 2008, Amy Smith arrived back in her hometown of Boone, NC after several years spent sunbathing and acting on the coast of North Carolina. Her return was exciting for us, as her talents are many. Her outgoing personality and service skills are much appreciated by all of the customers she serves. She is the marketing consultant for the High Country Home Magazine. We are saddened by her recent decision to return to the beach but excited as she will be starting a coastal magazine for us. Amy, you will be missed, but we will talk to you often, and see you soon! Lindsey Lanning is an Air Force veteran from Huntersville, North Carolina. He currently resides in Boone. He is a marketing consultant for the magazine but really is our “jack of all trades” as he fields the phones, organizes the spreadsheets, makes the coffee, fixes the printer, and performs so many other random tasks. His worth cannot be defined. This is his second term with the High Country Home Magazine, as he took hiatus for a few months, but we are truly grateful to have him back on our team.
photo by Adam
Adam Minton is a commercial photographer currently living in Western North Carolina. Adam specializes in architectural, product, event, and portrait photography. Adam got his start photographing live music over 6 years ago and continues to do so as one of the official photographers of Merle Fest, a world renown Americana music festival, and Taking Back The Streets, North Carolina’s only Christian Rock Festival. For more information about Adam, please visit www.AdamMintonPhoto.com.
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4 Publisher’s Letter / 6 Editor’s Notes / 8 Our Staff 14 Contributors / 166 Market Connection / 168 Index 174 Final Thoughts
Home Resource Departments
32
20 HOME RESOURCES
18
High Country Home Show
32
Kitchen List
20
Lions, Chickens, Alpacas! Oh My!
40
Bath Beginnings
Rite Of Spring
28
Events Calendar
29 The Declutter Diva’s
Ten Tips To Jumpstart Your Cleaning
48
How To Recover A Bar Stool
Spring Features
31
Home Resource Guide
93
Green Home
153 Escape Guide & Marketplace
44 Tatum Galleries Over 25 Years Of Business Under One Roof
54 A Better Way To View Your World 58
Investing In Original Art
64
High Country Art Galleries
66
Build Your Backyard Oasis
71
Make Your Garden Blossom
77
8 Flowers For Spring
78
Maximizing Space, Minimizing Clutter
82
Spring Greening: Eco-friendly Cleaning Tips
86
High Country Honda Where Customers Are Treated Like Friends and Employees Like Family
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16
105 Design Profiles
SPRING FEATURES
26
QUICK REFERENCE
MARKETPLACE 154 159 161 167 175
Escape Guide Hot Products Brokerage Corkboard Service Providers
HOT PRODUCTS 36 43 57 65 71
Kitchen Bath Rustic Furniture Art Outdoor Living At Tatum Galleries 91 Garage 103 Green
828.733-0141
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Design Profiles
107
114
Tynecastle Builders
Cover Story: Invited into Southern Living’s Custom Builders Program, Branches out into remodeling and responsible building.
122 New River Custom Builders Luxury Todd Home embraces attention to service and detail.
130 Douglas L. McGuire Construction Built with family values, Built without excuses or exceptions.
138 Carolina Timberworks
Planning a Remodel or addition? A photographic tour of 10 ways to add timber framing to your home.
Twin Rivers
Life on the Fly explores the exclusive gated community and its two magnificent streams.
Green Home
146
94
High Country Stone
Solid Investment: A photographic tour of their quality craftsmanship, customer satisfaction, and environmental conservation
98
Building Performance Engineering Scott Suddreth’s top three reasons to purchase a professional audit.
Headwaters
The mountain community that exceeds all expectations. 12 / homeresourcecarolina.com
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Contributors
Bernadette Cahill, who lives in Boone, is not only a writer but an awardwinning watercolorist and radio producer and host. She has written throughout her professional life for countless international publications. Since 2007 she has freelanced regularly for the High Country Press, the High Country Magazine and occasionally for The Blowing Rocket.
Randy Strombeck is the president of RCD Construction, Inc. He has 25 years of experience with the design and building of residential homes and renovations. His company’s projects also include commercial construction throughout the southeast. Randy has set a standard of excellence for his team of employees, subcontractors, and suppliers.
Judi Beck is a facilitator, art consultant and freelance writer living in the High Country. She’s been published in Pastel Artist International, Philanthropy International and the Inner Edge, as well as numerous regional publications. She and her husband, Kevin, were owners of the Upstairs Gallery in Blowing Rock.
Emily Easterling moved to North Carolina in 2007 to pursue the study of Chinese Medicine. Guided by a holistic viewpoint, she takes care to instill environmentally sound practices into her life as reflected in her current vocation as owner and operator of Nature’s Concept Cleaning Service.
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Leah Parks, an Associate NKBA Kitchen and Bath Designer, joined her family’s business, Distinctive Kitchens & Baths, in 2005.
Breton Frazier, the DeClutter Diva, lives in St. Augustine, Florida, and works privately with individual & corporate clients.
Wanda
Rhonda
Joan
Meet The Fabric Shoppe Ladies: Joan, Rhonda, and Wanda! Sisters, Rhonda Jarvis, a Miller’s Creek native and happily married mother, and Joan Bullings, a newlywed (Congrats!) and dental hygienist living in Winston Salem bought the Fabric Shoppe in Boone, NC last year. On their mother’s 78th birthday, Joan and Rhonda took her to the fabric shop, a place near to her heart. It just so happened that they began speaking with the current manager, Wanda McGee, and learned that it was for sale. A short time later, fulfilling a dream of theirs, they purchased the shop. Wanda, the bearer of great news, stayed as their manager, and the three women never looked back. They can help you with all your fabric needs and they are so knowledgeable. In this issue they teach you how to recover a bar stool!
Contributors Not Pictured: Richard Anderson retired from FedEx after 22 years service at various locations in the Southeastern US. He is currently the Office Manager at Window and Door Specialists in Foscoe. Richard also works with Campus Outreach at his church and produces church publications. The father of two grown sons enjoys time on his Harley as a stress reliever.
Photography in this issue Tynecastle Builders
Twin Rivers Doug McGuire Construction
Carolina Timberworks
Apple Hill Farm Headwaters
High Country Stone
All photos are either provided by sponsors of the magazine and/or their photographers, used with permission from the sponsors, or are the property of Market Connection and/or its photographers.
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High Country
HOME SHOW
Celebrates Landmark 15th Anniversary on May 15th and 16th, 2009
Heralded as one of the most resourceful events in the high country, the High Country Home and Remodeling Exposition ramps up for another exciting weekend. Sponsored by the High Country Home Builders Association, this event features every resource a homeowner could want or need. From décor to design, interior to exterior; If it’s home related, you’ll find it here. What started as a simple idea has grown into one of the most educational and exciting events on the mountain. A small exhibit for home owners that was initially held in the Watauga County National Guard Armory (15 yrs ago) has grown exponentially, and for the past nine years has been held in the Holmes Convocation Center. If expansion is the benchmark for success, then the mark has been achieved. There is simply no bigger or better forum for this event. The 15th annual Home Show will be held on Friday May 15th and Saturday May 16th. Doors will open Friday from 1pm to 8pm and again on Saturday from 9am to 5pm. Admission is free for the public. There will be hourly drawings for door prizes donated by
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local businesses. The always-popular ‘Nail Driving’ competition has returned again this year. Here locals compete to see who can drive 3 sixteen-penny nails the fastest. First Place overall will win one of the door prizes (last year it was a circular saw) and has bragging rights for a full year! If you’re competitive, this is your opportunity. Show up and DRIVE away! Spending a few hours looking around, asking questions, and enjoying yourself, is sure to work up an appetite. No worries though, you can take advantage of some awesome food catered by Bandanas and Chick-fil-A.
“The show will feature everything from the newest gadgets and trends to how to go green on a budget.”
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Although this event will definitely be fun and exciting, there’s much more offered here. The home show serves many purposes. First, this is simply the best place to get informed and educated on an array of building topics. Second, you get to meet those who can help you on your quest. With many Americans choosing to remodel what they currently have rather than build a new home, this is the place to be. “Upgrades seems to be the current trend,” says David Scott of David Scott Construction. But for either, you’ll find solutions and suggestions here. A vast array of knowledge and expertise will be amassed within the walls of the Holmes Convocation Center. Many years of experience, ideas on what to do and what NOT to do, is invaluable for those who seek home improvements. An assortment of seminars will be offered on a variety of home-related topics. Feel free to peruse the aisles in search of those that fit your needs. Let the professionals impart their knowledge and leave enlightened. Everything is here. Windows, doors, remodeling, landscaping, carpeting, decorating - - you name it, and it will be at the show. Exhibitors will demonstrate the latest in indoor and outdoor home design and renovation products. The show will feature everything from the newest gadgets and trends to how to go green on a budget. Green is a big theme at this year’s event. Exhibitors include builders, remodelers, landscapers and others displaying kitchens, baths, organizers, interior design, furniture, and financing services. Whether you choose to visit or just to see what’s going on -- because you have questions or concerns, or you like the seminars and demonstrations -- you’ll be supporting a good cause. Proceeds raised will go to Watauga High for scholarships for those who want to pursue a career building profession. With all this, and a good cause too, who’d want to miss such an event. Mark your calendars now to attend, and tell your friends and neighbors.
“Everything is here. Windows, doors, remodeling, landscaping, carpeting, decorating - - you name it, and it will be at the show.”
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Lions, chickens, alpacas! Oh my! Photos by Apple Hill Farms
A Kentucky girl turns an abandoned apple orchard into a showplace farm with a little help from the Animal Kingdom…
A timber frame barn is the focal point of the farm, housing horses, farm offices and The Apple Hill Farm Store.
O
wner Lee Rankin’s passion for animals is the guiding force behind Apple Hill Farm. It all started with a heartfelt prayer to create a life with her son on a mountaintop farm with horses, alpacas and chickens. In only seven years, the farm has grown to overflowing and is also home to goats, donkeys, dogs, llamas, barn cats and even an uninvited mountain lion. Rankin has created a showplace popular with locals and tourists alike for its friendly animals, educational tours and gorgeous views. Like many property owners in the area, Lee Rankin first fell in love with the Blue Ridge Mountains while visiting and later decided to relocate to the High Country. “Our move to the mountains was a total leap of faith. The only person we knew
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was a summer resident. I decided if we found a piece of property we couldn’t say ‘no’ to, we would know we were destined to be here. Our dream property would be over ten acres of farmable land with a mountaintop view and a house in move-in condition for living year round.” Within three weeks, working with a realtor, Rankin found a place that fit all the criteria. The property was over forty acres at the top of Valle Mountain with a contemporary-style house. Around 1960, the property had been completely cleared, terraced and planted in apple trees. Somewhere along the way trees and woods were allowed to grow up around the apple trees on most of the property and a large field was planted in Christmas trees. When Rankin purchased the property in the fall
Maw and Jack, the donkeys.
Mom and babe show off the nurturing side of the business.
of 2001, there were a few remaining acres of apple trees, a small barn, old apple roads through terraced woods around the property and a diseased patch of Christmas trees. The first year on Apple Hill Farm was a settling-in time of sorts for Rankin who was back and forth to Louisville, Kentucky, on business. Her goals were to add some landscaping around the house, build a chicken coop and clear the Christmas tree patch. Removing the Christmas trees ended up taking months because they had to be dug up by their roots, put into piles to dry out and then burned. The chicken coop went up in a matter of days, but it was fall, too late for young chicks to survive the winter. Rankin researched various breeds of chickens and chose the American Dominique which dates back to the 1800’s. The closest breeder of Dominques with mature birds for sale was in Ohio. “I went to visit a friend in Cincinnati and kidnapped her for the afternoon to go on a ‘chicken run’ an hour away. We loaded a rooster and five squawking hens into a large dog crate in the back of my SUV and off we went. My one and a half year old son Will added his voice to the clucking and crowing all the way back to North Carolina. It was a very long trip.” The spring of 2002 was the first
glimpse of the bulbs and spring plants that were already planted on the property. Rankin added a vegetable garden behind the chicken coop and began getting the old Christmas tree patch cleared of rocks and ready for planting grass. In May, the orchard bloomed and bees filled the apple trees with loud humming. That first year’s harvest included raspberries, blueberries, a host of vegetables and a bumper crop of apples which were donated to the Vale Country Fair, a local church apple festival. The second year at Apple Hill Farm began with plans to build the main
barn. Rankin wanted an old-style barn that would be beautiful as well as functional. Harmony Exchange, a timber frame manufacturer located in Boone, NC, was her first choice because of their close proximity and their high quality craftsmanship. Harmony Exchange designed the layout of the barn and milled the lumber for the timber frames. Designing the barn started from the inside and then flowed to the outside. “We began the design process with the functional aspects of the barn. On the first
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Alpacas laze and graze in the 48 year old apple orchard.
"Being around the animals in the fresh High Country air and the gorgeous mountain view is worth a second visit." floor I wanted four horse stalls, bathroom with shower, laundry room with dog wash and office. Upstairs I wanted a small one bedroom apartment and storage for feed and hay.� Rankin worked with the designer at the computer experimenting with room sizes and different layouts until they came up with the basic design. After the floor plan was established, Harmony Exchange worked with the exterior design of the barn adding an overhang in the front and other finishing touches. Once the plans were set, the computer drawings were downloaded to a Hundegger machine that converts building drawings to specific timber sizes and then cuts the Douglass Firs. Rankin and her son watched the Hundegger machine as it milled the honey colored timbers for the barn. The labeled timbers arrived with a crew of three men and a crane. It took them only four days to erect the structure and another week to set the insulated panels for the roof. After the structure was up, a local builder, Ron Darbo, came in to finish out the building of the barn. The next stages of the project were harvesting rock from the property to apply
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to the front of the barn and laying the cobblestone pavers for the floor. The finishing touch was landscaping around the barn using large rocks unearthed while digging the foundation. The result was a barn that is truly beautiful. It was fall by the time the barn was complete and the field above it was fenced and ready for grazing animals. The first to come were four alpacas: a female named Celeste with her baby Wild Card at her side, a pregnant alpaca called Frosty and two month old Millie, who needed to be bottle-fed. While the main barn was designed more for horses than alpacas, it was a perfect temporary home for them. The bathroom came in especially handy as a warm place to prepare and bottle-feed Millie. The beginning of the third year the property felt more like a farm with a barn, a garden, alpacas, a coop with egg-laying chickens and a golden retriever puppy. A small shelter with a windbreak was erected in a field for the alpacas on one side of the old apple orchard. Because an alpaca’s fiber can grow to a length of five inches before spring shearing, they prefer being outside. The shelter
featured a porch across the front, an open area, a room that was more protected from windy winter weather and a small feed storage room. The roof was reinforced to hold soil for plants to grow there. Spring of 2003 brought a new male alpaca named Mojo to join the herd and the alpacas spent most nights happily under the stars. A few weeks after shearing, Rankin came home around noon to a disaster. Celeste was lying in the driveway, the electric fencing around the alpaca field was in shambles and Wild Card was dead by the shelter. After searching for the other alpacas, she found Mojo and Frosty in the main barn and Millie by the wood line, all still alive but badly mauled. They had been attacked by what seemed to be a large, wild animal. Time stood still that afternoon as Rankin fought to save the animals in three different locations while waiting for a local vet to arrive. Celeste and Millie died with their heads in her lap. Mojo and Frosty could not stand but were still able to hold their long necks erect. As soon as the vet Dr. Lang arrived, the two were hooked up to IV fluids and their wounds dressed. Mojo and Frosty were later taken to the University of Tennessee Large Animal Hospital in Knoxville for more intensive treatment. Rankin visited the animals every few days, bringing fresh cut grass and apple limbs and spending hours in the stall with them. Frosty never stood again and died three weeks later. Mojo is still alive today.
“It was a horrible, heartbreaking experience. Losing Millie, our bottle-fed baby alpaca, was the hardest. She was almost like a child to me. As difficult as it was to carry on after that day, I gained even more love and respect for these unique animals.” The vicious attack put Rankin right in the middle of a long-standing controversy over whether or not mountain lions inhabit her area of the Blue Ridge Mountains. News of the assault spread quickly. Neighbors and other farmers called claiming they had seen cougars or panthers (mountain lions) in recent years. Rankin researched the scar pattern on Mojo and the distinguishing injuries of the other alpacas. She is certain the attack was from a mountain lion even though there is no positive proof. Rankin turned to alpaca breeders in the western United States where mountain lions are common for insight on how to protect her alpacas. Her plan to add llamas, goats and donkeys changed the direction of the farm. Llamas are similar to alpacas but much larger and are used for carrying small loads. Two llamas were brought in to live with the alpacas and act as their guardians. Paths ten feet wide were constructed around the alpaca fields for donkeys to patrol. Their loud brays sound an alarm and their scent is a strong deterrent to predators. Boer goats were put in a field on the other side of the property to serve as decoys and distraction. Rankin says, “I figured the mountain lions were here long before I was and that I wouldn’t be able to get rid of them.
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So I had to come up with ways to live with them and be mindful of their presence. I decided that when they got hungry enough, they’d be back. The smartest thing was to offer them something to eat instead of my prized alpacas. So far, they haven’t taken me up on the offer.” Reconfiguring the farm to protect the alpacas took an entire summer. Rankin had previously committed to buy Hannah, a pregnant horse her son was learning to ride at a nearby stable. So in the midst of all the reworking, rebuilding and new fencing, the farm took in its first horse. Meanwhile, Mojo and several new alpacas were being boarded by another breeder until Rankin felt sure it was safe to bring them to Apple Hill Farm. “I don’t know how we pulled if off, except with lots of hard work by a lot of people. We ended 2003 with seven alpacas, two llamas, two donkeys, two horses and four goats. Not only that, but we built additional shelter and fencing. Never in my wildest dreams would I have predicted adding donkeys, llamas and goats to the farm. Each animal has meant so much more than just protection for the alpacas. Today I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Since then, the farm has continued to grow in overall size and numbers of animals. In 2005 seven wooded
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acres were cleared for a large alpaca barn and a donkey barn. The four alpaca pastures were surrounded by a perimeter patrolled by five donkeys. While mountain lion foot prints have since been discovered on the farm, there have been no further attacks. The newest farm activity is agritourism. Special recreational and educational tours of Apple Hill Farm on weekends show visitors behind the scenes and allow them to enjoy the animals personally. For many, their visit harkens back to an earlier, more idyllic lifestyle that can be shared in an afternoon with their children and loved ones. Visitors say being around the animals in the fresh High Country air and the gorgeous mountain view is worth a second visit. Apple Hill Farm is open for Saturday afternoon tours at 2:00 p.m. from midMay to mid-October. (Reservations are suggested.) Private tours and group events are also available by appointment year round. The Apple Hill Farm Store offers a variety of items made from alpaca yarn, fresh produce and eggs, plants and garden gifts, cookbooks and local crafts. For more information visit www. applehillfarmnc.com or call 828-9631662.
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These public gardens are comprised of a bog garden, fern garden, rhododendron grove, rock garden, rock wishing well, and more
Rite Of Spring By Bernadette Cahill
Horn in the West has featured annually in Boone for well over fifty years: so long, that the name of one of the nation’s longest-running revolutionary war dramas substitutes locally for where it takes place. With even Boone’s unique Daniel Boone Amphitheater losing its identity to the play it hosts every summer, it’s not surprising there are more hidden gems at that location: not only the Hickory Ridge Homestead Museum, but the wonderful Daniel Boone Native Gardens. These gardens are right beside the smaller parking lot at 651 Horn in the West Drive. Or, for an approach to set the mood for the delights to come, the gardens are a short walk through the woods from the entrance to the amphitheater, reached from the big parking lot. The Daniel Boone Native Gardens contain an outstanding collection of native Appalachian trees, shrubs, and wildflowers. Hundreds of plant varieties provide a progression of blooms during the whole growing season. But it is early in the season, when the gardens first open up to the public for the year, that they are perhaps their
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most refreshing and worth a detour, if not an annual ritual. Then they are a joyous affirmation of life when Winter has finally admitted its cold, dead hand has lost its hold on the mountains and Spring has taken charge. The three-acre Daniel Boone Native Gardens opened in 1966 as a conservation effort to nurture rare or endangered Appalachian plant species. A project of the Garden Club of North Carolina, there is indeed more than one garden. There is a bog garden, fern garden, rhododendron grove, rock garden, a rock wishing well, a vine-covered arbor, several spectacular vistas, and a pond setting the rustic scene for the Squire Boone log cabin which links the gardens with local history. The wrought-iron entrance gates, made by a descendant of the great frontiersman, Daniel Boone, who hunted here, form another link. The gardens are a favorite spot for weddings and other events – and no wonder. The list of plants and blooms that turn the setting, with its mountain background, into living jewelry, is huge. In March and April color variety comes
from Virginia bluebells, redbuds, wild violets, bloodroot, cherry trees and countless other species. In May the list includes flaming azaleas, bleeding heart, wild irises and many more. With their abundance of native plants, the gardens are not only a place to wander, reflect and relax: they’re an education as well, somewhere to find out the glories of nature in this area as it was when the settlers first arrived and Daniel Boone settled down for the night in his cabin close by. The gardens are open daily from May 1 through October from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with extended hours during the season of Horn in the West from June to August. Admission is $2, ages 16 and up. Annual passes cost $10. Service animals are allowed. dbgardens@ danielboonegardens.org. Pictured: vine-covered arbor, pond alongside the historic Squire Boone Cabin
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Events Calendar
This time of the year in the High Country is beautiful. The trees that line our mountaintops begin to fill in with lush green colors, the rhododendrons start to bloom, and the mercury in the thermometer rises. But that’s not all. The social scene here in the High Country begins to blossom as well, giving you a chance to experience the unique culture we have to offer. Check out these events and enjoy!
April 2009 16-19 17 18-19 20-21 23 23-26
4th Annual Blue Ridge Wine Festival John McEuen Concert 7:30 pm Hayes Performing Arts Center, Blowing Rock Fire on the Rock Chef’s Challenge Hayes Bluegrass Competition. ASU Gospel Choir MerleFest
May 2009 8 16-17 16-18 16
A Southern Gospel Jubilee High Country Home Show (Holmes Convocation Center) Naturalists Weekend @ Grandfather Art in the Park (Blowing Rock)
June 2009 5-14 6 11-14 13 15-29 20-21 26-28 27 28
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Thomas the Tank & Tweetsie Railraod Shriners Parade Blowing Rock Charity Horse Show (Saddlebred) Art in the Park (BlowingRock) Monday Night Concert Series 62nd Rhododendron Festival (Roan Mountain State Park) Trade Days (Trade TN) Blood Sweat & Gears (Gods Country Century Challenge) 85th Annual Singing on the Mountain (Grandfather)
Ten T ips The
Declutter Diva’s
To Jumpstart Your Spring Cleaning
F
or thirty years I’ve been helping people clean out their closets, tackle stacks of paper in their offices and purge their garages. The thing I hear over and over again is, “It’s so overwhelming. I don’t know where to start.” So, take heart. Help is on the way. Spring is just around the corner and undertaking some of that clutter is a sure-fire way to lift your spirits. Remember, this is just a beginning. Don’t feel like you have to take on the world. And it doesn’t have to be perfect. Martha Stewart will never know.
1
Start small. Program yourself for success by undertaking a mini-task. What about tackling the junk drawer in the kitchen that has everything in it from a flashlight to the partly open bottle of Elmer’s glue that leaked all over the TV channel guide? The main thing is: choose something manageable.
2
Allow 20 minutes and get it done! Help keep yourself on task by setting the oven timer and only continue overtime if you can finish the job in another 10 minutes. You may even finish early and feel better still.
3
Whatever mini-task you choose, get it out in the open. Empty the contents on a surface so you can see it all at once.
4
Now move the waste basket right by you and start tossing everything you didn’t know was in there in the first place. If you haven’t used it in the last month or two, you probably don’t need it. Be ruthless. You may be surprised to discover that you’re beginning to enjoy this.
5
Go through item by item and ask yourself, “Is this where this should be?” If yes, put it aside to put back. If no, “Where does this particular thing belong? Where would I look for it if I needed it?” Decide and start a pile to go there.
6
Work through the items until you’ve got 2 piles: one to put back and one of things that go elsewhere. Grab a large plastic trash bag.
7
Pick up the things you want to move somewhere else. You may need to make several stops along the way. Put the items away where they belong. That’s the whole point.
8
Now, on your way back to your original decluttering site, imagine yourself on a scavenger hunt. Put everything in the garbage bag that you find that’s a trashy treasure. You’ll know it when you see it. Toss those old newspapers, that one gardening glove, the empty styrofoam coffee cup, the junk mail. All that flotsam and jetsam will never be missed.
9
Back at square one, neatly arrange the items you’ve chosen to keep in the space where you can see them at a quick glance. Would a small box or leftover container help organize the loose things? If it won’t all fit, ask yourself if there is anything else you could toss and do it.
10
Marvel at the neatness and order you’ve created. This will be a source of satisfaction to you whenever you open this drawer or come into this space again. And you did it in 20 minutes or less. The jumbled clutter in our lives drags us down and saps our energy. Happily, order creates clarity and energizes us. Email your organizing questions to: theDeClutterDiva@gmail.com Check this column next issue to read the answers. For more info visit: www.DeClutterDiva.vpweb.com
Breton Frazier, the DeClutter Diva, lives in St. Augustine, Florida, & works privately with individual & corporate clients.
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home resource
GUIDE
find what you are looking for
32
Kitchen 66
Outdoor Living
40
Bath
44
Interior Design 72
Landscaping
78
Upkeep
58
Art 86
Garage
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The Kitchen List by Leah Parks, AKBD, Distictive Kitchens & Baths
L
ove your home, Hate your kitchen? Have you been dreaming of remodeling your kitchen, but don’t know where to begin? Start by asking yourself the following questions and make a list of your likes and dislikes of your current kitchen.
1
Think about your kitchen space. Are you satisfied with the amount of countertop area, cabinet storage, and floor space? Pay attention to the location of your appliances. Do their locations provide adequate prep areas or do they leave you wanting more?
2
Pay attention to how traffic flows in your kitchen. Is there more than one cook in your household? Do the walkways in your work area feel cramped? Do you enjoy entertaining? If so, you may want to consider opening up the kitchen area to include other areas of your home.
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3
Study the efficiency of your current appliances. Do you have outdated appliances? Technological advances can save you money in the long run due to lower energy usage as well as less water consumption. This is also a plus for the environment. Look for Energy Star ratings.
4
What is the size of your family? If you have children, what are their ages? If your family is growing, you may want to focus on how your family uses your current kitchen’s space and if there are other activities that you might want to do there. Safety is another concern. Are there any “problem” areas that might be a hazard? If so, these should be addressed.
5
Think about the current layout or design of your kitchen. Maybe the current size no longer fits your needs? Have you thought about an addition to the home to make the kitchen bigger? Adding doors and/ or windows to the current space can change the feel of the space. Doors could provide access to that new deck you have always wanted to for outside entertaining. The addition of windows can make your kitchen brighter and more welcoming. Now that you have gathered your information, it is now time to seek professional advice. The National Kitchen and Bath Association recommends choosing a firm that has certified designers on staff. Certification provides consumers confidence that their designer’s professional skills have been independently evaluated and that they are committed to improving skills through ongoing education and professional development.
Thank you to Distinctive Kitchens and Baths for contributing these helpful kitchen tips. If you need more kitchen info stop by Distinctive Kitchens and Baths on Hwy 105 South in Boone or call 828-963-9633. Visit them online at www.boonekitchensandbaths.com
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Hot Products :: Kitchen Cuisinart Wine Cooler All these features: -6 Bottle countertop wine cooler -Ability to adjust temperature manually -Limited 3-year warranty -Thermo Electric cooling -8 presets for proper serving and storage temperatures Find at: The Country Gourmet 828-963-5269
Signature Diamond Seal Technology Water Efficient Pull-out Kitchen faucet This simple yet stylish look complements any kitchen... and gets the job done. Its elegant form combines with functionality you can depend on. It is a water efficient model with a pull-out spray wand that provides 38″ reach, maximizing that work space.
Find at: Design On Tap 828-265-0505
.. Wusthof Knives Wusthof Trident Classic Knives are the cooking enthusiasts best friend. They are available in an incredible array of handle and blade sizes to match any skill and performance level. Owning just one may not be enough. Find at: The Country Gourmet 828-963-5269
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Bath Beginnings by Dave Parks, Distinctive Kitchens & Baths
Need to remodel your bathroom but don’t know where to begin? It may seem like the list of “things to do” is endless, but don’t worry, just follow the steps below and take our advice. You’ll be on your way in no time.
1
Decide what you want. What is the main purpose of remodeling your bathroom? Do you want to add extra space, upgrade the bathroom cabinets or fixtures, make changes for health reasons, or just create your own private spa? What are your options? Is there room to expand or
is there enough room to redesign using the existing floor space? What are your priorities? Figure out what you want to change the most; and what can you keep or just update. Consider short-term and long-term implications of your renovation decisions. How long do you plan to live in this house; and will your choices increase/ decrease the home’s resale value?
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2
Collect ideas and information. Read magazines and books to get an idea of the look you want in your new bathroom. Visit www. boonekitchensandbaths.com to view real bath projects. Make a clip book of all the pictures and ideas that represent your taste and style. Watch related television shows and record episodes you particularly like.
3 4
Determine your budget. Establish your priorities and determine where to best spend your money. What’s the total amount you are willing to spend? How much can/are you willing to borrow?
DON’T do the project yourself. A specialized kitchen and bath designer should be brought in to figure out logistics, suggest proper materials and create a functional and cost efficient room that specifically reflects your taste, style and personality. They will co-ordinate all the other members of your remodeling team such as contractors, plumbers, electricians and tile setters.
5
DO pick a qualified NKBA (National Kitchen and Bath Association) professional. Make sure they are qualified and ask for references and to see their portfolio. Pick the designer that most meets your taste and style. You should never be persuaded to do anything you don’t like or that is beyond your budget. A good designer will work closely with you until your dream bathroom is a reality.
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If you need more bath info stop by Distinctive Kitchens and Baths on Hwy 105 South in Boone or call 828-963-9633. Visit them online at www.boonekitchensandbaths.com
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Hot Products :: Bath Aquatic Millenium Series Spas Your journey to the world’s greatest spas begins and ends right here in your own home. Experience the celebrity treatment through the Millenium Series — Aquatic’s most glamorous collection of roomy two-person whirlpool baths. Find at: Design On Tap 828-265-0505
Custom Bark Furniture Beautiful bark vanity built locally in the High Country Custom built at: Custom Mica & Wood 828-963-4109
Delta Dryden Bath Collection The clean lines and geometric forms of the Dryden™ Collection are based on style cues of the Art Deco period. They offer a simple, yet sophisticated design that, when combined with multiple finish options, create style and flexibility allowing the line to be at home in settings from old-world to arts and crafts to modern. Find at: Design On Tap 828-265-0505 High Country Home Magazine / 25
Tatum Galleries Over 25 Years of Business Under One Expanding Roof
I
t all started in 1984 when Steve and Sally Tatum built a 600 sq ft showroom with a small workshop to build and showcase Steve’s hand-made furniture. With hard work, talent and incredible service, the business has expanded into a store of over 6,000 sq ft. Tatum Galleries offers everything from custom furniture, interior design, home accessories and gifts to an educated staff. But what’s our secret to success? Service! As soon as a customer enters the store, it can be an overwhelming experience with many decorating possibilities. Our staff is trained to help our customers with their specific needs, if its furniture they are looking for or a certain lamp to go on their dining room’s sideboard. We are there to make that search easy and a pleasurable experience. We love to gather details for their projects and
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provide ideas they may have never thought to use. At Tatum Galleries, everyday is new and exciting. One day we might be filling a log cabin with our rustic barnwood furniture made from old wood and the next day we may be helping someone redecorate their mantle and coffee table with a traditional or cottage look. “We love for customers to come in with a challenge”, says Tracy Moore, one of our talented sales persons. Unlike many furniture stores, we sell stock from our floor. Combine that fact with daily arrivals, it makes for an ever changing, always fresh shopping experience. “But our service is what keeps them coming back.” Tatum Galleries encourages their customers to take items out on approval and “test-drive” them for a perfect fit. It’s a great way for our customer to feel totally confident with their purchase. We want everyone to a have a wonderful buying
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experience. Along with home accessories and handmade furniture, Tatum Galleries has a full Interior Design Department. Projects range from a single window treatment to an entire home or office. With 25 years experience, there is no job too big or too small. Though a large portion of our business caters to second homeowners in the High Country, we also travel to design and decorate homes in larger cities and coastal areas as well, and we love to see our local friends visit the store. Sally estimates that 75 percent of Tatum Galleries and Interiors business comes from repeat customers, no matter where they come from. Sally feels her greatest business secret is friendliness, service and rapport with clients. Along with the many responsibilities of the store Steve and Sally have also ventured into grape growing. The couple has planted over 1,000 grapevines on two acres of their property which is a total commitment of pruning, spraying, nurturing and respect for Mother Nature. Who knows where the grape business will take them, but I’m sure they have many secrets up their sleeve. Everyone at Tatum Galleries wants to thank our customers who have made our business fun and successful all these years. Our secret is in the service, but we couldn’t do it without the wonderful customers who grace our door.
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Top Left: Leather upholstery adds a rich warmth to any mountain interior space. The variety of leather and large selection of lamps and accessories at Tatum Galleries will help create the perfect ambiance. Above: The strategic placement of a piece of painted furniture can serve as an excellent contrast to stained finishes and when paired with just the right artwork, can create a stunning focal point.
“Our service is what keeps them coming back.”
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How to...
Recover A Bar Stool A simple recover can alter the entire identity of a piece of furniture. Joan Bullings and Rhonda Jarvis, sisters and co-owners of the Fabric Shoppe, along with their manager and friend, Wanda, show us how the experts recover furniture, in particular, a bar stool. Just follow the twelve easy steps and give your piece a new look.
1 Start by flipping over the chair to expose the base.
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2
3
Find the screws and remove base with a screwdriver or drill with screwdriver attachment.
Once the screws are removed and the base is detached, remove staples with the head of the screw driver.
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4
Get your supplies ready. In addition to the aforementioned screwdriver, you will need a fabric staple gun, hammer, and scissors.
5
Choose your fabric and pattern, and give it a test wrap to see if it will meet your needs.
7
6
Place fabric on a flat surface, pattern down, and cut out fabric 3 to 4 inches around the entire rim of the seat.
8
Pull tightly on fabric on the opposite side of your initial fold and staple.
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Start the fold over on the flat side of the seat cushion and apply a staple with your staple gun.
9
Make your first fold in one corner, pull in tightly, and staple with staple gun
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10
Yay! you’re finished And when all twelve steps are done, enjoy both your sense of accomplishment and your final product for years to come!!!
Work your way around the rim of the seat folding and pulling in, and finish each with staples.
11
Trim back excess material and tap in all staples gently with hammer to secure.
12 Put base back onto the seat cushion with initial screws and screwdriver.
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If you have any questions about this How to... please contact Joan, Rhonda, or Wanda at the Fabric Shoppe at the Shops At Shadowline in Boone, NC. You can also check out their website at www. fabricshoppeusa.com or call them at (828) 355-9153
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Beautiful Windows by Hurd
A better way to view your world
by Richard Anderson, Window & Door Specialists
W
indow and Door Specialists in Foscoe is the High Country’s only full-service supplier solely committed to that niche within the building supply community. With a staff of four, they have a combined total of over 70 years in the construction industry. They have the experience with this unique environment to meet all code requirements while fulfilling your design needs. Their primary window and door suppliers are Hurd and Atrium, two companies with a track record of producing quality products. Brothers William and Harry Hurd started their business to manufacture cheese boxes for the dairy industry in Wisconsin. By 1919, they had shifted their focus to windows and other millwork products. During the great depression, Hurd suffered a fire which destroyed six out of 11 buildings. A fire in 1949 was nearly as bad. The company rebuilt and retooled with the technology that set the stage for rapid growth. With 800 train cars & 25,000,000 feet of lumber per year by 1957, Hurd was flourishing. When Harry retired in 1965 after 46 years in the millwork business, Hurd was widely recognized for its fine craftsmanship in the millwork business. Hurd began manufacturing wood patio doors and later added a full line of aluminum clad wood windows. Hurd introduced the glass technology that offered energy efficiency as well as UV block and noise reduction. In 1998 they developed a system that enables glass variation for each room according to its exposure to the elements. In 2005, they introduced products with coastal inpact glass and soon after that, the first clear glass
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treatment with 99.9% UV protection. The new Millennium has provided both challenges and opportunities. Hurd is now a global supplier of superior quality window and door products. As America has faced the challenges of difficult economic realities, Hurd has responded with reorganization and outside investment to weather this business climate as robustly as their windows and doors can stand up to Mother Nature. Founded in 1948, Atrium has an uncontested reputation for quality, selection and service with an interdependent balance between the responsibility to customers and employees. In the past decade, Atrium has grown from approximately 1,000 employees serving the Southwest markets, to over 7,000 employees in 80 manufacturing and distribution centers in 23 states. Today, Atrium is the largest manufacturer of vinyl and aluminum windows and patio doors in North America. Diverse product lines are available in a broad range of styles and price points to meet the needs and preferences of diverse customers. Your Atrium windows are manufactured in North Carolina providing jobs to our area while keeping lead times short and costs low.
“They have the experience with this unique environment to meet all code requirements while fulfilling your design needs.”
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Hot Products :: Rustic Furniture
Pinecone X Sconce
Bear Switch Plate
Fisherman Cabinet
Fireside Bunk Beds
Fireside Vanity
Colorado Shed Floor Lamp Find these rustic products at Wolf Creek Traders. Call 828-963-6800 for more details. High Country Home Magazine / 25
Investing in
Original
AC
ase
for
Em
otio
n al
Inv esti ng
Art by Judi Beck
No news here. We’re living through a period when we’re scrutinizing our investment choices more thoroughly. Our buying decisions – anywhere from the daily cappuccino to the upgrade in residence – are being reconsidered, delayed or discontinued altogether. Regardless of the degree to which we are affected, it’s a wake-up call for accountability of our daily decisions, their subtleties and consequences.
I have been involved in the business and/or creation of art for 35 years – the exact period of my marriage. My husband is an artist and more recently we have owned and operated an art gallery. For our current purpose, suffice to say that – after 35 years of collecting and helping others to collect art - I’ve discovered that purchases made in tougher economic times are often stronger investments because they tend to feed our spirit for a lifetime. Furthermore, the more “grounded” we are in our choice of art, the more resilient its value. This is my thesis for what follows. The term “grounded” can be applied in two poignant ways. First, if you are a collector of original artwork, it is highly unlikely that the creation of that piece - or your acquisition of it - contributed to the global financial or
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environmental crisis. For, in all likelihood, it was crafted from mostly organic, renewable resources - think of clay, wood, pigment, paper – and by the nonpolluting human hand. In his book, News From Nowhere, William Morris, a Victorian poet, painter, and political philosopher made his case for a balanced economic order – generated through the restoration of taste. EG. In Nowhere, people were schooled to value the quality not quantity of goods – thus aesthetics was the context of economic life. Morris avowed that this “handicraft school of excellence” - hand crafting goods rather than mass production - would be of ultimate benefit to the soul as well as the body. I couldn’t agree more. It comes as no surprise, then, that our home is filled with art of all kinds. So in preparation for this piece, I decided to review our own collection. What has endured? What still warms my heart? What do I keep but regularly overlook? My Victorian forefather wouldn’t be surprised at what insights I unearthed. From them, I offer the second dimension of a grounded art investment – the care and feeding of the soul. So, chronologically I offer brief descriptions of a few of our most treasured arts & crafts – and why their value endures.
The Charcoal Sketches As a wedding gift we received two perfectly lovely Colonial pewter candlesticks. They were the first to be exchanged. In their place we chose three small, framed charcoal sketches by the artist, Vel Miller. They depicted: the backside of a pony tailed female nude, the bust and face of a young bearded man, and the portrait of a wise old bearded man. They looked exactly like us – present and future. We still hang them prominently where ever we go. In fact, I recently researched and contacted the artist for the first time. To my delight – 35 years later - she responded! The Urn I admit – we have a thing for nudes. Perhaps it goes with the territory of remaining childless. Anyway, around 1980 we splurged on this perfectly exquisite earthenware urn from the Ann Arbor Art Festival. At about 18 inches tall, its main feature is the intertwining of a naked man and woman – with prominent interlocking hands - wrapped sensually around the circumference of the piece. Sadly, one of their feet was severed in our last move. I glued it back and it remains one of our most prized possessions. I wouldn’t dream of discarding it. Albert Handell Paintings An exquisite artist – Albert Handell, mentored my husband, Kevin. Around the mid 1980’s when Kevin was pursuing an eventual full-time career in art and receiving regular instruction from Albert, we acquired two of Albert’s pieces – an oil and a pastel. While in economic terms, these may be our most valuable investments; their value goes far beyond. Rather, we cherish them not only for their beauty, but also for the loving kindness and selfless instruction that Albert offered Kevin over the years. This, as they say, was priceless.
“The common denominator is likely obvious by now. When we purchased with heart, we invested more wisely. When we purchased with just cash, we were less so.”
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Letting Go Over our bed is a large framed giclee reproduction. It’s a very simplified image of a bearded fisherman cradling a large fish in his arms. No real background or foreground. I was attracted to the image when I saw it in a gallery in New Smyrna Beach, Florida but wasn’t inclined to purchase – that is until I heard the title. At the time of purchase, Kevin and I were transitioning from stable positions of fulltime employment to the less certain prospects of selfemployment. The title “Letting Go” summarized our subsequent feelings of excitement and insecurity. It’s meaning has evolved for us over the years. In its current location, it means letting go of the days events and getting a good night’s rest! The Talking Stick In 2001, Kevin and I took a two-month painting and writing sabbatical to New Zealand. While there we immersed ourselves in the local culture and land. Around the curve from one of our rentals was a Maori village – called a Mari in the aboriginal language. We had the good fortune of becoming acquainted with a Maori wood carver, Jason. It was a no-brainer to acquire one of his creations – a beautifully crafted talking stick – for Kevin’s 50th birthday, which fell midway through our residency. We brought back a very real reminder of the New Zealand landscape we grew to love. Kevin Beck Paintings I’m married to an exquisite plein air painter. As such, we’re frequently asked, “how can you let go of your art?” And the answer is, sometimes we don’t. Our collection falls generally into two categories: those that have received acclaim through competition or publication; and those whose meaning is singular to us. Remarkably, those paintings – of our travels and places we’ve lived - likely would be the last to sell anyhow! But we love them because they’re rooted in our personal sense of place. They make us feel grounded in who we are and how we’ve gotten here.
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In reviewing this history, I’ve realized that the artwork we cherish most is often associated with susceptible periods in our marriage when we were feeling closer to our core. The artwork I’ve failed to mention was acquired during periods of greater stability. Though these were often more expensive, I find now that we attached less meaning to them. The common denominator is likely obvious by now. When we purchased with heart, we invested more wisely. When we purchased with just cash, we were less so. So if you’re looking for a formula for investing in art, I can’t provide anything foolproof. But, from experience, I humbly offer these questions for your consideration. Of the artwork you’re considering:
“Those paintings – of our travels and places we’ve lived...make us feel grounded in who we are and how we’ve gotten here.”
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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
Does it complement my sense of self? Do I relate to the message it conveys? Am I proud of the artist who created it? Am I paying appropriately for the status and reputation of the artist? Can I see myself living with this piece for a long time? Will it complement my sense of place? Does it generate a positive feeling? Does it make my heart sing?
If the response to many of these questions is positive, rest assured that your art investment is likely sound – at any time. Copyright, Judi Beck, 2009
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The High Country’s Art Galleries ACORN GALLERY 103 Long Street West Jefferson, NC 28694 336-246-3388 acorngallery.com
BROOMFIELDS GALLERY 414 E. Second St. West Jefferson, NC 28694 336-846-4141 broomfieldsgallery.com
NEIL’S GALLERY 1179 Main Street, Pavilion 1 Blowing Rock, NC 28605 877-430-4029 neilsgallery.com
ALTA VISTA GALLERY 2839 Broadstone Road Valle Crucis, NC 28691 828-963-5247 altavistagallery.com
CARLTON GALLERY 10360 Hwy 105 South Banner Elk, NC 28604 828-963-4288 carltonartgallery.com
ORIGINALS ONLY GALLERY 3-B N. Jefferson Ave. West Jefferson, NC 28694 336-846-1636 originalsonlygallery.com
ASHE ARTS CENTER 303 School Avenue West Jefferson, NC 28694 336-846-2787 ashecountyarts.org
CROSSNORE WEAVERS AND GALLERY 100 Dar Drive Crossnore, NC 28616 828-733-4660 crossnoreweavers.org
ROCK GALLERIES OF FINE ART 1153 Main St. Blowing Rock, NC 28605 828-295-9752 thomaskinkadeasheville.com
BECK & BECK STUDIO & GALLERY 1590 Shulls Mill Road Blowing Rock, NC 28605 828-963-1181 kevinbeck.com BLOWING ROCK FRAMEWORKS & GALLERY 539 Valley Blvd. Blowing Rock, NC 28605 828-295-0041 blowingrockgalleries.com BOB TIMBERLAKE GALLERY AT BLOWING ROCK 946 Main Street Blowing Rock, NC 28605 828-295-4855 bobtimberlake.com BOHEMIA GALLERY 106 N. Jefferson Avenue West Jefferson, NC 28694 336-846-1498 www.bohemianc.com
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DOE RIDGE POTTERY 585 D West King Street Boone, NC 28607 828-264-1127 doeridgepottery.com IAGO 1165 Main Street Blowing Rock, NC 28605 828-295-0033 iagoblowingrock.com LOOKING GLASS GALLERY 425 W. King Street Boone, NC 28607 828-268-1191 MAIN STREET GALLERY 960 Main Street Blowing Rock, NC 28605 828-295-7839 blowingrockfinecrafts.com MORNING STAR GALLERY 257 Sunset Drive Blowing Rock, NC 28605 828-295-6991
R T MORGAN ART & GLASS BY CAMILLE 120 N Jefferson Avenue West Jefferson, NC 28640 336-246-3328 rtmorganartgallery.com TRADITIONS POTTERY 1098 Main Street Martin House Blowing Rock, NC 28605 828-295-5099 traditionspottery.com TURCHIN CENTER FOR THE VISUAL ARTS King St. in Boone, NC 828-262-3017 828-262-7546 turchincenter.org WILLINGHAM GALLERY 2396 Little Peak Creek Rd. Jefferson, NC 28640 336-982-3355 willinghamart.com
Hot Products :: Art Summer Hummer hummingbird on feeder Photo by Park Terrell Park Terrell Photography 828.264-2424
Stone Bridge Fall Colors surround two walkers. Bass Lake, Blowing Rock, NC Photo by Park Terrell Park Terrell Photography 828.264-2424
“LeConte” by Kevin Beck Oil - 36x36 $3800 unframed, $4500 framed. 828-963-1181
“Mountain Pastoral” by Kevin Beck Pastel - 26x39 $3900 unframed $4700 framed 828-963-1181
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Build your backyard oasis by Chanda Schwartz
Having a personal retreat in your home remains one of the most convenient locations to unwind, and the outdoors is an easy place to create it. A backyard oasis where you can relax and entertain can be simple or grand, blending many elements such as lighting, greenery, fences, gazebos, pavement and overhead structures in concert with a focal point such as a hot tub. Planning your backyard oasis is the first step to creating the perfect retreat and watching your design come together can be a very rewarding experience. You don’t need to be an expert to execute a simple project. “Many homeowners forget that they can start small and build their dream backyard over the years. Having a plan and blending elements to reflect your own unique style and how you live are critical to the success of the project,” said Chanda Schwartz (Manager, Superior Spas “Your Backyard Specialist”) When planning and designing your backyard oasis, start by sketching out a long-term plan on graph paper. Think about all of the elements that you would want to include some day. Be sure to account for any outdoor lighting and electrical, sprinklers and an overhead structure to protect you and your guests from the elements. It’s best to map out anything that needs to be underground before launching. Here are some suggestions that will help you tackle specific areas.
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The Hot Tub: Start with the hot tub, since it will dictate how you want to use your available space and the environment around it. “Choose your tub based on the number of people it will need to accommodate and the features it offers. For example, do you want a spa that fits two people comfortably or six,” recommends Mrs. Schwartz. Consider ways to create a semi-custom look but don’t be intimidated because installation is fairly basic. Fill your self-contained hot tub with a simple garden hose, no plumbing is needed. Reputable hot tub retailers can provide additional details.
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Deck or Patio?: Some homeowners like spas that are surrounded by a symmetrical or free-form deck. This deck provides not only a frame for the spa, but also a safe walkway around its edge. A good decking should harmonize with other materials used in the backyard and should feel comfortable under your feet. In addition, the deck surface should not be slippery. Patios made of brick, block, natural stone, pavers or concrete provide a low maintenance option. If you have an existing concrete patio that you want to freshen up, you may be able to lay tile overtop or add a brick ribbon accent for a smaller budget. Plants: Don’t forget that plants are a key ingredient to the backyard oasis providing textures, shapes and color for a naturally peaceful environment. Decorative plants can set the tone while trees and bushes can provide privacy or even fill in odd angles and spaces. In some settings, you may want to consider hedges that block unwanted views and discourage trespassing. Plants should be chosen keeping in mind their function and their suitability to the climate zone. If you use your hot tub in the winter, select evergreen plant varieties for year-round privacy. Lighting: Light is an element that’s often overlooked, yet it has the power to impact your mood and provide safety. Lighting can dramatically alter your backyard oasis when night falls, highlighting your landscaping and architectural features or simply creating a warm glow all around. Before you create a final lighting plan, it’s helpful to experiment. You can use inexpensive clamp-on and stake lights as well as different kinds of bulbs to find the perfect scheme.
Hot tubs, like the Jacuzzi J-400 Collection, offer multi-color lighted water features plus interior and exterior, energyefficient LED lighting. Contemporary models include lighting which can be set to one color or programmed to automatically cycle through an array of colors to fit any mood. Creating your own backyard oasis should be a labor of love. When it’s time to relax, the investment will seem well worth the effort. For more information and advice on backyard retreats, visit Superior Spas “Your Backyard Specialist”, 4816 Hwy 105 South, Boone (828-963-6624 or go online to www.superior-spas.com for photos of inspiring backyard projects.
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Hot Products :: Outdoor Living At Tatum Galleries
RUSTIC EARTH TABLE This Summer Classics’ table top from Tatum Galleries is called Rustic Earth. Each Rustic Earth table top is handmade out of high density concrete. Each top is unique and one of a kind. The beautiful color of the patina changes with every piece.
WEATHERED COPPER TABLE Weathered copper table top enhances your outdoor living space. Each table top has a patina that is unique and changes with age.
ST. LUCIA TABLE This beautiful table top is available in a variety of sizes from 24” to 60” round and 48” X 84” oval. Find all these products and much more at Tatum Galleries. Stop by their store on 105 South in Banner Elk or call at 828-963-6466
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Make your garden blossom
with these 10 easy-to-follow Spring landscaping tips. Spring is indeed a wonderful time of year for landscaping and gardening. While you are out in your yard pruning, shoveling, tilling, fertilizing, and planting, take in all Mother Nature has to offer. Try to enjoy the work she has already done, such as smelling the scent of apple blossoms and gorgeous cherry blossoms. This will make your work that much more enjoyable, and you’ll be rewarded the rest of the growing season for the labor you put in during the spring. 1. Start inside, before you work outside Before beginning any project you need a plan of action. Ask yourself (on paper) a lot of questions before you start your landscaping project. What do I want to accomplish with this landscape? What is my favorite garden use? What is my favorite garden mood? What is my favorite garden feature? By asking these questions and putting them on paper you can set goals for your landscape project. 2. Clean Up and Clean Out! Take an afternoon and clean out any dead foliage and/ or tree branches from your lawn and garden beds. As we all know, The High Country experiences some harsh winters and the storms can leave branches, leaves and other tree debris. 3. Weed Watch After you have cleared all your winter debris, you must take out the weeds. Start by cleaning any existing weeds out of your flower beds and check your lawn for any weed growth. Once you are weed free- you should plan on spending 10-15 minutes a few times a week to keep new weed growth out of your gardens.
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4. Fertilize The best way to help your grass, shrubs and flowers thrive through spring, is by fertilizing. For your lawn, you have an array of options available including turf builder and organic weed killers. The same goes for flower beds and shrubs. Keep in mind, if you plan on growing your herbs and/or vegetables that you will use for cooking, you may want to consider an organic fertilizer, completely free of pesticides. 5. Enjoy your yard outside, as well as inside Design the garden to be viewed from the inside as well as the outside. Grow a diverse group of plants including plants that tend to give 3 to 4 seasons of interest. This will give you something to enjoy year round from your vantage point whether inside or outside the home.
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6. Think Long Term
10. The Perfect Spring Flowers for Planting
Do your homework before planting. Consider the eventual plant size. Don’t put a plant within 2 feet of another that will eventually grow to 5 feet. Take the mature estimated size of both plants and divide by 2. This will give you proper spacing for your planting. If you don’t, soon you’ll be moving or pruning one or both of the plants!
• Roses are an ideal candidate for early spring planting. Planting roses early allows them the ability to establish sound root development prior to the onset of winter. Plus, the earlier you plant roses, the more diverse you will find the selection. • Astrenia comes in many varieties and colors and are a great addition to any butterfly inviting garden. The astrenia has a long flowering period lasting from June to September. • Anemone is a bright bold option and is yet another flower best planted in the early spring. However, though its flowers are remarkable they have a limited flowering period as they only produce flowers from February to May. • Last but not least, the best flowers to plant in early spring by far are from the lily family. Lilies are very diverse and offer many different choices. Day lilies, tiger lilies, calla lilies, as well as Asiatic and oriental varieties of lilies are suitable for planting in early spring. Not to mention, they are easy to maintain in any weather.
7. Add Water to Accent Your Yard The difference in okay landscaping and great landscaping, is focal points. One of the hottest trends is to use water features as your main focal point. This trend is here to stay, considering it has sound reasoning behind it: water features are not only good on the eyes, but also emit soothing sounds. They can also be quite affordable by using pre-formed rigid plastic liners, durable pumps, flexible tubing and inexpensive fountains. They are also easier to install than you would think! 8. Incorporate Hardscape Into Your Landscaping Design Don’t restrict your do-it-yourself landscaping to just plants. Include Hardscape features as well. Walls and fences make an essential design statement, as they frame your property. Homes with fences, rock structures, and even sculptures stand out more to spectators. Decks and patios are a wonderful transition from indoors to outdoors, while also adding value to your home and yard. 9. Diversity is Key Avoid what the experts call monoculture. Too much of one thing can be redundant. Diversity is important in the landscape, for more than just looks. If you plant too much of one type of plant and a problem crops up like an insect or disease, it will spread like wildfire without a proper amount of diversity in your yard.
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Hot Products :: Spring Flowers Our top 8 picks for flowers you should have in your garden this Spring!
1. Purple Hydrangea
2. Dutch Iris
3. Pansy
4. Poppy
5. Tiger Lily
6. Columbine
7. Hyacinth
8. Grecian Windflower High Country Home Magazine / 25
Maximizing Space,
Minimizing Clutter by Amy Smith, photos contributed by Rams Rack Thrift Shop, in Boone, NC
It’s that time of year again, when we say goodbye to Old Man Winter and hello to the Easter Bunny. Time to pack away our scarves and gloves and pull out our short sleeve shirts, shorts, dresses, and pastels we’ve been dying to wear during the long tedious winter months of being cooped up in the house with snow and slush piling up outside. But, with the welcoming change of seasons also comes the need to spring clean. Out with the old; in with the new. Instead of procrastinating, embrace the task. With Christmas having come and gone, most of us realize we have too much clutter and unusable stuff: the Monopoly game with missing pieces, the Walkman, now replaced by the most current of Ipod Nanos, the clothes that haven’t seen the light of days for months maybe years, and the typical junk we’ve collected over 365 days. It’s time to turn our house of clutter into a home of refuge. The first step in this process is organization. There are three main categories everything can be broken down into: needs, don’t need, don’t use, but kept for the memories. After sorting everything out into its appropriate category, now we must find the proper place to store it. Obviously, the things you chose to keep and use on a regular basis should be kept handy; hence the name “sock drawer”. However, the unused baby blankets that still are draped across our child’s bed should be packed away for safe keeping and future generations. And, if your home lacks storage space, you can rent a mini storage facility for a relatively inexpensive price that in the long run pays for itself. If you just don’t have the patience to thrift through everything, remember one man’s junk is another man’s treasure, so consider the following:
Have a Garage/Yard Sale
-The kids and you can turn this opportunity into a family event...a craft project making flyers and posters. -Meet your neighbors instead of referring to them as “the house with the barking dog,” and make it a neighborhood yard sale. -Enjoy the wonderful spring weather and get away from the TV you’ve been glued to all winter. -Make money from stuff you might have merely thrown away! Unexpected cash can be used for all sorts of fun and yes, needful things too.
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Rams Rack in Boone accepts unwanted items so they can be purchased again and reused. The money from these sales goes to charity.
Donate your unwanted items to Charity & Reap The Benefits - Local Organizations such as the Hebron Colony will resell your old belongings to the public and use the profit to fund charitable organizations. - If you are too busy or just don’t want to mess with having a garage/yard sale, then this is the perfect option for you. Just drop your unwanted items off, bask in the warm-fuzzies and give yourself a pat on the back. You’ve done a good deed that will come back to you one day. And take notice, donations can also be used as tax write offs. In times like these, every little bit helps. Whichever you choose to do, at least know you can rest easy. You have officially taken the first steps to getting rid of some clutter, taken back your home, and making it into a place of serenity. Enjoy this time of accomplishment, and relax--at least until this time next year!
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Spring Greening Eco-Friendly Cleaning Tips
blinds, clean carpets and upholstered furniture, move and clean under furniture, clean light fixtures/fans/ light switches.
by Emily Easterling, Nature’s Concepts
“In
like a lion, out like a lamb.” The terrible and timid balancing act of Spring can be reflected as well in the task of “Spring Cleaning.” As daunting as it might seem, practical planning, proper gear, green cleaning products, and these specific tips will help make the coming out of hibernation much smoother. Spring cleaning involves really striking those cobwebs down from rafters, clearing out the clutter, and making your home a refreshed retreat. The harsh chemicals found in most cleaners are volatile and end up in the air and on your furniture. If you care about the quality of the air you breathe and the health of your environment, non-toxic and environmentally friendly cleaning solutions are the way to go. WHAT TO DO in addition to the normal dusting/mopping/vacuuming routine: Throughout the home: shake off throw rugs outside then vacuum or launder, wash walls and woodwork, wash drapes, clean closets, wash windows/ screen doors/storm windows, clean
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Kitchen: clean cupboards/shelves, throw away out-dated food, clean the refrigerator inside/outside, pull refrigerator out and clean behind, clean drip pans on range, clean the oven. Bedrooms: clean out closets, wash or dryclean blankets and bedspreads.
bottle on the loop—try to always put the spray bottle back on the loop so that you don’t have to go looking for it! GREEN CLEANING SOLUTIONS: All you really need to effectively clean is white vinegar, water, baking soda and, of course, elbow grease!
GET GEARED UP:
All purpose: Mix 1 part vinegar to 4 parts water * add drops of your favorite essential oil
Having the right tools at your fingertips will help things go much faster. Here’s what you need.
Cleaning abrasive: Make a paste using baking soda and water, scrub on with brush/sponge, wipe off.
Microfiber cloths: can be used without any cleaning chemicals carry-all tray: put all cleaning products (spray green cleaning solutions, cloths, sponges, bristle brushes, etc.) in the tray and carry with you from room to room.
5 TIPS to a Greener Clean:
Razor/scraper: gets caked on messes off in a snap (tip: hold razor/scraper at an angle). Old toothbrush: for around the faucets/sinks, tile grout, any hard to reach spot. Small whiskbrush with dustpan: make sure it fits in the tray it will likely come in handy. Apron with pockets/loops: put cleaning cloths, old toothbrushes, and razor/scraper in pockets and hook the handle of your cleaning solution spray
1
Use simple, homemade cleaning solutions. Do some research online; there’s a formula for any and every cleaning need.
2
Use washable cleaning cloths such as microfiber cloths or old t-shirts. There’s no need to waste paper towels!
3
Clean Room by Room. Finish a room (except maybe the floors) before moving on to the next.
4
Clean from the top to bottom, and front to back knocking dust, crumbs, etc. to the floor. Vacuum/ sweep/mop last—to get up all that collected dust and dirt.
5
Hire a green cleaning company and leave it to the experts!
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ADVERTISEMENT
Product of the Year: IQAir Perfect 16 – Whole-House Air Cleaning System
Reviewboard’s Product of the Year a truly remarkable indoor air quality (IAQ) product – the aptly named Perfect 16. IAQ is not just a buzzword. It’s very important to your health, and so is air cleaning. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lists poor indoor air quality as one of the top health risks today. What is even more frightening is that the EPA tells us the air in our homes is often two to five times more polluted than outdoor air. We as a society tend to think our homes are clean because we scrub the surfaces of the counters, floors, dust the ceiling fans, scrub the windows, and wipe down the walls and doors, etc… When we smell that wonderful clean floor, we feel satisfied that our job is done and our family is safe. The reality is, though, that most homes have a hidden form of grime: air pollution. The American Lung Association tells us that 50% of all illnesses are caused by poor indoor air quality. The American Heart Association lists airborne particles as a leading contributor to heart disease and strokes. It’s the air we breathe in our homes that is making us sick. That’s where the Perfect 16 comes in. The Perfect 16 is manufactured by IQAir. We have talked before about IQAir and their room air filtration products. IQAir’s medical air cleaners are the top systems used in hospitals all over the world to filter particles as small as the SARS virus, and IQAir’s residential air cleaners won Reviewboard’s 2004 and 2005 Editor’s Choice Awards. This year they introduced the Perfect 16, their first whole-house cleaning system, and Reviewboard was given the opportunity to be the very first product review organization to test the system. IQAir Perfect 16 – The First MERV 16 Rated WholeHouse Air Cleaning System The Perfect 16 is the first MERV 16 rated wholehouse air purifier for the home. MERV is a rating system designed to allow independent testing and establish a
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universal standard for how well an air filter system works. The higher the MERV rating, the better the air filter. Those pesky furnace filters we are supposed to change every month, but most of us forget to do, rate a MERV 1, which means they essentially do not remove any air pollutants. MERV 16 is the highest possible MERV rating. This means that the Perfect 16 is the most effective air cleaning system available for getting rid of pollutants and allergens (like pollen, pet dander, bacteria, dust, name it). The Perfect 16 features four separate filters, which are arranged into a double “V” shape for maximum air flow. IQAir tells us that spread out the filters would cover a surface area of 170 sq. ft, which is about 50 times more than that of a conventional furnace filter. More surface area and more filter material adds up to more air cleaning power. The Perfect 16 can clean the air in any size house from small to large. The systems can accommodate homes as small as 1,000 square feet or mansions that are over 20,000 square feet. The Perfect 16 is made out of a virtually indistructable galvanized steel frame with white powder coated panels. It is emblazoned with a red Swiss cross. All IQAir products are Swiss made.
“In our judgement, it is the best whole-house air purification system on the market.”
ADVERTISEMENT
IQAir Perfect 16 – Installation and Operation The installation has to be done professionally. We contacted an IQAir authorized installer and arranged to have the system installed. The Perfect 16 retrofits into your existing furnace, HVAC/ Central Air system. The installation went smoothly and took the installer team of two HVAC professionals less than a day. Once installed, the Perfect 16 works silently with your heating and cooling system. It doesn’t require any electricity to operate since it operates on the airflow generated by the existing furnace blower. With the Perfect 16 installed, it’s recommended to set the thermostat to the “Fan” mode. This keeps the fan on and clean air moving through the home even when the heating or cooling is off. This saves you money on your electric bill. IQAir Perfect 16 – Testing Results The average readings taken inside the home with our Fluke 983 Particle Counter read 535,203 particles 0.3 microns or larger. 0.3 microns is the particle size of something as small as bacteria. One day after the Perfect 16 installation the average mean reading went to 28,150. This was about a 94.7% improvement in indoor air quality. (IQAir’s marketing literature states that the average home will experience a 90-95% improvement in indoor air quality after installation of a Perfect 16.) That is a big difference everywhere in the house. And we took measurements in every room, the bathrooms, the closets – everywhere. The home the Perfect 16 was installed in was immaculate. It looked as scrubbed and clean as a home could be. The hidden element was 535,203 particles per cubic foot floating around the house. Thanks to the Perfect 16 there are now only 28,150. Our instrument was able to verify the filtration process of the Perfect 16 down to the size of particles as small as bacteria. Since larger particles like dust, pollen, and mold were included in the measurement,
the Perfect 16 is going to be a big boon for allergy sufferers. This improvement in indoor air quality is absolutely unprecedented. It’s the kind of improvement that can make a real difference in your health and comfort. And we didn’t just see the results on the laser particle counter. We were literally able to feel the difference. The air in the house felt fresh, healthy, and clean. IQAir Perfect 16 – How does it do it? The Perfect 16 is the first whole-house air filtration system to use Advanced Micro-Fiber Filtration Technology in its filters. These are microscopic threads that are ten times thinner than the threads used in regular air filters. This lets air pass more easily through the filter mesh, and at the same time the ultra-fine fibers create an almost impenetrable trap for particles like dust, pollen, and mold spores. And unlike many electrical/electronic whole-house air purifiers, the Perfect 16 produces absolutely no ozone. IQAir Perfect 16 - Cost So what does all this cost? Around $2,500 USD for the system including installation. In our opinion, well worth the price to keep your family healthy and safe from the pathogens mentioned above. A big plus for the Perfect 16 is that the filters last for three years. That means no pesky filter changes or maintenance for three full years. The cost of a replacement filter set is $295, which averages out to about $100 a year. IQAir Perfect 16 – The Bottom Line The Perfect 16 is a product that truly deserves its name. In our judgement, it is the best whole-house air purification system on the market. The Perfect 16 is exceptional in its air cleaning effectiveness, ultra-low maintenance, and that it uses no electricity and produces no ozone. It’s a true winner and deserving of Product of the Year.
This informative article provided by A1 Vacuum Solutions. Find IQ Air Purifiers and the best assortment of vacuums in the High Country at
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High Country HONDA
Where customers are treated like friends and employees as family.
I
f you’re thinking about purchasing a new or pre-owned car in the High Country then you should invest some time into checking out High Country Honda. Conveniently located in the heart of Boone at 1440 Blowing Rock Road, High Country Honda is locally owned and operated and is proud to offer its customers a wide variety of new and pre-owned cars, as well as providing those cars with award winning service and financing. Perhaps the one true hallmark of any good car dealership is variety, the broader your selection the more customers you can service, and High Country Honda has variety in Spades. High Country Honda
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has something for everyone from small eco-friendly sub-compact cars like the Fit, to full size four-wheel drive SUVs. If it’s a truck you’re looking for, Honda is proud to offer the Honda Ridgeline, an amazing and versatile vehicle that gets the best fuel mileage of any truck in its class. And what’s neat is that it even has a trunk in the bed. If your desire is to own a more ecologically responsible “green” car then Honda is the logical choice because it offers the Civic and Insight in Hybrid models (which have been proven for many years and are some of the most reliable most fuel efficient vehicles on the road). Especially the new 2010 Insight, which gets 43 mpg! It’s a true hybrid
Photos contributed by High Country Honda
in every way, eco-friendly, efficient, and ready to take some of the pain away from your next visit to the gas station. Just in case you’re more concerned with other aspects of the dealership rather than just number of cars on the lot and gas mileage then High Country Honda has something to offer as well. While pondering any major investment like your next car, every customer wants to know if they can afford it, and what kinds of payment options are available. High Country Honda runs monthly specials as well as offering low APR and lease options through Honda Acceptance. If you don’t have time to go to the dealership to fill out paperwork, you can apply for financing through Honda via their website www. highcountryhondaBOONE.com. Plus, take thousands off Kelley Blue Book on any of our pre-owned no hassle priced vehicles. While Variety and Financial options are important, they probably are a close second to Service. It may be comforting to know that every new Honda comes from the factory with a 3 year 36,000 mile warranty, and High Country Honda also offers extended service contracts that will carry your warranty for up to 100,000 miles. While other dealerships would believe that is enough, High Country Honda goes the extra mile by providing it’s customers
“High Country Honda’s award winning sales staff is committed to giving it’s customers a pleasant hassle free car buying experience.”
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with award winning service. High Country Honda’s parts and service department scores among the top of any dealer in the region for customer service and satisfaction making them the best choice for service minded car owners. Now that you’re aware of the vast array of things that you can find at High Country Honda, let’s spend some time and take a look at some things you won’t find there. You won’t find a guy in a Gorilla suit on the lot, trying to lure you in. You also will not find giant floodlights lighting up the night sky in Boone to attract people to their lot. High Country Honda does this to lower their overhead and pass those savings on to their customers. Another thing you won’t find are the high-pressure sales techniques that you might find at other dealerships. High Country Honda’s award winning sales staff is committed to giving it’s customers a pleasant hassle free car buying experience. As if all this wasn’t enough, High Country Honda also believes in being involved in the community. High Country Honda has been operating under their current ownership for the past seven years here in Boone. They are major supporters of Appalachian State Athletics, community and civic events, and they simply love to get involved in anything that serves a good cause in and around the High Country! The good people at High Country Honda believe that involvement in the local area brings them closer (as individuals) to the people they are trying to serve, and it brings their business closer to the local community.
“High Country Honda also offers extended service contracts that will carry your warranty for up to 100,000 miles.” 88 / homeresourcecarolina.com
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Hot Products :: Garage 2009 CVO™ Ultra Classic® Electra Glide® A brotherhood of the ultimate road, the CVO™ Ultra Classic® Electra Glide® model is the epitome of riding in style. Smooth as it is attractive, this bike puts out the cc’s to perform without hesitation where it counts: passing lanes, inclines, and reminding the world what “classic” means. Find at: Blue Ridge Harley Davidson / Buell 828-327-3030
2009 CVO™ Road Glide® Full capacity for the open highway with an unabashed thirst for twisty back roads, the CVO™ Road Glide® model keeps the horizon in focus – knowing where it came from. This versatile motorcycle is equally at ease roaming the roadhouses to boardwalks, or cruising the boulevard. Find at: Blue Ridge Harley Davidson / Buell 828-327-3030
2009 Yamaha Raider The Raider was inspired by the custom chopper movement, but since it’s a Star, it had to also handle, stop and go. With the addition of this machine, the Star line offers the most diverse line of custom V-twins on the planet. Find at: Kawasaki - Suzuki Yamaha of Hickory 828-328-6303
2009 Jet Ski 800 SX-R With a two-stroke, two-cylinder with crank case reed valve induction, 781 cc displacement, and 7:2:1 compression ratio, there’s nothing better than the original. Find at: Kawasaki - Suzuki Yamaha of Hickory 828-328-6303 High Country Home Magazine / 25
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greenHOME
make the world
Velux solar water heating systems
a better place 94
98
High Country Stone
Building Performance Engineering
Solid Investment A photographic tour of their quality craftsmanship, customer satisfaction, and environmental conservation.
Scott Suddreth’s top three reasons to purchase a professional audit.
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Innovative Green Product Picks
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Solid
Investments
H
igh Country Stone is the area’s newest natural stone and quartz fabricator. They are locally owned and operated right here in the heart of the High Country, Deep Gap, North Carolina. The company has been driven to excellence by delivering a high standard of customer satisfaction, quality craftsmanship and conservation. At High Country Stone you can find a variety of services for your home including sales of full slabs and remnants on site to view, fabrication of kitchen countertops, bartops, vanity tops, furniture tops, fireplace and tub surrounds, hearths, mantels, outdoor applications, installations and service. Their stone fabrication from start to finish is of the upmost quality. In fact, according to Danny Schneider, owner of High Country Stone, “We can guarantee quality because we have a highly skilled staff carefully fabricating the stone in our own shop.” Customer service continues throughout the entire process from selecting a material to installation of the final product. Your project comes full circle as High Country Stone’s knowledgeable staff diligently work to inform and guide customers throughout the decision making process. High Country Stone takes pride in the whole process from start to finish ensuring customers are satisfied with their investment. 25 / homeresourcecarolina.com
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HIGH COUNTRY STONE’S
Fabrication
Process Templating All Templates are digitally created to ensure accurate measurements. Digital templates eliminate unnecessary waste of cardboard, wood products, and vinyl.
Material Prep Full slabs are carefully placed with forklift onto tilting layout table.
Layout and Planning Material is inspected, the seams are located, and all measurements are checked.
Bridgesaw Initial cuts are made in preparation for the CNC routing machine.
High Country Stone / 6489 Old 421 South / Deep Gap, NC 28618 / highcountrystone.com / 828.355.9320 High Country Home Magazine / 25 25 / homeresourcecarolina.com
CNC Router High Country Stone’s trained technicians use the CNC routing machine to fabricate all sizes of material with accuracy and consistency.
CNC Tooling High Country Stone’s high pressure water combined with quality diamond tooling produce the highest quality edge profiles.
Filter Press All water during and after fabrication is recycled through High Country Stone’s water filtration system. High Country Stone uses and recycles on average 25,000 gallons of water a week!
Final Product From the time of templating installations typically take place within 3 to 6 business days minimizing customer downtime.
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crew
While integrity and customer satisfaction are important parts of their business, one of High Country Stone’s best qualities is its environmental accountability. High Country Stone works toward being environmentally friendly by recycling and reusing the water used during fabrication. By installing a filtration system, they are capable of cleaning the grey water so that it can be reused for future fabrication. High Country Stone also shows their concerns for the environment through their state of the art templating system. This system allows for paperless precision and eliminates unneccessary waste of cardboard, wood products, and vinyl. High Country Stone also uses all stone scraps that would be wasted in a normal environment for local projects from backfill in construction to patios to local road work, eliminating the need for the landfill. Be sure to visit High Country Stone for your next natural stone or quartz project. High Country Stone / 6489 Old 421 South / Deep Gap, NC 28618 / highcountrystone.com / 828.355.9320 High Country Home Magazine / 25 25 / homeresourcecarolina.com
TOP 3
Reasons to Purchase a Professional Energy Audit by Scott Suddreth, MA, Building Performance Engineering
W
ith economic times tough for so many of us, it is understandable that many people may be wondering if an energy audit— also called a performance assessment—is a wise investment. You may be asking: “Will the upfront cost be quickly offset by energy savings? Are their other advantages to a performance assessment beyond energy savings?” In response to these questions, we would like to offer you our professional opinion on the top three reasons to purchase an energy assessment from an experienced auditor. 1) Better Indoor Air Quality One of the biggest culprits of poor indoor air quality in one’s home is infiltration. This term describes the process of uncontrolled outdoor air coming into the home via cracks or holes in the building’s shell. This is the opposite of ventilation, which is the controlled process of bringing in outside air. For example, opening a window or using a mechanical fan to bring in outdoor air would be an example of ventilation. Infiltration
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brings in air from the worst possible locations, such as under the toilet, under the bathtub, from the garage (which is where we tend to store pesticides and park our carbon monoxide-emitting vehicles), from the attic (a common place to find rodent droppings), as well as from the crawlspace, which can be full of pesticides, asbestos, formaldehyde and more. We do not typically think of our homes as being full of holes, but in reality that usually is the case. These holes are results of sloppy—yet common—practices in the construction industry, which include holes around electrical wiring, heating and cooling ducts, and plumbing pipes, among many other penetrations. In fact, the average home in America has holes equivalent to the front door (21 square feet) that are open to the outside year-round! For the reasons stated above, these types of holes are one of the biggest pieces of the modern energy audit. Building Science teaches us that (1) the home should be made as tight as possible, and (2) we should control the ventilation. Controlled ventilation is typically done
These holes (again, averaging a total of 21 square feet per typical house) can add as much as $300 to $600 in annual energy bills! with fans, which sometimes have special features such as heat- and moisture-recovery. One such product is called an Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV). These devices exhaust and bring in a balanced amount of air for a home’s ventilation requirements. As outside air enters the building, the ERV performs a heat exchange and a moisture exchange between the two air streams. This allows us to bring in air year-round without getting too humid in the summer or too cold in the winter. 2) Energy Savings As mentioned above, our homes have many holes in them that allow air to move in and out without our controlling it. This infiltration not only affects air quality, but it also leads to the loss of our heated or cooled air to the outside. Imagine living in a cold climate like Boone and having an open window in your bedroom all winter long. This is effectively what our homes allow in most cases. These holes (again, averaging a total of 21 square feet per typical house) can add as much as $300 to $600 in annual energy bills! Another factor affecting energy saving is the insulation system. Depending on the age of your home, your insulation levels could vary greatly. It is alarmingly common to find homes that have very little insulation in the attic and no insulation in the crawlspace or basement! And do not assume if you have a newer home that your house is much better. The current building code allows some techniques—especially in floor systems—that have no real insulating value. An example of this would be a web truss floor system. This concept was created as a resource saver. In other words, instead of using large wood beams to hold up
Auditors use Blower Doors to find the holes in your home.
Typical hole left around plumbing.
Typical hole left around heating ducts.
the floor, they now use smaller pieces of wood that are mechanically reinforced to make them as strong as the beams they are replacing. A result of this design change is a flaw in the installation process. The old method involved using a small steel wire— called a tiger claw—to friction fit in place between floor joists to hold in the insulation. These newer web truss designs do not have the same surface area or spacing, making the traditional tiger claws much less effective. In fact, due to these design flaws, the modern position for insulation is around eight inches below the floor. While many contractors—and even the State Building Code—think this is acceptable, it actually is a significant problem. For insulation to work, it has to touch an air barrier. That air barrier, in this instance, is the floor of our homes. If the insulation in our house is not touching our air barriers (usually floors and drywall surfaces), we effectively have no insulation at all! This is like keeping your clothes several inches away from your body in the winter—insulation has to touch something to resist heat flow. An energy auditor will diagnose any insulation problems you may have in your home and will offer solutions to correct these problems. High Country Home Magazine / 99
“For insulation to work, it has to touch an air barrier.� 3) Combustion Safety If you have any device in your home that combusts a fuel such as wood, oil, or propane, the most important reason to have an audit is combustion safety. This process covers woodstoves, fireplaces, furnaces, water heaters, and boilers. Professional energy auditors should be trained to manipulate your home to find out if the combustion devices could ever back draft carbon monoxide into the home. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that can cause headaches and flu-like symptoms at low doses and can even cause death at larger doses. Research has shown that as many as thirty percent of all homes with combustion devices have this potential problem. If an auditor finds this problem, they can then begin charting out
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This floor insulation— installed between beams—touches the air barrier, which allows the insulation to work properly. This insulation—installed below web trusses—is several inches away from the floor, rendering it useless!
a list of possible solutions to resolve the danger. If your house contains combustion equipment and you decide to schedule an audit, be sure to confirm that the auditor you choose has had combustion safety training and will bring combustion safety equipment to your home’s assessment. If you are wondering where to find a professional energy auditor, look no further. Building Performance Engineering (BPE) in Boone has been specializing in residential and commercial audits for over 15 years. BPE also teaches the Building Performance Institute’s (BPI) Building Analyst designation at the Watauga County Campus of Caldwell Community College in Boone. This is the national energy auditor certification that is now required in 23 states. So whether you are interested in arranging an energy audit for your home or are interested in becoming an energy auditor yourself, contact BPE at 828-265-4888, or visit us online at www. buildingperformanceengineering.com.
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Hot Products :: Green Velux Solar Water Heating Velux is bringing its solar water heating system, proven for years in Europe, to the United States. Using the sun to heat the water in your home can reduce your monthly heating bills and your water heating bills 50% to 80% For more info call: Thunder Hill Plumbing 828-264-4791
2010 Honda Insight
The all-new 2010 Insight shares a family resemblance with the sleek and sophisticated FCX Clarity fuel cell vehicle. The front of the car is strong and lean with eye-catching projector-beam headlights. The taller rear helps this 5-door hybrid slip easily through the air, and unique LED brakelights complete the look. Find At: High Country Honda 800-467-4581
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design PROFILES Where the home resources culminate.
kings
of their craft
BUILDERS :: Remodels
107 Tynecastle Builders
Cover Story: Invited into Southern Living’s Custom Builders Program, Branches out into remodeling and responsible building.
114 Carolina Timberworks
Planning a Remodel or addition? A photographic tour of 10 ways to add timber framing to your home.
BUILDERS :: New Homes
COMMUNITIES
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New River Custom Builders Luxury Todd Home embraces attention to service and detail.
Twin Rivers
Life on the Fly explores the exclusive gated community and its two magnificent streams.
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Douglas L. McGuire Construction Built with family values, Built without excuses or exceptions.
The mountain community that exceeds all expectations.
Headwaters
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Tynecastle Builders Invited Into Southern Living’s Custom Builders Program; Branches out into Remodeling and Responsible Building
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hile known primarily for building innovative and creative, one-of-a-kind spec homes in Tynecastle, Tynecastle Builders has been quietly branching out into the surrounding area. Over the last five years they have been working with homeowners on remodeling their older houses into homes of their dreams. “While we get more attention from our timberframe spec homes, we are very proud of our custom and remodel projects,” said Tynecastle Builders owner, Brett Schwebke.
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“It is very rewarding to get the opportunity to bring new life to older homes and to help new homeowners realize their dreams.
materials from these homes in new places and also use the knowledge gained and apply it to our newer homes.”
These projects have varied from small additions to full-scale remodels, each one unique. Schwebke said the opportunity to take apart an older home is a valuable learning experience. “It gives us a glimpse of what was done decades ago and how it held up to the environment we live in,” said Schwebke. “When possible, we are able to re-use
Tynecastle Builders' newest transformation will begin this spring with a house rich in art and setting on Grand Boulevard in Boone. Schwebke said he is looking forward to the challenge of taking the summer home in the heart of Boone and updating it for the year-round needs of its new family. “With its location in one of the oldest neighborhoods
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Great Room :: After
“We have always felt the responsibility for smart building was in our hands. Now that technology is catching up, it is our obligation to try to incorporate these options into our homes whenever possible.”
Great Room :: Before
in Boone, we have the challenge of honoring its neighbors, the needs of its new owners and tipping our hats to its history,” said Schwebke. Another focus of Tynecastle Builders has been to help homeowners build their homes with environmentally sound products and practices. Many of their new homes have incorporated timbers
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and hardwoods harvested during site preparation. In addition, Tynecastle has attempted to be responsible in choosing building materials. In addition to using energy efficient windows, recycled roofing products and locally made materials, Tynecaslte also spends a lot of time locating the house in an area on the site that maximizes the natural sunlight and the shade needs of its homeowners. In addition, Tynecastle Builders emphasizes the use of deep overhangs, sun block coatings on windows and awnings for air flow, which allow cool summer evenings to do the work.
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The integration of these “green� options into these homes not only helps with the long term cost, but improves the lifestyle enjoyed in the home. Some of the options that Tynecastle Builders offers are soybased spray foam insulation, recycled blue jeans for interior walls and sound proofing, split systems boilers that can provide domestic water as well as heating from a single source, and 50-year recycled Inspire brand roofing. Using all of these methods, Tynecastle Builders' current spec home features the Energy Star rating.
Kitchen :: After
“Tynecastle Builders helps homeowners build their homes with environmentally sound products and practices.”
Kitchen :: Before
“We have always felt the responsibility for smart building was in our hands. Now that technology is catching up, it is our obligation to try to incorporate these options into our homes whenever possible,” said Schwebke. In addition to remodeling and applying responsible practices, Tynecastle Builders was chosen by Southern Living to represent the High Country area for its Custom
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Master Bedroom :: After
Master Bedroom Before
Builders Program.
coming to the market.
“Our Custom Builder Program is a natural extension of our overall home design effort, which aims to pair quality designs with quality builders across the Southeast,” said Brent Warren, Manager of the Southern Living Custom Builder Program. “
“By looking at home building as a group, we can compare all aspects and locations of home building and see what might apply to our individual markets,” said Schwebke. “With our yearly builders conferences, we have the opportunity to see what our builder partners are working on for the next product year, and we have the opportunity to have them in our homes by the time they are introduced.”
Builders must be invited into the program and are subjected to stringent requirements and several site visits. Southern Living also interviews not only homeowners working with the builders but also subcontractors and suppliers to insure they will represent the program well. “By aligning with Southern Living, we have access to one of the most respected brands in the South,” said Schwebke. “We are able to draw inspiration from almost 1,000 home plans and use their talent to customize existing plans to meet our owners needs.” Being a part of this select group of building professionals gives Tynecastle Builders the access usually reserved for large production builders and helps keep them on the frontline of the new products 112 / homeresourcecarolina.com
Schwebke said that they have only scratched the surface of this builders resource, but feels that it has already helped set their homes apart. “After twelve years of building homes in the High Country, it feels like we are only just beginning,” said Schwebke. “With the knowledge gained from each home, whether it be a remodel, a custom or a timberframe spec home, expectations grow. With these expectations, we are able to stay focused on making each project more special than the last. When we give a homeowner their new keys and watch them make it theirs—there's nothing better.”
“By aligning with Southern Living, we have access to one of the most respected brands in the South.�
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7 8 9 10 Planning a remodel or addition? 10 ways to add Timber Framing to your Home
1. Timber Frame Trusses in your Great Room 2. Ceiling beams in your Kitchen 3. A Timber Porte Cochere 4. A Timber Frame Covered Deck 5. A Timber Frame Front Entry
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6. A Heavy Timber Ceiling in your Master Bedroom 7. A Timber Frame Trellis or Gazebo 8. Heavy Timber Stairs 9. Decorative Timber Eave or Gable Brackets 10. A Timber Frame Outdoor Fireplace Pavilion
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KITCHENS
A Farmhouse Kitchen Design your kitchen along the lines of an old farmhouse kitchen: A large room where both cooking and family activities can happily coexist. Include a big table with a warm overhead light for family activities like homework and helping peel apples, comfortable chairs for reading or napping, and make it a bright and comfortable room with light from two sides. (Adapted from A PATTERN LANGUAGE by Christopher Alexander).
Carolina Timberworks, LLC / Boone, North Carolina / 828-266-9663 / www.carolinatimberworks.com High Country Home Magazine / 25 25 / homeresourcecarolina.com
Extend Your Living Space Outdoors Timber framing elegantly and automatically gives an order and rhythm to the space, creates contrast, and turns your view into a series of framed pictures that will delight you. To make an outdoor room even more special, place it next to a room in your home with doors that open wide to it - allowing you to turn two rooms into another entirely different and larger space. Also don’t forget light -- skylights, a fireplace, and the right lighting (on dimmers) can make a special outdoor room a magical place.
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OUTDOOR LIVING
Carolina Timberworks, LLC / Boone, North Carolina / 828-266-9663 / www.carolinatimberworks.com High Country Home Magazine / 25 25 / homeresourcecarolina.com
Dramatic spaces don’t always have to be inside Design your stairs to be quite wide so they become inviting places to sit. When possible, face these “stair seats” to overlook a view or interesting street activity, face them south so you can enjoy the feeling of the winter sun on your face, and protected from the north wind by a wall. Build them from wood so they feel good to the touch, and so your footsteps in time will wear the wood smooth. (Adapted from A PATTERN LANGUAGE by Christopher Alexander.)
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GAZEBOS
Carolina Timberworks, LLC / Boone, North Carolina / 828-266-9663 / www.carolinatimberworks.com High Country Home Magazine / 25 25 / homeresourcecarolina.com
ANTIQUE TIMBERS
Incorporate the Unique Beauty of Reclaimed Timbers Antique reclaimed timber has a look all of its own, a patina impossible to duplicate, and the story of each timber is told through the bolt holes, hand cut mortises and tenons, and evidence of its prior life in another building. Although more expensive, there exists no more environmentally responsible choice, and no timber more beautiful.
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“When you buy quality, you only cry once!”
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Massive timber stairs from the forests of British Columbia, selected for their gnarly character.
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New River
Custom Builders Attention to service and detail
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Luxury Todd, NC home with cedar shake siding and massive Virginia field stone pillars. Note the details of the garage doors, also built by New River Custom Builders.
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I
f you ask Greg Testerman, owner of New River Custom Builders, what he can build, he will tell you emphatically, “If you can dream it, think it, or sketch it, then we can build it.” If you think he’s kidding, you’ve got another thing coming because New River Custom Builder’s work is prominently displayed in all the major subdivisions throughout the High Country including: Allegheny, Ashe, Avery, Watauga, and Wilkes counties. So why is New River Custom Builders so good at what they do? Greg points to these four important factors: “Experience, Attention to Detail, Teamwork, and Customer Satisfaction make us good at what we do.”
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Great room is truly a great room with both looks and size. The ceiling is tall, standing at 18 feet. Custom made chandeliers and Virginia field stone enhance the overall aesthetics.
Experience New River Custom Builders have been serving the High Country for over 10 years. During that period, they have faced almost every situation a builder can encounter. These situations have allowed them to season their talents and sharpen their skills. Greg himself has over twenty years on-site experience in the industry incorporating past accomplishments with new challenges. His unique approach, consisting of conventional and unconventional methods, incorporates both old and new techniques. Thus achieving a one of a kind unique product that pleases the client and confounds the competition. New River Custom Builders puts the ‘Custom’ in Custom-built. Attention to Detail They are a true full service builder, handling every detail of the process from foundation to finish. As testament to their willingness to go the extra mile for 126 / homeresourcecarolina.com
their clients, even the most minute details are cared for. New River Custom Builders will even furnish homes for their customers including custom built pieces like: quality tables, benches, bunk beds, and more. They will also help move clients into their new home, help hang the pictures, and even place flower arrangements for a “lived-in” look. Teamwork Greg and his crew are a tight knit group of twelve local “Ashe County boys” who have been working together for a long time. “To me, a step better begins by surrounding yourself with good help. These are the people I count on to get the job done and, most importantly, they understand the quality of workmanship I present and expect,” says Greg. As a team they can handle any job, no matter the size. Greg and his crew don’t sub-contract, allowing them to have total control of quality.
Customer Satisfaction The single greatest concern for New River Custom Builders on any job is Customer Satisfaction. Greg and his team place a great deal of importance on the clients’ happiness. Greg will tell you that paying attention to what the customer wants directly leads to building long standing relationships with his clients.
Kitchen features beautiful wood work and cypress flooring, tongue and groove paneling, stone back splashes, and custom furniture.
Sterling examples of these factors are on display in a gorgeous five bedroom, five bath home in Todd. New River Custom Builders lives up to their name, customizing this home to exactly what the owners envisioned right down to the foundation. Not necessarily an easy task when you consider the footers start thirty feet below ground level, and the staircase was made using massive pieces of timber from British Columbia. This particular house was built for a family with small children, so extra safety precautions for the massive stairwell became a concern. New River Custom Builders devised an automatic door that closes behind the children to ensure they do not fall down the stairwell. Virginia fieldstone was hauled in for the gigantic pillars for the entranceway of the house, as well as the fireplace. A custom garage attached to the left of the house is spectacularly finished with hand made wooden roll-up doors. The deck, which is perfect for a beautiful spring cookout, was built
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Kitchen features beautiful wood work and cypress flooring, tongue and groove paneling, stone back splashes, and custom furniture.
out of Brazilian red wood, cedar posts, and clear powder coated railing. As a final touch all the remnant wood was used to construct custom-built patio furniture. Fortunately, for current homeowners of the High Country, New River Custom Builders do not limit themselves to new construction alone. Greg and his crew are more than willing to tackle your home renovating, or remodeling needs. True believers in the phrase, “No Job too Big or too Small,� New River Custom Builders will complete work on your existing home with the same precision and quality they bring to new home sites. For more information on New River Custom Builders, you can visit their website at www.newrivercustombuilders.com. Also, feel free to contact their office at 336-384-1209, located at 637 Low Notch Rd, Grassy Creek, NC 28631
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Table and benches made from the remnants of the massive British Columbia timbers showcased in the main stairway. These were custom built by New River Custom Builders.
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Doug with wife, Caroline, and their sons Garrison & Tanner
M
ost of the great ones began mastering their craft at a young age. Michael Jordan started playing basketball shortly after learning to walk. Wolfgang Mozart began composing at the age of five. Doug McGuire was wearing a tool belt with a hammer dragging the ground at the age of three. Under the close supervision of his father, Odell McGuire, Doug acquired a priceless education concerning the construction business, summer after summer, and year after year. While working alongside his father and perfecting his construction
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This custom Yonahlossee home uses timber frame construction along with natural stone and cedar siding to create the mountain setting so desired in the High Country.
skills and listening to the knowledge that was being provided, Doug obtained and understood the true meaning of integrity and presenting a homeowner with a beautiful home. In 1981, after graduating from Watauga High School, Doug began working with a local grading contractor. Unaware at the time, he was again receiving another education that would later prove invaluable when positioning a house and featuring the unique qualities of the homeowner’s property. Two years later, at the age of 19, Doug began building his first house.
He constructed the house as he had spare time and money. Needless to say, it took Doug several years to complete this project, his personal home. After becoming a North Carolina licensed contractor in 1987, Doug obtained several projects such as remodeling, additions, and small homes to establish his business in the community. Even though the projects were small in scale, the quality was never in question. “We are known by the houses we build,” McGuire said, “and we have the reputation that supports that statement. We’ve bid projects where the clients have High Country Home Magazine / 131
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A bluestone floor and custom built timber stairs enhance the entry.
decided upon another contractor because of the final project costs and maybe their construction schedule. Some contractors might submit a bid that sounds great, but is not realistic. We meet with individuals to discuss details of their home to assure our bid is as accurate as possible, and more importantly we are going to build a superior home. Many perspective homeowners have even called us back and told us how they wish they had waited for a placement on our schedule, because the value of what their money had paid for was disappointing and unacceptable. “I
want my homeowners to see, feel and understand the real value of what they have gained in their newly constructed home. It is essential to me that my homeowners are completely satisfied and well pleased with the finished product and that they have no regrets in choosing me as their contractor.” In 1991, Doug McGuire married his long-time girlfriend, Caroline, thus adding another vital link to the construction company. “I would not be where I am today if it wasn’t for my wife’s constant encouragement and loving support.” Many throughout the High High Country Home Magazine / 133
The warmth of wood in the natural finished timber frame and fir trim flows through the entire home.
Country know Doug and Caroline as the “The Building Couple” which is defined by their ability to utilize each others strengths to benefit the homeowners that they serve. “It’s about engaging with our homeowners through essential meetings and open communication that we obtain their personal wish list, and then we in turn create and place those desired amenities throughout their newly constructed home. Acute listening, organizational skills, and time management are just a few factors that define the success at our company. We even integrate these steps with our children.” Together they have been blessed with two wonderful children: Garrison, 16, and Tanner, 11. Only time will tell, but the High Country may be fortunate enough to have another generation of McGuire builders, starting with Odell, then of course Doug, and maybe one of McGuire’s sons. “It has been a true honor and pleasure to serve my homeowners and the communities of the High Country
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An open bridge connects the upstairs bedrooms.
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for the past 23 years.” McGuire said, “none of this would have been possible without the support of my outstanding and loyal employees, subcontractors, suppliers, my family members, and many supportive friends.” Building a custom home is one of the largest and most important investments an individual undertakes in a lifetime. Douglas L. McGuire Construction Co. Inc., strives to eliminate the stress and anxiety associated with the building process, and to create a unique and masterfully crafted house that any homeowner would be proud to call “home.” The Great Room and Dining Room utilize large windows and doors to show off a great view of Grandfather Mountain.
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Life on the Fly Twin Rivers is an exclusive gated community offering two magnificent fly fishing streams.
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A fisherman casts into an area known as the Blue Hole.
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win Rivers is a private gated community surrounded by the 4,200 acre Julian Price National Forest that offers possibly the best private fly fishing streams the Appalachian Mountains have to offer. Located off Highway 105 in Foscoe, just minutes from Boone and Banner Elk, Twin Rivers is just a short drive to area amenities including those in Blowing Rock. From the beautiful views to its tranquil waters you’ll experience a serenity that only Twin Rivers can offer. Twin River’s name came from its two pristine streams know as the Watauga River and the Boone Fork Creek. Being a premier fly fishing community, the waters are stocked with all species of trout. Browns, Brookes, Rainbows, and Kamloops are spread throughout the water in a great range of sizes from 10 inches to 32 inches (yes, we said 32).
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Twin Rivers Builders builds a variety of homes with a concentration on rustic design.
The fish are on a strict diet to promote vibrant growth as well as encourage them to rely on their normal diet so that they are always alert and agile while being gamed. Memberships to the fly fishing club are not sold so, if you want to fish Twin Rivers you must be a lot owner. There are many people who have bought lots in Twin Rivers just to obtain the fishing rights. Owners come from all over the east coast and out as far as Illinois, Colorado, and even New Mexico to enjoy the streams and community. Even the owners of local
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outfitters Foscoe Fishing (Orvis) and Appalachian Angler both live in Twin Rivers. That’s how good the fishing really is! The waterways are treated like golf greens. First, there are Beats (sections of reserved water) that must be signed up in advance to fish. Second, each Beat offers a different challenge to the angler in regards to ability. Aerial mending, top water mending, reading the run and working the pockets, distance casting, identifying the hatch and larvae will all be
Twin Rivers has a feel of serenity and tranquility. Lot sizes are large enough that homes are nicely tucked away on each lot.
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put to the test. But whether you’re on your game or not, you’re still going to catch more than enough to put a grin on your face for the rest of the day. Each Beat contains several areas that fishermen have named for identification. The Blue Hole, Brown Hole, Muddler’s Run, Trophy Section, and Jarrod’s Folly are some of the names fishermen have given to prime fishing holes. At www.twinriversnc.com you can view pictures of families catching trophy trout in some of these sections. Stream improvements are also done each year to improve the habitat to ensure optimal conditions for the fish. These improvements help create holding areas and improve the flow of the current to where it is more beneficial for the fish. They also help the fish during spawning season to promote natural reproduction. Both streams have full time security officers who patrol and protect the waters. Twin Rivers also features extensive walking trails along all water ways that connect with the National Forest. Whether you want to hike for two minutes or two weeks, the Twin Rivers trail system has much to offer including an 80 foot swinging bridge across the Boone Fork Creek. Along the trails, you will find rock formations, coves, and views that are breathtaking. You will also find benches and sitting areas to have picnics or rest at, along your journey. It’s not uncommon to spot deer, heron, ducks, or even an otter swimming through the waters as you enjoy a brisk walk through TR. The trails are labeled just like the National Forest to notify the hiker of conditions and difficulty so that you may prepare well in advance. Many lot owners not only use the TR trails but also go into the National Park for morning or afternoon hikes. The National Park trail system is marked as a moderate to strenuous hike so, not only do you see beautiful sights, but you get a workout as well. The Hebron Rock Falls is a great place to visit when hiking along the trail. The rock outcroppings and views are breathtaking. Then you can just turn around and head back to your property conveniently located in Twin Rivers. Homes in Twin Rivers are very tasteful with a rustic quality to them. TWIN RIVERS BUILDERS, located in the Twin Rivers sales office at the entrance, has built a mixture of Timber frame, Log, and conventional homes that nicely blend with the surroundings of TR.
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Twin Rivers is surrounded by the Julian Price National Park. The trails of Twin Rivers gain access to the National Park trail system.
Swinging bridge across Boone Fork Creek
They offer many design plans and ideas that benefit lot owners in regard to what they envision as their “dream home”. The minimum square footage requirement is only 1,500 sq. ft., but many homes range from 2,500 to 7,000. Lot sizes range from 1+ to 4.5 acres with almost 2.25 acres being the average. This gives each lot a good amount of privacy with a nice buffer between surrounding lots. When each home is finished it looks as though the home grew with the land. This is why so many people are attracted to Twin Rivers. You feel like you have your own area in the woods, but you’re
still in a gated private community. TWIN RIVERS REALTY, the sales office, is located at the entrance of Twin Rivers. You can schedule a tour of the property by calling 828.963.7020. Sales lists, plats, and other information regarding the development can be obtained by calling or just stopping by. Give them a call if you have any questions. If you are a fisherman, there is no other place to be.
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The Headwaters A T
B A N N E R
E L K
A mountain community that exceeds the expectations.
Photo contributed by Eric Morely / Carolina Timberworks LLC
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Residents enjoy the end of the day at the Sunset Overlook.
“That’s the Williams’ new home. Over there are the Balls from Florida. Around the corner is the Johnson’s home site……” It’s not often that the developer of a community the size of The Headwaters can name the owner of every property in his development and provide specific tidbits of information, but that’s what John Haynes does while giving a tour of The Headwaters at Banner Elk. It’s just one more touch that sets this community apart from so many others. “My goal is always to exceed the expectation of our visitors and property owners,” says Haynes, a 23 year real estate veteran. “In this business, developers tend to over promise and under deliver, but not here at The Headwaters. Everything I promised to have built in the first 36 months has been built, and we’re actively working on new amenities, some of which were not in the original plans.”
“My goal is always to exceed the expectation of our visitors and property owners.”
It is this commitment that helped Rich and Nora Williams of Emerald Isle, North Carolina decide The Headwaters was the place for them.
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The Springhouse Villas are exceptionally private condominiums that live more like a single family home.
Homes at The Headwaters feature the rustic detailing of mountain architecture so they blend in with the surroundings.
and clubhouse right away. Not only that, but he sees that the property is exquisitely maintained, whereas a lot of developments these days are cutting back.” Rich and Nora had planned on making their custom log home a seasonal residence, but after spending a couple months at The Headwaters, they placed their “permanent” home at Emerald Isle up for sale and will be making The Headwaters their full time residence. They enjoy a 20 mile 180 degree view from their multi-level decks. Two lakes stocked with Rainbow Trout are encircled
“We researched mountain developments for years, but when we saw that John had put all the amenities in up front along with paving of the roads, that spoke volumes to us.”, says Rich. “So many developers wait on sales to start anything, but John built parks, paved roads, the gate house,
“We have the illusion of seclusion. When on the property, you feel a million miles away.”
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The Williams aren’t the only ones making The Headwaters their full time home. “We have several other families and couples that have announced this will be their permanent home,” says Haynes. The attraction is understandable. The property is located just 12 minutes from Banner Elk with its numerous upscale restaurants, shops and daily services, so everything one needs is conveniently located. At the same time, residents enjoy unspoiled views of the adjoining Pisgah and Cherokee National Forests which comprise nearly two thirds of the property boundary. Haynes comments, “I like to say we have the illusion of seclusion. When on the property, you feel a million miles away, yet we’re close enough to town for all one’s daily needs.” It’s not just the proximity to town, but the development’s high tech fiber optic based communications system. The
Headwaters is the only certified Fiber To The Home community in the High Country and one of only a few in western North Carolina. Through Connexion Technologies, residents enjoy up to 250 channels of digital video, unlimited phone service, blazing fast internet speeds and remote home monitoring, all at a price less than that that of other providers. “Having the communications system was very important to us.”, says property owner Allyn Stanton. “We run a medical marketing and branding company out of Chicago and anticipated being here one week out of eight. However, with the available technology, we now live and operate from here seven out of eight weeks, occasionally returning to Chicago for staff meetings.” The Stanton’s had toured numerous developments in western North Carolina and had a reservation at another development before stumbling upon The Headwaters. “John gave us a personal tour, and we fell in love with it,” says Cathy Stanton. She goes on to say, “Every day we discover something new. There are numerous parks and trails to explore. At the end of the day, it’s so relaxing to take in the sites and smells of nature.” The parks and natural spaces are something in which Haynes takes great pride. He chimes in and says, “I’m certainly proud of our new mountaintop clubhouse, but it’s the outdoor spaces that really excite me. When people come here, I want to encourage them to get outside and explore the beautiful world God created, not sit in their home watching t.v.” The parks are truly something out of a storybook. At the moment, there are six in all including two lakes stocked with Rainbow Trout and the Deer Creek Park with its two, two-story tree houses, swinging bridge and campsites. “We had one family hold their little girls’ birthday party at Deer Creek Park and they all camped out in the tree houses.”, says Haynes.
Two lakes stocked with Rainbow Trout are encircled
“Every day we discover something new. There are numerous parks and trails to explore. At the end of the day, it’s so relaxing to take in the sites and smells of nature.”
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Below: The Deer Creek Park features a two, two-story tree houses, paths and campsites, so residents can experience the outdoors without leaving the property. Directly right: Fall from the upper dam Far Right: The 30’ natural Falls Creek Falls provides a cool place
Group, an environmental consulting company in Durham, North Carolina and was impressed with the trail system Haynes had built. The trail network crosses numerous bridges, passes by unique rock formations, and features a 30 foor natural waterfall. The trails are well maintained complete with hand rails and steps cut into the steeper parts of the path. The Outdoor Companion Guide is a 40 page document detailing the plant life, animals, culture and history of the property that comprises The Headwaters.
and billiards, capped off with a state-of-the-art theater boasting 14 luxurious seats with a 10 foot screen and 5.1 surround sound.
However, if hiking trails isn’t one’s desire, the mountaintop Clubhouse provides a great place to relax in luxury. Featuring large gathering areas, private meeting and dining space and a gourmet kitchen, the clubhouse is situated at the most prominent point on the mountain. Property owner Harry Hersh says, “It’s not often you find a developer who gives up the most prime lot for an amenity. John’s vision has ensured that regardless of what or where you own within Headwaters, everyone will enjoy the best view on the property.” In the lower level of the clubhouse one will find a top of the line fitness center with nine workout stations, a game room with foosball, ping pong
“It’s not often you find a developer who gives up the most prime lot for an amenity.”
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Adjacent to the clubhouse, the first of three tennis courts is nearing completion, and work will soon commence on the outdoor amphitheater and spa building. Plans also call for the construction of an indoor/outdoor pool next to the clubhouse. Given Haynes’
commitment and work to date, property owners can rest assured that these amenities will also be completed in a timely manner. Something of which Haynes takes great pride is the low density of the community. “Many developers claim to be low density, yet they’ll build 10 condo buildings so close to one another that there are no trees left, and you end up reading your neighbor’s newspaper from your deck,” says Haynes. In The Headwaters first condominium neighborhood, the Springhouse Villas, there are only three buildings situated on 10.5 acres with the buildings themselves 100 to 300 feet apart. The result is that they look more like large single family homes nestled in the woods. The real estate offerings within The Headwaters have helped enhanced the development’s broad appeal. Where other developments only offer home sites or condominiums, The Headwaters features home sites, condominiums, cottages and custom homes. There is something for nearly every price point. One to four acre home sites start in the $150’s with two and three bedroom cottages starting in the low $300’s. The Springhouse Villas condominiums start in the low $500’s and custom homes start at $900,000. One of the greatest testimonies of the success of a new development is when property owners who bought lots in years past begin to build their own home. When someone who paid $200,000 two years ago, commits another $700,000 to build a house, that makes a statement. Since June 2006, twelve such houses have been built, and several more have been approved by the Architectural Committee at The Headwaters. “We’ve been very blessed to have enjoyed the success and are humbled by it. But we aren’t resting on our laurels.”, adds Haynes. “There are many more ideas I want to implement and my commitment to our property owners is stronger than ever.” Thanks to Haynes’ vision, those property owners are already enjoying the fruits of his labor and can look forward to more to come.
The Springhouse Villas feature exquisite craftsmanship and spacious floor plans with tremendous views.
“There are many more ideas I want to implement and my commitment to our property owners is stronger than ever.”
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escape&GUIDE MARKETPLACE
experience
& explore the high country Restaurants
Sporting
Hot Products
Attractions
Brokerage
Resort
Corkboard
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Escape :: Restaurants Bistro Roca, one of Blowing Rock’s most popular restaurants, serves inventive American Bistro cuisine from Chef Michael Foreman in a rustic yet elegant setting. Bistro Roca’s superb staff combines efficient service with gracious hospitality and will delight you with a great selection of wines and mixed drinks from Antlers Bar. 143 Wonderland Trail Blowing Rock, NC 828-295-4008
The Best Cellar prides itself on having provided its customers with the finest of food, wine, and service for 30 years. All dishes, including bread and desserts, are prepared each day on site. Many of our dishes have been favorites for years, but we always have daily specials to satisfy those customers looking for something new. 203 Sunset Drive Blowing Rock, NC 28605 828-295-9703
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Restaurant G: The Food is clearly American Cuisine, incorporating the best meats and local fresh ingredients and accented with flavors and techniques from France. The salad greens and some of the vegetables are grown in nearby Valle Crusis. 202 Gideon Ridge Road Blowing Rock, NC 28605 (828) 295-3644
Sorrentos is an upscale Italian Bistro, visual and culinary celebration. Although the menu is Regional Italian, the sky's the limit for special events and private parties. Accommodates up to 150 for sit down dinners and up to 180 for cocktails and buffet in the patio garden, wine room, and main dining room. Catering is also available. Located in Downtown Banner Elk, NC.
Crippen’s is a casual atmoshpere, fine dining restaurant. We have a daily changing menu featuring a variety of homemade breads, soups, homegrown organic salads (seasonal), creative appetizers, fresh seafood, prime meats, game meats, homegrown organic vegetables (seasonal), homemade desserts and ice creams. All of Chef
140 Azalea Circle Banner Elk, NC 28604 (828) 898-5214
239 Sunset Drive Blowing Rock, NC 28605 (828) 295-3487
James’ sauces are made from his stocks.
Escape :: Sporting
Foscoe Fishing Company
Wahoo’s Adventures
Foscoe Fishing Company & Outfitters is the only Orvis Endorsed Flyfishing Guide Service in North Carolina’s High Country. We operate a shop in Banner Elk, North Carolina and offer high quality fly fishing on the Watauga, Boone’s Fork, Wilson Creek and many other pristine mountain streams that are located near our shop. We also offer float and walk guides on the tailrace waters of Tennessee. All of these waters offer excellent opportunities for catching Brown, Brook, and Rainbow trout.
For thirty years, Wahoo’s Adventures has been pioneering whitewater rafting trips in Tennessee and Western North Carolina! Discover the scenic Nolichucky, Watauga, and New Rivers of the Great Smoky Mountains through an exciting whitewater adventure. Whether your interest is rafting whitewater, canoeing, caving, fishing or inner-tubing, choose Wahoo’s Adventures for your next vacation because you deserve the very best!
8857 Highway 105 South Boone, NC 28607 (828) 963-6556
P.O. Box 3094 Boone N.C. 28607 (828) 262-5774
Red Tail Mountain
Oakwoods Country Club
RedTail Mountain is a 720-acre mounain community featuring a golf course with breathtaking views and beautiful vistas. Located just 18 miles from Boone, North Carolina, in Mountain City, Tennessee. RedTail Mountain has been carefully designed with a vast array of activities and amenities, certain to entertain all ages, and where streams, lakes, and nature trails beckon to outdoor adventure enthusiasts. A community of home and homesites built with a level of uncompromising standards that incorporates authentic mountain craftsmanship.
Oakwoods Country Club has one of the finest facilities in Northwest North Carolina because of our wide range of golf and social activities for the entire family. The golf course itself is highly regarded for the quality of its greens, course conditions, and many strategic challenges. Established in 1954, our club has one of the longest standing traditions of country club golf in the foothills.
422 Triplett Road Mountain City, TN 37683 877-488-4646
541 Clubhouse Drive Wilkesboro, NC 28697 336-838-3011
Escape :: Resorts
Westglow Resort & Spa
Prospect Hill B & B Inn
Located in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, Westglow Resort & Spa is a top-rated luxury destination spa where personal service is an honored tradition. Our elegant Greek Revival mansion, once the home of renowned artist and author Elliott Daingerfield, is a perfect place to find renewal of the mind, body, and spirit. Our all-inclusive resort offers spa packages customized to create your spa experience, whether you choose a spa vacation, a weekend getaway or a day retreat.
When you need a break and you don’t want to go to the ends of the earth...you just want to feel like you have... come to Prospect Hill B&B Inn in Mountain City. We’ll take you far away. Prospect Hill Bed & Breakfast Inn on the edge of small town Mountain City is just minutes from awesome golf, biking, fly fishing, tours for scenery, shopping, rafting, horseback riding, and hiking. We are minutes from Boone, NC, and Abingdon and Damascus, VA.
2845 US Highway 221 S Blowing Rock, NC 28605 (828) 295-4463
801 West Main Street (Hwy 67) Mountain City, TN 37683 (800) 339-5084 423-727-0139
Meadowbrook Inn
The Mast Farm Inn
Just off the Blue Ridge Parkway and located on historic Main Street, in downtown Blowing Rock, sits the unique and beautiful Meadowbrook Inn. Our own brook, waterfall, and duck ponds set the stage for a relaxing and adventure filled stay for the whole family. Many guests make us their home away from home in the mountains.We attract business guests for retreats and conferences, and are famous for our wedding and celebration receptions and banquets, where specialized service and planning are so very important.
The Mast Farm Inn is a world renowned full service North Carolina Bed and Breakfast, Country Inn, Restaurant And School Of Cooking in Historic Valle Crucis, NC. It is on the National Register of Historic Places, and is a Member of The Select Registry. Simplicity” is the name and spirit of our Restaurant at The Mast Farm Inn.
711 Main St Blowing Rock, NC 28605 (828) 295-4300
2543 Broadstone Road Banner Elk, NC 28604 828-963-5857 1-888-963-5857
Escape :: Attractions
Horn In The West
Grandfather Mountain
Horn in the West is one of the nation’s oldest Revolutionary War dramas being performed today. It portrays the lives of pioneers who braved the wilderness to settle in the Blue Ridge Mountains seeking freedom from British tyranny. The drama takes place in the Daniel Boone Amphitheatre. The Amphitheatre was built in 1952 and was carefully constructed to not disturb the beauty of the region.
Towering 5,946 feet above northwest North Carolina, Grandfather Mountain is operated as a scenic travel attraction and is one of the world’s most environmentally diverse nature preserves. Marvel at 360-degree views of mountain ridge after mountain ridge cascading to the horizon and let our knowledgeable staff help you find your own perfect mountain adventure.
591 Horn in the West Drive Boone, NC 28607 828-264-2120
US 221 & Blue Ridge Parkway Linville, NC - 28646 800-468-7325
Tweetsie Railroad
Daniel Boone Native Gardens
Even in today’s high-tech world, there’s still a place for old-fashioned fun. That place is Tweetsie Railroad, where we’re celebrating 50 years of unforgettable family memories! Tweetsie Railroad is a unique attraction that allows children and families to explore their imaginations and a whole lot more. Be a cowboy, Indian, or an engineer. And of course, every guest will want to take a ride on our historic steam locomotive, Number 12, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Daniel Boone Native Gardens, located near downtown Boone, N.C., contains an outstanding collection of native Appalachian trees, shrubs, and wildflowers. Hundreds of plant varieties provide a progression of blooms throughout the growing season. Opened in 1966, the three-acre Daniel Boone Native Gardens were an educational and conservation effort to nurture rare or endangered Appalachian plant species.
300 Tweetsie Railroad Lane Blowing Rock, NC 28605 800-526-5740
651 Horn in the West Drive Boone, NC 828-264-6390
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Marketplace :: Hot Products
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Marketplace :: Brokerage
Introducing the Brokerage We are proud to showcase luxury property listings in the newest section of our magazine, the “Brokerage�. Here you will find the most sought after luxury homes, plots of land, comdominiums, and commercial property the High Country has to offer. You can also view these and more properties online at www.homeresourcecarolina.com If you would like to inquire about placing one of your listings here you can contact us by email at highcountryhomemagazine@gmail.com or by phone at 828.264.2670.
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High Country Home Magazine Info If you like what you see in this second High Country Home Magazine, we think you are going to like where we are heading. Our goal with this magazine is to mesh practicality and luxury. We are going to be releasing the magazine seasonally, so you get the stories and photos you want to see on a regular basis. We are constantly striving to improve the content and are seeking article and photography submissions. If you are an author, photographer, homeowner, or business owner and want us to feature your article, photo, home, or business, please feel free to give us a call at 828.264.2670. We are also open to comments about the magazine so send us an email with feedback at highcountryhomemagazine@gmail.com. The next part of this adventure is our website. We understand that it is 2009, and the web is a must. We are currently reorganizing our website, homeresourcecarolina.com, and adding several features, including a forum for feedback on articles, directory listings, and more. We will also be offering a comprehensive directory of home resources. We are so excited about this and hope you will visit the site soon. Lastly, if anyone would like to participate in the next magazine, we are scheduled to come out early July. We have a variety of options for any type of business and budget, from full page ads all the way down to business card spaces. And for the realtor who wants to market his/her luxury listings, we also have those 1/6th of a page spots. So, email us, call us, or check out the website to do all of the above, and we will see you again in July!
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Rick Hill Imports 861 East Stone Drive Mountain City TN 423-224-2261 www.RHImport.mercedescenter.com Inside Front Cover Twin Rivers - pg. 1 7803 Highway 105 South Boone NC 828-963-7020 www.twinriversnc.com The Vistas at Banner Elk - pg. 2 P.O. Box 2074 Banner Elk NC 828-898-3380 www.VistasatBannerElk.com RCD Construction - pg. 3 437 Hollywood Rd. Moravian Falls NC 336-838-6701 www.rcdconstruction.com Knox Group Realtors - pg. 4 2818 Broadstone Rd. Valle Crucis NC 828-963-7325 www.Knoxgrouprealtors.com Capeheart & Washburn - pg. 5 703 W. King St. Suite 111 Boone NC 828-355-9142 www.capehartandwashburn.com Headwaters - pg. 6 312 Shawneehaw Ave. Banner Elk NC 828-733-8687 www.Headwatersnc.com Regency Properties, Chris Barr - pg 6 204 E. Main St. West Jefferson NC 336-246-2307 www.regencypropertiesnc.com Gum Ridge Mill - pg. 6 2385 Big Flatts Church Rd. Fleetwood NC 336-877-8888 www.gumridgemill.com
Eye to the Heart Studio - pg 7 155 Rankin Circle Blowing Rock NC 828-295-6742 www.alexhallmark.com
Index
Mikes Building Services - pg. 8 Fleetwood NC 336-971-4713 Echota - pg. 9 133 Echota Parkway Boone NC 800-333-7601 www.EchotaNC.com Mountain Heritage Systems - pg. 11 430 Pineola St. Newland NC 828-733-0141 www.mhstechnologies.com The Settlement at Thomas Divide - pg. 13 P.O. Box 965 Bryson City NC 828-788-3648 www.thomasdivide.com Dacchille Construction - pg. 13 8857 Highway 105 South Boone NC 828-964-5150 www.dacchilleconstruction.com Sugar Top Resort Sales - pg. 15 303 Sugar Top Dr. Banner Elk NC 828-898-5226 www.sugartop.com Barna Log Homes - pg. 17 11 Beaver Creek School Rd. West Jefferson NC 888-804-5509 www.jimbarnalogandtimber.com The Cabin Store - pg. 17 1101 S. Jefferson Ave. West Jefferson NC 336-246-5647 www.thecarolinacabinstore.com
Park Terrell Nationwide - pg. 19 P.O. Box 2138 Boone NC 828-264-8777 www.Nationwide.com
High Country Cabinets - pg. 35 2850 Tynecastle Hwy Banner Elk NC 828-898-3435 www.highcountrycabinetsinc.com
Apple Hill Farm - pg. 24 400 Apple Hill Rd. Banner Elk NC 828-963-1662 www.applehillfarmnc.com
Precision Cabinets - pg. 36 1324 Old 421 S. Boone NC 828-262-5080 www.precisioncabinetinc.com
Randy Blake Carpentry - pg. 25 9258-1 Highway 421 N. Zionville NC 828-297-2069 www.randyblakecarpentry.com
Parker Tie - pg. 37 19 South Third Avenue West Jefferson NC 336-846-6984 www.parkertie.doitbest.com
Katrina Price - pg. 28 House Design and Floor Planning P.O. Box 166 Creston NC 336-977-8758
Boone Paint and Interiors - pg. 37 1852 Hwy 105 Suite 1 Boone NC 828-264-9220 www.boonepaint.com
Weichert Realtors, B. Rogers - pg 28 2554 Highway 105 Boone NC 828-260-1381 www.NCMtnHouses.com
Distinctive Kitchens and Bath - pg. 38 7883. Hwy 105 S. Boone NC 828-963-9633 www.boonekitchensandbaths.com
Brent Davis Architecture - pg. 30 189 Sally St. Boone NC 828-265-4848 www.brentdavisarchitecture.com
Superior Stone and Tile - pg. 41 230 Big Flatts Moretz Rd. Fleetwood NC 336-620-9217
Custom Mica & Wood - pg. 33 9218-4 Highway 105 S. Banner Elk NC 828-963-4109 www.custommicawoodproducts.com The Country Gourmet - pg. 33 10545-3 Highway 105 S. Banner Elk NC 828-963-5269 www.thecountrygourmet.com Countertops by Design - pg. 34 8100 Valley Blvd. Blowing Rock NC 828-773-2360 www.sss-tops.com
New River Design - pg. 42 2815 Hwy 105 S. Boone NC 828-268-0450 www.newriverbuilding.com Mountain Tile - pg. 42 1852 Hwy 105 S. Boone NC 828-265-0472 www.mountaintileandstone.com Design On Tap - pg. 43 1586 Hwy 421 S. Boone NC 828-265-0505 www.designontap.net
Window and Door Specialists - pg. 45 10595 Hwy 105 S. Banner Elk NC 828-963-7788 www.windowanddoorspecialists.biz
A Flooring Outlet - pg. 57 565 Main St. East Banner Elk NC 828-898-5484 www.aflooringoutlet.com
Tatum Galleries - pg. 47 5370 Hwy 105 Banner Elk NC 828-963-6466
Doe Ridge Pottery - pg. 61 137 W. King St. Boone NC 828-264-1127 www.doeridgepottery.com
The Fabric Shoppe - pg. 47 240 Shadowline Dr. Boone NC 828-355-9153 www.fabricshoppeusa.com Appalachian Blind & Closet - pg. 49 246 Wilson Dr. Suite L Boone NC 828-264-1395 www.appalachianblind.hdwfg.com Wolf Creek Traders - pg. 51 10543-4 Hwy 105 S. Banner Elk NC 828-963-6800 www.wolfcreektraders.com Environments - pg. 53 274 Shulls Mill Rd. Boone NC 828-963-1900 Cannons Fine Home Furn. - pg. 55 424 East Elk Ave. Elizabethton TN 423-543-6937 cannonsfinehomefurnishings.com Mountaineer Sheet Metal - pg. 55 220 Postal St. Boone NC 828-264-6625 www.mountaineersheetmetal.com Jim Higgins Painting - pg. 55 410 Chadbourne Ct. Winston-Salem NC 828-964-1892 HIGHLAND PRO CLEAN – pg. 56 Newland NC 828-733-5089 www.highlandproclean.com
Kevin Beck Studios - pg. 62 Blowing Rock NC 828-963-1181 www.kevinbeck.com The Looking Glass Gallery - pg. 63 425 W. King St. Boone NC 828-268-1191 Youngdale Interiors Pg. 65 Johnson City TN 423-282-1164 www.youngdaleantiques.com Superior Spas - pg. 67 4816 Hwy 105 S. Boone NC 828-963-6624 www.superior-spas.com Appalachian Grill Co. - pg. 67 8791 Hwy 105 S Boone NC 828-413-9507 www.appgrillco.com Appalachian Man. Stone - pg. 69 345 Cranberry Springs Rd. Fleetwood NC 336-877-9090 www.appmanstone.com ELC Landscape Lighting - pg. 70 687 Vannoy Maxwell Rd. Purlear NC 336-973-1352 www.lighting-designs.com Estate Maintenance - pg. 73 Boone NC 828-264-7441
Pleasant Ridge Nursery - pg. 74 1391 Big Flatts Church Rd. Fleetwood NC 336-877-2143 www.buymaples.com
A-1 Vacuum Solutions - pg. 83 244 Shadowline Dr. Boone NC 828-264-1515 www.mtnvacs.com
McKee Tree Service - pg. 75 8075 Gragg Heights Circle Blowing Rock NC 828-295-7230 www.mckeetreeservice.com
Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha - pg. 89 1824 13th Avenue Dr NW Hickory NC 828-328-6303 www.kyhnc.com
LiL’ Greenes Hydroseeding - pg. 76 3691-A Hwy 421 N. Vilas NC 828-964-8667 www.lilgreeneshydroseeding.com
High Country Honda - pg. 90 1440 Blowing Rock Rd. Boone NC 828-264-6006 www.highcountryhondaboone.com
Hunter’s Tree Service - pg. 76 P.O. Box 1674 Banner Elk NC 828-733-3320 www.hunterstreeserviceinc.com
Blue Ridge Harley Davidson - pg. 91 2002 13th Avenue Dr. SE Hickory NC 828-327-3030 www.blueridgehd.com
Farmers Rentals - pg. 77 678 Hwy 105 Extension Boone NC 828-264-6044 www.farmersrentals.com
High Country Energy Sol. - pg. 92 Boone NC 828-265-2683 www.hcenergysolutions.com
Nature’s Concept - pg. 78 276 H Watauga Village Dr. Boone NC 828-406-2013
Sunny Day Homes Inc. - pg. 100 747 Rocky Creek Rd. Boone NC 828-265-4123 www.boonegreenbuilders.com
Closet Design Center - pg. 79 422 East 2nd St. Bldg.1 West Jefferson NC 828-963-2731 www.closetdesigncenterinc.com
High Country Stone - pg. 100 6489 Old Hwy 421 South Deep Gap NC 828-355-9320 www.highcountrystone.com
Elite Management Concierge Ser. - pg. 80 P.O. Box 671 Valle Crucis NC 828-773-5021 www.ripvanproperties.com
Building Perf. Eng. - pg. 101 904 West King Street Boone NC 828-265-4888
Jo-Lynn Enterprises Inc. - pg. 81 2322 Bairds Creek Rd. Vilas NC 800-922-2109 www.joclean.com
Constructive Solutions - pg. 102 475 Blowing Rock Rd. Boone NC 828-264-0960 828-719-9255
buildingperformanceengineering.com
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High Country Clean Space - pg. 102 Valle Crucis NC 828-963-9464 www.highcountrycleanspace.com Thunder Hill Plumbing - pg. 103 792 Burkett Rd. Boone NC 828-264-4791 Appalachian Solar Tech. - pg. 104 1267 Hopewell Church Rd. Boone NC 828-406-4021 Radon Mitigation - pg. 104 P.O. Box 1963 Blowing Rock NC 828-964-8085 Tynecastle Builders - pg. 106 Banner Elk NC 828-387-7192 www.tynecastlebuilders.com Carolina Timberworks - pg. 121 1172 Highland Hall Rd. Boone NC 828-266-9663 www.carolinatimberworks.com New River Custom Builders - pg. 129 637 Low Notch Rd. Grassy Creek NC 336-384-1209 www.newrivercustombuilders.com Douglas L. McGuire Const. - pg. 137 4041 Hwy 105 S. Boone NC 828-963-6680 www.mcguireconstruction.com Prospect Hill Inn - pg. 152 801 W. Main St. Hwy. 67 Mountain City, TN 423-727-0139 www.prospect-hill.com
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The Tributary Restaurant - pg. 152 424 S. Church St. Mountain City, TN 423-727-4150 www.tributaryofmc.com The Gamekeeper - pg. 154 3005 Shulls Mill Rd. Boone NC 828-963-7400 www.gamekeeper-nc.com Foscoe Fishing Co. - pg. 155 8857 Hwy 105 S. Boone NC 828-963-6556 www.foscoefishing.com Blue Ridge Wellness - pg. 156 828-96-8894 relaxblueridge.com
Overlook Estate - pg. 164 488 Farm Loop Rd Banner Elk NC 828-898-1938 www.overlookestate.com Dougnet - pg. 166 166 Furman Rd. Suite C Boone NC 828-264-0959 www.dougnetconsulting.com High Country Renovators - pg. 168 1115 Deck Hill Rd. Boone NC 828-406-1391 Downhill Plumbing - pg. 169 360 Rubin Walker Rd. Vilas NC 828-406-4471 www.boonencplumber.com
Oakwood Country Club - pg. 157 541 Club House Drive Wilkesboro NC 336-838-3011 www.oakwoodscc.com Add It Inc. - pg. 158 P.O. Box 23516 Charlotte NC 828-406-2815 www.additinc.com
Northwestern Heating - pg. 170 2181 Hwy 421 N Boone NC 828-265-8484
Mountain High Realty - pg. 160 82 High Country Square Banner Elk NC 828-387-0895 www.mtnhighrealtyinc.com
Carver Guttering - pg. 171 579 Walt Clark Rd. Newland NC 828-733-2110
HC Home & Property Service - pg. 162 3837 Hartzog Ford Rd. West Jefferson NC 336-877-9000 Coldwell Banker - pg. 162 2408 Hwy 105 S. Boone NC 828-262-1836 www.coldwellbankerblair.com
Aldous Construction - pg. 171 510 Pineview Dr. Boone NC 828-406-6525 www.Aldousconstruction.net
Busters Log Homes - pg. 173 116 Old Dairy Farm Rd. Banner Elk NC 828-898-1915 www.bustersloghomes.com
Please tell our sponsors you saw them in the High Country Home Magazine and Resource Guide
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The train has left the Station Some observations on the “Stimulus Package”
W
by Richard Anderson
e’ve gotten used to instantaneous communication and you read this information to a certain extent “after the fact”, but a fresh look at recent events may provide some perspective. Acres of print media and countless hours of electronic media have been devoted to the state of the Economy and the Government’s response to the crisis. In the Building and Home Improvement industry, the potential effectiveness of the economic stimulus package is an issue that we can all discuss and take sides on, but as Grandpa used to say, “That cow is out of the barn”. We are at the point where whether you love the stimulus or hate it, you need to take the time to examine its’ provisions to determine if there are opportunities for your personal situation. For homeowners that are “upside down” based on falling home values, there will be opportunities for refinancing. If this program can keep Americans in homes that might have otherwise been lost to foreclosure and also lower monthly payments, that can free up dollars for home improvement. It’s certainly easier to get motivated to improve a home that you’re not about to lose. Avoiding more foreclosures can keep inventories of unsold homes under better control. Borrowers that refinance and stay current on payments have the added incentive of $1000 annual bonus from the stimulus package. The window, door and skylight tax credit offers 30% up to $1500 for homeowners to replace existing units. Some in the building industry have bemoaned the energy standards for qualifying replacement product as being too stringent. Others like Atrium Window and Door here in North Carolina, have developed specific packages that qualify for the credit. There are replacement credits available for windows, doors, roofing, insulation and a veritable smorgasbord of heating and cooling options. For existing homes and new construction, “Green” technologies like solar and wind qualify for 30% credits with no upper limit. The Energy Star website has extremely detailed information and links to IRS forms and resources for all these programs. It will take diligence and a little research to utilize these options, but they can be a “life preserver” for small business and a real boon to homeowners. Many of us survived the 16% mortgages of the late 1970’s and with a mix of luck and hard work can survive this environment. The train has left the station. Are you getting on board?
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