High Country Home Summer O9

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VISTAS

The

LUXUR Y

at Banner Elk

CONDOMINIUMS

Rich in Design, Richer in Savings! Starting in the $300’s

“ N O T H I N G E L S E C O M PA R E S ” (828) 898-3380 sales office • (828) 898-3381 model www.VistasAtBannerElk.com 311 Penny Lane 1-B, Banner Elk, NC 28604



Actual morning view from Echota on the Ridge Clubhouse overlooking Grandfather Mountain.

Like the inspiring views, the reasons Echota has become the High Country’s most successful community are clearer than ever. Lock-and-leave luxury. And a central location between Boone, Banner Elk and Blowing Rock. See for yourself why Echota was the only choice over 450 families could make.

800.333.7601 EchotaNC.com

Visit one of our sales offices located at 1107 Main St, Suite C, Blowing Rock, NC or 133 Echota Pkwy, Boone, NC • Condominiums from the $300s


c

Wynn all

One at a Time...One of a Kind. www.TynecastleBuilders.com


Publisher’s Note James Dent said, “A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken.” To that I’d have to add “and a summer issue of the High Country Home is in your hand”. Yes, it is indeed summer, and with it much of the beauty in the high country begins to unfold. We’ve tried to capture some of the best parts of the High Country in our summer issue. Within these pages you’ll find a glimpse of the areas best art and galleries. Many of which are sure to have items to enhance and beautify a home. Here you’ll find everything from fashion to function. There’s so much art, I’d like to call it an ‘Art Issue’, but we’ve included much more. In this issue, you’ll find a recap of the hugely successful High County Home Show and Remodeling Expo, Businesses and People in the Home industry we admire, a shining talent hidden in Ashe county and design profiles that feature some of the high country’s beautiful homes. We’ve even expanded the ‘Escape Section’ and highlighted exciting local adventures sure to make this summer one to remember! Inside are a variety of adventures for you to choose from, so you can choose whether to have an adrenaline rush or to just sit back and relax. All of this on top of the plethora of resources for any home need, what more could one ask for. I’m sure you’ll agree this is our best issue yet. So grab a seat in an easy chair, on a blanket outside or wherever you wish, and dive into our summer issue. Chris Rabon, Publisher

828-898-3550

Relax. Renew. Massage Therapy • European Facials Microdermabrasion • Glycolic Peels Salt Glows • Waxing Across From Sugar Mountain Entrance, Directly Behind Extreme in Banner Elk

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PROFESSIONAL OUTDOOR LIGHTING FOR THE FINEST HOMES IN THE HIGH COUNTRY

Staff Chris Rabon, Publisher Jon-Paul Grice, Editor Lindsey Lanning, Account Representative Will Tucker, Account Representative Stefan Olson, Photographer Kayla Morton, Photographer

Advertising Information Please contact us at 828.264.2670 or by email at marketconnectionads@gmail.com to inquire about participating in our magazine. You can also peruse our media kit at www.homeresourcecarolina.com

Author Inquiries If you have written or are interested in writing home industry or High Country related articles and would like to be published in our magazine please submit articles to highcountryhomemagazine@ gmail.com or call us at 828.264.2670.

Letters to the editor Trust the world’s premier landscape and architectural lighting company to turn treasured outdoor spaces into unforgettable, welcoming places that let you linger as long as you want. Schedule your complimentary consultation today.

free nighttime demonstration 828.304.5483 (LITE) OutdoorLights.com

Write us with your feedback, questions, and comments and we may publish your letter in the next High Country Home Magazine. Send all letters to highcountryhomemagazine@gmail.com

Photography Love the photos in this magazine and want to get some of your home? We can do it. If you are interested in a photoshoot of your beautiful home, action shots of your business and staff, or portraits please contact us at 828-264-2670. Market Connection 1082 E. King St Suite 6 Boone, NC 28607 www.homeresourcecarolina.com highcountryhomemagazine@gmail.com marketconnectionads@gmail.com

Cover Photo by Stefan Olson

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Departments

84

141

42 Introductions

Home Guide

The Escape

26 Businesses We Applaud

70 The Cabinet Controversy

34 People We Admire

78 Trick Out Your Pantry

42 Products We Love

82 For Your Health

In Foscoe, NC

by Staci Norris

Men At Work

140 Rush & Relaxation

Whether you are searching for the rush of white water or the R & R of a lazy river, our top 5 list of the High Country’s outdoor adventures has you covered.

by Colleen Luntzel

Expert Vacuum Picks

Decor

84 Welcome To Carrington Design

56

High Country Interior Designer Featured On MTV’s Teen Cribs

90 Take It Outside

144 Escape Guide

Restaurants, Resorts, and Adventures

144

by Colleen Luntzel

94 Landscape Pizzazz! by Elizabeth Shukis

100 Top 5 Summer Landscape Tips Provided by Drew Roland

102 The Power Of Local Food

Focus On Art

by Chuck Smith

82

50 Tour de Art

by Judi Beck

56 Walking To The Edge

The Marketplace 149 The Brokerage Listings

Premier High Country Real Estate

154 Corkboard

by Julia Leggett

Business Contacts You Will Need

62 23rd Rosen 66 Original Art, The Final Touch by Sally Nooney

66

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Design Profiles

108 Luxury Living in the Valle

Robert and Denise Weinkle’s unique space in the incredible mountain community of Valle Crucis

114 It Starts With Design

Appalachian Custom Builders’ log home in Seven Devils delivers quality with design.

120 Above All

Embraced by the magical beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Watauga River Valley, you’ll discover the height of High Country living at Echota.

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Cover Story: Capehart & Washburn 12 • High Country Home Magazine • www.homeresourcecarolina.com

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The Greenest Home

Johnny Cooke of Sustainable Green Builders and his Enertia Log Home are the new face of the South’s green revolution..



Contributors Staci Norris is a full time designer at High Country Cabinets of Banner Elk. She has spent the last 2 years in the kitchen and bath industry since graduating from Appalachian with a Bachelor’s degree in Interior Design. She works with both homeowners and contractors, and her projects range in size from small remodels to large custom homes. She resides in Boone with her husband Seth.

Jim Hughes has over 25 years experience in writing about high-end resort and golf real estate, economic development and entrepreneurial companies. HughesPR services include media relations, strategic communications planning, marketing collateral, website development and database marketing. Call 919 601 8252 for information.

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.

Colleen Luntzel is the co-owner of House Warming, a newly established design group emphasizing the importance of making dwelling places into home through architectural design, remodeling, and decorating. She resides in Boone with her husband of thirty two years and their youngest of five children.

Elizabeth Shukis of AS Construction, Inc., Diversified Building Solutions, Inc, and The White Glove is a graduate from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her and her husband, Andrew, have lived in the High Country for nine years and have owned their businesses for over 15 years. She prides herself on both the personal and professional relationships she develops with her clients.

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Sally Shelton Nooney is an accomplished artist whose work is influenced by the beauty of nature and wildlife. Her work reflects her love of gardening, animals, and the outdoors. Sally is the owner and director of the Artists’ Studio Gallery & School of Fine Art in Banner Elk, NC where she teaches weekly classes in oil, acrylic, and watercolor. Her work is exhibited in the Artists’ Studio Gallery as well as several other venues.

Rebecca Osborne is a High Country native and professional writer for the Gallery Group. The Gallery Group is a full service marketing & public relations firm made up of writers, designers, media buyers, and advertising professionals located in West Jefferson, the heart of the High Country. Regardless of what Rebecca or the rest of the Gallery Group team is working on, their passion and creativity for their work is reflected in everything that the company produces.


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www.homeresourcecarolina.com

Corrections Summer Hummer hummingbird on feeder

We are very excited about our new website. It has been a long and drawn out process that is near completion. And when it is finalized, you will be able to visit to find directory listings of all your home industry needs, read articles from our authors and experts, enjoy an interactive comment system, review businesses, keep up with weekly expert blogs, and peruse all of our beautiful design profiles. Please visit soon, and feel free to email us with any feedback at highcountryhomemagazine@gmail.com

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Stone Bridge Fall Colors surround two walkers. Bass Lake, Blowing Rock, NC

Spring 09 issue, page 65. Contact information was incorrect. The correct information is as follows: Photos by Park Terrell Park Terrell Photography 828.264-2428 Spring 09 issue, page 144. No credit. Home was built by Doug McGuire Construction.



A Special Thank You

Home Show Success

The High Country Home Builders Association put on their 15th annual Home and Remodeling Exposition this past May, and it was our pleasure to take part in this event for the first time. We here at the High Country Home Magazine would like to take this opportunity to thank the High Country Home Builder’s Association for putting on a great show and allowing us to take part. Words cannot describe how amazed we were with the beautiful displays designed by the vendors (1st place winner Landscape Creations comes to mind). Our staff was also impressed with how well the show was run from an organizational perspective, leading us to believe that after 15 years they really have this show down pat. High Country Home Builder’s Association President David Scott is also proud to announce that “by all accounts the Expo was very well received by the public as the Holmes center played host to 1680 visitors during the two day event.” Over those two days, attendees were treated to enlightening seminars and a chance to get to know some of the friendly faces associated with the home industry. Scott was also pleased to announce the two scholarship recipients: Allison Vance from Avery High School and Larkin Ray from Watauga High School were each awarded $1000 scholarships. Scholarships were awarded to High School Seniors who will be pursuing degrees related to the Home Building and Remodeling Industry. Awards were also given for “Top Show Participants” to the following booths: 1st place winner - Landscape Creations received a $75 gift card from Lowe’s of Boone; 2nd place - Closet Design Center received a $50 gift card from Lowe’s of Boone; 3rd place - The Healthy Gourmet received a $25 gift card from Lowe’s of Boone. Overall the Home Show was a great success, and we can’t wait until next year. If you have any questions about this years show or being a part of next years show then please send e-mails to susan.hchba@charterinternet.com.

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Mid-Summer Events Calendar July 20, 2009 - Broyhill Chamber Ensemble: Founders Night July 22 - 26, 2009 Blowing Rock Charity Horseshow July 25, 2009 - TCVA Visual Arts Workshop July 25, 2009 - High Country Bluegrass Festival July 25, 2009 - Fanciful and Functional 3-D Artist Books July 25, 2009 - 23rd Rosen Sculpture Walk July 26, 2009 - Mountainhome Music Juyl 27, 2009 - Monday Night Concert Series July 30 - Aug 2, 2009 - BRAHM Arts & Antiques Weekend Aug 1 -2, 2009 - Hayes Performing Arts presents Bye Bye Birdie Aug 7, 2009 - Blowing Rock Hospital Benefit Fashion Show Aug 9, 2009 - Concert in the Park Aug 9, 2009 -Blowing Rock Jazz Society Aug 10, 2009 - Monday Night Concert Series Aug 12 -16, 2009 - Hayes Performing Arts presents Angel Street Aug 12-Sep 26, 2009 - Ashe County Arts Council’s Sisters On A Journey Aug 13, 2009 - Banner Elk’s Chamber Concert in the Park Aug 15, 2009 - Ashe’s Blue Ridge Brutal 100 Aug 15, 2009 - Blowing Rock Art in the Park Aug 21-Sep 6, 2009 - Hayes Performing Arts presents Hank Williams: Lost Highway Aug 22, 2009 - Charity Golf & Tennis Tournament Aug 22-23, 2009 - Avery County’s Fine Arts And Mastercrafts Festival Sep 4, 2009 - Appalachian Studies Bluegrass at Jones House Sep 5, 2009 - 2nd Annual High Country Beer Fest Sept 5, 2009 - Daniel Boone Days Sep 12, 2009 - Blowing Rock Art in the Park Sep 13, 2009 - Blowing Rock Concert in the Park

Featured Event Another Mid-summer Blowing Rock Attraction Weekend Art & Antique Show The Blowing Rock Art and History Museum (BRAHM) presents its third “Annual Art & Antique Show ,” a threeday-weekend sale of heirloom-quality furniture, pottery, jewelry, clocks, crystal, silver and more. Featuring selected vendors from throughout the East Coast, the event is open to the public ($10 per person at the door, valid for the entire show) from Friday, July 31 through Sunday, August 2. Held at the Blowing Rock Elementary School gymnasium on Morris Street, the site has ample free parking adjacent to the show. The BRAHM Café will also be open during the sale, offering light fare to the attendees. Lynn Drury is chairing the Art & Antique Show and will be assisted by dozens of volunteers. The Board of Trustees of the Blowing Rock Art and History Museum is actively involved in the entire weekend, staffing events and assisting with various components of the proceedings.

Hours for the Art & Antique Show are 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Sunday. For more information on the show or BRAHM, call 828.295.9099 or visit blowingrockmuseum.org.

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Introductions Get to know the businesses, people, and products of the High Country

Businesses We Applaud • Foscoe, NC • 26 / People We Admire • Men At Work • 34 / Products We Love • Decor • 42

Tatum Galleries, Businesses We Applaud PHOTO BY STEFAN OLSON

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Businesses We Applaud

Foscoe, NC

Tatum Galleries

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!

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.

As soon as a customer enters the store, it can be Everyone at Tatum Galleries wants to thank our customers an overwhelming experience with many decorating who have made our business fun and successful all these possibilities. Our staff is trained to help our customers with years. Our secret is in the service, but we couldn’t do it their specific needs, if its furniture they are looking for or a without the wonderful customers who grace our door. certain lamp to go on their grandmother’s sideboard. We are there to make that search easy and a pleasurable experience. We love to gather details for their projects and 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 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

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Businesses We Applaud

Foscoe, NC

Twin Rivers

T

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). 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 as far as Illinois, Colorado, and even New Mexico to enjoy the streams and community. Even the owners of local 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 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

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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, 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. 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. 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.


inform

inspire

imagine

Carrington Design, LLC

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Businesses We Applaud

Foscoe, NC

Window And Door Specialists Expanding their product offerings…

W

indow and door Specialists has long been one of the largest Hurd retailers on the East Coast. With changes in the economic climate and to better serve a diverse customer base, they have added product offerings to showcase a wider range of window and door options. In addition to the Hurd and Atrium window and door lines, they are pleased to add two new manufacturers to the lineup.

cold!). By purchasing Bonneville Energy Star certified windows and doors, you are assured to get products that considerably reduce noise pollution, condensation as well as providing significant energy savings. At Bonneville they recycle many raw materials used in the manufacturing of doors and windows, including wood, PVC, aluminum, steel, cardboard, etc. At Bonneville, the environment is a priority.

Malta Windows have been manufactured in Malta, OH since 1889 making them the second oldest window manufacturer in the United States. Using the B&O Railroad and barges on Ohio’s Muskingum River, Malta was soon shipping 6000 window frames a month throughout the Midwest and beyond. For over 100 years Malta built a loyal customer base east of the Mississippi. In 2008 Wade Benjamin, a Malta native, purchased and revived the Malta brand. Wade improved the physical plant, upgraded equipment and even began using powder-coat painting technology for enhanced durability and color choice. Those changes and attention to detail, quality processes and customer service bode well for this “new and improved” yet familiar brand name. Those changes coupled with a lifetime warranty that is among the best in the industry provide quality you can trust at a reasonable price.

Multiple choice is a way of doing business at Bonneville. Standard wood options include Pine, Douglas Fir, and even Western Red Cedar. The color palette encompasses 10 standard and 14 custom colors. All possible grill options including “true divided lite” are available.

Bonneville Window and Door was founded in 1946 in Canada to serve the specific needs that are particular to a harsh northern climate. Henri Bonneville grew the business and over the years added his four sons to the company. In 1957, Henri and his sons added a building supply store to the mix and gained the valuable insight that comes from direct contact with the end users of any building supply product. The company continued to grow and in 1986 acquired an aluminum window manufacturer. The following year, Bonneville became a publicly traded company with shares traded on the Montreal Exchange. In 1994, Bonneville began to distribute products internationally with an emphasis on the American market. As the Millennium was celebrated, the company opened its American offices in Massachusetts. Bonneville employs “warm edge” technology which ensures that the spacer between the glass doesn’t transmit heat or cold. Their windows are certified by NFRC, AAMA and are” Energy Star” rated for Zone D in Canada (that’s

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Four distinct window and door options and the same great service you’ve come to rely on…That’s window and Door Specialists of Banner Elk.



Businesses We Applaud

Foscoe, NC

Dachille Construction Dachille Construction in Foscoe specializes in modular/systems built construction that is both time and cost saving. Dachille Construction also utilizes conventional “stick built” construction to customize your home so you get what you want. Bill Dachille, owner of Dachille Construction combines old world values with new school techniques to build some of the best and most sought homes in the High Country.

a design that a homeowner likes, and re-design it using system built techniques. I think you’d be surprised to walk into a few of these, and realize that they are systems built!

Bill Dachille’s dad was a plumber, Developer, Spec Builder, and Real Estate broker on Staten Island. Bill grew up working for him every summer from the time he was about 10. He started his own business installing swimming pools on Staten Island when he was 16, where the desire to be his own boss was fueled.

In addition, the Log construction came into the systems built mix for us a few years ago. We have recently finished the new Foscoe Fishing Co. building on Highway 105 where the old Foscoe Flea Market used to exist. We are particularly proud of that building – we used a Rocky Mtn. Log Homes package there. They (RMLH) do a great job of design, and their materials are exceptional. Stop by the store and see the Owner, Scott Farfone, for a tour of the facility, and he can also show you a slide show of the construction process.

Bill went to Engineering school (RPI) where he earned a Bachelor’s and a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering and then an MBA.

We’ll still do a stick built home when the topography or restrictions require us to do so. In fact, we just finished a stick built home on Beech Mountain for a couple from Florida.

He worked for General Electric for 5 years after school, but the entrepreneur in him kept pushing him into self-employment. He moved to the High country in 1981, where he first got his Real Estate License in 1982, and then General Contractor and Plumbing licenses in 1984.

As long as we can offer the customer extra value at a reasonable price, we’re interested. We’ve done several major renovations for customers as well as new construction – we like “challenging” projects!

The tough building economy at the end of the 80’s led Bill into the Ski Industry, where he spent 20 years as an independent sales rep. covering 12 states in the southeast , but he always kept his licenses current and did an occasional project along the way (he was the General Contractor on the church that he has attended for the past 20 years – Cross Point Community Church). When he and his wife Donna began to have children in the 90’s, he knew that life on the road would not be good for his family, and he began to investigate other careers. Bill says “the Lord led me back into contracting – everything else I investigated just didn’t seem to fit – I guess all those years around my dad rubbed off on me more than I realized.” However he didn’t simply want to do what everyone else was doing, and continued his search for the right “niche” in the building business. “In early 2002 a ski business friend told me that he was looking for a contractor to work on a systems built project with him, I immediately thought “now there’s something interesting – it fit right in with my engineering background – and my desire to do something out of the ordinary (at least at that time!). While my friend never pulled that project together, it was the start of a business model that I knew would work for me…offering a quality product at a reasonable price in an aggressive time frame.” That model quickly grew into what Bill calls “Custom Modular” – we have recently completed several homes in the 4 – 6000 square foot range – up to 7 boxes. We basically take

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The ability to be home every night with my family is a greater motivator than just plain profit ever was. The building business has the added benefit of being a great incubator for the entrepreneurial spirit, (which helped make our country the greatest country on earth!) I hope to develop that spirit in my children, and I think that it’s working! In fact if you show up at one of our jobsites, you might just see a young Dacchille with a broom or a shovel in his hands keeping the site clean!



People We Admire

Men At Work

Dirk Brown Blue Mountain Metal Works

Dirk Brown owner of Blue Mountain Metalworks was raised in Oxford, Ohio a town very similar to Boone in many respects, which is probably why he decided to call Boone home. Dirk has been fabricating and forging items for folks around the High Country since his arrival at Appalachian State in 1986. After earning a degree in Art Marketing and Production with a minor in technology/design from A.S.U. Dirk started at Charleston Forge, where he worked in the Product Development and Design department. After eight years at Charleston Forge Dirk was leaning towards opening his own business so he could start doing his own work. At this point he met Ed Powell who was starting up his own shop in 2000 called Powell’s of Banner Elk. Ed who has 60 years experience in the field taught Dirk the “tricks of the trade” now Dirk owns the company and has since renamed it Blue Mountain Metalworks. In 2005, Dirk was awarded NOMMA’s (the trade organization for metal fabricators) Gates Fabricated Gold award for design and craftsmanship. Dirk was also featured in the 17th edition of Carolina Architecture and Design Magazine. His work is featured in many High End gated communities such as Linville Ridge, Hound Ears, Elk River and many others. While Dirk is very proud of his designs he is also very proud of the relationships his company has been able to grow with the builders and designers in the area. Dirk would also like his potential customers to know that as long as he is in business his company will continue to “Raise the Bar” in their quality and designs. If you would like more information about Dirk and Blue Mountain Metal Works, visit their website at www. bluemountainmetalworks.com or call 828.898.8582

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People We Admire

Men At Work

Bob Meier Doe Ridge Pottery

Bob Meier, owner and operator of Doe Ridge Pottery in Boone, NC began his career almost by accident. A transplant originally from Philadelphia, PA, Bob moved to Boone after his military service in 1973 to complete his education at Appalachian State University. While finishing his Bachelor and Masters degrees at A.S.U., Bob continued to extend his interest in clay by taking all the course work offered at A.S.U. including a course with Ron Probst. He worked during this period for two and a half years for potter Lucy Hamilton in Newland, NC. Bob also became involved in the Hands Crafts Gallery in Boone, helping establish Hands as the Boone area’s first cooperative gallery in 1975 as one of its charter members. Bob became a member of Blue Ridge Hearthside Crafts in 1978, and a member of the Southern Highlands Craft Guild in 1983. He established his own studio and gallery on King Street in Boone in 1988. Bob’s work has been on exhibit at the Folk Art Center in Asheville and the Moses Cone Manor. He is represented by a number of fine galleries, including the North Carolina Crafts Gallery, the Lynn Morrow Pottery, the Jacob Fork Gallery, the Grovewood Gallery, and the New Morning Gallery. He is sought after for his custom work, both functional, decorative, and architectural from individuals and designers. To learn more about Bob and Doe Ridge Pottery stop by his new location at 585 D W. King St or call 828.264.1127. You can check out his work online at www.doeridgepottery.com

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People We Admire

Men At Work

Personality #3: Jerry Cook, A1 Vacuum Solutions

Jerry Cook

A1 Vacuum Solutions

Jerry Cook, owner of A-1 Vacuum Solutions was born and raised in North Carolina and has lived in the High Country for over thirty years. He has faithfully served this area in the food industry, as well as in retail and service sectors. Five and a half years ago, Jerry opened Mountain Central Vacuum, a business providing both commercial and residential central vacuum systems. After realizing the need for portable vacuum sales and service, he opened his retail store, A-1 Vacuum Solutions, located in the Shoppes at Shadowline Center in Boone. With a passion for quality products and services, Jerry is uncompromising, ensuring that the brands he offers are only of the highest quality, and built to last for a lifetime of service. He prides himself on selling products that not only help you clean easily and effectively but also help provide your home with better air quality. He places a major emphasis on the correlation between his service and your family’s health. His honest, straight-forward approach, combined with his knowledge and experience, has earned him a successful business in a short amount of time. Jerry also received the Good Samaritan Award from the High Country Home Builders Association as a result of his involvement in the community. If you haven’t had the pleasure of meeting Jerry or are interested in learning more about his products, stop by his store located in Boone, or call 828.264.1515.

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www.homeresourcecarolina.com • High Country Home Magazine • 39


People We Admire

Men At Work

Doug Wallace

Wallace Propane

Doug Wallace started his career in propane sales and management working for large corporate businesses. While he gained experience and a love for the business, something just didn’t fit. In his mind bulk delivery was a critical business that supported residents in the area, but was limited to those using propane as their primary heat source. Doug and his wife Mitzi saw a need for a specialty propane supply service, one that would appeal to area residents desiring a back up source of heat to supplement their primary source and also appeal to the seasonal residents of Watauga, Ashe, and Avery counties. They envisioned a cylinder exchange system that would allow customers using as little as 25 gallons a year to have a propane supplier. Doug and Mitzi also wanted a retail shop, displaying gas logs, fireplaces, water heaters, and premium gas grills. Their vision became a reality in 1996, when Wallace Propane opened its doors. It was instant success. Wallace Propane outgrew the home office and needed a showroom location to meet the needs of the growing customer base. In the spring of 1997, they moved to their current location on the 105 Bypass. Two years later a welding supply business came to fruition, offering local welders and hobbyists a fully stocked retail store with welding and safety products. The two parts of Wallace Propane operate together and deliver propane and welding supplies to area homes and businesses. Wallace Propane offers personalized service and focuses on customer satisfaction in every facet of their business. Every gas installation represents quality workmanship and each installer takes special consideration of all safety and code requirements. The goal is simple: to make each customer satisfied with their individual service and to provide a safe installation. For more info about Doug Wallace and Wallace Propane call 828-297-1115.

40 • High Country Home Magazine • www.homeresourcecarolina.com



Products We Love

Decor

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3

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1. Entertaining at it’s Best

2. Luggage Racks

3. Decorative Items

Featuring trays, napkins, glassware and pottery everything needed to bring friends together for fun and conversation.

These hand crafted pieces are one of our most popular items. Great in a guest room or add a tray for an extra side table while entertaining.

Whether you are seeking a touch of whimsy, rustic items or “on trend” accessories Tatum Galleries has a great variety to select from.

Products provided by Tatum Galleries • 828.963.6466 photo by Stefan Olson

42 • High Country Home Magazine • www.homeresourcecarolina.com



Products We Love

Decor 3

4

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1. Leather-strapped end table 2. Wood/Stone/Metal Over-sized Cocktail Table 3. Tiffany-style Table Lamp. 4. All-Leather Sofa and Chair with Wood Carved Front/Arms

Products provided by Appalachian Furniture • www.appalachianfurniturestore.com • 828.297.5055 photo by Stefan Olson

44 • High Country Home Magazine • www.homeresourcecarolina.com



Products We Love

Decor

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1

4

2

1. Mantle Clock

2. Bear Coaster Set

3. Log Cabin Lamp

4. Picture Frame

Handcrafted by a North Carolina artist, trimmed with natural materials and available in a variety of colors.

A black bear keeps this set of 4 cork coasters neatly organized in a log holder.

Create a welcoming glow in any area of your rustic home with this log cabin table lamp.

Beautifully embellished with nature’s bounty by a skillful artist - a Cabin Fever exclusive!

Products provided by Cabin Fever • www.thecabinfeversite.com • 828.295.0520 photo by Kayla H. Morton


www.homeresourcecarolina.com • High Country Home Magazine • 47


Products We Love

Decor

2

1. Wavy Bamboo Room Divider Accent Piece Modern, yet rustic, this is the perfect accent piece for any home design.

2. Gembol Wood Art Vase and Ball The unique pattern and texture, and extreme hardness, make Gembol wood a rare and valuable collection and good investment.

3. Signature Gembol Art Benches Each piece individually handmade, unique, one of a kind, full of antiquity and character throughout. A significant work of art!

4. Architectural Acacia Wooden Column Use to display your finest art or accent any corner with its architectural design.

1 3

4

Products provided by Home Antiquities And Interiors • 828.268.2056 photo by Stefan Olson

48 • High Country Home Magazine • www.homeresourcecarolina.com


FocusOnArt A Seasonal Spotlight

Tour De Art • 50 / Walking To The Edge • 56 / 23rd Rosen • 62 / Original Art, The Final Touch • 66

Tour de Art, Alta Vista Gallery PHOTO BY STEFAN OLSON

www.homeresourcecarolina.com • High Country Home Magazine • 49


Tour de Art

Art Festivities in Greater Avery Galleries & Studios this Summer & Fall

W

written by Judi Beck © 2009

PHOTOGRAPHS BY STEFAN OLSON

hat happens when a bunch of gallery owners, picture framers, artists and gallery managers get together over wine and goodies? A casual onlooker might say “mayhem!” But it’s actually creative juices in overload - spewing ideas into the night air. This titillating scenario is occurring regularly between the art corridor centered on Banner Elk and bordered by Boone, Matney, Foscoe, Crossnore, Valle Crucis and Linville. Together these aficionados of all things artistic are birthing a consortium, mischievously dubbed “COG” or “coalition of galleries.”

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The intent of COG – in addition to having fun – is to join together to more fully promote the vast artistic resources of the greater Avery County area and its environs. As such, the inaugural project of COG will be in evidence every 4th Saturday – in artistic venues - through October. It’s fondly called “the Greater Avery Tour de Art.” The tour includes 12 art galleries and artists’ studios and will be amply evidenced by colorful directional signs throughout the area. It will run from noon to 5:00 on June 27th, July 25th, August 22nd, September 26th and October 24th. A map of the entire tour is available at each location. Each business welcomes visitors with their own unique brand of hospitality. Guests may anticipate a broad array of offerings: original paintings by professional and emerging artists, pottery, sculpture, glass, porcelain, fine art reproductions, framing and lighting.


Carlton Gallery

One of the most established fine art and contemporary craft galleries in the High Country. Carlton Gallery features a spirited collection of artwork in all mediums with over 200 local, regional, and national artists. Established in 1982, Carlton Gallery presents an inspiring array of original works and exceptional gift ideas for visitors and collectors, including paintings, giclees, limited edition prints, pottery, jewelry, sculpture, wood, glass and more. Location: 10 miles south of Boone and 7 miles north of Linville on Hwy 105. Visit our web site for more information and a schedule of current workshops. For more information call 828 963 4288 or visit www.carltonartgallery.com.

Alta Vista Gallery

Created in 1990, Alta Vista Gallery is more than art…it’s an experience. We hope you can come here in person someday, to experience… Our historic property in Valle Crucis, NC is only 10 minutes from Boone, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Sitting in our porch swing or purple porch rockers to enjoy the mountain views.Hundreds of paintings in various styles and mediums by 200 artists, including Will Moses, B. Jean Baird, Joan Sporn,Jean Pollock,Ron Skelton,Louise Pinto,William Mangum,Bennette Rowan,Dean White,Frank Wilson, Ruth Ellen Busbee-Boerman,Tonya Bottomley,Alan McCarter. For more information call 828-963-5247

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Participating in the tour are galleries in: The 105-corridor from Tynecastle to Shulls Mill: The Linville Gallery

Representing a rich variety of talented artists who bring their own unique point of view (4004 Highway 105, Suite 2, www.linvillegallery.com).

Carlton Gallery

Featuring a wide selection of fine art and upscale handmade crafts by over 300 artisans (10360 Hwy. 105 South, www.carltonartgallery.com).

Purveyors of Art & Wildflowers Publishing

A genuine brick-and-mortar art supply store, located in Foscoe, NC (112 Aldridge Park Rd. www.artpurveyors. com).

Kevin Beck Studio & Gallery

The sumptuous studio and show space of one of the area’s favorite plein air landscape artists. Now doing “sleepy head” commissions. (1590 Shulls Mill Rd. www.kevinbeck.com). Banner Elk heading west from the corner of 105 and 184:

The Art Cellar

Featuring fine quality artwork by both established and emerging artists. (920 Shawneehaw Ave. Hwy. 184, www. artcellaronline.com),

The Cheese House Gallery

Providing arts enrichment programs to county schools and presenting community arts events and artwork to locals and visitors. (630 Shawneehaw Ave, Hwy. 184, www.averycountyartscouncil.org).

The Clark Gallery

An impressive collection of representational paintings. (www. clarkgallerync.com, 393 Shawneehaw Ave. Hwy. 184).

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The Art Cellar

Established in 1993 in the Western NC Mountain community of Banner Elk, The Art Cellar Gallery began as the lifelong vision of Pamela McKay. Having grown up in the area, she appreciates and understands the correlation between the beauty of North Carolina’s natural environment to the artistic inspiration it gives area artists. Constantly envisioning a gallery of her own, Pamela sought to concentrate on showing the artwork of those who were indigenous to the immediate region. It was with this focus that the Art Cellar Gallery became a reality. The Art Cellar Gallery provides our clients with a relaxed and comfortable exhibition space in which to select art which become treasured additions to their collections, large or small. For more information call 828-898-5175.


TheLinville Gallery

The Linville Gallery at Tynecastle is nestled at the base of Grandfather Mountain in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western NC near the communities of Linville, Banner Elk, Blowing Rock, and Boone. We are honored to represent a rich variety of talented artists. Each artist brings to our gallery a unique point of view, and their work is the result of much dedication in the pursuit of excellence. You will find small thoughtful gems as well as large challenging works. Our collection represents the best of our artists and ranges from acknowledged masters to emerging artists. For more information call 828-898-8405


Matney heading south on 194: Sally Nooney Studio & Gallery

Still Life’s, Landscapes, and Animals in Oil, Watercolor, and Acrylic by Sally Shelton Nooney. (7137 Hwy. 194 South, www.sallynooney.com).

Valle Crucis: Alta Vista Gallery

Hundreds of paintings in various styles and mediums. Plus: Handmade Kaleidoscopes, Jewelry, Stained-Glass, Pottery and Tiles (2839 Broadstone Rd., www.altavistagallery.com).

The 221-corridor heading south from 105: 87 Ruffin Street

Featuring southern folk art, woodcarvings, pottery and handcrafted furniture. (84 Ruffin St. Linville, www. oldhamptonstore.com).

Crossnore Weaving Room & Fines Arts Gallery

Where fine artists demonstrate their commitment to the children of The Crossnore School as they show their work in this not-for-profit gallery. (205 Johnson Ln. Crossnore, www. crossnoregallery.org)

Bill Brown Anvil Arts Studio

Gallery & Sculpture Garden of expressive, often richly textured metal sculpture, made from challenging materials and forms. (Hwy. 221, 9600 Linville Falls Hwy. www.studiosculpture.com). COG was conceived and proposed by the wild and zany, metaphor-coining Mike Hill of Purveyors of Art and his partner, Becky Serine. The tour takes you down some of the most beautiful byways in the High Country. The public is warmly invited to attend all weekend tours. And … enjoy the beautiful High Country ride.

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Kevin Beck Studio

Photograph provided by Judi Beck

Kevin is a contemporary painter residing in the mountains of North Carolina. Known for the vibrancy and resonance of his palette, he sees and interprets the landscape in shades of teal, chartreuse and berry. Known as colorist, viewers are transfixed by the depth and translucence of his work both in pastel and oil. Kevin is collected throughout the USA, Canada, Europe and NZ. He’s included in numerous corporate collections including: Wachovia and SunTrust Banks, Tennessee Valley Authority, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee and the Art in Embassies Department of the United States Government. For more information on Kevin Beck call 828-963-1181.

Other Tour de Art Participants

art the greater AVERY

tour de

brought to you by

the Avery Coalition of Galleries:

anvil arts studio/gallery artpurveyors.com art cellar gallery & framemakers avery arts council carlton gallery clark gallery crossnore gallery eighty seven ruffin st. kevin beck studio of art linville gallery sally nooney art studio

every fourth Saturday! in AVERY COUNTY: Art Capital of the High Country

fine art • frames • prints • workshops • symposiums • demos • snacks • fun pick up your FREE tour map at any participating location for info, call 898-5175 or 963-PAINT • online: www.artpurveyors.com/tourdeart.html


Sally Nooney Gallery

Sally Nooney grew up in the S.C. low country; where fishing, hunting, and walks in the wild were almost daily activities. Living just outside of Charleston gave her a love of history, antiquities, and architecture as well. Sally has painted throughout her life but decided to seriously pursue her creative talents when she and her husband, Frank, moved to the North Carolina mountains in 1987. Sally opened her own gallery and school in 2001. Her work is enjoyed by both private and corporate clients for her fine art as well as her decorative art, having created numerous custom works on furniture, floor cloths, murals, canvas, and paper. For more information call 828-963-7347.

www.homeresourcecarolina.com • High Country Home Magazine • 55


Walking


Edge

to the An Artist’s Life by Julia Leggett © 2009

It is said that the human body totally regenerates itself every seven years. Each cell is replaced and we become completely reborn. This habit of continual renewal has punctuated the 37-year marriage and careers of artist, Kevin Beck and his wife, Judi. And change is churning in the Beck family once again. These two free spirits met in college and married within a year. They supported themselves and their educations by working just enough to study, pay the bills and still have fun. Following graduation, the two entered careers in Kevin’s home state of Ohio. For eleven years the couple dutifully followed conventional paths - both professionally and civically, building reputations and relationships. But all the while there was a restlessness that was precipitated by the pull of oil paints for Kevin and entrepreneurship for Judi. The sudden death of Judi’s dad – though devastating – was the lightning bolt that

jump-started the first major upheaval of their union. Life, after all, is short.

They decided to uproot. In short order they: sold their house and jeep with snow plow; quit their jobs; put their possessions in storage; celebrated New Years Eve with friends and drove south on New Years Day – a tent on the roof of Judi’s ’82 Renault. Six weeks later they landed in Raleigh – Kevin with a sales job in high tech, Judi marching toward a freelance career in training & development. Their mantra was “Nobody knows us here – we can do anything we want. If we or we will learn how to fly. fail, it’s just our egos at (Patrick Overton) stake and well … egos are only air.” They settled in Cary. Judi quickly began doing A saying on the wall of her thing – the meltingJudi’s office defines this pot business climate of and subsequent journeys. Research Triangle Park was ripe for teambuilding When we walk to the edge and she was a popular of all the light we have facilitator – working with and take that step into the Fortune and International darkness of the unknown, 500 companies. She we must believe that one also pursued and earned of two things will happen. a Masters degree in There will be something ecopsychology. Kevin solid for us to stand on …

Kevin at work on a “Sleepy Head.”

Kevin & Judi at home.

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“ “We’re very excited about a concept that we’ve been noodling for several years – a huge departure from the plein air landscapes

that Kevin is known for. We’re calling it ‘Sleepy Heads – Intimate Portraiture for Bed & Bath’ and we’re having a blast with it.” 58 • High Country Home Magazine • www.homeresourcecarolina.com

Above: “Family Hour” Left: “A Long Day’s Nite” Below: “Dogs Rule”


climbed the corporate ladder, commuting weekly between Raleigh and Chicago, but he was still sandwiching his art between business trips around the globe. Most of their vacations were devoted to further immersion in art. Their mantra became “save enough to take a heart-stopping leap into full time art.” They did and Kevin did. Yikes. The book Your Money or Your Life by Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez became their Bible. While Kevin got his feet wet refining his brush strokes and acquiring gallery representation, Judi continued her work with corporate clients. Once he gained a foothold in the art market, she quit her work and again – they drove away. This time it was from Raleigh to Blowing Rock – the market where Kevin’s artwork had captured the greatest number of collectors. That was in 2000. Their new mantra was “start the new millennium with a bang.” And they did. Kevin soon established himself as an artist to watch and Judi managed his art-sales while fulfilling a dream of learning pottery and pursuing freelance writing. In 2004, they opened the Upstairs Gallery in downtown Blowing Rock. For five manic years, they filled a niche in the downtown community: promoting art and artists, hosting shows and receptions, offering Artist Way workshops and providing safe and sensuous space for art aficionados of all kind. “Our goal was not only to sell art, it was also to make the world of art comfortable and accessible to the public at large. We valued everyone who walked in our door,” the couple reminisces. The Upstairs Gallery became known all over the Southeast as a respite and a haven. The popularity of Kevin’s plein air landscapes escalated and his market broadened. Artists clamored for representation. Collectors became friends. And … it was exhausting. When sales declined with the economy, it was the excuse the couple needed to step back and regenerate – again. In March they concluded their lease, took a well-deserved vacation and opened the doors to Kevin’s studio at 1590 Shulls Mill Rd. The two signs at the road simply read “Beck Studio.” In fact, combining an open studio with their home has been a dream of the couple for years. “We are very grateful that we have the space to do this and very optimistic about the prospects for the space. We embrace the idea of further simplifying. We’re lucky that the studio is separated from the living area so we can comfortably welcome guests. Still, we recognize that this is a year of unknowns and we’re mentally prepared to ride it out,” says Kevin. “And we’re very excited about a concept that we’ve been noodling for several years – a huge departure from the plein air landscapes that Kevin is known for. We’re calling it ‘Sleepy Heads – Intimate Portraiture for Bed & Bath’ and we’re having a blast with it,” says Judi. And indeed, “Sleepy Heads” are fanciful impressionistic scenes of couples relaxing together in bed – presumably on a weekend morning - often times with their pets. The relational aspect of these works – between people and their pets is very touching. The mood is tranquil. The motif is just plain fun. They are painted by commission. The idea for this series was Judi’s. “I’ve been hounding Kevin for years to pursue it. The timing just wasn’t right until now. We’re just hoping

www.homeresourcecarolina.com • High Country Home Magazine • 59


““ When we walk to the edge of all the light we have and take that step into the darkness of the unknown, we must believe that one of two things will happen. There will be something solid for us to stand on … or we will learn how to fly. (Patrick Overton)

that in the coming year, we can be “sleepy heads” ourselves once in a while!” says Judi. “Hopefully we’ll be influenced by our own work – to kick back and smell the roses without weeding around them. In fact, I think this is our new mantra!” Kevin and his artwork have been featured in many regional and international publications, as well as two books – most recently “Painting North Carolina – Impressions en Plein Air” by Kim Maselli. He’s included in many corporate collections and thousands of private collections throughout North America, Europe and New Zealand. Two of his High Country paintings hung in the American Embassy in Copenhagen through the Art in Embassies Program. He’s a popular instructor throughout the Southeast and is on the faculty of Cheap Joe’s in Boone. In May, Kevin won “best of show” in a three-day plein air paint-out on Solomon’s Island on the Chesapeake. He competed against 29 other artists from Chicago, Baltimore, Washington, DC and Philadelphia.

Kevin’s website is www.kevinbeck.com. Judi and Kevin invite the public to Kevin’s studio at 1590 Shulls Mill Rd. Boone. They offer a relaxed atmosphere where people can browse both unframed and framed artwork. Kevin also does commissions and instruction. They are open by appointment or chance. For an appointment, you may call 828-9631181 or email kmbeck@skybest.com.

60 • High Country Home Magazine • www.homeresourcecarolina.com

Painting on location on the Chesapeake Bay

The result ...


“ The Beck Studio on Shulls Mill Rd.

Bynum View, Collection of Mary Jane and Harold Bynum

“We are very grateful that we have the space to do this and very optimistic about the prospects for the space. We embrace the idea of further simplifying. We’re lucky that the studio is separated from the living area so we can comfortably welcome guests. Still, we recognize that this is a year of unknowns and we’re mentally prepared to ride it out.” www.homeresourcecarolina.com • High Country Home Magazine • 61


23rd Jerome Harris Parmet, BEREISHIS (In the Beginning), Welded mild sheet steel, primed and painted, varible sizes, 2006.


Rosen An Appalachian Summer Festival and Turchin Center for the Visual Arts Celebrate 23rd Rosen Sculpture Competition & Exhibition PHOTOGRAPHS BY TROY TUTTLE

An Appalachian Summer Festival and the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts present the 23rd Rosen Outdoor Sculpture Competition & Exhibition, Appalachian State University’s annual, national, juried outdoor sculpture competition. The Rosen sculptures are on display now through February 2010, in outdoor locations on the university campus and in the Town of Boone. A juror-led sculpture walk will begin at the Catherine J. Smith Gallery on Saturday, July 25 at 10am, followed by the announcement of the competition winner, and the unveiling of the exhibition catalog. Maps for self-guided tours are available at the Turchin Center, in the Catherine J. Smith Gallery (located in the lobby of Farthing Auditorium), and online at www. rosensculpture.org. Guided tours for small and large groups may be scheduled free of charge by calling 828262-3017.

Brook Bower, Assistant Curator of the Turchin Center and Project Director for the Rosen Sculpture Competition & Exhibition, explains the benefits of having a national competition on Appalachian’s campus. “The 23rd Rosen continues a long-held tradition of showcasing some of the best contemporary American sculpture,” says Bower. “Since its inception, the Rosen has grown to become a significant component of the programming and educational outreach for visual arts on campus and within the Town of Boone,” she continues. “It creates numerous opportunities for artists to interact with one another, with students and with our community. In addition, this program incorporates students on multiple levels to allow hands-on experiences with advanced planning, working with partnerships artist hospitality, graphic design and installation of a nationalscale exhibition.”

Made possible by the generosity of longtime arts supporters Martin and Doris Rosen, the Rosen Outdoor Sculpture Competition & Exhibition became the first visual arts exhibition presented by An Appalachian Summer Festival in 1987. Each year, ten sculptures are selected for exhibition, and are situated in outdoor settings across campus. A cash prize and weeklong residency is awarded to the artist whose work is chosen as the year’s Martin & Doris Rosen Award winner.

The 2009 competition received 93 entries from 42 artists representing 18 states. Serving as this year’s competition juror is Daniel E. Stetson, Executive Director of the Polk Museum of Art in Lakeland, Florida. Stetson has selected ten finalists, and will announce the 2009 competition winner on July 25 after the sculpture tour. The finalists for the 23rd Rosen are: Charlie Brouwer (Willis, VA); Derek Chalfant (Elmira, NY); Kevin Eichner (Moncure, NC); James Fuhrman (Glenmore, PA); Karen Ives (Asheville, www.homeresourcecarolina.com • High Country Home Magazine • 63


Derek Chalfant, Flower, Fabricated stainless steel, 12’ x 8’ x 4’, 2006.

NC); Shawn Morin (Bowling Green, OH); Trace O’Connor (Greensboro, NC); Jerome Harris Parmet (Scarsdale, NY); Phil Proctor (Atlanta, GA) and Kristy Summers (Carbondale, IL). The Rosen sculptures are located along the west side of campus, mostly viewable from Rivers Street, stretching from Walker Hall to the Stadium Drive. This year for the first time, two additional artists, Jon Howson and Douglas M. Gruizenga, will place their work off campus in downtown Boone, thanks to the continued generosity of Martin and Doris Rosen, which allowed for a partnership between the university and the Downtown Boone Development Association’s (DBDA) Public Art Program. The partnership, says Mary Ella Baker, the DBDA’s Public Art Program Director, is significant for the town as well as for the university. “I am thrilled about the DBDA Public Art Program’s recent partnership with the Rosen Sculpture Program,” says Baker, “This partnership reinforces ASU’s and the Town of Boone’s involvement in and dedication to western North Carolina’s growing arts community. The Rosen Sculpture Program is a well-established program that has proven its effectiveness through its outstanding staff, the program’s popularity as part of An Appalachian Summer Festival and the talented artists who participate in the annual competition.”

Trace O’Connor, Iscariot, Galvanized steel, light poles, structural and welded pipe, 11’6” x 19’4” x 31’7”, 2006.

www.rosensculpture.org as well as at www.itunes.appstate. edu. This component provides a walking tour guide, a brief history of the program, includes artist commentary and features original musical written by the university’s composition students.

Competition juror Daniel E. Stetson is the Executive Director at the Polk Museum of Art in Lakeland, Florida, where he has served since 1996. Stetson has more than 29 years of museum directorial and curatorial experience. He has curated numerous exhibitions and organized major sculpture projects throughout his career, including the Florida Outdoor Sculpture Competition, now entering its In partnership with the university’s Hayes School of Music, 9th year, and the Lakeland Invitational, entering its 2nd the Turchin Center has developed a free, self-guided walking year. He currently serves as an American Association of tour in Podcast and MP3 formats, available for download at Museums Accreditation site visit team member, is Vice

64 • High Country Home Magazine • www.homeresourcecarolina.com


Kristy Summers, Pocket Version, Aluminum, bronze and cast iron, 7’ x 7’ x 7’, 2008.

President of the Florida Association of Museums (FAM) and Vice President of the Florida Art Museum Directors Association (FAMDA). Stetson holds an MFA in Museology from Syracuse University, a BA in Art History from State University of New York, SUNY Potsdam. An Appalachian Summer Festival’s success is due in large part to generous support from loyal private donors, as well as a dedicated group of corporate and media sponsors, many of whom have supported the festival for over a decade. Festival sponsors include: Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation, Westglow Resort and Spa, SkyBest Communications, Inc., McDonald’s of Boone, Mast General Store, Best Western – Blue Ridge Plaza, Allen Wealth Management, Footsloggers Outdoor & Travel Outfitters, Peabody’s Wine & Beer Merchants, Chetola Resort, the Broyhill Inn and Conference Center, WBTV, WCYB, Charter Media, the Mountain Times, All About Women magazine, the Winston-Salem Journal, the High Country Press, Mac 100.7FM, Mix 102.3FM, WHKY AM 1290 Talk Radio and WHKY-TVDT, Mountain Television Network, WDAV 89.9FM, WFDD 88.5FM, WETS 89.5FM, WNCW 88.7FM,WASU 90.5FM and WNC magazine. The Turchin Center is located at 423 West King St., in Boone. Hours are 10am-6pm, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, and Noon-8pm, Friday. The Center is closed Sunday and Monday, and observes all university holidays. There is no admission charge, although donations are gratefully accepted. For additional details about the Turchin Center, becoming a member, or the upcoming exhibitions, please call 828-262-3017 or visit www.tcva.org. For festival tickets and information about festival events, call 800-841-ARTS(2787) or 828-262-4046 (M-F, 10am-5pm) or visit www.appsummer.org.

www.homeresourcecarolina.com • High Country Home Magazine • 65


Original Art, the Final Touch written by Sally Nooney PHOTOGRAPHS BY STEFAN OLSON

T

he house is built, the furniture, rugs, and lamps are in place. You’ve chosen just the right wall colors, bath fixtures, kitchen cabinets and counter tops. You’ve picked out all of the things that are pleasing to you, that make your home uniquely yours. You looked at samples and you measured each space, you took your time, you asked for what you wanted, you even went so far as to custom order or have items custom built. You should approach the purchase of the original art that graces your home in the same manner. Your dream of a beautiful, comfortable home is filled with wonderful details and it should include the art on the walls.

You already know what you like. After all, you’ve just put a whole house together. You care about all the details of your home. You’ve evolved from just putting any old print on the wall because you already had it and it fit the space. Now you want your art to not only enhance your home, but also to mean something to you. Something that gives you a feeling of happiness, that lifts your spirits, inspires you, or just makes you laugh. When you’re in your office working hard and need a break, wouldn’t it be great to look over at an original work of art that transports you to somewhere that feels happy . It takes the stress away immediately, it relaxes you, it lifts your mood. So you daydream a little bit and then you return to your work happy and refreshed. What is the first thing you see in the

66 • High Country Home Magazine • www.homeresourcecarolina.com

morning and the last thing you see at night? Shouldn’t it be something that evokes sweet dreams and makes you look forward to the day? I go to sleep and wake up to a miniature painting of a deer in mist. It reminds me of the peace and quiet of early morning at the edge of a forest. What about your kitchen? Rich, colorful, juicy fruits and vegetables, cocktail glasses, or bottles of wine would make your kitchen feel like a welcoming and comforting place to gather. Friends and family would feel encouraged to linger for conversation and laughter. Your dressing table or bath could be transformed with fancy shoes or outrageous women or even animals bathing in tubs. Something that reminds you that you are unique. Something that inspires you to let


Original art emerges when an artist combines talent with passion and heart to create a new or different view of a subject. Above: “Bar and Grill”; “Geraniums in Copper Pots”; interior view of Sally Nooney Gallery. Previous Page: “Ladies Night”; “Abundance”

your personality shine through. That prominent spot above the mantle or over the sofa, seems to be the one that is hardest to get just right. Art is personal. You want it to have meaning and importance. You want it to reflect how you feel about your home and your life. When you find the size, the subject matter is wrong. When you find a painting that speaks to you, the size is too small. If it’s too small, it disappears in that big space. So, how does one find the perfect painting? Just like you asked for custom cabinets and furniture, ask an artist about doing an original work just for you. Choose an artist whose work you love, look at a large amount of their work to make sure that their style is suited to what you want created. Really talk to them about what you want, make a

connection, feel good about them personally. Talk about their terms. It doesn’t matter if it’s small or large. Ask, ask, ask! I, personally, enjoy commissions. I love the variety. I’ve painted commissions from 3 inches by 3 inches to six feet by eight feet, and, of course, room size murals. Some examples of the variety of things that I’ve been commissioned to do are cars, a glass vase of jelly beans, giraffes, shoes, dresses, women, bottles of wine, bicycles, hikers, and of course the more “normal” things like stilllife’s, flowers, landscapes, houses, barns, and animals: bears, squirrels, raccoons, dogs, etc. So, just ask for what you want from an artist whose work you love. It really is that easy.

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HomeGuide Discussions on and resources for the kitchen and bath, design and decor, outdoor living, landscaping, and green technologies Cabinet Controversy • 70 / Trick Out Your Pantry • 78 / For Your Health • 82 / Welcome To Carrington Design • 84 Take It Outside • 90 / Landscape Pizzazz! • 94 / Top 5 • 100 / The Power Of Local Food • 102

The Cabinet Controversy PHOTO BY STEFAN OLSON

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Cabinet The

Controversy

Rosewood Industries inset cabinetry in Knotty Alder, Mirage finish (hand distressing & brushed glaze.) Custom copper hood fabricated by Tom Shook of High Country Cabinets. Kitchen located in The Glens of Grandfather, Banner Elk, NC.


High Country Cabinets’ Staci Norris prepares you for your cabinet choices. All photos shown are actual work by High Country Cabinets, Inc.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY STEFAN OLSON

I

n the heat of this economic crisis we all want to be at the top of the “life’s decisions” list. We want to make the best choices for our families, our homes, and ourselves. With the pressure of choosing the best products while also getting the best deal, we can be easily deceived, especially when it comes to building or remodeling

a home and choosing the endless array of components that complete the project. Like the cabinet component- it’s a huge decision to make. What do you need to know that will prepare you to choose a cabinet company that will not only offer great aesthetics and functionality, but also the most bang for your buck? Relieve some of the cabinet controversy. Enter the cabinet underground. You’ve just begun and you have the perfect contractor who thinks of everything, including the extra outlet on the porch for plugging


“The kitchen is the heart of the home. Don’t trust that heart to just anyone.”

in Christmas lights. But choosing cabinetry is a lot like choosing the personality of your home, and your personality is a lot different than your contractor’s. The kitchen is the heart of the home. Don’t trust that heart to just anyone. You should be able to work with a cabinet designer who understands your need for a master bath spa retreat. While your contractor may offer good advice on the most energy efficient windows, he may not choose a cabinet person you feel connected to. Personally get involved in the cabinet process; otherwise you

may be disappointed with the style and quality of the cabinets chosen. You’ll be spending a lot of time with the “cabinet people” but you’ll get what you want. Now that you’ve got the latest issue of Signature Kitchens and Baths, and you’re ready for your first appointment with the designer, remember the word “staged.” Yes, I know the picture shows it, and you love it, but unfortunately, your space may not be fitting to the design you see in gloss. Taking pictures you’ve clipped to

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your future cabinet designer is very helpful, but make sure the designer is not just drawing something to appease your imagination. Computer programs allow designers to modify cabinets and make designs work on paper. In the real kitchen world, however, the function of that design might not be so exquisite. Good cabinet designers will take an idea you have and make it work with your space, even if it means modifying the look you love. Measurements are crucial for a functional design. Even 3” makes a difference in whether


or not you can have those beautiful turned posts you’re drooling over. Now about those turned posts. Don’t they just look perfect next to that sink, underneath that bay window? I bet you can hear the birds chirping outside, too. You saw them in an ad, put out by the company you’re working with, right? I’m not trying to burst your bubble and tell you that you can’t have those posts, but that picture was taken in a staged environment; yes that staged word again. Cabinet dealers want to display

Left & Bottom Right Photos: Rosewood Industries inset cabinetry. Island in Black with Jamaican Spice finish, hand distressing, detail of ribbon spiral turned posts. Perimeter cabinets in Knotty Alder with custom raised panel hood. Located in Sugar Pointe, Banner Elk, NC Top Right Photo: Rosewood Industries inset cabinetry in Knotty Alder, Mirage finish. Bath located in same home featured on previous page.

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“Ask for photos of real work and make sure your reality matches up with their abilities.�

Kitchen Craft Cabinetry in Cherry, Tuscan Mocha Glaze, applied molding door style. Kitchen located in Hound Ears, Banner Elk, NC.

www.highcountrycabinetsinc.com


Custom Cupboards cabinetry in Knotty Alder with Special Walnut stain & Midnight Frost glaze. Wide shaker door style with black nail detail. Kitchen located in The Headwaters of Banner Elk, NC.

work that shows off their potential. This usually means using pictures in ads and on billboards that aren’t actually real jobs they have done. They are stock pictures given to them by cabinet manufacturers. Watch out for those photos with plastic fruit and half filled wine glasses. Ask for photos of real work and make sure your reality matches up with their abilities. Sure the designer can draw a great picture, but does he know how to achieve the look with real cabinets? More importantly, does their cabinet installer even know what a turned post is? If you don’t remember anything, remember this. If you should decide you need to kick a few tires to find your best price, make sure that you compare apples to apples. Cabinet design and pricing go hand in hand. There is a significant difference in particle board versus plywood, and epoxy drawer slides versus full extension, soft close drawer slides. Small details in your cabinet design like those turned posts, arched toe kicks, and raised end panels affect price. When getting a few prices, start with a basic design that will give you a feel for what cabinets cost in general.

The same cabinet components need to be priced by each company you’re considering in order for your price comparison to be accurate. (Be aware that most companies will not release their floor plans without a design fee) Remember that a cabinet is a cabinet is a cabinet. One dealer’s 24” wide standard base cabinet with all plywood construction should be reasonably close in price to another dealer’s same cabinet. If not, start asking questions. What kinds of hinges are used, concealed or fulloverlay? Are the drawers stapled or dovetailed? What kind of finish is specified? Cabinets are detailed. Ask the detailed questions to assure the best use of your time and the designer’s time. The bottom line? Cabinets don’t have to be a controversy when building your home or remodeling; they just take a little knowledge and preparation on your part. Don’t be afraid of asking questions. Remember what your mother always told you, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Go with your instincts and go get ‘em sunshine.

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The heart of your home Your kitchen reflects your style, from warmly traditional to sleekly modern. Our design team assists you from the planning stages through completion of your beautiful new kitchen. Whether you know exactly what you want or seek creative and practical guidance, your new or remodeled kitchen will be the heart your home deserves.


Your home is a place where memories are

For a FREE Kitchen and Bath design guide and

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828-963-9633.

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understand we are creating more than just rooms.

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With our design skills and experience, we will work with you to develop a design that fits your specific needs and tastes, while offering you ways to maximize your possibilities and enhance the value of your home.

Get the gift you’ve always wanted, call us today and you can entertain for the Holidays in your new Kitchen!


I

Trick out your pantry written by Colleen Luntzel

have a theory about pantries… They might be the most underutilized and unappreciated space in the average house, and to me, that’s one of the saddest aspects of overlooked design. I mean it. I know, you’re probably thinking that “sad” is the wrong word for an underutilized pantry. Sad is a feeling word. Sad is emotional. Well, I admit it; I’m emotionally attached to my pantry. Really. It might even be my favorite place in the house. When I open the door to my pantry, the wildest mixture of fragrances leaps out. Garlic and cinnamon. Onion and cocoa. Vinegar, earthy potatoes, syrup and pepper. Scanning the shelves, I see some of the same things that my mother used to stock in her pantry, and sometimes, while I rifle for an ingredient I need for concocting dinner, I’m suddenly transported back in time to being a little girl. All of a sudden, I imagine I hear my mom humming softly in the kitchen behind me. A wooden spoon clunks along the side of a pot as she stirs some wonderful sauce that plops and gurgles in a slow boil, releasing its savory aroma. Steam hisses, then builds to a screaming whistle until my mom grabs a hot pad and moves the tea kettle back from the flame. I stand in my pantry and breathe in the fragrance of the comfort of home. Yes, I’m emotionally attached to my pantry. Now before you decide that I’m crackers, let me try and talk you into doing something you might never have thought of before--and I dare you. Trick

out your pantry. If you don’t know what that means, it’s simple. Take it to the limits. Organize, embellish and outfit your pantry to the extreme. Whether you have a walk-in pantry the size of Canada, or your storage space has been relegated to the medicine cabinet, thinking outside the box can help you solve your pantry dilemmas, and even though I can’t believe I’m saying this, functionality gets priority--but not before a little beauty preparation. If you have limited space, break up your pantry into more than one location. Spices can be organized into the drawer next to the stove, but before you put them away, line the drawer with a pretty liner or wall paper. Consider taking a few kitchen cabinet doors off the hinges, leaving the shelves exposed. Cover the back of the cabinet with wall paper or fabric before displaying cups, sugar, creamer, coffee and tea in canisters. Fill a glass with spoons and tuck them in with your coffee stash. Hang your nicest cups from hooks for additional space. It doesn’t matter if your style is country, contemporary, or something in between, you can get the look you want by reorganizing and revamping. Flour, sugar and other baking goods can be stored together with paper muffin liners and measuring cups for easy access and prep. Keep mixing bowls and wooden spoons nearby. Instead of having to dig through a packed cupboard to find something, group similar items together. For example, pasta and sauce are on the shelf with olive oil, colanders, graters and pasta tongs. You get the idea. For those lucky enough to have a large

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pantry, space can still be an issue if you try to put everything from paper towels to soda, and brownie mix to potato chips on a few shelves. Consider cutting into the drywall between the wall studs and building shelves in what would otherwise be wasted space. Anchored between the two by fours, your new built-ins can be stained and trimmed out to match your kitchen cabinets, and are the perfect size for your stacked canned goods. You’ll be amazed at how much space you gain. Use baskets to store chips, nuts, and other snacks. Now, step back and look up. It’s amazing how often we overlook the wall space above our heads. If you have room, hang shelves up high to store copper, preserves or pottery. Think of your pantry (whether a small cabinet or a small room) in the same way you think of other rooms in your home. Paint the cabinet or walls. Hang iron hooks for pots and even hang a few pieces of artwork or favorite plates if you have room. Group wooden spoons and rolling pins into crockery. Old silver and candles can be stashed with condiments and dry goods. Functionality and order are important in the organization of your pantry, but don’t underestimate the importance of beauty. I know, it sounds corny, but after all, the pantry is the heart of the kitchen, and the kitchen is the heart of the home. That’s where the aroma of good things cooking mingles with the fellowship of our loved ones at the table. It’s the place we feel nurtured--where we breathe in and smell the fragrance of the comfort of home. Go ahead. Admit it. You’re a little attached to your pantry too.

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For your health 5 Vacuum Recommendations From The Expert

Many people are unaware of what to look for when purchasing a vacuum. While most purchases are solely based on price, there are numerous aspects to consider. Consider the type of flooring you have to clean. Hardwood? Tile? Carpet? The size and layout of your home are important factors; do you have stairs? It becomes difficult to carry a heavy upright vacuum up and down stairs. Do you have pets? Your vacuum should be able to handle the deep cleaning needed for pet hair. Do you have allergies? Your vacuum should filter your air as it cleans your carpet. Should you choose an upright or a canister vacuum? Bags or bagless? Is suction and air movement important? Are HEPA filters significant? Jerry thinks so. We at High Country Home Magazine have turned to the vacuum expert for answers to these questions and more. Jerry has done the necessary research to provide you with the best possible vacuum for your specific needs. He recommends Miele, Riccar, Sebo, and Oreck for their suction, reliability, warranty, and functionality. Jerry’s personal favorite line is Miele, made in Germany. For improved air quality, he recommends the world’s most advanced air purifier, by IQAir®. For more information on these products and services, call Jerry at 828.264.1515.

The Capricorn By Miele

The Neptune By Miele

• 1200 Watt Miele-Made Motor • Electric Hose • Unique HyClean™ Filtering Dustbag • On-Board Tools Upholstery Cleaning • Convenient Parking System • Active HEPA filter • Parquet Floor Brush for Solid floor cleaning • Six-Level Power Adjustment For Low –Deep Pile Carpey • Starting at $1099

• 1200 Watt Miele-Made Motor • Convenient Parking System • Super Air Clean Filtration (Optional HEPA filtration) • Turbo Brush for Low-Medium Pile carpet • Parquet Floor Brush 90° rotation for Solid floor cleaning • Telescopic Wand • $499

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The S7 Upright by Miele

The Vibrance by Riccar

• 1200 Watt Miele-Made Motor • Maximum Agility • On-Board Tools • Deep Pile carpet cleaning • Solid floor cleaning • Certified HEPA filter • $749

• 12 Amp Power • On-Board Tools • HEPA filtration bags • Floor Selector for Solid and Low-Medium Pile Carpet • Metal Bottom Plate for Durability • $249

The Supralite by Riccar

The IQ Air Purifier

• 8 Pounds • HEPA Filtration Bags • 3 Year Household Warranty • Low-Medium Pile Carpet • 30 Foot Cord • Up to 40% Better Cleaning than other leading Lightweights • Starting at $229

•#1 For Allergies and Asthma • HyperHEPA Technology • 100% Ozone-Free Technology • V5 Cell Advanced Gas and Odor Control • Ultra-Quiet Design • Remote Controlled • $899

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Welcome to

Cari prides herself on her ability to create any look, no matter what a client wants Cari can make it happen.


Carrington New High Country Design Firm Finds Inspiration In Its Clients written by Rebecca Osborne

T

Design

here’s a new design business in the High Country, but Carrington Design isn’t your standard design firm and owner Cari Halsey isn’t your standard designer.

Carrington Design, located in Ashe County, is committed to providing excellent customer service and quality products for primary residences, vacation homes and businesses. According to Cari, her main goal is to help you realize your vision and bring it to life. Cari prides herself on her ability to create distinctive designs that fit her client’s lifestyle. When you work with Carrington

Design you know that you are getting exclusive designs customized for you. Cari can create any look a client wants.” “A good designer will never try to impose his or her style on you. I enjoy guiding my clients through the design process and coming up with unique solutions for them but the bottom line is I take my direction and seek my inspiration from them. I prefer to meet at a client’s home for the initial meeting to learn more about them. I spend the majority of the meeting taking lots of notes and pictures in order to create a vision that fits my client. I use the information

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“A good designer will never try to impose his or her style on you.”

gathered in this first meeting to put together a presentation of design plans, sketches and samples that fit the client’s lifestyle and preferences. Then they select what they like, point out dislikes and I handle the rest. At the end of any design job, my clients are the ones that have to live there, not me,” said Cari.

Banks Design Group. After eight years of working on residential and commercial projects both locally and internationally, Cari who is always looking for new challenges realized her dream of starting her own interior design company here in the High Country and Carrington Design was born.

Cari has spent the majority of her career working at one of the country’s most prominent design firms, J.

Cari’s most recent accolade is being featured on MTV’s Teen Cribs where her long time Tennessee client’s home

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was featured. Cari was contacted by MTV producers who were looking for homes that were very cutting edge and designed to impress even the toughest critics. Cari’s work for this particular client was perfect for the show. It was a huge honor for Cari to have her work selected for the premiere episode of Teen Cribs. Her work was selected because the producers loved the overall look and feel of the house.


Photos: Cari’s most recent accolade is being featured on MTVs premiere episode of Teen Cribs. This is just one of many looks that Cari can create. Designers are artists and while most designers are creative and innovative they often lack a practical business side to their personalities. Not so with Carrington Design. Cari’s clients often cite her great organization skills and her ability to look at the design process both from a creative and a business standpoint. “Since it’s rare to find a designer that has both of these traits, clients feel it really sets me apart from

other designers and it also helps me create designs that are stylish and yet practical,” said Cari. While a lot of people may feel like it’s unnecessary to hire an interior designer many people may not realize the benefits a designer like Cari can provide. Hiring a professional interior designer from the start will prevent you from paying unexpected costs like selecting the wrong colors or choosing an unsuitable piece of

furniture. You’ll also need someone to help you get organized and tell you approximately how much everything will cost. A professional designer can also provide you with a fresh prospective and introduce you to new styles or looks that may be unfamiliar to you. An interior designer can be an invaluable resource for a homeowner that does not have the time to decorate their home. This is especially true

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“ At the end of any job, my clients are the ones that have to live there, not me.” with second homeowners who do not have the time or desire to decorate yet another home that may be located hours away from them as well as for projects that require employing subcontractors. Managing subcontractors is not only time consuming but can be a difficult process if you don’t know what to expect or if you don’t have the right contacts. A professional designer has the organizational experience and skills needed to make sure that job is done right and on time. After a few quick meetings with Cari, she can easily implement any design approach or idea. Cari’s ability to stay organized and focused while handing multiple projects is one of the things that her clients love most about her. Cari recalls one design project when her clients wanted her to decorate their second home with some of the features from their mountain home yet they still wanted a more up-todate look for their new home. Cari was able to make this concept work

by taking pieces of furniture and duplicating certain styles from their mountain home and combining these elements with new bright colors and updated furniture to create a more modern stylish design for their new home that still had elements of the design they loved. Not only were Cari’s clients thrilled with the way their home turned out, her decision to use some of the pieces from their country home also saved them money and sped up the design process. It’s rare to find a company that is so committed to its customers and harder still to find a designer like Cari, whose dedication and professionalism to her clients surpasses all industry standards. The company itself is just as extraordinary as its designs. Carrington Design is located in suite 203 at 215 South Jefferson Ave in downtown West Jefferson, N.C. You can reach Cari at 336.246.2326 or by email at carringtondesign@ embarqmail.com.

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Outside TAKE

IT

Incorporating the five senses into your outdoor design elements written by Colleen Luntzel

PHOTOGRAPHS BY KAYLA H. MORTON

Summer in the High Country. It sure did seem a long time in coming this year. But here we are at last, and if you haven’t already, it’s not too late to shift your living from inside to outdoors--for lazy afternoons, sipping cool drinks and stepping out into the sunshine. Expanding your living space from inside to out can be as simple as setting up a rocker on the front porch, or as elaborate as putting together an entire outdoor room. Whatever your preference or budget, there are a few things you can do to turn your outdoor space into a sanctuary. Try to incorporate elements that trigger your five senses. What do you see when you step out into your space? If 90 • High Country Home Magazine • www.homeresourcecarolina.com

you have a mountain view you’re set, but if you look into the neighbor’s garage, grouping together some flowering plants for privacy might be just the thing. If you’re taking your space out into the yard, make sure you stand in different locations and get the lay of the land before you do any major planting. A new tree or shrub may look good from one angle, but block your view from another. Put out flowers with colors that you love. If orange stresses you out or makes you hungry, don’t use it in your new space. Color can affect your mood and your appetite. Things are beginning to look good at your place… now sit down. Close your eyes. What do you hear? What don’t



you hear? If you love the sound of birds, put out a feeder and a bird bath—close enough to enjoy, but far enough to keep the mess away. Can you hear traffic? The sound of water is perfect for muffling unpleasant noises and there’s something wonderful about the soothing sound of moving water. If you don’t live near a creek, you can still have the sound of water. A small fountain is easy to find almost anywhere and on any budget. Did you know that the sense of smell is strongly attached to memory? A whiff of something can instantly take you back in time to a long forgotten event where you smelled that particular aroma. What do you smell now? Surround yourself with the fragrances you love. Lilacs, roses, rosemary, lavender, honey suckle, pine, or Meyer lemon. Whatever you choose, make your new sanctuary a place of happy memories. If you can feel the sun beating down on your chair, you probably need some shade. If the air is still and lifeless, you might need a fan. How do you feel? Does the gentle breeze caress your skin as it dances by, or do you feel trapped and stifled? Too chilly? Too warm? When thinking about interior or exterior design, it’s often the subtle things that get overlooked and can make the biggest impact. Perhaps you’ve had the experience of being some place where you weren’t able to put your finger on it, but you just knew something wasn’t right. Conversely, you may have experienced the feeling of not knowing exactly what it is about a particular place; you just knew it was very good. Always remember to ask yourself how you feel in your space.

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The last of our five senses is taste. You might be wondering how that applies to your outdoor room. Or maybe not. We do live in the South after all. Let me paint you a picture. Thunder clouds build on the western horizon as the breeze begins to pick up, carrying along the fragrance of rain and cut grass, all at the same time. Your old rocker creaks as you set your magazine down and reach for a drink. Large drops of condensation build and then slide down your icy glass of lemonade, leaving behind a trail before puddling up on your coaster. You take a long refreshing swig and your taste buds leap at the tartness. A plate of three sugar cookies has dwindled to crumbs but you dab each one with your finger, then lick off the salty sweetness. A cardinal flits through the rhododendron calling to his mate, and the water from a nearby creek sings to you as it hurries on its way. This is summer in the High Country. Use the senses God gave you, build your sanctuary and take your living outside.

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Landscape Pizzazz! written and photographed by Elizabeth Shukis

A

fter a hard day at work, what better way to spend it than in the yard or on the porch enjoying Mother Nature at her best? The High Country offers so many beautiful views and scenery that almost anyone can enjoy a relaxing oasis anywhere, especially right out their back door. Landscaping has come a long way in the past few years. There are now many ways to accent and enhance your yard with an affordable budget in mind. Retaining walls are a great component especially here in the mountains. Perhaps you want to level a steep slope on your property or enclose an area for a decorative garden; a concrete block retaining wall might be just what you need. Adding a retaining wall and building up your lawn can increase your usable area exponentially. Thus, allowing more space for children to play or a more useful application than the steep grade you once had.

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Decks and patios offer relaxation in a serene setting instead of the normal indoor living room. What a great place to invite friends over for drinks, curl up with a book or produce an outside den for entertaining or simply watching TV (outside). Plus the added advantage of the curb appeal you are creating will increase your home’s market value. Rocks, stones and boulders offer a nice natural texture and are a perfect accent in the High Country where rocks are a part of the native landscape. This earth element helps add to your achieved look without becoming too commercialized. Large boulders can act as a focal point. Stones and rocks placed ever so carefully are a great way to mark boundaries or create a natural path. Adding these will create the look that they have been there for years. And, for those of you who aren’t plant lovers or do not have the time to invest in the maintenance that a lush vegetative landscape requires, you will find that rocks and stones add pizzazz without all the work.


Flower beds are what add the color. The spring and summer months form wonderful arrays of different hues with native rhododendrons and mountain laurels blooming along any given roadside in the High Country. Whereas, the fall creates jewel tones from different trees that flourish in color. Planting Zone 6 and 7 allow for many perennials to expand year after year, while adding some annuals here and there bring out the color in the long evergreen stretch we experience at such a higher elevation. You want to create flower beds that have something of color during each season. The evergreens are essential in the months of cold and snow, while the perennials and annuals are welcomed accents in the other seasons. For those that live in apartments or condos, flower pots offer a very economical and simple solution to color. Pots placed on a patio or a deck or window sill will provide nature’s beauty without a lot of expense and damage to property that isn’t to be disturbed. It is

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also possible to grow herbs, and some vegetables right out the back door. Fountains, ponds, and waterfalls are the new trend in landscaping, offering the wonderful and relaxing sound of water. These can be as small as a fountain that can be purchased at your local home improvement center or as large as a man made tiered waterfall that empties into a manmade pond filled with koi. This landscape component is sure to be admired by all invited guest. In addition, the tranquility of the water can be a soothing resonance at the end of a busy work day. Lighting is also an essential factor of landscaping. We put so much into our homes striving to make them look beautiful by day. Why not by night as well? A few properly positioned spotlights can add a glowing affect to any residence adding warmth and an inviting appeal at nighttime. Fireplaces and Fire Pits have also become a fast growing trend in your outdoor surroundings. Gather the children of all ages around to cuddle near a roaring fire and roast marshmallows or hotdogs on a summer evening. These applications can be as easy as a hole dug into the Earth with rocks encompassed or as massive as an engineered pit made of concrete and rock with stainless steel grills. So as you can see, there is a lot you can do on the outside. Each element adding not only value but harmony of genuine natural goodness from plants, to rocks, to water. Enjoy your home from the outside and experience a whole new world of serenity. For more information on how to complete projects outlined above call AS Construction, Inc (828) 2653681 or visit our website at www. asconstructioninc.org.

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Top 5

Summer Landscaping Tips Summer in the High Country can be a very challenging time for your yard. So, to help you have the best yard in the neighborhood and the most colorful flowers in the garden, we have compiled a list of some obvious tips that most people take for granted, overlook, forget, or just dont make the time for. And if you abide by this simple list your landscape will not only thrive in the summer but be protected for future seasons to come. • Over the passed several years the High Country has been in a drought. Remembering to take the time to water your plants is very important in the summer. A little extra time and water will make them happy and healthy. • Along with watering, mulching can help you protect your plants from drought conditions as well as insects and weeds. Mulching is necessary to help keep moisture and nutrients around plants. • Summer is when the bugs come out. Many of those bugs love to attack your yard. If you inspect your plants often for insects that can cause damage you can catch many problems before they become major threats to your landsape. If, when inspecting, you discover insect activity contact a professional to eliminate the problem insects. • Summer is a very good time to reapply fertilizer to lawn areas to insure a healthy weed free lawn. This can be done with an extended feed (slow release) granular fertilizer or a liquid fertilizer. • Early and mid summer pruning rhododendrons right after they have finished blooming will enable you to shape them without losing any of next years blooms. Try not to prune anything during the hot days of August to keep from adding any additional stress on the plant. With these five simple tips you and your yard should have a very successful High Country Summer.If you would like additional help with your garden, yard, or other landscapes contact Scotland Yards at 828.898.3041.

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The Power of Local Food

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written by Chuck Smith, Director of Sustainable Development, Appalachian State University

here are many things we can do to lower our environmental impact and help foster sustainability in our region. Most folks are familiar with many of them: buy a smaller vehicle (best when your old model is pretty worn out), weatherize and tighten you homes, and basic conservation strategies like turning off the lights, and lowering the thermostat. All of these efforts are good practice and will lower your “environmental footprint”. However, did you ever think about the food you eat, especially in the context of environmental health and economics? We probably should because when you purchase and consume locally produced organic vegetables, fruits, and pastured meats you are engaging in one of the most powerful acts of environmental and broadly based economic sustainability that is possible. Did you know that our current agricultural and industrial food system, when you add fertilizers, pesticides, transportation, processing, and packaging, uses almost as much petroleum as all our private cars? It’s true. Almost 20% of the nation’s petroleum and natural gas is employed to grow, transport, process and package the food we find in our supermarkets and restaurants. On average it takes 11 fossil fuel calories to produce 1 calorie of food energy in the U.S. Or another way to look at it; the average American “eats” about 500 gallons of oil per year. If you have an oil furnace, that figure may be close to what you purchase for a year’s worth of home heating! You may have also heard that buying locally (food as well as other products) is good for the local economy. This is explained by economists as the multiplier effect or how many times that currency circulates in the local economy before it leaves the area or region. When your money is spent at locally owned businesses it remains in the area and supports other local businesses for longer than if it went directly to a corporate headquarters in some other state or country. This is

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particularly true with purchasing local food because the product is not just sold locally it is also produced locally. Almost 90% of your dollar goes to the local economy. For comparison, buy something online, perhaps 1% stays in your local economy. Other purchases are somewhere in between. Of course, local, fresh and organic food is also superior in nutrition, taste, and freshness and carries none of the chemicals and hormones that most conventional food does. Also, please do be aware that food labeled “organic” in your supermarkets, while they do abide by USDA Organic Standards, are grown, processed, and transported on the industrial model. These foods are probably better for you and the soil. Yet they are many hundreds or thousands of miles less fresh and do much less to keep money in your local economy or your neighbors on their farms. It is certain that some local foods cost more than conventional supermarket fare, but the price of local food is comparable or even less than “organic” labeled. While you may pay a premium of sorts it is nice to remember the multiplier effect and know your money is going to support your community while you are eating and feeding your family with nutritious, tasty food, not gulping down the one and a half gallons of oil per day mentioned above. Now it is very difficult to eat locally grown food throughout the year. But the opportunities are here more than ever and they continue to expand. Start out small. Visit your local Farmers Market and purchase some items. Buy what you like to eat, but experiment as well. Talk to the vendors. I bet you will make a friend of two. Cook more and involve the family -- maybe even turn off the television and start a small garden. There are lots of books on the growing (re) localization of food movement. One of the better and more entertaining ones comes from noted novelist (though this book is non-fiction) Barbara Kingsolver, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. Pick it up and give it a try, then share it with others. Think Globally – Eat Locally!

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DesignProfiles Explore the beautiful homes and communities of the High Country

Luxury living in the Valle • 108 / It starts with design • 114 / Above All • 120 / The Greenest Home • 126 / Built to Last • 132

Luxury Living in the Valle PHOTO BY STEFAN OLSON

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Luxury living in the

Valle Robert and Denise Weinkle’s unique space in the incredible mountain community of Valle Crucis

PHOTOGRAPHS BY STEFAN OLSON

“Jake” is always on stand by to greet all guests and friends.


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estled on seven acres in the incredible mountains of Valle Crucis, NC you will find this beautiful home designed by Donald Gardner and built by Tim Inman of General Contract Management in 2007. Tim has been building in the area for over 33 years and has said that this is one of his favorite homes to date! The detailed thought and care that has gone into this plan is obvious as you observe its unique space. The exterior consists of wood, cedar shakes and stone. An open floor plan with generously proportioned rooms contributes to the home’s spacious and relaxed atmosphere. Upon walking in the front entrance the beautiful Mountain View is visible through a wall of windows. The home is comprised of four bedrooms/four baths, at over 5000 sq feet - 2400 sf of

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The kitchen features rich, rustic alder cabinets designed by Precision Cabinets and exotic Brazilian granite. It also boasts state of the art appliances such as a Wolf 6 burner cook top with an imported Italian Futuro exhaust hood.


“The detailed thought and care that has gone into this plan is obvious as you observe its unique space.”

which is the central living area on the main floor. There is an additional 1300sq feet of garage space, complete with hydraulic lift and ample room for all the toys and above the garage is a large bonus room that features a pool table and gym. Other details of the home include hand scraped imported solid teak floors throughout the main living area that flow into the kitchen to border the tile floor. The kitchen features rich, rustic alder cabinets designed by Precision Cabinets and exotic Brazilian granite. It also boasts state of the art appliances such as a Wolf 6 burner cook top with an imported Italian Futuro exhaust hood utilizing tempered glass so the hood doesn’t obstruct the open air feeling of the rooms. A sub Zero refrigerator and a two drawer Fisher & Paykel dishwasher rounds out this true “working kitchen” – it is one of the best features of the home. The vaulted great room boasts a rear wall of windows, a large corner fireplace from floor to ceiling with an eclectic mix of stone, wood storage underneath and convenient access to the kitchen. A second floor loft overlooks the great room

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Master Suite includes a luxury-laden bath along with a steam shower and rain head with heated tile floors.


“Robert and Denise, the owners, have put a lot of time and effort into building their dream home.”

for added drama. The large master suite which measures 16 X 18 is completely secluded and enjoys a cathedral ceiling, a freestanding corner gas fireplace, back porch access, an enormous walk-in closet and a luxury-laden bath along with a steam shower and rain head with heated tile floors. An elegant entrance with Mahogany and forged iron double doors brings in the natural light to enhance the interior. Another aspect of this beautiful home is a large back deck for entertaining with half of the deck under roof. There’s an L shaped island barbeque grill that would make any man happy, and a fire pit for those chilly nights while you are outside enjoying the peaceful surrounding and view. Robert and Denise, the owners, have put a lot of time and effort into building their dream home and all this has been accomplished with the help of Tim Inman, General Contract Management. Denise is currently a Real Estate Agent and enjoys living in Valle Crucis.

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design it starts with

Appalachian Custom Builders’ Log Home in Seven Devils delivers quality with design. PHOTOGRAPHS BY STEFAN OLSON


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f you ask Jim Rogers, President of Appalachian Custom Builders, why you should let his company be involved in your next project, and he will tell you this: “I bring an open mind and incorporate design into everything that I do”. He believes that “quality starts with design” and there are always little opportunities to incorporate details and order into everything that he creates. He also says, “Know where you are going to finish before you start”. We always have a plan and a vision of the finished product before we ever start the first nail. These basic philosophies have allowed us to execute well thought out designs and rich products that always have more to offer than first meets the eye. These skills were honed over the last 20 years, along with formal training at UNC Charlotte where he earned a degree in Architecture. Opposite Page: Outside fireplace with drystack stone Jim started his journey in the construction business in 1993 after Top: Main level living room with 10’ wire drstack stone he graduated from college. “I worked for a few different Developers woodburning fireplace after College in different capacities (Designer, Project Manager, Development Manager), but after seven years of on the job training Above: Hemlock log cabin with traditionaldove tail corners and Jim decided it was time to open his own business in 2000. Rogers synthetic chinking. talks about the transition saying, “I decided it was time to take all I had learned over the past 7 years and start my own company so I was in control of the business direction and finances. I wanted to be

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Main level living room with pine tongue and groove ceiling and Douglas Fir beams and rafters


Lower level family room with Australian cypress floors

known for being fair and honest. I also wanted to be known as a good builder who really cared about what ever he was building, from the smallest project to the biggest.” The next seven years would see Jim open his own business in Charlotte called J. Rogers Planning and Design, as well as serving as President for WDL Companies also in Charlotte. During that time, Jim managed to build his family a house in the High Country, which they visited every weekend. Rogers explains his eventual permanent move to the mountains saying, “It stated to get harder and harder to leave the mountains so we decided to leave the “rat race” of the city and move here permanently in early 2007 and we never plan to leave.” In October 2008 Jim opened Appalachian Custom Builders a full service design/build general contractor. Along with his “quality starts with design” attitude Jim also brings an experienced team of likeminded employees and subcontractors. “We all want to deliver the highest quality product, in the most cost effective way. We are always taking classes and researching the newest techniques, products, and tools that will deliver a better product to the customer.” Rogers also has the education and credentials

to support his business, as he holds a Bachelors of Architecture from UNC Charlotte. Jim also holds a North Carolina General Contractors License, and is a Certified Green Professional by NAHB. As a testament to staying ahead of the latest technology, Jim is currently working on a Renewable Energy diploma from the North Carolina Solar Center. An excellent example of Jim’s work is a beautiful 2,124 square foot log home located in Seven Devils, N.C. Jim designed this house himself using a modified Appalachian Log Home plan. Completed in 2005, the shell of the house was constructed by Foscoe construction under his watchful eye, while he completed the entire interior and the details. The home has three bedrooms and three baths, it has two living areas and lots of exterior deck covered and uncovered. It also has 2 wood burning fireplaces, one inside and one outside. There is a 10’ wide and 24’ high stonewall in the great room with oversized windows flanking each side. The master bath has a separate tile shower and a jetted tub. The house is heated with a high efficiency boiler through radiant tubes under the wood floors. The ceiling heights were raised on the main level and the lower level to increase the

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Kitchen with decoration tile backsplash, custom cherry cabinets, professional stainless steel appliances and ceramic countertops.


Left Above: Stairs with Australian cypress treads with custom mahogony nosing.

Right Above: Master bath with custom tile shower and vaulted ceiling.

Leftt: Side deck with wood burning fireplace and decorative lighting.

“We all want to deliver the highest quality product, in the most cost effective way. We are always taking classes and researching the newest techniques, products, and tools that will deliver a better product to the customer.” volume of space. The windows and doors were enlarged and aluminum clad Hurd windows with low-e with argon gas were installed. There is custom tile and slate work throughout the home. The floors have Australian Cyprus on all levels. The main stairs are Australian Cyprus with a custom Mahogany nosing. Rogers also included some “green techniques” and while the house is not a certified “green” home, it was constructed with passive solar techniques, Radiant floor heating, Low-E with argon gas windows. The home was designed to live and function like a larger home in a small footprint. Jim’s favorite aspects of the home include the following: the different types of wood that were used in the structure and finish on the home, the quality of natural light through out the day streaming through the windows, enjoying the

amber glow of the all the exterior lanterns at night, and sitting in front of the fireplace with a roaring fire, inside or outside. Jim also admires the overall scale of the house and considers the great room with its soaring stonewalls the house’s most striking feature. Appalachian Custom Builders is dedicated to outstanding quality with prompt and considerate customer service. This, we believe, sets us apart from other general contractors. We strive to build a Greener product by incorporating creative design, quality construction and service after the sale. Our success comes from our commitment to customer satisfaction in every project we build. We make sure our customers have a seamless process from start to finish. Please contact us for all your building needs at 828-773-7106 or info@ appalachiancustombuilders.com.

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Above All Exceptional value and uncompromising quality have taken Echota to the top of the class among The High Country’s second-home communities.


Embraced by the magical beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Watauga River Valley, you’ll discover the height of High Country living at Echota. by Jim Hughes

In the shadow of Grandfather Mountain, a few miles down 105 from the hip college town of Boone, an exceptional second-home community called Echota is proving that quality, craftsmanship and value never go out of style. Echota is a Cherokee word meaning a peaceful haven. For the last eight years, developer and High Country native Mark Harrill has taken great care to create a place that lives up to its name.

Here, in the midst of vintage hardwoods and clear mountain streams, looking out on the timeless beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Watauga River valley, Echota has emerged as The High Country’s most sought-after community. It’s easy to see why. The secret behind Echota’s success is the extraordinary value and uncompromising quality you’ll find within its gates. It’s the best value in The High Country – a beautifully planned, exquisitely maintained, amenity-packed community with a rich variety of housing options at attractive price points. Not to mention some of the most spectacular views in the Carolina mountains. www.homeresourcecarolina.com • High Country Home Magazine • 121


As an Echota owner, you’ll enjoy some of the best amenities in The High Country. A major advantage of ownership is that all these amenities are in place and fully paid for.

At Echota, you can choose from an assortment of condominiums, townhomes and distinctive custom homes. All are built in the Adirondack vernacular, with heavy timber accents, open floor plans, vaulted ceilings, and spacious balconies with sweeping views of the surrounding mountains. Condominiums and townhomes are priced from $250,000 to $700,000, while single-family homes are available from $509,000 to $1.8 million. www.echotanc.com

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Echota and its sister community of Echota on the Ridge sit on 225 carefully developed acres at elevations ranging from 3,000 to 3,700 feet. Each offers a collection of amenities that rank with the best in The High Country. You’ll enjoy two luxuriously appointed timberframed clubhouses, exercise and spa facilities, heated indoor and outdoor pools, hiking trails and trout ponds, and access to a 25-acre private park along the


The Time Is Now. The Place Is Echota.

Watauga River. And, best of all, the Echota amenities are in place and fully paid for, a major advantage in today’s marketplace. There’s a lot more to the Echota success story than great values and outstanding amenities. At its heart, Echota is a magical place where peace and serenity and the abundant gifts of nature are part and parcel of every ownership package.

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If you’ve dreamed of owning a vacation or second home in The High Country, the best buying opportunity in a generation is now at hand. That’s the word from Will Sears, vice president of sales at Foscoe Companies, developers of Echota. “It’s definitely a buyer’s market,” Sears said. “Interest rates are low, financing is available, and you can find some tremendous values right now at Echota.” In this market, your best bet is to go with a proven winner like Echota. It’s been the High Country’s top-selling community for the last three years, welcoming over 200 families and generating over $80 million in sales. Since its founding in 2001, Echota has attracted over 450 owners, with total sales of over $150 million. “Our success is built on the simple idea to offer a lot of value at a very reasonable price,” Sears said. “This is the best time to buy since the early 1990s. If you don’t buy now, chances are you’ll regret it later.”


www.echotanc.com

It’s hard to imagine a better escape from the crowds and commotion of the workday world. Here you’ll find a perfect place to embrace the simple things of life – long walks along the river, poolside gatherings at the community clubhouse, slow-moving conversations on the balcony as sunset falls silently across the mountains. And when you’ve drunk your fill of tranquility, Echota’s central High Country location is another big plus. It’s right next door to Boone and Grandfather Mountain, and just down the road from Blowing Rock and Banner Elk. 124 • High Country Home Magazine • www.homeresourcecarolina.com

The list of things to do and places to explore is as long, or as short, as you want to make it: Award-winning restaurants and nightlife, authentic mountain music, boutiques and antique shops, ski slopes and hiking trails, golf courses and trout streams. To top it off, all the sports and cultural activities of Appalachian State University are close by in Boone. Inside Echota’s gates, great care has been taken to ensure minimal impact on the ecosystem and especially the watershed. The result has been numerous awards and accolades, including recognition as The High Country’s Best-Planned Community for three years running.


Elk Creek Mountain: Unbridled Beauty, Uncommon Value.

To ensure the community’s high quality will never be compromised, Harrill and his team at the Foscoe Companies have taken total control of every aspect of the Echota operation. “We create value by having all the companies under one roof,” Harrill explains. “We buy the property, develop it, build the homes, and do the sales and marketing. Then, after the sale, we turn around and manage the vacation rental programs. By being vertically integrated, we can maximize efficiencies and create the highest possible value for our property owners.” You’re invited to discover the ownership opportunities now available at The High Country’s number one-selling community. To arrange your visit, please call the Echota sales office at 1-800-333-7601 or visit online at www.echotanc.com. www.homeresourcecarolina.com • High Country Home Magazine • 125

As the newest community from the team that created Echota, Elk Creek Mountain reflects the same commitment to quality, value and environmental stewardship. Ownership at the 284-acre Elk Creek Mountain community is limited to just 97 families, with estate homesites ranging in size from one to six acres, priced from $100,000 to $300,000. Located off Highway 421 near Boone in the friendly town of Todd, Elk Creek Mountain features 55 acres of common space, a picnic pavilion, stocked fishing ponds, hiking trails and a five-acre park along the scenic New River. “Instilled in every Elk Creek Mountain team member is a sense of responsibility to preserve the natural resources and beauty of this special place,” says Mark Harrill, architect of the community’s vision.


The large sunroom, facing due south, acts as an engine room and soaks up the suns heat in the massive inner timber walls to start the EnertiaÂŽ process. This keeps the house warm all winter with very little auxillary power. This past winter, owner Johnny Cooke and a sustainable green energy team, recorded temperature differences of 45 to 50 degrees from outside to inside.

Greenest Home The

Johnny Cooke of Sustainable Green Builders and his Enertia Log Home are the new face of the South’s green revolution. PHOTOGRAPHS BY STEFAN OLSON


Owner of Sustainable Green Builders of the Blue Ridge, Johnny Cooke, stands proudly in front of his Enertia® house.

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magine getting up on a frosty winter morning. As the sun peeks over the trees and strikes your home, you watch your power meter slow to a crawl, stop, and begin to run backwards! Imagine that same morning walking out to the mailbox and there among the bills is your check from the electric company. This is not a dream, and the actual reality is even better. Meet Johnny Cooke with Sustainable Green Builders of the Blue Ridge. His newly constructed log home on

the outskirts of Boone, in the Forest Glen Subdivision, is an ultimate example in applying green technology to remove the homes dependency to “The Grid”. On the rooftop lies a series of photovoltaic and solar water panels. Essentially the house sells electricity back to the power company and purchases it back at night. Once you include federal and state tax credits, the house is generating a positive cash flow that can recoup the investment on this system in about five years depending on usage.

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Winter Sun on the south face of the home heats the air in the engine room. The Enertia® home takes over and keeps the hot air cycling through the outer walls to maintain a warm winter temperature while using no energy.

Enertia home featuring southern yellow pine exterior walls, stone chimney, standing seam metal roof, and two sets of solar panels, one photovoltaic and one solar water. Also seen is custom garage with beautiful red wood 8 X 10 garage doors.

How The Enertia House Works In the 1970‘s Wake Forest builder Michael Sykes was building log homes out of cedar logs from Michigan. To cut costs and shipping he built a few from local NC Southern Yellow Pine and was surprised to find these solid SYP log homes were a lot more energy-efficient. Sometimes, on a winter night following a sunny winter day, the furnace never came on. Sykes had made a remarkable discovery- the yellow resin in Southern Yellow pine, was storing heat like a thermal battery. This discovery lead to a remarkable invention- the Enertia® house, named in 1999, the most innovative structure of the Twentieth Century. There is plenty of free, non-polluting energy. Every day the sun provides more energy than all-of-man has used since the dawn-of-time. The challenge is timing- extending or storing the free daytime energy. Why not let the house structure, itself, do it? Sykes designed a system of house designs that use the structure of the house, built from the energy-storing Southern Yellow Pine, as the heating and cooling system. It was renewable materials producing renewable energy- the ultimate application of what is today called “sustainable” or “green.” The technique was so new that Sykes, a NC State University engineering graduate, had to write all-new equations. One term involving energy, momentum and time, kept reappearing so Sykes named it “Enertia” - energy from a-shift-in-time. By simply thinking of “Enertia” as a form of energy, hundreds of innovative energy solutions come to mind. Sykes realized this new technology could be the key to a “zero-energy-home,” a far-off goal in the mid 1980’s. To achieve this goal, he used “Biomimicry” - looking to Nature for the answer. Our planet has the answer- thermal

Down in the basement are two large 110-gallon water tanks. They are tied in by intricate manifolds and pumps to the solar panels and provide all the hot water necessary to warm the radiant heated floors of the living space. The house also includes an 80-gallon water heater for back-up heat and domestic hot water. Only during periods of extended cloudiness does the propane back-up system need to kick in to heat the water. Johnny has also seen fit to include a stone chimney and wood-burning stove in the basement, for folks who just have to have a fire in the winter. Sound good? Wait there’s more! This is an Enertia® Home, invented and patented by Michael Sykes of Lewisville, North Carolina. The house actually uses thermal inertia and passive solar construction techniques to maintain comfortable, stable interior temperatures. All exterior walls as well as the inner north and inner south walls are constructed entirely of laminated Southern www.enertia.com 128 • High Country Home Magazine • www.homeresourcecarolina.com


Summer heat is either shed by the insulated roof or escapes through the attic windows. Air from the basement floor cycles and keeps the home cool.

Renewable, stronger, and greener.

Yellow Pine timbers. The house has a tremendous thermal mass; over five times the thermal mass of traditional stick built homes. These massive timbers are very slow to release their warmth throughout the cold winter months and alternatively, just as slow to reabsorb that heat in the summer. Using inner and outer walls to form an envelope, a large glassed in sun porch as the ‘engine room’, and a needed southern exposure, this houses’ unique design allows convection currents to transfer sun-warmed air up and around the structure and gently warm the space. As the days lengthen and temperatures rise, strategically placed louvers and a unique window system allow the heat to escape and keep the home cool. Now most people might stop here but not Mr. Cooke. His enthusiasm and determination to reduce this homes’ impact on the environment led him take even greater steps. When the landsite was cleared to provide the construction site and a much needed southern exposure, www.homeresourcecarolina.com • High Country Home Magazine • 129

currents within our atmosphere move heat from the tropics to cooler zones. He used open spaces, the basement, the attic, a south-facing hallway, and a North wall cavity, to create a small “atmosphere” around each home. Just like the planet, in the Enertia house the sun heats the air in this “bio-sphere.” Since hot air rises, the energy from the sun provides its own momentum, moving heat without fan, fuel, or furnace. The “Greenhouse Effect” is used to provide a clean fuel-free home-heating solution. In the summer, for cooling, the “Greenhouse Effect” is short-circuited by opening roof vents to let the heat out, drawing cooler air from the basement. The inertia of the massive structure carries the cool night-time conditions into the next day. In the 1990’s Enertia Building Systems Inc. designed and manufactured zero-energy homes for clients in the Western states that had no access to the electrical grid, or did not want to bring the wires across their land. Wind generators and Photovoltaic panels provided electricity. For heating back East, where winter days might be cloudy, Enertia developed a solar hot-water panel backup system using storage tanks and radiant floors. Twenty-five years of in-the-field experience have put the Enertia Building System ahead of most “green building” methods that are addons, or still in the experimental stage. Ninetyfive percent of American homes are wood- but the wood, the only renewable in the home, is but a small part of the house when used as framing. The Enertia house structure is solid glue-laminated wood, making the entire structure renewable, stronger, and greener.


Johnny shipped all the timber to a local sawmill to provide the lumber he required to build the interior tongue and groove walls, porch decking, handrails and interior cabinetry. The Southern Yellow Pine which comes with the Enertia® kit is farmed in eastern North Carolina. “The log home is constructed nearly 100% from renewable and sustainable materials” said Johnny. “My overall plan when building this house was to look at each separate phase of the process and www.enertia.com

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systematically reduce the impact on energy usage and the environment”. Whether using local materials and craftsmen to reduce transportation costs and pollution or applying finishes with low VOC glues, stains and finishes. “I left very few stones unturned” said Johnny. While this is Cooke’s first sustainable energy home, it’s not his first experience with environmentally


Left: The kitchen features all Energy Star appliances including dual compressor refrigerator. Above Top: Master bedroom, adjacent to the home’s sunroom is a large space featuring an accomodating closet , radiant floor heat, and accessible bathroom. Above Bottom: Bathroom features ceramic tile, granite countertops, compact flourescent lighting, and radiant floor heat to help make those winter mornings warm and enjoyable.

responsible building. In the late 90’s, Cooke became the first person to secure a Brownsfields agreement in Western North Carolina. A Brownsfields agreement enables the reclamation of unused or underdeveloped land that has or has possibly been contaminated. Through a series of steps Johnny successfully decontaminated the lands’ water supply and subsequently developed the property.

Hodge, and Josh Brewer who worked tirelessly to complete this project. If you have any questions or want to view the Enertia® home please feel free to contact Johnny Cooke @ 828-964-2000.

Johnny also wanted to thank: Burt Hayes, Steve

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Capehart & Washburn, LLC Partners, Phil Washburn and Matthew Long


Built To Last Capehart & Washburn and their luxury Hound Ears home. PHOTOGRAPHS BY STEFAN OLSON

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Morrison Property, Hound Ears Club View from Poplar

ust four short years ago Matthew Long (Boone) worked on a spec house with one of his colleagues Phil Washburn (Cove Creek). The two enjoyed working together so much that they decided to become business partners and together formed Capehart (Matt’s middle name) and Washburn, LLC. When asked why they teamed up Matt and Phil responded, “We both share a passion for building and a drive for success as ethical, responsible business owners. We wanted to introduce a younger, more competitive company with education and experience in the latest construction technology to the area.”

Matt and Phil have a combined 27 years of experience in the construction industry. Matt and Phil both have a firm stance concerning the ethics of the Home Building Industry. They are both proponents for doing your research before you hire someone to do a job. “We want potential clients to do their homework by checking references, word of mouth reputation, and most importantly requesting proper licensure and insurance credentials for their own protection,” warns Phil. A closer look at Matt and Phil’s own credentials would reveal that Phil is a N.C. Licensed General Contractor and an N.A.H.B. Certified Green Professional, while Matt holds a B.S. in Construction Technology from Appalachian

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Morrison Property, Hound Ears Club View of the front entry

www.capehartandwashburn.com


Capehart & Washburn Team: Left to Right: Phil Washburn, Pete Washburn, Daniel Rohrbaugh, Johnathan Ward, Jason Shortridge, Dan Sturge, Elijah Davenport, Adam Hill, Matthew Long, not pictured-Gordon Fisk

State University, is a Qualifying Agent for their N.C. General Contractors License, and is a U.S.G.B.C. L.E.E.D. Accredited Professional. When the duo was asked why potential clients should choose them Matt responded with the following, “We are licensed, insured, and certified to be building professionals. We are local, experienced, established, possess a high level of education, and we are ethical in the way we conduct business. We have an excellent team of professionals that produce quality work in an efficient and timely manner. We are also able to self-perform in many areas of the building process, which allows us to be even more efficient to our clients. We have a strong working relationship with the area’s best designers, vendors, and subcontractors.” As a further testament to their ethical up-front approach the pair will gladly take the time to meet with any clients to discuss potential projects and will provide free estimates for any of their services. Capehart and Washburn’s latest creation is a beautiful 2200 heated/cooled square foot 3 bedroom 2 ½ baths home located in Hound Ears Club for owner, Richard Morrison. Architect, David R. Jones designed the house while Capehart and Washburn designed the interior finishes, exterior colors and finish specs, as well as designing and installing the landscape plan. Initial inspection of the exterior reveals that the home is nestled carefully behind rhododendron and beautifully

enclosed by dry-stack stonewalls. Stone used for the walls were carefully selected for color so it would accentuate the handsome colors and textures of the house’s exterior. The overall design of the house is very practical and spacious. The master bedroom is conveniently located on the main level down a short hall from the main entry and open living and dining space, which allows for privacy. A beautiful bathroom with a corner Jacuzzi tub and separate tile shower also accompany the master bedroom. The laundry room is very well done with maple cabinetry and granite countertops and is next to the master bedroom and garage for convenience. The two bedrooms upstairs are spacious and separate even though they share a large full bathroom. Matt and Phil believe their favorite room in the house is the Kitchen because, “The rich, walnut color of the knotty alder cabinets and the warm earth-tone colors

“We have an excellent team of professionals that produce quality work in an efficient and timely manner. We are also able to self-perform in many areas of the building process, which allows us to be even more efficient to our clients.”

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“We are locals, we love this place and we are not going anywhere. We know that our success depends on what our clients think of the granite countertops set-off the kitchen and reflect the overall quality of finishes throughout the house. Some other aspects of the house that are particularly striking are the variation of warm wood tones in the finish carpentry that complement each other throughout the house. The floors are Brazilian Cherry with a natural/clear finish, which shows variation in the grain and color of each piece of the hardwood flooring. The kitchen and bathroom cabinetry are made of knotty alder with a walnut finish. The interior doors, trim, and tongue & groove ceilings are pine and spruce with some knots and grain variations that are finished in a warm, rich pecan finish. This spectacular home is currently for sale with Hound Ears Real Estate (MLS # 84536). Matt and Phil’s hard work and diligence have definitely paid off as evidenced by the completion of this wonderful new home. Both young men are ready and willing to stand behind their work 100 percent. They believe in doing quality work and know their reputation depends on it. “We are locals, we love this place, and we are not going anywhere. We know that our success depends on what our clients think about our work and how we conduct our business. We have worked hard to achieve the reputation we have and want to keep it.” While it is important to note that this particular home does not carry an official green certification, it does incorporate many green building materials and methods that were implemented by Capehart & Washburn, LLC. “The home is extremely well-built with a solid poured concrete foundation and Weyerhaeuser I-Level Engineered Lumber for the floor framing systems and Weyerhaeuser structural panels for floors and walls installed using low VOC adhesives. Wall and roof systems were built with Weyerhaeuser Framers-Series yellow-pine lumber, which is grown, harvested, and milled in eastern North Carolina. The building envelope is very well insulated with fiberglass Morrison Property, Hound Ears Club View of the kitchen Morrison property, Hound Ears Club View of the master bathroom Morrison property, Hound Ears Club View from the living room www.capehartandwashburn.com

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about our work and how we conduct our business. We have worked hard to achieve the reputation we have and want to keep it.” insulation that was installed properly, with additional sealants at doors, windows, and framing members. The exterior of the house is wrapped in Dupont Tyvek and finished with cedar siding and trim boards. The windows are Andersen 200 series windows with LOW E, insulated glazing. The interior cabinetry is solid wood construction and the kitchen is equipped with Energy Star Maytag appliances. The house has dual system, central heat/air with 13 SEER high efficiency Maytag Electric Heat-Pumps. The plumbing fixtures and faucets are Kohler and Delta.” Like their motto, this house is “Built to Last”. From the solid concrete foundation that will withstand the test of time to the quality interior and exterior finishes, this house is truly built to last and will no doubt be a wonderful home for generations to come. Capehart and Washburn, LLC work with wonderful subcontractors and want to thank the following people for their efforts in the success of this project: Clearing/Grading-Miller Hauling & Grading Paving- Tri County Paving Poured Concrete Foundation Walls- Tri City West Cultured Stone- Tim Church Stone Masonry Cedar Shake Roofing- Harry Kuhne Gutters- Sheets Brothers Drywall- CJ Laws Drywall Ceramic Tile- L.D. Ceramic Tile Cabinetry- Distinctive Kitchen & Baths Granite Countertops- High Country Stone Plumbing- Innovative Waterworks HVAC- Aldridge Enterprises, Inc. Electrical- John R. Lawrence Electric Capehart & Washburn, LLC self-performed all other aspects of construction

“The house (Morrison Property) is truly built to last and will no doubt be a wonderful home for generations to come.” www.homeresourcecarolina.com • High Country Home Magazine • 137

New Construction-Certified Green Home

FOR SALE - $ 389,000.00

1.06 acre private, wooded lot with flowing stream in Blue Ridge Estate Convenient Location- 4.5 miles from Hospital, Golf Course, and Boone Business District. 1.3 miles from Blue Ridge Parkway 1,800 sf heated living space with option of additional 400 sf of living space at basement level. 3 BR, 2 1/2 Bath with master suite on main-level and basement garage NAHB Certified Green Build & Energy Star Certified Mountain-Craftsman architecture and finishes Contact Capehart & Washburn, LLC for more information. Call our office at 828-355-9142 or visit www.capehartandwashburn.com.



The Escape A seasonal guide to getting out of the house and enjoying the High Country Rush & Relaxation • 140 / Escape Guide • 144

Grandfather Mountain PHOTO BY KAYLA H. MORTON

www.homeresourcecarolina.com • High Country Home Magazine • 139


Rush &Relaxation

Whether you are searching for the adrenaline rush of white water or the rest and relaxation of a lazy river, our top 5 list of the High Country’s outdoor adventures has you covered.

Tubing

T

he best way to spend a hot summer’s day in the High Country is to take a leisurely float down the nation’s oldest river. The New River’s cool waters provide refreshing relief while stretched across a floating tube basking in the sun. Serenading songbirds will lull you to sleep as you gently drift downstream. The gentle current carries you past picturesque landscapes, rolling hills and meadows full of wildflowers. Wahoo’s Adventures is the only outfitter with river front property offering parking, rest room and a beach area! A nicely manicured lawn with a spacious covered shelter provides an excellent spot for picnicking or sun bathing. And a friendly guide will be waiting to take you up and down the river as many times as you like. There’s lots of opportunity for fun and frolicking in the water. Younger folks

love to square off with water gun fights as a way to beat the heat. Wahoo’s offers a “cooler” for guests who want to take food and drinks for a picnic on the riverbank. Wahoo’s not only offers single tubes, but double tubes for couples as well, and a “crib” tube that has a bottom so parents can float with their babies. The river averages about 25 yards in width and 3 feet deep with lots of room to enjoy the pristine water and the plentiful sunshine. Some sections have large trees along the banks providing a canopy of shade for sun weary tubers. Not only is a sun block a must but it’s also a good idea to wear river shoes to negotiate over the rocks in the shallow waters. Guests are also encouraged to bring along their fishing poles as the New River offers great sport with trophy sized trout. The section of the river from Wahoo’s property to the Town of Todd has a few small rapids and rock ledges crossing the river but it’s easy to navigate and has a few pools as deep as six feet, ideal for

taking a refreshing swim. It’s about a two to three hour float before you reach the landing for the Town of Todd, where you can beach your tubes and take a break. It’s just a short stroll to the Todd General Store. The establishment is a blast to the past with a real down home feeling of an old-timey country store. Bob and Jenny will be glad to show you around and fix you up something to eat and drink. The rest of the way is a scenic gentle float to a point where the river narrows and comes to a fork. Be sure to stay to the left and you will wind your way to the Todd Island Park. You’ll know you’re there when you see another low water bridge. Look to the left and there will be a small ramp that will take you to a parking lot. Your guide will be there waiting to take you for a short van ride through the countryside back to the Wahoo’s New River Outpost. Or if you like, back to another point on the river for another float making for a fun-filled day.

Climbing

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ock Climbing is one of the many unique activities that the North Carolina High Country has to

offer outdoor enthusiasts from all walks of life. The uniqueness of rock climbing is tied to the physical challenge, the experience with nature, and the important relationship between climbing partners, as they are responsible for the safety of each other and the mutual support

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that helps them to push beyond their perceived limits. While the town of Boone is known for its world-class bouldering, North Carolina climbing is strongly rooted in traditional multi-pitch routes. Bouldering


involves minimal gear, usually just a pair of climbing shoes, chalk, pad, and a partner to “spot” while climbing up 1015’ freestanding boulders tucked in the woods. Other styles of climbing require more equipment (ropes, harnesses, helmets, etc.), as well as a qualified guide for inexperienced climbers.

style of climbing common on climbing walls where the rope goes up through the anchors and back down to the belayer. The belayer takes up rope with a belay device as the climber moves up, arrests a fall if he/she slips, and lowers the climber back down to the ground when he/she has finished the climb.

In multi-pitch climbing the intent is to start from the ground and progress up the rock in a series of “pitches” (a rope length or portion thereof) while placing protective removable gear in cracks along the way. The climbers may summit and walk back down or descend in a series of rappels. Many beginning climbers begin by toprope climbing, similar to the

For more information or to hire an instructor/guide, contact Rock Dimensions Climbing Guides (www. rockdimensions.com) at 828-265-3544 or info@rockdimensions.com. Rock Dimensions is located inside Footsloggers Outfitters at the corner of Howard St. and Depot St. in downtown Boone.

Trekking

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he Blue Ridge Mountains are renowned for their splendor and beauty and boast the best hiking trails in the Southeast. Western North Carolina offers an abundance and variety of trails for hikers of all skill levels. There’s challenging courses for the avid outdoorsman as well as leisurely strolls for the amateur “day walker.” The one thing they all share is the breathtaking beauty and majestic views. There are many trails along the Blue Ridge Parkway that lead to lakes, rivers and waterfalls. Some are more rugged than others like blazing a trail up the flanks of Grandfather Mountain or taking a stroll on a maintained path around Price Lake. One of the most dramatic and unusual views is the Linn Cove Viaduct Access Trail which offers an unusual perspective of the engineering marvel that winds under the highway and around the eastern ridge of Grandfather Mountain. By far the most rugged and strenuous trek is in the Linville Gorge and should only be attempted by seasoned hikers.

This area offers a true wilderness experience and provides the ultimate challenge in negotiating steep ravines and thick forests. Only the best equipped should venture into the remote gorge and view rarely seen cascades and waterfalls as the Linville River flows down the mountain range. The Cascades Trail is another one of the High Country’s awe inspiring sites along the parkway. It’s also one of the easiest to get to and is only half a mile long. The turn around trial leading to the waterfalls is located three miles north of Deep Gap. Groups who want an overnight backpacking adventure can explore the Blue Ridge Mountains with an expert guide who is equipped with state-of-theart camping gear. Call Mike at Blue Ridge Trailways and he’ll plan your overnight expedition with everything you need to guarantee your comfort; light weight Thermarest air mattresses, sleeping bags, tents, and backpacks. He’ll prepare great meals of your choice cooked over an open fire with savory home made desserts. Folks, it doesn’t get any better than this, enjoy the experience of a lifetime in the bosom of Mother Nature!

www.homeresourcecarolina.com • High Country Home Magazine • 141


Rafting

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estled deep in the Appalachian mountains of western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee; the Nolichucky River Gorge winds through steep-walled canyons and remote thickly forested mountains. One of the top 10 river runs in the nation, the Nolichucky River is said to be one of the most technical big water runs in the south, demanding the coordinated efforts of the raft crew and an experienced guide to negotiate the twists and turns, the drops and falls of the river. The trip on the Nolichucky is a true wilderness adventure, taking the rafter through the breath-taking rugged beauty of the back-woods of the Pisgah and Cherokee National forest. The sheer rock

walls of the Canyon tower 2,800 feet from the base of the river to the pine-covered peaks of the mountains; a true natural treat for anyone who visits the area. Portions of the Nolichucky flow through an area which is designated by the National Forest Service as a Black Bear Sanctuary. The tracks of these large animals can often be seen along the banks of the river, and a sharp eye on the woods during a rest stop in a protected eddy will sometimes yield the rafter with a glimpse of a bear in its natural habitat. The river drops approximately 66-feet per mile over the first four miles, creating adrenaline pumping Class III, IV and V rapids. The run can be enjoyed by all but the youngest children. Past trips have included the blind, Boy Scouts, Church Groups and Professional Groups. As with all of Wahoo’s Adventures, a trip on the Nolichucky begins with a training/

Fly Fishing

Watauga means the beautiful water. It is appropriately so. The rivers and streams in the High Country flow cool and clear. They are the perfect habitat for a variety of game fish like rainbow, brook and brown trout, as well as smallmouth bass. Where these fish live you will be sure to find a well dressed fisherman donning a beige vest and a wide brimmed hat. On the end of his line and leader is a small fly that he elegantly whips and lands onto the surface of the water. The fly flows downstream behind the ripples and into a shallow clear pool. Then an explosion. BAM! A hungry trout has mistaken the well tied fly for a real insect and the seasoned

fisherman has set the hook. The fight is on. The angler pulls back on the fly line as if the fish was a disobedient dog on a walk, trying hard to put him on his reel. His nine foot graphite rod, stressed from the weight and strength of the fish is bent over like a rainbow across the sky. The angler reels furiously as the fish aggressively swims towards him. As the fish gets more confidence, he turns and runs, forcing the angler to let line out equally as furious. The war is a series of these battles, battles not only between fish and fisherman, but between patience and excitement. One mistake and the angler will lose this glorious fish. The minutes pass like seconds. The angler feels the fish tiring. The battle culminates with one last attempt; A leap that will set the fish free from the metal in his bottom lip. The attempt, although majestic, has failed, and

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safety session. Even the first-time paddler will soon be learning how to properly navigate fast moving whitewater. All of the tours on the Nolichucky include a lunch catered by guides wearing rubber bow ties, aprons and chefs hats. Serving a delicious Gourmet Deli Buffet lunch with fresh deli meats, peanut butter and jelly, veggies/fruit, cheeses, homemade banana bread and brownies. Wahoo’s Adventures has several options available for groups both large and small to experience a run on the Nolichucky. When lower water levels in the summer allow, the Nolichucky can be navigated in funyaks as well as rafts. For the Outdoor Adventure you have always desired, without any of the usual headaches of planning an outing, Wahoo’s Adventures makes that dream come true. Licensed and permitted by the U.S. Forest Service.

with the fish’s last energy spent, the well dressed fisherman reels him in, reaches for his net, and as if at a banquet, accepts his reward. But the reward is only enjoyed briefly. In an anticlimactic finish, the angler gently loosens the hook from the fish’s mouth, stares at the fish for a handful of seconds admiring its color, strength, and beauty, and respectfully releases the fish back into the water. Appreciative, but tired, the fish swims off slowly into the ripples... If you want to experience the beautiful waters and create your own fish tale, we recommend that when you are driving these winding mountain roads that you stop at one of the many High Country guide services. They will have an assortment of wide brimmed hats and will put you on some fish. See page 147 for a directory of guide services.



Escape :: Restaurants

Vidalia

The Gamekeeper

Vidalia Restaurant and Wine Bar provides an inventive menu of creative American cuisine with an emphasis on fresh local products and southern comfort foods, The intimate upscale casual atmosphere is visually enhanced by vibrant works of art from local artist Wayne Trapp. Watch as executive Chef and owner, Sam, creates visually stunning meals in our open kitchen while Sam’s wife, Alyce, and the Vidalia staff treat you to a little southern hospitality. Vidalia’s invites you to join them for great food, fantastic wines, unique cocktails, and good company.

The Gamekeeper is famous for Southern favorites - ultimate in comfort food - prepared with creativity and originality, offered through an evolving seasonal menu that blends the traditional with the exotic, satisfying both the meat lover and the vegetarian. Much quality and care goes into each dish, from the selection of the freshest ingredients to the wood fire preparation and the exquisite presentation. It is perfection for even the most discerning palate! You haven’t fully experienced the region until you’ve dined at The Gamekeeper.

831 West King Street Boone NC 28607 (828) 263-9176

3005 Shull’s Mill Road Boone, NC 28607 828-963-7400

Woodlands Barbeque

Blowing Rock Grille

Woodlands has been serving North Carolina barbecue in Blowing Rock NC since 1977. Woodlands is a former Blowing Rock Chamber Of Commerce Business of the Year award winner. They are located just minutes south of the Blue Ridge Parkway on Highway 321 Bypass in Blowing Rock, North Carolina, The Woodlands Restaurant specializes in North Carolina Barbecue Pork and Ribs. They also serve home style Mexican food as well. They have a large selection of everyone’s favorite appetizers, sandwiches and desserts. Live nightly entertainment too!

Experience the Blowing Rock Grille for an upbeat, exciting dining experience offering a wide variety of prices and choices. Enjoy your meal outside on their scenic sidewalk garden courtyard or dine in their warm and inviting atmosphere. They are located the street from the park on Sunset Drive. The restaurant has been a favorite for locals and visitors since 1982. Blowing Rock Grille serves lunch and dinner and offer homemade soups, vegetable plates, delicious sandwiches and salads. Try their wonderful dinner menu featuring fresh fish, pasta, pork, aged premium steaks and a unique wine list. “ Have your favorite Beverage at Bert’s Bar.

321 Bypass Blowing Rock, NC 28605 (828) 295-3651

349 Sunset Drive Blowing Rock, NC 28605 (828) 295-9474

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Escape :: Resorts

Westglow Resort & Spa

Propsect 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. Their 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. Their 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... visit Prospect Hill B&B Inn in Mountain City. They’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. They 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. Their own brook, waterfall, and duck ponds set the stage for a relaxing and adventure filled stay for the whole family. Many guests make Meadowbrook their home away from home in the mountains. Meadowbrook Inn attract business guests for retreats and conferences, and are famous for their 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 the Restaurant at The Mast Farm Inn. The Mast Farm Inn is so much more than the traditional. 2543 Broadstone Road Banner Elk, NC 28604 828-963-5857 (888) 963-5857

711 Main St Blowing Rock, NC 28605 (828) 295-4300

www.homeresourcecarolina.com • High Country Home Magazine • 145


Escape :: Adventures

Scream Time Zipline

Wahoos

Scream Time Zipline, was established in 2007 after a five year dream of tour operator Monie McCoury. Scream Time Zipline represents energy, passion, community focused business practices, state of the art design and installation, and the first 2000 foot long “triple wide” ziplines in the U.S.! Not only is this the most fun you’ll have on a Zipline in the High Country but it is the safest. Scream Time Ziplines’ guides have participated in a rigorous certification program offered by their parent company, Experience Based Learning, Inc.

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!

711 Main St Blowing Rock, NC 28605 (828) 295-4300

P.O. Box 3094 Boone N.C. 28607 (828) 262-5774

Rock Dimensions

Hawksnest Zipline

Explore your Vertical World with Rock Dimensions Climbing Guides! Half-day and full day trips include age appropriate instruction, climbing and rappelling, and all equipment. Rock Dimensions operates out of Footsloggers Outdoor & Travel Outfitters in downtown Boone, also the location of the 40 ft. outdoor Climbing Tower. Other exciting adventures include guided caving, ropes/ challenge course & zipline, and the very memorable Tyrolean Traverse! Guides are certified through the Professional Climbing Instructors Association (PCIA).

The Zipline course at Hawksnest will be the longest on the east coast with over 2 miles of riding. Ride the 13 different cables taking you through the trees, over trees, over creeks and even over snow tubers during the winter months. Make sure you try the SuperZip cable that is over 2500 feet in length and over 200 feet high. The zipline course is set in the middle of some of the best views in the High Country. Zipline riding is an exciting and safe experience for the entire family; children must be 5 years old to ride.

131-B S. Depot St. Boone, NC 28607 (828) 265-3544

2058 Skyland Drive Seven Devils, NC 28604 (828) 963-6561

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Escape:: Fly Fishing Foscoe Fishing Company Foscoe Fishing Company & Outfitters is the only Orvis Endorsed Flyfishing Guide Service in North Carolina’s High Country. They 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. They also offer float and walk guides on the tailrace waters of Tennessee. 8857 Highway 105 South Boone, NC 28607 (828) 963-6556

Appalachian Angler The Appalachian Angler Guides are trained professionals who spend immeasurable hours guiding and fishing the High Country’s rivers. The guides work exclusively for Appalachian Angler and are renowned for their expertise on the South Holston and Watauga Rivers. Their guides are committed to ensuring that our guests, both beginning and advanced anglers, have a quality fishing experience. 174 Old Shulls Mill Rd Boone NC 28607 (828) 963-8383

Elk Creek Outfitters It is Elk Creek Outfitters’ goal to consistently exceed their guests’ expectations by providing quality fishing adventures tailored to the individual. Elk Creek Outfitters achieves this through their extensive knowledge base, years of guiding experience, and honest, hard work. 1560 Highway 105 Boone, NC 28607 (828) 264-6497

Other fishing services in the area include: River Girl Fishing Company 4041 Todd Railroad Grade Rd Todd, NC‎ (336) 877-3099 Grandfather Trout Ponds 10767 NC Highway 105 S Banner Elk, NC‎ (828) 963-5098‎ Watauga River Anglers 5712 NC Highway 105 Vilas, NC‎ (828) 963-5463‎


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www.homeresourcecarolina.com • High Country Home Magazine • 24


Marketplace Premier High Country Homes For Sale Starting At $500K Brokerage • 149 / Corkboard • 154

Featured Home Chris Connor’s TIMBERPEG

This executive estate featuring 4 bedroom and 3 1/2 bath Timber Frame Home by TIMBERPEG and 7.59 acres revealing BIG southern exposure views can be your legacy mountain sanctuary. Offered at $1,124,000 ($151K below appraisal). Bring the horses, enjoy the sauna and fireplaces...not to mention the wide open spaces! Too much to list! Or consider a 25% furnished Fractional Ownership Share for only $319,000 (Fractional Ownership Terms and Conditions, and sales requirements for this type of ownership, must be met for the FO offering to apply.) Watauga county community, 1/2 mile to New River, 15 minutes to New Market Shopping and more. Please call Chris Connor for details on how you and yours can begin living the dream. 828-773-9284.

www.homeresourcecarolina.com • High Country Home Magazine • 149



Brokerage

www.homeresourcecarolina.com • High Country Home Magazine • 151


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Brokerage

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Corkboard

Creekside Home Improvements

State Farm

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Final Thoughts

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Some Recent Trends written by Richard Anderson

or a consumer of information related to the housing industry, the amount of data flowing through the pipeline can be overwhelming. Between the Web, broadcast news, and trade publications there is often more information available than one can digest. Something that crosses my desk and computer screen each month is the Building Permit listing for the High Country. I have been tracking the number of site-built, single family homes for the past three years and have been tracking the change in the number of such permits. As our economy has slowed, the number of site-built, single family housing starts is down dramatically while remodel permits are up. With the assistance offered through the recent stimulus package, many homeowners are upgrading older doors and windows to more energy efficient, “tax credit worthy” models and thus saving on energy costs while writing a smaller check on April 15th. I also speculate that there are many “Mom and Pop” renovations underway that are being done in less than $5000.00 increments that don’t meet the permitting threshold. Another interesting item on the permit list is the number of modular home permits. After a quick crawl through the Web and a brief review of my back issues of Green Builder magazine, I have come to the conclusion that today’s modular “ain’t your daddy’s doublewide”. Prefabrication is not new. Truss systems and more recently SIPs or Structural insulated panels have been widely used. What’s new is the broader range of manufactured housing available and the emphasis on “green” technologies to produce this product. There are several companies producing the new-style modulars. American Home Sales in Auburn, CA produces a line of modest cottage and schoolhouse styles. Closer to home, Artisan Construction in Charlottesville, VA produces high-end modulars while Innova in Asheville is a full-line builder with a particularly “green” focus. With the “trailer” stigma no longer an issue, modulars offer some attractive attributes. Compared to a site-built home, “green” manufactured homes can be 30-40% more energy efficient, 20% more water efficient with as much as a 70% reduction in construction waste and less lost time due to weather. Some models are less per square foot than site-built homes but the high-end modulars appear to be on par with their more traditional site-built cousins. Modular construction can trace its history to housing packages found in the Sears Catalogue at the turn of the last century. It seems that modular has adapted for this century. W. Edwards Deming, one of the fathers of modern business management made this observation…” It is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory.” 156 • High Country Home Magazine • www.homeresourcecarolina.com


www.homeresourcecarolina.com • High Country Home Magazine • 157


Resource Index A Flooring Outlet.............................828-898-5484........156 A.S. Construction............................828-265-3681......... 21 A1 Vacuum Solutions......................828-387-1157..........45 Add It Inc.........................................704-455-3566.........43 Aldous Construction........................828-406-6525..........11 Alta Vista Gallery.............................828-963-5247.........65 Appalachian Blind And Closet.........828-264-1395.........79 Appalachian Custom Builders.........828-773-7106.........31 Appalachian Furniture.....................828-297-5055.........39 Art Cellar Gallery.............................828-898-5175.........53 Barna Log Homes...........................336-246-7002.........47 Blue Mountain Metalworks..............828-898-8582.........67 Blue Ridge Harley Davidson...........828-327-3030.......145 Boone Paint And Interiors...............828-264-9220........157 Busters Log Homes........................828-898-1915........106 Cabin Fever....................................828-295-0520............7 Capehart & Washburn....................828-355-9142........150 Carlton Gallery................................828-963-4288..........61 Carrington Design...........................336-846-1786..........29 Carver Guttering.............................828-733-2110...........93 Closet Design Center.....................828-963-2731...........13 Countertops By Design..................828-773-2360...........75 Country Gourmet...........................828-963-5269...........47 Dachille Construction.....................828-964-5150.........148 Design On Tap...............................828-265-0505...........83 Distinctive Kitchens & Baths..........828-963-9633...........76 Doe Ridge Pottery..........................828-264-1127...........24 Doug McGuire Construction Co.....828-963-6680.............9 Dougnet.........................................828-264-0959...........16 Downhill Plumbing.........................828-406-4471...........82 E And K Construction....................828-963-7299.........IBC Echota...........................................828-963-7600.............4 Elk Creek Mountain.......................828-963-7600..........125 Estate Maintenance......................828-264-7441..........101 Everday Designs...........................828-773-1770..........159 Fabric Shoppe..............................828-355-9153............29 Farmers Rentals...........................828-264-6044............20 Foggy Mountain Gem Mine..........828-963-4367..........160 Foscoe Fishing Company.............828-963-6556..........148 Gaines Kiker Silversmith...............828-295-3992............88 Gamekeeper.................................828-963-7400..........144 Green Forestry Solutions..............828-719-5629..........105 Gum Ridge Mill.............................336-877-8888..........105 H And H Drywall............................828-733-1811............15 Harry Stroud Roofing....................704-634-7469............23 Hawk Mountain Garden Center.....828-260-0452............93 Hawksnest....................................828-963-6561..........139 High Country Home & Prop..........336-877-9000..........152 Headwaters..................................828-733-8687..............6 Heather Buchanan Electric...........828-387-1835..........159 High Country Cabinets..................828-898-3435............19 High Country Clean Space...........828-963-9464..........104 High Country Energy Solutions....828-265-2683...........105 High Country Renovators.............828-406-1391...........102 High Country Stone......................828-355-9320.............81 Home Antiquites And Interiors............828-268-2056.......11 158 • High Country Home Magazine • www.homeresourcecarolina.com

House Design And Floor Planning.....336-977-8758.....105 Hunter’s Tree Service........................828-733-3320.......99 Jim Higgins Painting..........................828-964-1892.......93 Jo Lynn Cleaners...............................800-922-2109.......35 Kevin Beck Studio..............................828-963-1181.......68 Knox Group........................................828-265-6047.......11 Landscape Lighting............................336-973-1352.......97 Lil Greene’s Hydroseeding.................828-964-8667.......99 Linville Gallery....................................828-898-8405.......55 Main Street Discount..........................336-384-3945.......80 McGuire’s Grading Service................828-773-5467.......93 McKee Tree Service...........................828-295-7230.......98 Morales Hardwood Flooring...............336-927-4289.......73 Mountain Heritage Systems...............828-733-0141.......17 Mountain Tile......................................828-265-0472......80 Mountaineer Sheet Metal...................828-264-6625.....159 Mountain High Realty.........................828-387-0895.......41 Munday Hardwoods...........................828-757-5724.......33 My Mountain Dream House...............336-846-2510.....152 New River Custom Builders...............336-384-1209.......37 New River Showcase & Design.........828-268-0450.......81 Northwestern Heating........................828-265-8484.......18 Outdoor Lighting Perspectives...........828-304-5483.........8 Parker Tie...........................................336-846-6984......39 Pleasant Ridge Nursery.....................336-877-2143.....100 Precision Cabinets.............................828-262-5080.......78 Prospect Hill Inn.................................423-727-0139....143 Radon Mitigation Services.................828-964-8085.....104 Randy Blake Carpentry......................828-297-2069.......27 RCD Construction..............................336-838-6701.........3 Regency Properties...........................336-246-2307.......15 Rick Hill Imports...............................423-224-2260.....IFC Ripvan Properties..............................828-773-5021........11 River And Earth Adventures..............828-963-5491......147 Rock Dimensions..............................828-265-3544......146 Sally Nooney Gallery.........................828-963-7347........59 Scotland Yards..................................828-898-3041.....100 Serenity Day Spa..............................828-898-3550..........6 Stefan Olson Photography................828-773-0916......157 Sugar Top Resort Sales....................828-898-5226......140 Superior Spas...................................828-313-9074........92 Supherb Gutters................................828-260-4639........96 Sustainable Green Builders..............828-964-2000........22 Tatum Galleries.................................828-963-6466...15/95 Thunder Hill Plumbing.......................828-264-4791.....103 Twin Rivers........................................828-963-7020..........1 Tynecastle Builders...........................828-387-7192..........5 Vistas................................................828-898-3380..........2 Wahoos............................................828-262-5774......138 Wallace Propane...............................828-297-1115......155 Weichert / Weber Hodges.................828-260-1381........15 Window And Door Specialists...........828-963-7788........99 Wolf Creek Traders...........................828-963-6800........89 Worth Supply.....................................704-338-9678........23 Brokerage Listings.........................................................149 Business Card Corkboard.............................................154


24 • High Country Home Magazine • www.homeresourcecarolina.com

www.homeresourcecarolina.com www.homeresourcecarolina.com• •High HighCountry CountryHome HomeMagazine Magazine• •159 24


24 • High Country Home Magazine • www.homeresourcecarolina.com

www.homeresourcecarolina.com • High Country Home Magazine • 24


24 • High Country Home Magazine • www.homeresourcecarolina.com

www.homeresourcecarolina.com • High Country Home Magazine • 24


24 • High Country Home Magazine • www.homeresourcecarolina.com

www.homeresourcecarolina.com • High Country Home Magazine • 24


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