Personally unique 34 | Personally unique

The view, exceptional the house, unique

Welcome to the Vinyards’ home at The Reserve

Story by David Moore Photos by Monica Martin Several years back, the Vinyards, They hired Walker and White Builders of Guntersville, who mentioned Susan

Swho live in Gena’s hometown of LeSueur of the Glenn Group in Arab teve and Gena Vinyard’s house at Anniston, were looking to build a second as an architect. Patrick pointed out she The Reserve at Lake Guntersville has an getaway home and considered Big Canoe, had designed the clubhouse and several exceptional view, but in a homes at The Reserve, so community development the Vinyards hired her. that is all about lots with “She was wonderful,” great views theirs is not Gena says. unique. The house itself, Stewart White is the however, is a different contracting partner the story. Vinyards worked with, and

It’s unique, literally through him they learned by design, incorporating about their future decorator, elements that speak Kim Whitaker. to Steve and Gena’s “She was intent personalities and lives at a upon getting to know us level few homes achieve. individually before she put Here are just a few the house together,” Gena examples: says. “She wanted it unique • A pair of 10-foot to us.” paneled doors in the master “They just didn’t know bedroom and hall came they would never get rid of from Birmingham’s old me,” laughs Kim, who lived Tutwiler Hotel where the in Guntersville 15 years couple honeymooned. before moving back home • The timber opening to Nashville. But she often frame between the great visits the Vinyards and other room and the kitchen came local friends. from a white oak cut from “I’m not about hearing the Vinyards’ lot; as did someone say, ‘Kim did that the mantle for an outdoor house. It looks just like her.’ fireplace. I wanted it to fit this place • The black walnut and fit these guys. mantle in the great room Steve and Gena gather in their great room with their Havanese “I think the way you was hewn from a tree at an dogs, Harmony and Bruiser, who are only mildly spoiled. did the house matches old farm the Vinyards own the setting,” Kim tells the nearby; ditto with the cedar couple on a recent visit. railings going to the downstairs den where a sprawling, woodsy community in the “It’s natural and compliments the setting a mantle is made from the same wood. mountains and forests of North Georgia. – rustic and still elegant.” • Keystones on stone arches and some of the rock in the fireplaces came from the Steve, who grew up between Guntersville and Albertville, subscribes Listening to Gena and Steve talk original standing stone chimneys at the to The Advertiser-Gleam where he about planning and building their house old farm house. read a few years ago about Patrick makes apparent the collaboration and trust • Among items of interest in Steve’s Lawler creating The Reserve on Lake they had with Kim, Susan, Stewart and office, a steel I-beam from his company in Guntersville, a development that offered his meticulous job superintendent, Jerry Anniston is a reminder of the hard work expansive lake views. Walley. that made this dream house a reality; They went to see it, and the Asked to pick a wood for the upstairs a gallery wall features portraits of his spectacular view changed their minds mantle, Steve realized how beautiful ancestors, a nod to the generations of men about Big Canoe. Also, The Reserve was walnut is; plus several big walnuts grew at represented in this home. only a mile and a half from the old 320- the farm. Jerry got excited. • Among the striking artwork acre farm they already owned at Lewis “I told him to cut down the one he throughout the house are numerous Mountain. thought would work best,” Steve says. photos – especially in the media room and “It was an unbelievable coincidence “They asked me how I wanted the timber many printed on canvas – depicting the and a real plus in helping us decide to door frame to look. I said, ‘I want your Vinyards’ travels, from Alaska, Antarctica build here, but it started with the view,” very best work.’” and Europe, to the Appalachian mountains Steve says. “Everything is about the Steve said it would be neat to and their nearby farm. view.” incorporate chimney stones from their

The great room is accessed through the foyer, at upper right, where the felt tapestry of a tree of life dates to late 18th century Italy. A wall of huge windows in the great room and dining room, left, offer expansive views across the deck to the Tennessee River. Much larger than it appears from front, the house has 7,000 square feet heated and cooled and 9,000 under beam. It includes a den, four bedrooms, separate offices for Gena and Steve, a media room, three-vehicle garage, four full baths, two half-baths and an outdoor shower.

The backyard offers a completely different perspective of the Vinyards’ house. Floor planking in the master bedroom, below, and elsewhere is 7-inch white oak. Bottom, the kitchen island surface is of fantasy brown marble/ quartzite with a “leathered” finish; the millwork ends are old prayer railings Kim bought for the Vinyards in Massachusetts.

Photos from the basement, far right, include the hanging system decorator Kim Whitaker designed for a series of eagle drawings and paintings in the den; a primitive New England farm table she found for Steve’s office, which folds into a settle bench; besides popcorn and movies, the media room features photos from the Vinyards’ travels.

farm into the new house. So they were used on fireplaces and as part of outside retainer walls.

“The guys laying the rock were all craftsmen,” Kim says. “They enjoyed it. It was exciting to get to do something like this.”

Not all builders are willing to work with natural materials, which don’t fit together with the ease of, say, milled wood or commercial bricks.

“Our builders were willing to do anything in regard to that,” Steve says.

There was a budget, of course, but Kim enjoyed a lot of free rein in decorating, from buying repurposed doors from Southern Accents in Cullman, to antiques from Tennessee, Ohio, Massachusetts and Italy.

“Gena and Steve trusted me to collect from so many different places,” Kim says. “It really helped the house to look like a home. Most people want all new and it ends up looking like a furniture store.”

Steve is the second son of the late Joe Boyd and Dot Hawk Vinyard and grew up on a small farm on U.S. 205 between Albertville and Guntersville. His brother, Shannon, lives in Hartford.

Gradates of Auburn University, his parents encouraged him to go there after graduating from Albertville High in 1977.

“It was going to be hard to continue their way of life on their small acreage,” Steve says. Farming was out, but he had no firm idea on a course of study, much less a career.

“I don’t remember making a conscious decision,” he laughs. “I ended up studying building science – I had to graduate in something.”

He got into the structural steel fabrication business working for FabArc Steel Supply, which has plants in Oxford, Alabama, and Petersburg, Virginia. Those early years in steel sales saw him travel a lot.

“You told me when you were young taking care of the hogs, you’d see planes flying by and wonder where they went,” Gena says.

“A lot of times traveling for work I wished I was back on the farm,” Steve admits.

They met in 1983 at Golden Springs Baptist in Anniston, where Gena had grown up playing piano and singing in the choir. In fact, she was singing a solo the day he first visited the large church.

Love at first note? Well …

“He asked me out two and half years later,” Gena says. “He has to think about things before he takes action.”

A1979 graduate of The Donoho School in Anniston, Gena earned a bachelor’s degree in music education with an emphasis in voice. Long before that, Steve adds, she won the Alabama Music Teachers Association’s competition for female, high school vocalist.

Gena served some years as part-time minister

of music at Oxford First Baptist. She also taught music at the Department of Defense school at Fort McClellan for 15 years. After the base closed, she taught in the Oxford City Schools until recently. She still plays pipe organ at Grace Episcopal Church in Anniston.

The guy who initially had no career objectives, Steve remained at FabArc, climbing the ladder from sales, estimates and project management to president and co-owner of the company with 260-320 employees.

He retired nine years ago at 52. Eventually, they’d like to live at The Reserve, but they still have ties to Anniston, including Gena playing organ at church. He finally got Gena to retire from teaching in December 2015 by promising her a return visit to the Westminster Dog Show in New York City.

“I’m dog crazy,” she confesses.

“Chocolate and dogs,” Steve grins. “Gets her every time.”

Over the years the Vinyards have taken advantage of their opportunities to travel extensively, making up for lost time, as Steve puts it.

“Steve just has this adventurous nature,” Gena says. “He wants to see what’s around the next bend.” Gena says.

“I don’t want to miss out on any life experiences,” he says.

“And I get benefit from it,” she says. “He plans all these fabulous trips and just tells me when to be ready to go.”

Between travels, they bought their lot at The Reserve in October 2017, started construction in July 2018 and finished in November 2019.

When Steve first started talking about using natural wood and stone, Gena laughs, she was initially concerned.

“She thought I wanted a man cave,” Steve says.

“But all of the colors turned out so soothing,” Gena says. “The eclectic feel of the house and the beautiful natural surroundings allow a feeling of unique restoration and relaxation for me.”

Sure, she loves traveling. But Gena is fine wandering around the grounds with their two dogs or reading a book while admiring the view.

“Or sitting at the kitchen island watching Steve cook makes for a great day for me at The Reserve,” she adds. “We are certainly grateful.”

Ditto on grateful with Steve.

“I also feel fortunate that we were able to assemble such a talented team – Susan LeSueur as home designer, Stewart White as builder and Kim Whitaker as decorator,” he says “These three, working together, were able to incorporate the building materials and styles that we requested into the unique home we desired while highlighting the view of Lake Guntersville that we love.”

Replica, composite bark shingles – called SmartBark – were used on gables and elsewhere on the exterior. It was a lot of effort and took some true craftsmanship, but to echo the look the Vinyards had real poplar bark installed on the walls of a half-bath, top. Steve’s aunt, Dot Vinyard, painted the picture above of the old house on the farm Steve bought in 2005. Stone from the old chimneys was used on parts of their house in The Reserve, adding to the uniqueness .