By Chicago’s Bauhaus and Beyond’s Joan Gand | If you are the new owner of a Mid-Century Modern home, congratulations! Now to the hard part…how to get the look you love. Forget what you see on HGTV/Martha Stewart/Oprah. Mid-Century modern has its own look and it will keep its value if you follow these simple rules.  I have come up with these thoughts after making many mistakes myself over the years. I hope that sharing my hard-earned knowledge will help you find your own Mid Mod style here.

Enjoy the full article HERE. Cheers!

Divine Modern Makeover | Alan and Mark have a gift for bringing buildings to life. After painstakingly renovating a 4,600 square foot Mid-Century masterpiece in North Asheville, they immediately purchased this small 1970's Baptist church in a divers West Asheville neighborhood—and started again. Working with F.R.Koon Custom Homes and Brickstack Architects, they stripped down the interior and recreated it with simplicity, versatility and a clean modern style.

The main sanctuary was cleared up to the newly-exposed rafters and down to the original concrete sub-flooring. Then they installed a clean, European style kitchen and a show-stopper suspended fireplace. The master bedroom and bath were separated off by steel beams, which serve a dual purpose in supporting an additional sleeping loft if desired. Guests stay in elegance in their own suite with a stainless Japanese soaking tub and private entrance. The general contractor, architect, and owners are known for their focus on details—clearly visible in how seamlessly the exposed ceiling, heating ducts and supporting walls come together.

Sanctuary meets spa in this minimal space, which offers a tranquil, positively sacred experience. The home will be showcased on our June 1 Modern Home Tour—details provided here. The home is, also, available for purchase here.

2 Bedrooms | 2.5 Baths | 2,234 SQFT | .27 Acre

Hi Folks! We are gathered here today to present you this cool new property. The premiere modern "loft style" home was dreamed and constructed from the bones of a former neighborhood church. With a Scandinavian sensibility the simple and smart architect driven {Brickstack Architects} space offers flexibility for live/work, along with, separate guest quarters. The open main space encompasses a dramatic vaulted and trussed ceiling, original ground and polished concrete floors, European kitchen, thoughtful and sleek accent lighting blended with original sanctuary fixtures and a floating wood burning fireplace by Fireorb.

Flanking the main space is a frosted glass partition dividing a bedroom, bathroom and walk-in closet. At the other end is a convenient half-bath and doorway leading to another bedroom en suite with built-in kitchenette and bath with a stainless Japanese soaking tub. Hansgrohe fixtures throughout. Amen! The home is located near Malvern Hill Park in West Asheville and just a few blocks from Patton Ave amenities and a few minute trip to downtown.

What to know more? You bet you do! Check out the photo tour here. After that just give us shout. Cheers!

— Troy and Kelly

Mix-Century | Situated on a mountain side with views overlooking downtown Asheville, the Mayflower residence, originally built in the 1970's was a complete renovation with only the foundation and asymmetrical roofline kept intact. Cantilevered steel beams support the deck's roof and allow for an unobstructed view of the city and the beautiful 100-year old oak tree adjacent to the home.Wood is carried further into the home through sunny oaks and rich walnuts. Natural texture play against soft white walls and steel creating a rich neutral gallery for showcasing colorful artwork throughout.

Entry to the home is on the lower level through a square pivot door, then an elegant staircase leads up to the main living areas. A dumb-waiter was added to transport essentials from car to kitchen and back.Modern clean lines blend with natural textures to create a home that is warm and welcoming for everyone.

{Design by Carlton Edwards Architecture and photos by David Dietrich}

Nature Wrapped Mid-Century | Sue and Sean were looking for a non-traditional home tucked into nature when they found this Mid-Century Modern home (circa 1973). The dramatic central fireplace and views of woods and mountains tugged at their heart. Architect Les McCormick helped them imagine and realize the modernized home it is today.

Everything was taken down to the studs. After replacing all the systems, they layered in mid-century and modern detailing throughout. The master suite was opened up with natural light coming in through a composition of square windows. A double-sided fireplace visible from both bedroom and bath was added as uniquely luxurious touch. Sean, a chef by trade, created a spacious kitchen with a giant island for parties, and a cozy, built-in banquet for more intimate gatherings. Expansive windows, large doors, and a wrap-around deck helped to increase the livable area of the home and connect with the wooded surroundings.

This distinctive renovation brings together nature and modernism with a dusting of sparkle.

California Sunset | Andrea and Lucy fell immediately in love with this property given the hidden location and context. While the home’s foundation sits on an urban hillside walkable to restaurants and downtown, the elevation allows it to live in up in the natural environment reminiscent of their life in Northern California. Here they get to enjoy both the urban and natural world. Ultimately, the San Francisco couple took what was a fifties ranch home and elevated it on many levels—vertically, functionally and aesthetically.

The main level of the ranch home was maximized by combining functions and offering spaces that could be either offices or entertaining spaces using that Danish style simplicity, lightness and unity. All rooms were opened up inside and outside creating expansiveness and a needed relationship with nature. The upper level addition was key in the requirements to provide both a private guest space and more importantly a writer’s retreat in the clouds for Lucy.

The end result for Andrea and Lucy is an approachable and joyful modern home that marries the urban and natural context while bringing their own relaxed northern California vibe to our mountains.

We have been discussing this type of home for years given the need for smaller, smarter homes that live like a loft for both retirees and other couples living smaller. People are living differently and Asheville, for the most part, doesn't have the homes that meet those needs. We would say the home featured in this article and video successfully captures what many people are looking for today.

Susan and Charles Elder’s roots run deep in their neighborhood outside of downtown Houston. They moved into a starter house there in 1981, just six houses around the corner from the house Susan grew up in. Now after raising their kids and retiring they've built this amazing dream home.

Urban Mountain Home | Jonathan Bryant of Form Design Concept crafted this urban infill home to stand out in its West Asheville neighborhood. Refined and highly livable, this structure reflects modern Scandinavian mountain home designs. On the exterior, large spans of glass combine with rustic siding (reminiscent of Japanese “shou sugi ban”), integrating the home comfortably in its forested locale.

The interior living experience was carefully considered within the constraints of the tight urban lot. The lower entry is convenient to off-street parking and offers easy access for guests. The deck above floats in the trees while providing privacy from the street, and in the back, opens to a private covered patio enclosed by a fenced lawn for pets, play, and further escape from the public world. Window openings and light play to context from all directions to balance natural light with privacy.

Overall, the home provides a sleek luxury escape within a small urban footprint. The home was constructed by Steel Root Builders. Cheers!

— Troy and Kelly

Kelly and I had the privilege of touring this home twice during construction right up until completion, along with, Elihu and Michael of Siegman Associates. As always, their ability to design with the site in mind stood out. The house flowed with the contours of the site both taking advantage of views and creating private garden spaces to maximize the indoor/outdoor living that we treasure here in WNC.

Carolina Home and Garden Magazine speaks to this in their article here. Pour some coffee and wander through this morning. And don't forget the Beaverdam Art Tour later today. Cheers!

How about this bit of inspiration from the west to start off your week? 

Teton Valley Residence | American studio Ro Rockett Design has completed a family retreat in the wilderness of Idaho, which sits on a stone base to avoid flooding and provide the best views of the surrounding landscape. See the rest here and have a great week. Cheers!