Peach Knob Comp

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MLS# 506650Size: 3300 sqft 3 Bedrooms  2.5 Baths Price $597,000 Kelly and I recently sold this clean and relaxing contemporary home that is super private. It has a true "zen" quality to it for a wonderful escape and relaxed lifestyle.Handsome, peaceful contemporary with distant views of the Mountains, Beaverlake & beyond. Custom kitchen with stainless steel Bosch appliances, granite counter tops & glass backsplash. Master on main with wood burning fireplace, master bath & office. 2nd level – Family room with wood stove, craft/library & 2 bedrooms with jack & jill baths. Level drive and easy access to Town Mountain and Parkway. Quiet, clean and care-free.

Appalachian State University's Prize Winner I came across this video searching for information on ASU's solar homestead project that they entered into the U.S.Department of Energy's Solar Decathlon. The team won the People's Choice award at the event. The project is a modern day version of a pioneer settler's home of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Enjoy! Buildapedia's Video of ASU's Solar Entryhttp://youtu.be/vyie7oTzUi0

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A Learning Center made of Recycled Materials I wanted to take a moment to give my kudos to all those involved in this project. A wonderful grass roots local project worth highlighting. See this article by Bridgette Meinhold of Inhabitat. Enjoy!

A quick note to shout out the fact that my blog just reached 100,000 total views this week! This Thanksgiving I am thankful for you, my subscribers and fans. A hearty THANK YOU!Troy

A Season and Reason for Modernism The thanksgiving break allowed me the time to catch up on some modernist inspiration. Watching the film on Julius Shulman was first on the list. It was the kick in the pants I needed to start off a long winter season reflecting on my efforts here. The film captures a good portion of 20th century modernism in the states. Listening to these thoughtful architects reminded me of a recent conversation I had with local Siegman Associates and the thinking behind their latest construction on Town Mountain Rd. As a revival of modern thought and construction sweeps the world this home represents a foundation of site specific modern design that could take deeper root in Asheville and the region. If you haven't seen this film it is time to do so. Happy Holiday![youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6JzyCj-Pbk]

Midland Comp

Yesterday, I took a moment, along with Kelly, to tour a favorite mid-century home in Lakeview Park during a broker hosted open house. As I have written about this sophisticated home previously, I wanted to simply offer a few quick snaps for you. The home provides a great, open backdrop for the owner's art collection. Enjoy!

Brandon comp

Modern Sensibilities within a Local Context Local Architect Brandon Pass and I had the chance to sit down over coffee at City Bakery last week and enjoy a mutual, academic exchange on architecture in Asheville and the incredible potential that exists here for a new vocabulary of building that combines modern design thought with the rich natural and social landscape of our region. We both noted instances where that has successfully surfaced, but recognized that most construction stems from what is known or copied without further thought or context involved. However, I easily got sidetracked from my intention here, which is to simply introduce you to Brandon today. You will hear more from him in the future as I have asked him to become a regular contributor to Modern Asheville. Below is content from his website and a link.Brandon Pass is a graduate of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universities College of Architecture and Urban Studies where he received his Bachelor of Architecture in 1997. Since, he has worked in top-level design firms in locations such as South Carolina, Chicago, and New York City and holds licenses to practice architecture in Illinois, New York and North Carolina.Brandon creates an architecture practice striving to merge modern sensibilities and detailing with the vernacular influences of the region.  His small, multidisciplinary practice pursues an architecture that recognizes the responsibilities of the built form where environmental, social and contextual factors shape each insertion into a given landscape. Architecture should seek to express a given function through a strong clarity of space and form where the details become expressive and exploratory, respecting the hand of the maker while expressing a connection to a greater whole.  The responsibility of the architect, in part, is to be aware of all factors of a given context that may inform the design process. It requires an extensive knowledge of and desire to learn new methodologies creating architecture of the highest quality respectful of both time and place.You'll be hearing more about Brandon Pass in the future, but in the meantime feel free to browse his website.

Bower House Overall Comp

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Sale Price: $1,610,000 Size: 3516 sqftAmenities: 4 Beds + 3.5 Baths + View Great to see that this house recently sold up at Ciel this year. Below is from a past article I had written on it in 2011.The Bower House The Bower House is in punch list phase of completion and I was fortunate enough to get a little tour yesterday from the listing agent. The 3516 sq/ft. home encompasses 4 bedrooms and 3.5 Baths and is currently listed at $1,595,000. Overall, the two things I like the most about this speculative designer home is the scale and the way it sits on the lot. Hunter Paul Coffey of Blowing Rock designed the contemporary home and is savvy to dramatic mountain settings. The house comfortably takes advantage of both the slope and the dramatic view, offering some indoor/outdoor living options including a retractable wall that slides open to allow for an additional outdoor living room with fireplace.Interior Designer, Talli Roberts, chose interior materials that warmly blended the mountain and modern aesthetic. Constructed by Cottonwood, it is a very solid, livable mountain home that blends with its mountain environment without overstating itself and wisely bucks the trend of massive living spaces. I think its a high quality home for this moment that will only get better with age and patina.

Green Home Educational Tours courtesy of the Arboretum

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The North Carolina Arboretum and our Community Partner and Mosaic are pleased to offer the following tours in conjunction with the “Sustainable Shelter” exhibit. See below for tour descriptions, dates and times. Tour space is limited, so please pre-register for your tour(s) of choice. You may register by calling (828) 665-2492 and speaking with Peggy Eavenson or Kelly Ball or through email by contacting membership@ncarboretum.org. If registering by email, please include the name(s), date(s) and time(s) of the tour(s) you would like to attend as well as your name, address, phone number and names of any guests attending with you.A cash donation of $5.00 to $10.00 to The N.C. Arboretum Society is suggested at the time of the tour. All tours begin off-site and attendees are responsible for their own transportation.

OTHER TOURS

Sunday, November 6th– Green Home Driving Tour

Caravan in your own vehicle (carpooling with family and friends is preferred) and visit new green homes and green construction sites throughout Central and West Asheville.Tour starts at 2:00 p.m. and lasts approximately 3 hours.Meets at 1 Perdue Place, Asheville, NC 28806 

Grandma's

Stair Comp

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Grandma's House Gets Modern Updates David Way of Roost, LLC gave me a call today while he was putting the finishing touches on a very traditional ranch house not far from the Grove Park Inn. As I have only spoken to David about the new homes he builds, I don't think he was aware of my passion for ranch homes and their livability. He soon found out as I was on site in ten minutes. After all, he was in my hood.I caught David outside scanning his Mac on top of some discarded cabinets along the drive.  As is typical of many ranches in our mountain town, the garage is on the lower level. This means the homeowner is often greeted by an unfinished basement when they arrive home navigating ceilings of dangling fiberglass insulation through a sea of gray concrete. David easily carved out a new downstairs entry that was well lit with new recessed lighting and had a surprisingly nice looking ceramic tile on the floor that he found at Home Depot for $2 per tile. Deal! In the process he framed out a new office and laundry for the owners adding extra square footage and useful rooms with better access.The stairway was now well lit and open, drawing you upward into a new living space created from deconstructing a narrow corridor of doors, a typical ranch house issue. The house, having given up a few walls, offered a flowing lifestyle from kitchen to hall to living to outdoors. You could hear a collective sigh of relief from the owners who can now breathe in the openness of their relaxing new space bouncing with good chi. Cabinets, flooring, fireplace and lighting were all new of course, sporting a blend of contemporary styling. Sweet.Though ranch homes are very predictable in their challenges, they offer compact one level living that is so desirable by my clients today. Asheville has a variety of wonderful established neighborhoods that offer walkability and close proximity to amenities. Thanks, David, for giving us a peak!For more information on ranch home remodeling in the area search my blog or call me for some insight on good areas for buying and design resources for remodeling.Article and Photos by Troy Winterrowd