"In all chaos there is a cosmos, in all disorder a secret order" Carl Jung I stopped in to visit Barbara Fisher yesterday morning in her studio. We haven't had the chance properly connect since I landed from all my travels. It is always great to chat with her, share her space and absorb her passion. I can't think of anyone more practiced and dedicated within her neighborhood of artists. And there is the fact that I simply love her art. Though I have had the privilege of witnessing the evolution of Barbara's work for over six years now, I'm going to bow out of discussing it in detail here. Andrew Wengrow recently wrote a wonderful piece on Barbara that spells it all out in an article titled A Different Orbit. He both captures the spirit and evolution of her work and notes her current solo show going on at the Hickory Museum of Art. As witnessed by the overflow of art outside her studio door, Barbara is in the midst of preparing for a big show in Atlanta at the Mason Murer gallery in May and June. If you would like to see more of her work please visit Barbara's website. Better yet, stop by her studio at 170 Lyman St for a visit and be inspired!
Kelly and Carol are bringing more buyers to these new lofts just a block from our Real Living office. There are not many opportunities that come along like this in such a great location in downtown. Give them a call for a tour. In the meantime, here is a link for a bit more info - Rankin Lofts Contact: Kelly Erin-Spinney 828-333-8830
“All homes in Beverly Hills will be of the type that are termed "different." They will possess a personality and charm all their own and will radiate a distinctiveness of motif that will be immediately welcomed and accepted by persons who would naturally want such a location in which to live. A Beverly Hills home will be pleasing to the eye, a jewel mounted in a perfect setting and a place that will be more than just a house in which to seek shelter. They have been so planned and designed by the developers as to fit naturally into the atmosphere of the entire locality.” When Carol Marin, Realtor at Real Living, thinks of classic Asheville ranch neighborhoods, Beverly Hills is certainly one that comes to mind. Nestled around the Municipal Golf Course in east Asheville, the winding roads and lush greenery of this community give it a special character, as do the many architecturally diverse homes built from the 1920’s to the present. Walking or driving the neighborhood you will see many mid-century ranch homes as well as charming rock cottages and bungalows from the 1920’s and 1930’s. Location, Location, Location Beverly Hills is close to everything. Grocery shopping, restaurants, public library, tons of shopping around Tunnel Road and in less than 10 minutes you can be in Biltmore Village or downtown Asheville. For recreation the Nature Center is directly across Swannanoa River Road from Beverly Hills and the entrance to the Blue Ridge Parkway is close by on Highway 70. The Municipal Golf Course, designed by Donald Ross, with its greenways meandering through Beverly Hills is an Asheville landmark all its own and Ann Patton Joyce Park is a public park in the heart of the neighborhood. Community Beverly Hills Home Owner's Association is an active organization meeting monthly and organizing a community picnic as well as a large, well-attended community yard sale each spring. The Yard of the Month Committee recognizes outstanding Beverly Hills gardens in the spring and summer months. Real Estate Market Despite what you hear about the real estate market in general, Beverly Hills continues to have consistent sales and there always seem to be those who seek out this neighborhood specifically when buying a home. 17 homes were sold in the past year. Sold home prices range from $135,000-$272,000. The average sale price for a home in Beverly Hills is currently $198,000.The majority of Beverly Hills homes are either two-bedroom and one bath cottages or 3 bedroom and 2 bath ranch style homes, consistent with the two building booms.Here is Carol's link to the homes that are currently available for sale in Beverly Hills. If you are looking to buy or sell in the near future- it would be our pleasure to meet with you to get the process started! History During the 1920’s Asheville experienced its greatest economic boom and as a result Asheville began to spread out as numerous new housing developments appeared. Grovemont, Kenilworth, Malvern Hills and Beverly Hills were all developed during this period of prosperity. In researching Beverly Hills history, Carol Marin came across a document, which was apparently, the original marketing brochure for Beverly Hills entitled The Master Suburb. While she thinks of Beverly Hills as being just a hop, skip and jump to downtown, in the 1920’s, it was marketed as a getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city. Certainly a large part of the charm of Beverly Hills is in the variety of homes. There are many smaller, cottage-style homes from the earlier boom as well as an abundance of ranch style homes that represent the second wave of construction from the 1950’s through the 60’s. All are distinctive and interesting in their own way and that seems to have been the plan for the neighborhood from the very beginning. Lastly, what do the residents love about their neighborhood? Here are the top several things: 1. Great Walking Neighborhood 2. Active Neighborhood Association 3. Friendly Neighbors 4. Views 5. Convenient to Everything. 6. Golf Course.
MLS: 535519Price: $269,900Size: 2065 softFeatures: 2 Bed, 2 Bath, In-law Suite + View Look at the curb appeal on this sweet little ranch on one of my favorite view streets in Beverly Hills. If you don't grab this one - I will! Here is how our ranch expert, realtor Carol Marin, describes her latest listing. "Beverly Hills mid-century offering many living possibilities! Charming main level w/hardwoods, 2 bedrooms, fireplace & deck. Full in-law suite downstairs w/family rm, bedrm, kitchen, bath & patio. Spectacular backyard, site of several weddings, w/gorgeous mountain views & perennials galore! Plenty of gardening space, greenhouse & outbuilding. New roof. Downstairs space has been rented in past. Convenient to downtown, shopping & Biltmore Village." For a tour click here.
I attended the opening of a new shop, Splurge, on Thursday night - a few steps down from the Wedge Brewery in the River Arts District. Though I use the word shop, the experience was that of a gallery given the artistic vision and curated collection of vintage furnishings and curiosities created by the owner, Robert Nicholas, and a handful of his artistic friends. Robert has a distinctive eye for picking vintage objects and crafting light fixtures that defy conventional scale and textures. So, if you have a space that's beggin' for a conversational focal piece stop by 123B Roberts St. Bring a truck!
As you all know I'm a big fan of ranch neighborhoods in Asheville. I was born in 1964 and spent my entire Indiana childhood growing up in them. For me they hold a sense of nostalgia, along with a sense of promise for creating simple and efficientliving spaces which is what I'm naturally drawn to as an adult. When originally constructed, they offered opportunity for affordable and efficient living for many. Today, following the growth of oversized and multi-story homes, they offer a smart option for downsizing to one level living and a blank canvas for putting your own design style within great neighborhoods.Realtor Carol Marin and I, along with Kelly Erin-Spinney, have spent hours and hours over the years scouring these neighborhoods seeing the opportunities and have helped several buyers create their dream home here in the Ranchhoods of Asheville. This spring we will be reporting on these neighborhoods each month given the uptick in this trend. In the meantime feel free to read through some of my past articles on this subject. Enjoy!
I stopped by to see Otto Hauser yesterday, one of the owners of STUF Antiques on Broadway in downtown Asheville, along with Craig Culbertson. They have a lamp repair shop along with a nice assortment of antiques. We recently had him refurbish two vintage lamps for our contemporary condominium.While there I couldn't help noticing that their Mid-Century and Danish Modern collection has been growing over the years. Along with Revive in Biltmore Village, I think they have one of the best curated collections of vintage modern furnishings in Asheville. Craig, who travels the states in search of distinctive pieces, definitely shows a discerning eye. See below for a sampling or better yet stop by 52 Broadway for a closer look. Some of my favorite pieces are not shown here. Enjoy!
Sale Price: $340,000Size: 1710 sqftFeatures: 3 Beds + 2 Baths I was happy to find that this compact and clever infill house had recently sold. My past clients and I have been a big fan of David Way's Pereguine urban prototype home and have been watching its evolution over the years. After touring I thought that this one was his best yet. Everything was thoughtfully refined including the scale, space planning, material choices, cool construction details such as the industrial guttering, and the great rear outdoor living space. It felt complete and...well...just really sexy. Here is how the listing agent had described it. "You have heard it before but....this is a true must see. It will hook you the moment you open the door. Cypress/tile exterior, hardwood, porcelain and ceramic interior. From the porcelain surround fireplace with hearth bench to the white quartz counters and exquisite cabinetry this home will surely hook the discerning buyer. Tremendous lighting, state of the art appliances,upscale faucets, spa like master suite. Come take a look at this jewel."For more on David's designs visit The Roost Store. Or give me a call for an introduction to this cool home style unique to Asheville.
Brickstack + Bellwhether = Asheville-styled Modern Ranch Recently, I was able to connect with Scott Huebner of Brickstack A + D . Scott was brought in by Bellwether Builders to pull together the design vision for this ranch home expansion in the Grove Park Inn neighborhood of North Asheville. During the time of construction it was right around the corner from me so I was able to watch the progression and get occasional tours from Brad Rice of Bellwhether builders. The progressive owner's looked to Scott to guide the home back to its more modern roots. Through discovery it was found the house had been remodeled at least twice, disguising some of the more modern and horizontal lines remaining only in the fireplace and large picture windows on back of the house. In the process the home gained 2500 sqft of indoor and outdoor living space + garage to accommodate the client's growing family. The other criteria was that it be "fun" for their children. Overall, Scott thought the collaborative process between client and designer was synchronistic allowing for a cohesive team vision and construction.From my perspective the design is a thoughtful balance between the original mid-century atomic ranch and today's northwest modernism making use of earthy lines and materials. It seems to me a very Asheville appropriate ranch aesthetic and, overall, a successful investment given the neighborhood and view location. Great job to all involved.Yes - I'll say it again. We have well established, ranch neighborhoods here in great locations. They are worthy of exploration for creating a modern lifestyle in Asheville. Take along a designer and work it out like Scott did.