Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Woodsy Sophistication in a North Carolina Retreat
This multigenerational vacation home mixes rustic charm and refined elegance
The members of a large multigenerational family like to escape the demands of their flourishing commercial construction business in Miami to relax in Blowing Rock, North Carolina. The charming mountain village has a postcard-perfect Main Street and all the antiques shops one would expect from a locale so close to the decorator’s dreamland of High Point, North Carolina. Years after purchasing a handsome home perched high on a ridge, the owners recruited husband-and-wife design duo Taylor & Taylor to expand and reconfigure it, inside and out, to accommodate a growing family that now includes several energetic grandchildren.
The draperies in the living and dining areas feature a trim of decorative hammered clavos (nails in Spanish) by Samuel & Sons. The living room fireplace was designed to mimic the dining room one, which is original to the house. Both are fully functional. The table is a graceful antique, and the Bernhardt chairs were purchased at a local High Point outlet.
Local artisans used various native wood species for the great room’s custom millwork, while craftspeople from Miami were flown in to bleach the floors and lighten the dark wood with specialty finishes. Bringing in out-of-state vendors worked out surprisingly well: “When people are away for a job, they’re often more focused since all of their energy and focus is dedicated to the project at hand,” interior designer Phyllis Taylor says. “After all, nobody can slip away to another job in the morning if they have to cross three state lines to get there.”
When asked what her secret is to using wood paneling in a way that is site-appropriate without looking dated, the designer offers this wisdom: First, it’s important to use real materials like native wood species. “Keep it authentic. Mock paneling is bad paneling.”
When asked what her secret is to using wood paneling in a way that is site-appropriate without looking dated, the designer offers this wisdom: First, it’s important to use real materials like native wood species. “Keep it authentic. Mock paneling is bad paneling.”
Phyllis not only took full advantage of the many local garage sales and factory warehouses near High Point for decor and furnishings, but she also sprinkled in special items from Miami, New York and elsewhere. The project was blessed from the start with an abundance of beautiful furniture that the family already owned and the designer simply had recovered by Miami-based Le Jeune Upholstery. “I’m not a snobby shopper,” Phyllis says.
To establish the design of the new billiards room, the clients took the Taylors to their local country club, which features a beautiful bar and lounge. The designers made mental notes as they listened to their clients express their fondness for the look and feel of the space. “This look represents classic and timeless comfort,” architect William Taylor says. A key contributor to that comfort is the room’s rich dark paneling, which the designers used for inspiration, and moderated with lighter floors and less-traditional accents to preserve a modern sensibility for the room.
Cozy without feeling stuffy, a little lighter and brighter than you’d expect of a traditional club room, the space manages to subtly blend a more modern sofa, cocktail table and fabrics into the context of a very traditional envelope. William’s philosophy was that the interior architecture must be “true,” but then it’s OK to have some fun and mix it up with color, as they did with striking green paint.
Cozy without feeling stuffy, a little lighter and brighter than you’d expect of a traditional club room, the space manages to subtly blend a more modern sofa, cocktail table and fabrics into the context of a very traditional envelope. William’s philosophy was that the interior architecture must be “true,” but then it’s OK to have some fun and mix it up with color, as they did with striking green paint.
The remodeled kitchen wasn’t intended to be part of the project. The space seemed to function fine, and the client didn’t think it needed much work at first. Then, as the rest of the project unfolded, there was some natural spillover into this area as the floors were bleached. They boosted the sitting area in the kitchen by adding window seats and changed the hardware to black.
A glass-enclosed bump-out was added to bring more natural light to the master bedroom. A comfy chaise is the perfect spot for curling up with a good book.
The master bathroom was a more significant undertaking with an expanded footprint. What had been a generic assemblage of subway tile with only one tiny window now features a broad bay window decked in motorized Hunter Douglas shades. They drop down to the sills so that the owners can bathe in privacy while still having the advantage of natural light and a view to the outdoors. The drapery panels are primarily decorative, though they could theoretically be drawn, and the clever trim above them hides the track they’re mounted to.
With so many family members sharing the home, there is no shortage of guest rooms. Here we see one couple’s room, featuring beadboard finished to look like bleached wood. The Restoration Hardware bed has a customized headboard.
A large walk-out basement was added and serves as a kids space. It’s outfitted with the four bunks shown plus four more on the opposite wall, separate locker rooms for the boys and the girls, eight lockers for storing overnight gear, and a TV mounted to a large sliding barn door. William fondly recalls how the children, upon first stepping foot into their new bunk space, bounced around screaming with gratitude not only for their fabulous room, but also for the easy access to the newly landscaped yard.
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Who lives here: Three generations of a Miami family when they’re on vacation
Location: Blowing Rock, North Carolina
Size: 6,500 square feet (604 square meters)
Designers: Architect William Taylor and interior designer Phyllis Taylor of Taylor & Taylor
The color schemes of the rooms are intended to blend the dispositions of the homeowners: He loves color, and she loves neutrals.
The living room is a particularly successful example of this blend. The husband loves oranges and yellows, and purchased the art above the fireplace years ago at a local shop. The art and the sunset-hued fabric on the ottomans and chairs combine with the neutral furniture to keep both homeowners in their comfort zones.