LUXURY MEETS NATURE

by Antoinette Prisco

The truth about everything in nature is that nothing is symmetrical, and everything has its own inherent beauty. We, who are blessed to live in the Smoky Mountains, are certainly surrounded by nature and luxurious elements that can be used as inspiration for all sorts of home details and finishes.

When we venture out into the great outdoors, we can see all that surrounds us is gorgeous. Nature has the perfect theater to perform in, a stage of majestic proportions that changes with the seasons. Texture, light, color, temperature and smell are all in constant flux and lends us our palette to work with in designing spaces and structures that we all enjoy everyday.

The bark of a hickory tree with its wonderful visual texture can be seen in woven patterned area rugs using a multitude of greys.

The glistening elements of rock outcroppings and granite balds are interpreted in stone fireplaces and porcelain floors with all the variations of brown, gold and bronze tones.

The twisting of rhododendron shrubs can be the basis for custom porch railings and handmade hammered wrought iron light fixtures and hardware accents.

The mystical low lying morning clouds, that gave the Smokies their name, can be envisioned in soft lambs’ wool pillows and chunky cotton throws.

Luxury can mean many things to different people. Some home buyers are looking for all the details and appointments that the mountains have to offer, and other buyers are more interested in having the outside views having the spotlight. Whatever the design goals, they can be achieved by referencing these natural surroundings.

Refined and intentional use of natural materials exudes luxury. A sense of permanence and quality that can only be achieved by choosing the right blend of elements that give the home its personality, its balance and atmosphere.

Juxtaposing metals with wood, fabrics with leather, stone with glass all create a symphony of interest to the eye. These opposites can set a rhythm that can move the eye of the viewer around the room, across the patio and onto the exterior of the home.

Inside, a gorgeous hickory dining table with all the visual movement hickory can offer with iron legs, the well-worn leather chair draped with a cable knit throw in the corner of the great room, the stone clad wall with accents of hand pressed glass in the entryway set the stage until we move on to the view of the patio.

The backyard with the stone pavers bordered with the willow fencing all aglow washed with moonlight and accented with glass hurricane lamps. The exterior of the home, warmly clad with the best the industry has to offer in wood tones, stone facades and iron accent lighting. All cues from nature. All very luxurious on their own merit.

The more the focus stays and is satisfied, the more the luxury of nature and serene environments is appreciated.

All in all, luxury is a tangible simple thing that nature shows us every day, month after month, year after year. Whether you are on a mountain top, creek side or a pasture, nature is the constant and luxury is the feeling behind this generous gift.

Explore Antoinette’s portfolio at www.unique-interiors.com and if a spring refresh is in order, then you know who to contact!