Abode | Spring 2024

Out with some of the old (and in with some new) for this Ednam kitchen

STYLE IN THE CITY

A small build in Belmont gets a serious design upgrade for this part-time local

MORE LAPS

A pool with a view in Whitehall FOR GOOD BOYS

Wag's cool new vet office

DO LOOK DOWN

Eye-catching rugs in Keswick

We believe that true magic happens when the inspired vision of a homeowner meets the inspired vision of those capable of making that vision a reality. As a fullservice design and build firm, we are able to encompass all aspects of the home building process in one place: one team, one vision, and one objective, for superior accountability and simplicity from start to finish.

HEADQUARTERS

$2,150,000 | MLS 644170

378 stunning acres located west of Charlottesville in the foot of the Blue Ridge, sharing a long boundary with the Shenandoah National Park. The land has numerous elevated building sites with amazing views, and complete privacy, and includes long frontage on the head waters of the Doyles River. With a significant trail system, the prop serty is ideal for hiking, riding, and hunting. Included in the property is log cabin, and a large utility barn. Land is protected by a conservation easement. Rare opportunity to own a significant parcel that adjoins the Park.

JUSTIN H. WILEY | 434 981 5528

PETER A. WILEY | 434 422 2090

SPRING HILL

$1,950,000 | MLS 630710

Beautiful 207+ acre farm in a protected enclave of Madison County with incredible views of both the Blue Ridge and Southwest Mountains. The natural beauty and privacy are unparalleled. An attractive farmhouse with a c. 1804 section is perfect as a weekend getaway or guesthouse leaving numerous incredible building sites for a main residence. Additional improvements include a large pond with dock, pool, manager’s cottage, a center aisle stable with 8, 12 x 12 stalls and finished office space above, garage and good farm buildings and farm infrastructure

An excellent candidate for conservation easement.

PETER A. WILEY | 434 422 2090

WILEYPROPERTY.COM

CHARLOTTESVILLE VA | 434 293 3900

WATT'S PASSAGE

$3,300,000 | MLS 650666

Stony Point area productive grass farm with incredible mountain views. Less than 20 minutes to Charlottesville, this 332 acre farm represents the best Albemarle County has to offer. Rolling pastures and hardwoods, frontage on Preddy Creek and an elevated building site with sweeping views of the property and Blue Ridge beyond. 2,260 square foot cabin built in 2008 overlooks the property. Currently fenced and cross fenced for cattle. Pastures have automatic waterers. Large equipment/hay barn with copper roof. Exceptional Albemarle County farm offering.

JUSTIN H. WILEY | 434 981 5528

PETER A. WILEY | 434 422 2090

New Offering

GREENVILLE

$6,995,000 | MLS 650903

One of the State’s finest examples of Classical Revival architecture, sited on 716-acres of rolling, highly productive cropland with long frontage on the Rapidan River. The home is instantly recognizable with its 4 massive Doric columns and “M” shaped copper roof. Built in 1854, the residence was meticulously restored by Alexander Nicholson to its present condition. The river and its lowlands offer endless recreation including some of the area’s best duck hunting. Additional improvements include a restored, period summer kitchen, conservatory, pool and pool house, stables, numerous cottages, and farm infrastructure.

JUSTIN H. WILEY | 434 981 5528

PETER A. WILEY | 434 422 2090

ORANGE VA | 540 672 3903

PROSPECT HILL

$1,675,000 | MLS 648803

A classic Georgian Colonial built in 1842, overlooking the Rapp. River Valley. This 70 ac. property is just mins from Fredericksburg, yet very private. The 5,000 sq ft Flemish bond brick manor house was renovated in 1986 keeping in place all of its original woodwork. Owners added a matching addition that connects a large family rm through the kitchen. The second floor includes a master suite, with bath, two additional bedrm, and a full bath. Partially finished English basement includes an office/bedrm, wine cellar, laundry, and utility rooms. Other improvements include a detached 3-bay garage, workshop, kennel, garden sheds, and formal gardens.

JUSTIN H. WILEY | 434 981 5528

DEVONHURST

$1,750,000 | MLS 643392

A breathtakingly beautiful 86-acre Keswick area farm nestled up against the Southwest Mountains. The wellproportioned residence and accompanying outbuildings are sited to take in views in every direction. The home was thoughtfully renovated in 2001, retaining its original character including floor-to-ceiling wormy chestnut paneling in the study. There is a guest cottage, small stable, gym on the property as well as impeccably maintained fields, and fencing. Not under conservation easement but surrounded by protected land. 25 minutes from Charlottesville.

JUSTIN H. WILEY | 434 981 5528

PETER A. WILEY | 434 422 2090

GYPSY HILL’S CUSTOM LIGHTING MAKEOVERS TURN ANY ROOM INTO YOUR HAPPY PLACE.

Our end-to-end service includes:

• collaborative design

• expert installation

• patching, painting, cleanup

• results in days, not weeks or months.

Email owner Mike Barrett for design consultation and proposal.

website: gypsyhillelectric.com n text: 804-9215652 n email: gypsyhillelectric@gmail.com

Finishing touches 26

Though her work keeps her based in Aspen, Colorado, former Wahoo Landen Saks wanted to establish a home base in Charlottesville, where she often travels to visit friends. A new Belmont build by Steve Nicholson caught her eye, and she asked local design firm Studio Figure to help make it feel like home.

- @shop.cavallogallery - @lovegordonsvilleva Fine Art Custom Framing Fine Art Custom Framing Original Art & Boutique Gallery & Boutique

"We respect your taste: Recognizing what you feel is beautiful is our specialty!" Explore our extensive selection of choices & shop the gallery Mon/Tues by appointment | Wed - Sat 11 to 5 + Beate Casati - 540 832.3701

503 Faulconer Drive

Charlottesville · VA · 22903

p: 434.295.1131 f: 434.293.7377

e: homes@mcleanfaulconer.com

MCLEAN FAULCONER INC.

Farm, Estate and Residential Brokers

EDGEMONT

Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, 15 miles south of Charlottesville, is this historic Palladian inspired masterpiece called Edgemont—a home whose design is reputed to be the only remaining private residence attributed to Thomas Jefferson. Sited on 572 rolling acres with tennis court, pool, pool house, and guest house. $15,000,000 Court Nexsen, 646.660.0700

www.HistoricEdgemont.com

NEWPRICE NEWPRICE

MILL HOUSE

Delightful 5-bedroom, 3 full bath, 2 half bath home on 130 acres. Thoughtfully renovated with modern updates. Guest house, pool, equipment shed. Located on Totier Creek. MLS#639196 $2,245,000 Court Nexsen, 646.660.0700

MACLIN BUILDING CONDO

North of Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall, 2-BR/2-BA condo offers modern amenities: 1,400 sq.ft., gourmet kitchen, glass window DR, urban, Blue Ridge views & parking. MLS#651029 $777,000 Will Faulconer, 434.987.9455

KESWICK ESTATE

Explore Keswick Estate, gated community near Keswick Hall. 2.10± acre building site harmonizing country life, resort living in Virginia’s Blue Ridge. MLS#650785 $515,000 Court Nexsen 646.660.0700

FOR WATERS

133.77-acres near Graves Mountain Lodge in Madison. Rose & Robinson trout rivers on property. Adjacent to Shenandoah National Forest & Camp Hoover. Includes cottage, barns. MLS#650696 $2,200,000 Jim Faulconer, 434.981.0076

THE BARRINGER

2-story penthouse offers luxury living in the heart of UVA. Unparalleled views from great room, kitchen, balcony, 2 en suite BRs, laundry, half BA. Assigned parking. MLS#650507 $719,000 Charlotte Dammann 434.981.1250

FARMINGTON

Remarkable Farmington Country Club residence with panoramic Blue Ridge Mountain views is situated on five lovely, landscaped acres. Built in 1930 with tasteful additions, this charming fivebedroom stone house is enhanced by separate guesthouse, pool, office, koi pond and garage. Convenient to Charlottesville, UVA and the many amenities of the Club. MLS#650584 $6,650,000 Tim Michel, 434.960.1124

HIGHER GROUND

27 acre estate, mountaintop retreat near The Omni Homestead Resort. Over 11,400 sf., 8 bedrooms, quality construction. Unsurpassed panoramic views! Jim Faulconer, 434.981.0076

www.HigherGroundVa.org

HIGH FIELDS

42-acre farm 10 miles from Charlottesville. Features pastures, woodlands, a serene creek, antique farmhouse, updated kitchen, 3-BR, 4-BA, and panoramic Blue Ridge Mtn. vistas. MLS#651245 $1,695,000 Jim Faulconer, 434.981.007

JAMES RIVER ROAD

Enjoy expansive pastoral views with the mountains in the background from this spacious 3-BR residence with wrap around porch on 5.44 acres. Great high speed Internet. MLS#651338 $539,000 Charlotte Dammann, 434.981.1250

How Does Your How Does Your Garden Grow? Garden Grow?

Pick drought-tolerant plants native to Virginia that require little water beyond normal rainfall.

Install a rain barrel to collect water for irrigation (Apply for a $30 Rain Barrel Rebate).

Install drip irrigation with a soil moisture sensor.

Design in all its many forms

So fetch

A unique vet clinic opens in Ivy By Rachael Kesler

• Free H20 testing & chemistry expertise to walk you through both salt & chlorine systems! Perfect for DIYers

• Competitively priced pool supplies including: pumps, filters, heaters, and automation equipment

Walking into Wag, the new veterinary clinic that Jesse Bejar opened last November in the heart of Ivy, you immediately get the sense that this is not your typical vet clinic. Maybe it’s the wall of tennis balls behind the reception desk, or the clean, modern design aesthetic. The vibe is playful, fun, and anything but ordinary.

“The idea we had was for a community-based practice, one that’s more homey, fun, and enjoyable than a normal vet experience,” says Anna Boeschenstein, a local landscape architect who’s married to Bejar. For years, Bejar dreamed of opening his own practice—he and his wife regularly talked about their vision for what would someday come to pass.

After more than 20 years working in other vet clinics, Bejar says the pandemic finally nudged him toward going out on his own. “During COVID, trying to balance the demands of work with caring for 6-year-old twins—that’s when I realized that I needed a lot more flexibility,” he said.

When an ideal property was developed in Ivy, Bejar and Boeschenstein started to get serious about the concept for the new space. “Anna took the lead on researching the design,” Bejar says, and she eventually made an important design contribution: the impossible-to-miss tennis ball wall, which greets everyone who

With a tight budget and specific limitations on how much he could augment the interior of the shell Wag would eventually inhabit, Bejar turned to Alisha and Mike Savage, with STOA Design+Construction and Savage Clark Architect, for the design/build work. “STOA didn’t have prior experience with this kind of project— they mostly do residential design/build—but Alisha was good at diving into the project and learning about the flow of the vet clinic,” Bejar says, noting that they really homed in on how create a “good flow” for the animals as they enter the building, get into the exam rooms, and then back to the treatment rooms.

Bejar describes the clinic as something of a reverse mullet—party in the front and business in the back. The “front of house” (comprising the entryway, reception area, and exam rooms) is fun and open, with playful design elements, colorful exam entryways, and big windows to let light in. The back of house, where surgical procedures and treatments take place, is more

Animal care clinics come with a laundry list of design and building considerations—managing all the fur and dander, keeping sick pets

quarantined without contaminating the rest of the building, keeping sound transmission to a minimum—just to name a few. Alisha says they enjoyed the “dual challenge” of keeping the design fun and uplifting while addressing and thoughtfully designing to meet those specific technical requirements.

Alisha says she and Mike tried to be nimble with the design and technical expectations, while staying sensitive to the overall budget. “We’d use off-the-shelf cabinetry and then engage our inhouse woodworking expert to create special elements,” she says. “This was more cost-effective than subcontracting the special elements out to a custom cabinetry shop.” She notes that strategic use of color can be a suitable supplement for an investment in costly materials—e.g. the tennis-ball-colored exam entryway details.

Ultimately, says Bejar, “We wanted the clinic to be clean and unique, not like every other medical clinic you visit. We wanted it to have a sense of being playful and enjoyable.”

Balls on the walls

Fido’s in for some fun when he arrives in the lobby at Wag, which features a massive installation of hundreds of perfectly aligned tennis balls. Veterinarian Jesse Bejar’s wife, Anna Boeschenstein, a local landscape architect, was inspired by British artist David Shrigley’s “Mayfair Tennis Ball Exchange,” an interative art installation in which hundreds of tennis balls line shelves of the exhibiting gallery. The exhibit evolves as visitors are invited to swap the new balls in the exhibit with old, dirty, used ones. “I got really excited about the potential to use inexpensive materials in cool ways,” Boeschenstein says of her inspiration for the wall. Wag’s tennis ball installation isn’t interactive, but it is playful and on-brand with rest of the clinic. Design elements throughout Wag tie in with the wall’s electric yellow hue—the exam room entryways are trimmed with the same color. STOA architect/general contractor Mike Savage used a computerized millwork machine to space, align, and drill holes for each ball. With access to that same tool, he says, a similar installation could be created for a child’s room with basketballs or soccer balls.

With its tennis ball focal wall and minimalist aesthetic, Crozet’s Wag doesn’t look like your typical vet clinic.

STEPHEN BARLING

STEPHEN BARLING

To each their art

Bringing NYC art sense to C’ville

By Shea Gibbs

Katharine Brooks developed her craft at some of the biggest art houses in New York City. Then, after the fine-art expert and her husband moved to Charlottesville 11 years ago, she took time off to raise a family. Now, she’s back with a new solo venture: KNB Art Advisory.

C-VILLE Abode: What made you start your own firm?

Katharine Brooks: I’m originally from Guatemala, and I was a Latin American art specialist at Christie’s. That’s where I was truly introduced to the art world. You’re exposed to so much incredible art and so many collectibles. I was meet-

ing collectors and going into their homes, appraising art and helping them build their collections. I had always thought of art as something you see in a gallery. Seeing the way people live with art and how it added to their life lit a fire inside of me.

What do you tell your clients about buying art?

Regardless of your budget, there should be meaning around you. Life is short; instead of buying a poster, you should surround yourself with artwork that means something to you personally. Some people think that art is just for millionaires. But there are many local artists

that are doing fascinating things that are affordable. As a collector myself, sometimes I am investing in artists, but sometimes I just buy pieces because I love them. I think there is this mysterious fear in the art world. But if I can help people find artists they love, I know it can add a great amount of joy to their life. It’s a passion project. I get excited when I find something that has meaning for someone else.

Is art a good investment?

I think it is challenging. There are always options by well-established artists that have a record of auction prices. What can be tricky but incredibly lucrative is finding new artists.

Art advisor Katharine Brooks says the beauty of art is that there is no wrong. “Anything can be art,” she says.

STEPHEN BARLING

The problem is new artists come out and sell at auction and then plummet in value. If you are coming to art purely from a financial point of view, you need to see the full auction record, but you also have to be aware that auction houses will estimate works at a lower value than a gallery will sell them. And, flipping art is not really favorably looked upon.

The transition from New York to Charlottesville must have been difficult.

It was really hard to give up my career and life, but we wanted to raise a family—the classic conundrum. I was at the epicenter of my career. I was doing appraisals in Jack Nicholson’s home and selling art to Oprah. I’m not trying to say I’m anything special, but I had this passion. By the time we launched around May of last year, I had already started helping friends and acquaintances with their personal art collections.

What makes KNB Art Advisory unique?

I am trying to be more personalized. I don’t want to be married to one artist. As much as I learned from the gallery setting, I didn’t love having inventory that I felt like I had to sell. I want to find the right thing for the right person. There are more artists now who are not marrying themselves to one gallery or rep, as well.

What do you say to clients who are unsure of their own taste?

I think that is the most challenging thing. It is so personal. I have one client who only likes to collect works that were painted in the year they were born. I have another client that has a thing about red hats. She wore one as a little girl, and it became this iconic thing. If I ever see anything with a red hat, I shoot it over to her. For my own taste, I love abstract works. And I think sometimes landscapes are easier to live with in your home. But I also think the beauty of art is that there is no wrong. Anything can be art. What is the first thing everyone asks you when you are a child? “What’s your favorite color?” And that’s a good place to start. Everyone has that innate feel for what they like. No one needs to answer to why they like something.

What’s the best way to start your art collection?

I would say staying local. That is the most comfortable way. You can meet the artist, and most artists are willing to do studio visits. You can see their process, the materials they use, and examples of their work. It gives you a personal connection.

Green living

The

Botanique

champions the sustainable lifestyle

By Caite Hamilton

Pitsuda LaRussa believes that every journey begins with one small step—at least when it comes to living a more sustainable lifestyle. The Botanique & Co. owner started her own journey shortly after giving birth to her daughter. She began with a little switch, from conventional to organic food, then worked her way from plastic shopping bags to fabric, disposable diapers to cloth, and paper towels to reusable.

“I always inspire people to start one thing for each month or each week,” she says. “A little bit of daily routine change or switching things will become part of your life for the long term.”

Eventually, she began to wonder if there was a bigger contribution she could make. The Botanique & Co. opened in November of 2023, stocking indoor plants and offering a refillery service.

From there, she brought in eco-conscious products for the kitchen and bathroom, as well as vegan cosmetics and organic skincare.

Her daughter’s favorite section in the store is the eco-friendly toys, and she says customers have responded best to the plants and the reusable cotton makeup removers. LaRussa, though, is partial to the self-care and beauty products.

No matter where in the store customers find inspiration, LaRussa hopes it makes a lasting impact.

“My goal is to help inspire you to do some little switch,” she says. “Every item could be a great gift for yourself to start a journey of sustainable living or even a zero-waste gift for friends and family to start their sustainable practice journey.”

Cover art

Charlottesville native and UVA alum Kiki Slaughter is known around these parts for her playful, expressive artwork. Now, you can have that artwork permanently displayed in your own home—last September the artist added three new patterns to her original line of wallpapers and textiles with Connecticut-based printing company twenty2.

All translated from original works of art, the designs—called STRIPES, TEXTURE, and LAYERS—were created with versatility in mind. Of the TEXTURE line (available in four colorways), Slaughter says, “I can see ‘Peacock’ in a study, ‘Plum’ in a bar, ‘Sky’ in a powder room and ‘Feather’ ... well just about anywhere.” So can we.—CH

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Calling all plant parents

Head to Monticello on April 27 for its annual plant sale at the Center for Historic Plants. Take a guided garden tour, chat with knowledgeable staff, and of course, shop for new additions to your growing (pun intended) collection. Plus, hear Curator of Plants Peggy Cornett share historical details and interesting facts about the plants you encounter on your walk through the gardens.

Then, on May 25, return to the CHP for a hands-on presentation with Rob Sacilotto of Botanique nursery in Stanardsville. For more than 40 years, Botanique has specialized in unique and carnivorous plants, like the Pitcher, earning recognition for its cultivation efforts. Visit monticello.org for more information on both events.—CH

401 Park Street Charlottesville, VA 22902

JAW DROPPING CONTEMPORARY ESTATE ON 42 ACRES 12 MINS TO TOWN

1414 Waldemar drive

$5,950,000

Sited beautifully amongst massive oak trees, this dazzling home enjoys incredible views of rolling hills and mountains beyond. The centerpiece is a great room that soars to 31’ with walls of glass to take in the views. 1st floor master plus additional 1st floor suite that doubles as an office. 3 bedroom suites up & guest suite in the basement. Large, covered rear porch and horizon pool. Features incl’ wide plank oak flooring, geothermal HVAC, home gym, and butler’s pantry. Comprised of two 21 acre parcels, the property enjoys 2 entrances and can be subdivided. Large, multi-purpose barn with half bath, devoted septic. Horse friendly land with creek. Fiber optic internet. 12 minutes to town, Boar’s Head, Farmington et al. MLS# 649482

PRISTINE C&O ROW HOME W/ VIEWS

1075 E WATER STREET

• $1,869,000

Completed in 2017 to the highest quality standards, this sleek Downtown home is a completely walkable (or bike-able) city lifestyle. Located a few blocks to the Downtown Mall, Belmont & Midtown, this pristine 3 bed, 2 full plus 2 half bath home offers the best of Charlottesville’s downtown lifestyle. Unusual for C&O Row, 1075 offers a 4th floor w/ den, half bath & 2nd kitchen for entertaining on the adj. terrace. Elevator accesses all levels. 2 garage parking spaces plus plenty of private parking behind. MLS# 651026

HISTORIC

OFF RUGBY ROAD

817 FENDALL TERRACE

• $2,230,000

Minutes from UVA & Downtown, this 4 bed, 3.5 bath residence epitomizes seamless fusion of historic allure & modern sophistication. Interconnected living spaces & dual staircases offers fluid layout conducive to effortless living. Captivating 2-story great room features wood-burning fireplace w/ local bluestone hearth, cherry bookcases & trim accents. Four sets of French doors lead to expansive outdoor terraces & meticulously landscaped backyard. Lindsay Milby (434) 962-9148. MLS# 651437

1335 HILLTOP ROAD

• $1,650,000

Storybook cottage located on one of Charlottesville’s loveliest streets often admired for its quaint charm & top notch curb appeal. Hardwood floors, built-ins, sun-filled rooms, fireplace, & multiple outdoor living areas. Upstairs are 3 beds, 2 full baths, ample closets & lots of windows! Main floor boasts spacious living & dining rms, 4th bedroom, kitchen, full bath & screened porch. Terrace level offers add’l bath, laundry room, & home office. Tommy Brannock (434) 981-1486. MLS# 650962

(434)977-4005

lwoodriff@loringwoodriff.com

OAKLEIGH • $3,950,000

Circa 1856, Oakleigh is a renovated, turn-key country estate incl’ 149 manicured acres w/ 2 ponds in the heart of the Green Springs Historic District. Total tranquility w/ no road exposure & renovated to incl’ 3 beds, 2.5 baths & endless charm. Other structures incl’ smokehouse, barn, chicken coop & large equipment shed. All dependencies have water & electricity. Boxwood ringed vegetable garden. Under Conservation easement w/ 1 division right. 25 mins to Charlottesville & 40 to Richmond. Fiber optic! MLS# 649582

1946 LEWIS MOUNTAIN ROAD

• $1,250,000

Nestled in the highly coveted Lewis Mountain neighborhood, this home offers unparalleled convenience. Beautifully renovated & updated 4 bed, 3.5 bath city bungalow exuding historic charm & modern comfort in one of the most desirable neighborhoods. Sunlight floods spacious interiors, highlighting original details alongside contemporary upgrades. Airy, open front porch w/ new roof & flat, fenced backyard—perfect for outdoor entertaining & gardening. A dream home. Meredith Wynne (434) 444-2048

STORIED 498 ACRE EQUESTRIAN, HUNTING & FARMING ESTATE

Greenfields farm

$4,250,000

Greenfields is an historic Southern Albemarle hunting & farming estate suited to equestrians, wing shooters, deer hunters & anyone who wants to take advantage of the fertile croplands. The centerpiece of this storied property is a c.1905 manor home offering 12’ ceilings, incredible woodwork, massive windows, endless fireplaces & modern luxuries. 3 modern, 1 bed apts in excellent condition. In an area of noted farms & estates 25 mins from Charlottesville. Along Ballenger Creek sits the remains of Boiling Springs Grist Mill, constructed in 1780 to grind local landowners’ corn & whole wheat w/ millstones imported from Italy. The mill & Greenfields Farm have been owned or visited by many prominent Virginians well into the mid 1900’s. 2 div. rights. Add’l 258 acres avail. MLS# 650686

Something new (with a little old)

A kitchen renovation that fits its house

By Carol Diggs

When did Heidi Gilman Bennett know she wanted to renovate the kitchen in the 1980s Ednam house she and her husband had just bought for their move here from California? “Before we even moved in,” Bennett says with a laugh.

The family loved the house in the woods on its hillside site, “but the kitchen was original,” Bennett says. “It had never been renovated. It was dark, outdated.” And the cooking space was enclosed by a cul-de-sac circular counter that trapped whoever was working in the kitchen.

“It took a lot of geometry and working it through. We had the outlines taped out on the floor” to make sure the clearances would work.

KENDRA GUIFFRE, BLUEPLY DESIGN

Bennett wanted a designer who could help her create a more modern kitchen space, “but not something out of character for this house.” She found Kendra Guiffre of blueply design: “I liked her design sense, and since she has kids, I knew she would ‘get’ us as a family.”

Guiffre, a Wahoo who has a master’s degree in architecture from the University of Texas in Austin, recalls the first thing that struck her about the Bennett kitchen: “Green was everywhere”—the walls and cabinets, as well as the walls and vaulted ceiling in the adjoining family room. The shade was an attempt to tie the indoor spaces with the forested setting, but it made the space darker.

The biggest challenge was creating circulation that made sense. Surrounded by the living room, dining room, breakfast area, laundry/mud room, with access to the patio/garden and the basement, the kitchen had a half-dozen doors. The cul-de-sac working area took up most of the space. And the visual flow was hampered by a two-shelf cabinet hanging in the middle of the ceiling above the cooktop.

Because Bennett wanted more light and more interaction with (and access to) the garden and the patio outside, Guiffre replaced the breakfast nook’s mullioned windows with much larger single-pane Marvin windows, and moved the refrigerator so she could take down the wall between the nook and the kitchen. She added a casement to the corner window above the sink, adding an outdoor shelf for pass-through to the patio, and replaced the three-door patio entrance with a double sliding door. A large central island replaced the cul-de-sac—its under-counter storage, as well as floating shelves and two revamped pantry areas, helped minimize the need for upper cabinets on window walls. And the odd hanging shelf unit is gone. (“My husband took that to the basement to use as storage,” Bennett says).

Guiffre did take some cues from the old layout. Because the living-kitchen-family room axis skews to the right, she replaced the circular cul-de-sac with curved counters that move people through the spaces without navigating around tight turns or pointed corners. (“It took a lot of geometry and working it through,” she recalls. “We had the outlines taped out on the floor” to make sure the clearances would work.) The custom cabinetry, built by Jeffrey Cherry of Creative Construction, is a marvel of clean design and organization; the curved doors open into fully usable storage space, and

Bennett shows off the hands-width vertical pullout shelving unit next to the cooktop that holds her olives oils, vinegars, and spices.

Bennett and Guiffre also decided to keep two elements of the old décor that worked with the home’s wooded setting. “We liked using green— it fit this house and this setting,” Bennett says, but they chose a warmer tone (Sherwin Williams’ Featherstone) and scaled back the area into portions of the woodwork and cabinetry. They also decided to echo the family room’s pickled pine wood curtain fascia by using pickled fir wood veneer with a clear finish on the upper cabinets, the upper panel above the island, and the floating shelves, quarter-sawn for a tighter vertical grain.

Bennett loves her new kitchen’s clean and light-filled look. The project took longer than expected, largely due to post-COVID supply delays, but she and Guiffre also wanted to take the time to get it right. They went back and forth on putting backsplash tiles on the bar counter and the island/wall junction, but decided in the end to stay simpler. They debated about veined marble for the counters as well, but ended up choosing the clean look of MSI Frost White quartz from Albemarle Stoneworks.

Bennett appreciates how her new kitchen fits into her older home. Guiffre says she worked to reflect both the existing palette and the connection with nature in the original design, while noting that the kitchen redesign has improved the flow throughout the rest of the house as well.

“But I’ve still got work to do on the living room,” says Bennett.

CHRIS INMAN

CHRIS INMAN

Frank Lloyd Wright is recognized worldwide as one of the greatest architects of the twentieth century. His work heralded a new thinking in architecture, using innovation in design and engineering made possible by newly developed technology and materials. Each watch design in this special collection is adapted from Wright’s practice using the tools of his trade.

KES Collections offers a style upgrade

By Caite Hamilton

Morgan Bailey was tired of replacing the rugs she’d bought at big box stores every nine months (“thanks to my toddler and golden retriever!” she says), so when she moved into a new home in 2020, she took the opportunity to search for something durable, high quality, and family-friendly.

“I was searching for bright and colorful rugs but couldn’t find the right fit,” Bailey says. “After trying out various suppliers and facing some trial and error, I eventually found a few beautiful pieces.” So beautiful, in fact, that when her family and friends saw her new rug, they wanted one, too. And that’s when it came to Bailey: There might be a market for these in Charlottesville.

KES Collections (short for Keswick, where her business is located) launched in April of 2020. Bailey sources the rugs—which range in size from 2'x3' to 18'x22'—from artisans in India or Turkey, always on the lookout for new ideas and designs.

“You can count on us to introduce two to four fresh styles every month or put a new spin on your favorite existing design in a new colorway,” she says.

Bailey prides herself on the custom touches she offers, like being able to order rugs down to the inch for a client’s own specifications. She handselects threads from more than 1,400 hues, many of them matching directly to a Benjamin Moore paint color. Customers can choose from a selection of in-stock rugs at one of four local retailers— Brigid and Bess and Flooring Fashions, as well as Gramercy Collective and Gild and Ash in Richmond—but Bailey likes it best when she gets to put her own personal stamp on a project. To that end, KES Collections offers 2'x2' samples of most designs, as well as in-house design consultations.

“I love being able to meet and get to know my clients while creating a beautiful heirloom piece that will last a lifetime,” she says. “Let’s not just decorate your space—let’s craft a story.”

Laying the foundation

With her handcrafted rug business, KES Collections, Morgan Bailey prides herself on creating a boutique experience, including custom-sizing her offerings and matching them to Benjamin Moore paint swatches.

Creating your

space

A blank canvas is made into a personal sanctuary By

Carol Diggs

Like plenty of other Wahoos, Landon Saks loved Charlottesville and stayed here for several years after graduation. Eventually, life took her to Aspen, Colorado, and her career keeps her traveling—but Saks still wanted a base in town and a gathering place for friends when she came back. So in 2021, she decided to make herself a haven here, a home away from home.

Fortunately for Saks, the stars came together. From her time in Charlottesville, she knew both builder Steve Nicholson and his wife, real estate agent Lorrie Nicholson. And when Lorrie listed a spec house that Steve had built on a small lot in Belmont, Saks says, “I bought the house sight unseen—I’d known Steve’s work for a long time, and appreciated his attention to detail.”

The three-story contemporary home was the perfect fit for Saks. Its small narrow lot meant little to no exterior landscaping or maintenance for her to worry about. The basement apartment could be rented to provide income, while the house’s convenient location meant it could also be rented or made available to friends and relations coming to Charlottesville for UVA events, weddings, graduation, etc. And it meant Saks got a lovely, light-filled space in which to play.

“It’s a contemporary design, so I wanted to bring in some warmth while keeping a clean look,” she says. “I wanted each room to feel unique.”

Fortunately, she also had a designer in mind. “I knew Jeannette Andamasaris—she has a great eye, and she likes to use texture,” Saks says. “I live in a very small space in Aspen—it was fun to have more space to work with.”

Andamasaris, a graduate of the Parsons School of Design, had run her own design firm, JAID Style, in Charlottesville for nine years, and in 2016, she founded architecture and interior design firm Studio Figure. When Saks got in touch, Andamasaris says she “knew [Saks] wanted

Saks wanted the focal points of color in each room to come from the artwork she planned to acquire, the walls and furnishings lean heavily to neutrals and white.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 28

a fun place to gather with her friends, I knew she loves the arts, and she wanted a bespoke feel to the interiors.”

Saks and Andamasaris got to work on the areas that Saks chose to adapt—the stairs were reimagined to be more of a design element, and custom cabinetry was built out in the closet. (And, in a story that will be familiar to any homebuyer, it turned out a roof leak meant a bit of reconstruction on the third floor.)

Then the interior design work began. Because Saks wanted the focal points of color in each room to come from the artwork she planned to select, the walls and furnishings lean heavily to neutrals and white—but “not too white,” says Andamasaris. There’s actually a light pink limewash up the main stairway, she points out, that becomes more saturated in Saks’ second-floor bedroom. The media room on the third floor is a deep, warm gray—walls, furnishings, carpet— which gives it a cozy den feel.

But there are also touches of whimsy. The small entry is wallpapered in blots and swirls of black, gray, and gold (a design called “Rorschach Diamond” by luxury wallpaper brand Timorous Beasties), and features a three-section walnut

“It’s a contemporary design, so I wanted to bring in some warmth while keeping a clean look. I wanted each room to feel unique.”

LANDON SAKS

bench custom-made by local artisan Tate Pray, and a Luke Lamp Lighting fixture that resembles a lasso hanging on a hook. The first-floor powder room has Gucci wallpaper with life-size white herons on a pink background, and a pendant light that echoes the shape of the birds.

Andamasaris says all the lighting in the house was redone—“it’s a way to make the spaces more sculptural.” The track lighting up the stairwell was replaced with Bocci inset wall lights (more of a feature, and much easier to replace the bulbs). The seating area in the kitchen has a matte black metal wall fixture by Wo & We, with two arms that can provide soft, indirect lighting along the wall, or focus it down for reading recipes.

The most striking feature on the open-plan main floor, however, is another configuration of Luke Lamp Lighting ropes over the dining table. “These are amazing lights,” Andamasaris says. “They are completely customizable [in shape], they have dimmers so you can adjust the level, you can even put them under water.” In this area, the three rope lights provide a focal point that helps shape the space, and reinforce both the warmth and the creativity that Saks was seeking. (The furniture is from Maiden Home; the burl wood tables, Scout Design Studio.)

While Saks is still working on choosing and placing artwork (especially from local artists), in several rooms the light fixture serves as art. Saks’ bedroom features a floating curvilinear brass pendant by Gervasoni; the Arceneaux fixture (by RH) in a guest room is formed of cast resin to create a warm glow. Another bedroom has a three-armed Mouille pendant from France & Son—and a Flag Halyard chair from PP Mobler that looks like the Lunar Excursion Module, and is sink-into-it comfortable, says Andamasaris. The twin-bed attic bedroom (“for kids at heart,” says Andamasaris) has an original Noguchi paper lantern.

“We all had the cheap version in college,” she laughs. “But when you see the real thing, created using handmade papers and ribbed with bamboo instead of wire, it’s wildly different.”

A favorite space for both Saks and her designer is the corner window in the master bedroom. Andamasaris placed two large corner chairs to create a spot for gazing out the window or relaxing before bedtime. The windows provide two walls of light and sun, and the oversize pillows, white fur throws, and flowing floorlength drapes from U-Fab soften the space. “I try to use this corner as much as I can,” says Saks. “It’s a perfect spot for a cat.”

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CREATING A

HILLTOP HAVEN

Whitehall couple

adds

a sunken garden and a pool with a view

BY CAROL DIGGS

Landscape architect Grounded | General contractor Abrahamse & Company

Lawn maintenance Alfredo Martinez | Photography Virginia Hamrick

When she’s called a serious decathlete, May Kelly demurs. “I just love to be in the outdoors,” she says. “But I have to be moving— I enjoy it more.”

“Moving” for May means lap swimming, bicycling, running, and hiking. When she and husband Jim bought a Whitehall-area house on a knoll overlooking Shenandoah National Park in 2017, Jim says they knew right away the “postage stamp-sized pool” in the back yard wasn’t going to work.

Figuring out how to revamp the property to fit their needs took about a year, says Jim. A lap pool was a large part of the ask, but May also wanted to turn the existing backyard pool

area into a formal garden. They decided to add a master bedroom suite on the home’s north end. And their family enjoys bocce, so there also had to be a bocce court in the mix.

In 2018, the Kellys hired landscape architect Anna Boeschenstein of Grounded LLC to take on their project. The first challenge: The couple wanted the lap pool to take advantage of the spectacular mountain views. “That meant a long element on a steep topography, and finding flat spaces that fit around the existing [house] layout,” Boeschenstein says.

Boeschenstein and project manager John Gendreau of Abrahamse & Company solved that by building retaining walls along the west-

ern and northern hillsides, allowing them to place the lap pool along the home’s long axis and then wrap around the extended master bedroom end with a hot tub and a small patio with a fire pit. On the eastern façade, Boeschenstein converted the former sunken pool area into a parterre garden bounded by the drive, the existing guest house, and a new pergola with the bocce court behind it.

There’s no question the salt-water endlessedge lap pool is a stunning addition to the Kellys’ hilltop home. Because its narrow patio runs the length of the living, dining, and family rooms, the feature draws the eye out into the surrounding mountain vistas as the land drops away. The

patio’s bluestone paving encloses three sides of the pool—at each end is a bed of native grama grass and ornamental Mexican feather grass, which is decorative, but not intrusive to the views. The pool installation was handled by Charlottesville Aquatics (the Kellys’ master bedroom addition provided a basement space to install the pool equipment out of sight).

Adding the spa area posed some challenges as well. The square hot tub and its seating area were set down a few steps, tucked into the hillside to keep clear sight lines around the pool. Boeschenstein planted green mound boxwood, a low-growing hybrid perfect for borders, around the spot. To help hold the slope below, she added more forsythia to the existing mix—“it’s fast-growing, and holds a slope well”—as well as Mount Airy dwarf fothergilla, with its showy and aromatic flower and multicolored fall foliage.

The small patio on the house’s north end provides the master suite with a private outside space. Paved with the same bluestone as the pool and spa areas, the patio has a stone cube firepit that allows year-round use.

The bluestone paving continues around to the east-facing terrace overlooking the new sunken garden. “I had seen formal gardens at the Morton Arboretum outside Chicago and loved them,” says May, who with her husband lived for years in the Chicago area. “Anna is the one that told me what I wanted was a parterre.”

Two existing large boxwoods and two coral bark Japanese maples that Boeschenstein added frame the steps leading from the terrace into the square parterre garden. Each corner has a triangular planting of little lime hydrangea enclosed by green mound boxwood. Crushed gravel paths outline four angled triangular beds bordered in Morris dwarf boxwood. The beds contain a mix of narrowleaf blue star, Japanese anemone, coneflowers, Siberian iris, dense blazing star, purple Joe Pye weed, peonies, bee balm, and mountain mint for changing color and foliage through the seasons. The central focus is a crystal sphere water fountain that the Kellys found; it adds a soothing sound, and catches light at all times of day.

Shaping the entire landscape took about a year. Fortunately for May, the pool was finished in 2019—just in time for the pandemic. PreCOVID, while swimming at the ACAC pool, May got to know a couple of women who are national-level senior swimmers. When gyms in town were shut down, she invited them to practice in her new lap pool.

The garden, as gardens do, is still maturing. May gives credit to head gardener Alfredo Martinez and his crew—“they work really hard”— and to Boeschenstein’s plan: “The garden looks better every year.”

Home Sweet Home

Keeping it clean

After they purchased their Albemarle County home, the owners knew they had one very clear upgrade to make: a 1980s bathroom that felt especially out of place among the rest of the home’s more modern aesthetic. With the help of Alloy Workshop, they were able to transform the long, narrow space.

“Several problem-solving designs were considered, and the one we built checked all the boxes,” says Alloy’s Charlie O’Brien. “It is spacious, bright, and uncluttered.”

Keeping the design uncomplicated meant placing a special emphasis on the quality of materials and the craftsmanship. Large tiles from Sarisand Tile line the custom shower room, dark stone countertops from Albemarle Stone sit atop a warm wood vanity.

“The continuous grain across the face of the vanity illustrates the skilled carpentry that went into the woodwork throughout this bathroom,” O’Brien says. “Subtlety is at the core of this design.”

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