Abode | Winter 2024

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Outside.

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WINTER 2024

What if you could build your dream house twice?

A Greenwood family gets a rare opportunity

SPA DAY Inside Keswick’s tranquil renovation NO PRIVACY, PLS Three WCs worth displaying INNER PEACE A harmonious house in Crozet

Perfect place Rather than downsize, these empty nesters built a spacious home in Albemarle—but fit for the Hamptons C-VILLE ABODE 1

503 Faulconer Drive Charlottesville · VA · 22903 p: 434.295.1131 f: 434.293.7377 e: homes@mcleanfaulconer.com

MCL EAN FAULCONER INC. Farm, Estate and Residential Brokers

NORTH WALES FARM

1,471± acre Virginia estate with circa 1776 stone manor home, twostory Georgian Revival-style stone carriage house, extensive farm and equestrian improvements, a guesthouse, additional residences and a shooting preserve. All improvements have been carefully restored and placed on the Historical Register. MLS#587418 Jim Faulconer,434.981.0076 www.NorthWalesVa.com

HIGHER GROUND

27 acre estate, mountaintop retreat near The Omni Homestead Resort. 11,400 sf., 8 BRs, quality construction. Unsurpassed panoramic views!

Jim Faulconer, 434.981.0076 or Will Faulconer, 434.987.9455 www.highergroundva.org

MILL HOUSE

DOWNTOWN PENTHOUSE

GREEN ACRES

3-BR, 3.5 BA condo features, modern and open floor plan with huge windows and doors, and large rooftop terrace with views of the Downtown Mall all the way around to Monticello. MLS#634149 $1,690,000 Jim Faulconer, 434.981.0076

Pastoral views from this 3-bedroom brick home set on over 159 acres in Southern Albemarle. Ideal for farming with fenced pastures and ample water sources. Property is not under easement and has 4 division rights. Court Nexsen, 646.660.0700

ARDWOOD ROAD

EAST WATER STREET

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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 $2,475,000 Court Nexsen, 646.660.0700

FAIRWAY DRIVE

3.5 acre waterfront parcel behind Keswick Hall in gated, picturesque Keswick Estate. Located 5 miles from Martha Jefferson Hospital and 10 miles from UVA. MLS#641712 $540,000 Court Nexsen, 646.660.0700

Sturdy and thoughtfully designed, this 3-BR, Rare downtown office/retail condo with deeded 2-BA home is conveniently located just 4 miles parking in Holsinger Condo on Water Street. north of Charlottesville, nestled on 1.45 acres with One block from Historic Downtown Mall, ample outdoor space for gardens. MLS#638788 easily accessible to UVA and all Charlottesville. $495,000 Will Faulconer, 434.987.9455 $495,000 Charlotte Dammann at 434.981.1250

EDGEMONT

SIMMONS GAP ROAD

5-acre lot, mature hardwoods, ideal for building without HOA constraints. Private site in scenic woods between Free Union and Earlysville, convenienttoCharlottesville&UVA.MLS#621177, $119,000. Charlotte Dammann at 434.981.1250

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. MLS#576150 Court Nexsen, 646.660.0700 www.HistoricEdgemont.com

WWW.MCLEANFAULCONER.COM

SPRING HILL

HEADQUARTERS

$ 2 ,1 5 0 , 0 0 0 |

$1,950,000 |

MLS 64417 0

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.

J USTIN H . W ILE Y | 4 3 4 9 8 1 5528 P ETE R A . W I LEY | 434 4 22 2090

C HA RLOTTE SVILLE VA

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M L S 6 30 7 1 0

An exquisite, custom brick residence designed/built by the renowned team of Jay Dalgliesh, AIA, and Jeff Smith of Altera Construction. Only 6 miles west of Charlottesville and the University with incredible Blue Ridge views. Rooms flow together with an easy elegance, each showing off the high level of detail and materials for which the architect and builder are known. One of the highest quality homes currently on the market.

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.

PE T E R A . W I LEY | 4 34 4 2 2 2 0 9 0

P ETER A. WI LEY

CUSTOM ALBEMARLE RESIDENCE

43 4 2 93 3 900

WILEYPROPERT Y.C OM

O RA NG E VA

|

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4 34 4 2 2 2090

54 0 6 7 2 3 9 0 3

New Offering

WATT'S PASSAGE

$ 4 ,1 0 0 , 0 0 0 |

MLS 645482

Stony Point area productive grass farm with incredible mountain views. Less than 20 minutes to Charlottesville, this 435 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.

J UST I N H . W I LEY | 4 3 4 981 5 5 28 P ET E R A . W I LEY | 434 4 22 2090

PROSPECT HILL

$1,675,000 |

ML S 648 803

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.

JU ST IN H . WI LEY | 4 34 9 81 552 8

DEVONHURST

$ 1 ,7 5 0 , 0 0 0 |

M L S 6 4 339 2

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.

JUSTI N H. WI LEY | 4 34 9 81 5528 P ETER A. WI LEY | 4 34 4 2 2 2090

YOU AND YOUR NEIGHBOR ARE DIFFERENT. SHOULDN’T YOUR HOMES BE TOO?

Come see the area’s most creative homes from Charlottesville’s best local builders, just 2 miles from the Downtown Mall and surrounded by 230 acres of park and woodlands

FINAL PHASE AVAILABLE NOW

(434) 245-5805 " ! " "

Building a custom home is a collaborative journey. Clear communication, regular updates, and a shared decision-making create a sense of partnership that extends beyond construction. We understand the emotional significance of creating a dream home and are dedicated to ensuring your experience is smooth, enjoyable, and rewarding.

WINNER

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info@cvillebuilders.com

719 Montrose Ave Belmont

820 Black Cat Road Keswick,

182 Goldenrod Court Albemarle

Represented Buyer

Represented Seller

Represented Seller

$373,757

$1,010,000

$560,000

511 1st Street N Charlottesville

424 Arch Avenue Waynesbro

1968 Tudor Court Albemarle

1023 Martin Street Charlottesville

Represented Seller

Represented Buyer

Represented Seller

Represented Buyer

$390,000

$240,000

$408,000

$360,000

1135 Rose Hill Dr STE 100 Charlottesville, VA 22903

CONTACT ME TODAY

434.760.0739 JANICE@NESTREALTY.COM

2023 was a successful year for my buyers and sellers.

Are you looking to buy or sell in 2024?

JANICE KAVANAGH Associate Broker

SHOP DONATE VOLUNTEER furniture • lighting • decor

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1221 harris st

Hl��!t charlottesville va Store

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tuesday - saturday 10-5 • donations until 4 pm call 434.293.6331 for pickups or large donations

I N

T H I S

I S S U E

Albemarle meets the Hamptons 26

GORDON GREGORY PHOTOGRAPHY

It didn’t take long for Hugh and Doreen Shytle to find the right patch of land in Albemarle County. “As soon as I came up here and saw the view, I called my wife and said, ‘I’ve found the place,’” he says. From there, it was just a matter of assembling the right team to make their shingle-style dream home a reality.

308 E. Main St. Charlottesville, VA 22902 (434) 817-2749 n c-ville.com c-ville.com/abode C-VILLE ABODE

ABODE, a supplement to C-VILLE Weekly, is distributed in Charlottesville, Albemarle County and the Shenandoah Valley. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. ABODE Editor Caite Hamilton. Contributors Carol Diggs, Laura Drummond, Shea Gibbs, Claudia Gohn, and Rachael Kesler. Copy Editor Susan Sorensen. Art Director Max March. Graphic Designer Tracy Federico. Account Executives , Brittany Keller, Gabby Kirk, Stephanie Vogtman. Production Coordinator Faith Gibson. Publisher Anna Harrison. Operations Manager Maddie Donegan. Chief Financial Officer Debbie Miller.

A/R Specialist Nanci Winter. Circulation Manager Billy Dempsey. ©2024 C-VILLE Weekly.

7

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BLUEPRINT 11

Spa moment

22 Inspired design 18 Structured science in Crozet.

Scandi inspo 22

Keswick Hall’s relaxing reno.

A Greenwood barn goes Scandi.

Hidden talent 14 New skills for the new year.

With such a low interest rate, should I rent out or sell?

Too-too loos 16

HOME SWEET HOME 38

Showstopping powder rooms.

REAL ESTATE 36

Pros and cons

Warming up to the idea...

Cover photo by Gordon Gregory Photography Comments? E-mail us at caite@c-ville.com.

C-VILLE ABODE

outlaw design company Ruth Ellen Outlaw, AIA reoutlawdesign@gmail.com outlawdesigncompany.com 434 996 7849 Designing for families since 1999

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Close to golf, wineries, mountains & UVA

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Blueprint Design in all its many forms

Organic luxury

JAMES BAIGRIE PHOTOGRAPHY

Keswick Hall renovation reimagines a new spa from the ground up By Carol Diggs

C-VILLE ABODE

11

BLUEPRINT

12

JAMES BAIGRIE PHOTOGRAPHY

T

he renovation of Keswick Hall gave new owners Molly and Robert Hardie a chance to rethink every aspect of the luxury hotel, including moving the resort’s spa from the members-only clubhouse to its own building.

The result is a reimagined facility with more service rooms, a more private setting, easier access for hotel guests and the local community, and a whole new ethos.

The new Keswick Hall Spa takes full advantage of its setting on a side road away from the main hotel. While the building was designed by the same firm that did the resort’s renovation (Hart Howerton), its look and feel are completely geared to its “away from the world” identity, beginning with its exterior—warm fieldstone, dark seamed metal roof, and large windows, as distinct from the creamy stucco and terracotta tiles of the Italianate main complex.

“The materials inside and out were chosen to be reflective of the setting,” says spa director Molly Flora. The interior palette created by Howerton designer Philippe Gozlan echoes the greens, blues, and browns of the natural environment that’s visible through all the large windows.

There’s even a meditation walk of tan gravel and slate borders set in the grounds nearby.

The entrance/reception area says “spa” right away—light filled, creamy neutrals and blond wood, soft chairs. For guests stopping by to shop, the boutique is just off the lobby. Big windows, a vaulted ceiling, and muted lights show off the skin and hair-care products—­“all organic and natural,” says Flora—plus sleep and lounge wear from local designer Gillian Valentine.

Across the lobby is a waiting area with manicure stands and private rooms for pedicures and hair treatments. Here too the setting is soft furnishings and carpets, toss pillows, calming blues and grays. The fabrics and art are natural themes, including several stunning depictions of flowers created by Richmond paper artist Daphne Lee. Patrons enter the service areas through the women’s and men’s locker rooms, where the hallways and bathrooms feature heated stone floors, smooth marble counters, muted lighting, and arrangements of fresh flowers. Both infrared saunas and steam rooms are available, as are individual dressing rooms for those who want privacy.

Guests then emerge into an octagonal midnightblue foyer with tiny lights like stars winking in the ceiling. Beyond, is The Overlook, where guests wait to be fetched for their individual services.

The Overlook is the heart of the spa. One end is a two-story window, as though guests are ensconced in the surrounding meadows and

woods. Chairs with plump ecru and beige pillows and daybeds with lush blankets are positioned to take full advantage of the views. The walls are pale cream, with only a few naturethemed abstract art works; the vaulted ceiling is slatted wood paneling in a warm tan; the pendant lamps are golden teardrop-shaped glass.

The abstract patterned area rug, manufactured in India, uses the same cream, blue, green, and gray shades as the ones in the foyer, waiting

room, and boutique, “but each pattern is a little different,” Flora says. The hallways leading to the service rooms are screened by panels of leaded glass roundels.

One of the benefits of creating a spa from the ground up is that the service rooms can be designed for the needs of both guests and service professionals. One room is specifically geared for couple’s services (with its own two-person shower), and another for ADA access. Every C-VILLE ABODE

1327 E. High St | 296-8131

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service room has those touches that make for a luxury experience—counters with plenty of drawers to keep products accessible but out of sight; wall panels that enable quick and soundless adjustments to lighting and music; a warming rack for the guest’s robe. The massage table’s face cradle is gel-filled “so you don’t get that pressure on your sinuses,” says Flora.

And, of course, there are fresh flowers here, too.

C-VILLE ABODE

The Overlook is the heart of the spa, with a two-story window and chairs positioned just so, to take in the meadow views.

Just over the mountain in historic Dayton, VA

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Charlottesville's favorite spot for antiques, vintage décor, and one-of-a-kind treasures.

WINNER BEST ANTIQUE STORE BEST LOCAL FURNITURE STORE BEST SECONDHAND SHOP

BUILDING A NEW SPACE?

Home work

Learn a new skill from local pros By Caite Hamilton

We deliver high quality and cost-effective architecture and construction services.

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Whether you’re developing your design or ready to build, we’d love to work with you.

Potting & Seed Starting Party at Fifth Season Gardening

Contact us at ask@hauscraftdb.com

to schedule a consultation.

aybe the tired “new year, new you” adage should apply less to you personally and more to your...home? Start the year off with a lesson from one of these professionals— from floral arranging to watercolor to creating a whimsical wreath out of tiny terracotta pots.

Saturday, February 17, 11am-12:30pm Through this hands-on workshop, learn seasonal seed-starting, up potting, seedling care, and planting schedules for Zones 7 and 8. You’ll leave with a full tray of seasonal seedlings that you’ve planted yourself and can take home to grow. $30, fifthseasongardening.com Knitting 101: Learn to Knit a Scarf at Scrappy Elephant Saturday, February 24, 2-3:30pm

www.hauscraftdb.com

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A scarf may not seem like it has much to do with your home, but if you want to learn to C-VILLE ABODE

BLUEPRINT knit a cozy throw blanket, you have to start somewhere. Join the instructor as she teaches you the basics of knitting (no experience needed!) Take home a pair of knitting needles, the beginning of a scarf, and enough yarn to finish it! $25, scrappyelephant.com Watercolor Camp with Amy Woods at Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards Sunday, February 25, 11am-4pm Indulge in a leisurely five-hour watercolor workshop with artist Amy Woods as she guides you through custom color-mixing, paint-to-water ratio, marks and brush strokes, and embracing the blooms and bleeds. Halfway through, enjoy a delicious Pippin Hill lunch and tasting flight, then finish off the day with a glass of bubbly and a supplies kit to replicate at home what you’ve learned. $252, pippinhillfarm.com Terracotta wreath workshop at We Grow Floral Shop Thursday, February 29, 7pm For those of us who like to decorate our front door, the weeks just after the holidays and just before spring are kind of a dead zone, décor-wise.

We Grow’s terracotta wreath workshop fills the gap. Join the class as you create a one-of-a-kind piece for your entry. $36, wegrowshopva.com Floral design workshop at Be Just Thursday, March 9, 6-8pm Be Just owner Shawn Cosette will walk you through creating your own unique floral arrangement. She’ll have florals, foliages, and botanical elements on hand to choose from, and by the end of the class you’ll have a beautiful bouquet to take home (not to mention some new skills to create more arrangements in the future). $150, bejustcville.com Garden Basics: A Year in the Life of a Vegetable Garden–A Gardener’s Path with Piedmont Master Gardeners Saturday, March 16, 2-4pm

JEN FARIELLO

So you wanna grow a veggie garden but don’t know where to start? This informational session will help you better understand seed-starting and planting; thinning, weeding, and harvesting; and readying your garden space for next year. Bonus: You’ll leave with a personalized blueprint for a successful season in your home garden. Free, piedmontmastergardeners.org C-VILLE ABODE

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BLUEPRINT

In the mix

Three bold bathrooms embrace color and pattern

By Caite Hamilton While a home’s public-facing (and public-gathering) rooms, like kitchens and dining areas, often call for more staid or timeless design, a powder bath— or even an ensuite—is the perfect opportunity to show a little personality. These three luxe loos (and their surprising wallpapers!) nailed the assignment.

Welcome to the jungle This powder room off the home’s main entrance wasn’t part of the initial project, a whole house renovation in the Venable neighborhood, but Mandy Oliver, whose firm Oliver Falder oversaw the interior design, is so glad the homeowners changed their minds.

“We had great bones to work with,” says Oliver, who runs the business with her sister, Heidi Falder. “It was one of the most fun bathrooms we have done.”

And, to the designers’ delight, despite their initial hesitations the homeowners placed no restrictions or limitations on the design.

They began by choosing the floor (sourced from Sarisand Tile).

“We were trying to find a wallpaper that held its own against it,” Oliver says. “When we suggested the one currently installed she immediately said ‘yes!’ It worked out beautifully.”

MIRROR Four Hands

LIGHT FIXTURE Visual Comfort

ROBERT RADIFERA

WALLPAPER Serengeti by Hygge & West

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FLOOR TILE Sarisand Tile

C-VILLE ABODE

For the trees

LIGHT FIXTURE Rejuvenation

WALLPAPER Eastern Garden by Anthropologie

LINCOLN BARBOUR

SINK Watermark Fixtures TILE Sarisand Tile

It’s not unusual for rooms to work double duty—guest rooms often are used as offices, dens take on a second life as playrooms—but this North Downtown basement bathroom had to take on three roles: bathroom to the guest bedroom and basement living area, as well as powder room fill in for the main level.

“Because of this,” says designer Betsy Kraft, “I wanted to ensure that it was punchy and bold but also highly functional.” The first step, given the poor shape the room was in, was ripping everything out and starting fresh. The minimal square footage proved to be a challenge, too (“originally the shower clearance was only about seven feet,” Kraft says), but Kraft worked with Peter Johnson Builders to finagle the shower casing and make the space a bit more roomy.

The showstopper, though, is the wallpaper. It was the colors that spoke to the homeowners, says Kraft. They loved that the orange and blue was a subtle nod to their alma mater, UVA. “They thought it was the perfect amount of whimsy surprise,” Kraft says.

Bathing birdies

C-VILLE ABODE

WALLPAPER Sarus Cranes by de Gournay

LIGHTING Visual Comfort

SINK Waterworks

ROBERT RADIFERA

Two decades ago, Dalgliesh Gilpin Paxton Architects designed a French-inspired home for a couple who’d lived in Paris. So when it came time for the current owners to renovate the space for their own needs­—to suit their active lifestyle, three teenagers, and two dogs—they turned to its original architects.

The resulting addition comprises a primary bedroom suite, home office, guest bedroom, and adjoining guest bath. The guest bath, in particular, was one where designer Chloe Ball of Kenny Ball Designs, felt the family could do something a bit unexpected.

“We wanted to create a fun vibe but still keep the space luxurious for guests to experience and enjoy while overnighting,” Ball says. “In Japanese culture, the crane symbolizes good fortune, longevity, and happiness. It’s considered a symbol of hope and healing as well. Perhaps this is the wish for all the guests who stay?”

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BLUEPRINT

Good vibes

A house in Crozet with ancient influences By Maeve Hayden

18

STEPHEN BARLING

F

or a lot of us home-decor lovers, the bones of a house are sometimes the least exciting part. We give some thought to what windows will get the best light, and how we want the kitchen to flow, but it’s the finishing touches—patterns, colors, furniture—that make designing a house fun.

Crozet couple Bob and Bev LoPinto have a different outlook. For them, good bones make a world of difference.

The couple started building their home in 2020.

They chose Crozet to be close to family, and decided to do a custom build in a Stanley Martin community. Going custom was essential for the LoPintos, who wanted to build their house according to ancient Indian building principles that connect inner spirituality and social harmony with dwelling construction (think feng shui).

The principles go by various names, including vastu shastra (“structure science”) and sthapatya veda (“establishment knowledge”). It all roughly translates to the science of architecture, and it includes directives on orientation, placement, symmetry and proportion, and more.

From the outside, you might not even be able to tell that the LoPinto home is steeped in such ancient traditions. According to Bob, that’s because surface-level design doesn’t really matter, it’s what’s beneath that counts.

“I think there’s a lot of opportunity for personal preference,” says Bob. “We went with a Mediterranean, Italian-like stucco exterior for our house.”

It’s perhaps easiest to incorporate vastu into a new build where you have total control over all variables, but if you’re renting or buying, Bob says there’s one rule that’s most important to follow.

“The most important principle of vastu and sthapatya veda is the orientation,” says Bob. “That it’s true east or true north, any other ori-

entation is not ideal. The rest [of the principles] make it even better, but if one has a choice, look for true east and true north.”

The LoPintos chose to face their house east to take advantage of the nourishing influence of the rising sun. Connection to nature is another big part of vastu, and a lot of the rules are designed to help residents take advantage of the benefits of the natural world.

Moving past the unassuming exterior, the house opens into a massive, two-story entryway atrium. While most atriums are grand, and meant to impress, the LoPinto atrium serves another, more intentional purpose.

In the center of the atrium—in the very center of the house—sits a table with flowers, which marks the brahmasthan of the house. The brahmasthan refers to the “silent center,” which is where the intelligence of the house is believed

to live. The space is meant to help distribute positive energy, and serves as another reflection of nature, mimicking the “silent” center found in the heart of a cell, a seed, or even a hurricane.

The rest of the house flows from the atrium, and features 10-foot ceilings, lots of symmetry, and plenty of natural light sources. All the dimensions are precisely calculated, and the LoPintos made an effort to be energy efficient and sustainable where they could by installing triple pane windows, a high-efficiency heat pump, all-natural wood flooring, and limestone details.

The kitchen can be found in the southeast corner of the house.

“As the sun goes through the sky, its highest point is in the southeast, and your largest meal of the day should be lunchtime,” says Bob. “So the orientation of the sun coincides with the peak of your digestion, it’s in synchrony with nature.”

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If the LoPintos need to take a moment away from all the hustle and bustle, they head to the meditation room in the northeast corner, another area known for conducting good vibes. The 12x12foot room features soft lighting, and has metal-clad wiring with a built-in power kill switch.

“The bedrooms and the meditation room are all built with power kill switches, so when you’re sleeping you can turn off all the outlets so there’s no electromagnetic influence,” Bob says.

The most notable part of the house is the lit cupola that sits atop the roof and glows different colored hues. A glowing cupola isn’t mandated by vastu—”that was for fun,” says Bob. For the LoPintos, it’s a design they can feel.

“You walk in and feel uplifted, not imposed upon,” says Bob. “I wouldn’t live in any other kind of house, and once you’re in it you won’t want to leave.”

C-VILLE ABODE

The Crozet custom build employs design principles known as vastu shastra (“structure science”) and sthapatya veda (“establishment knowledge”).

curating authentic & inspired spaces for joyful living

@betsykraftdesign www.betsykraftdesign.com

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401 Park Street Charlottesville, VA 22902

(434) 977-4005 lwoodriff@loringwoodriff.com

EPIC 80 ACRE ESTATE PARCEL SET IN COMPLETE PRIVACY & TRANQUILITY

LUXURY CUSTOM HOME - KESWICK ESTATE

On the Blue Ridge tuRnpike in SOmeRSet $1,800,000 Located on one of Virginia’s most scenic & protected byways, this magnificent estate parcel offers multiple dramatic building sites, all set in absolute privacy & tranquility yet w/ stunning, panoramic views of the countryside. One building site located about 2/3rds a mile off the state road offers staggering Blue Ridge views plus panoramic views of the surrounding, protected countryside. Rolling topography offers about 55 acres of lush meadows & 25 acres of mature hardwoods. Fiber internet! Zero road exposure & not in any flight paths, close to Gordonsville & Orange, & within 25 mins of Charlottesville. Under conservation easement w/ no division rights. No square footage maximums! Acreage ideally suits horses w/ plenty of ride-out potential. MLS# 647348

2884 PALMER DRIVE • $2,595,000 Custom home w/ high quality craftsmanship, 1-level living & open concept offers traditional architecture & modern conveniences located on a secluded lot with mature trees next to Keswick Trails and a quick golf cart ride to the award winning golf course & amenities of Keswick Club.

Covered front & rear porches plus lush lawn space. Second floor offers sitting area, 2nd laundry rm & 3 spacious BRs all with en suite baths. Tommy Brannock (434) 981-1486.

UNDER CONTRACT - KESWICK ESTATE

RARE HISTORIC DOWNTOWN GEM

STUNNING RENOVATION WITH POOL

464 CLARKS TRACT • $4,900,000 Comprised of 216 acres in the heart of Keswick Estate Country, Arabelle Farm offers a turn-key equestrian property, recently refurbished farm improvements & renovation of the c.1910 5 bed/5 full/2 half bath residence. 23 stall, center aisle barn w/ 2 apts, 5-bay car garage as well as a 2-bay oversized garage w/ renovated 2 bed apt above, 10 paddocks w/ run-ins, & 2 beautiful ponds. Firefly Fiber internet. Rebecca White (434) 531-5097 or Loring Woodriff (434) 466-2992. MLS# 640549

113 ALTAMONT CIRCLE • $1,599,000 Rare opportunity to live on one of Downtown’s premiere streets just a few blocks from parks, restaurants and shopping. 1920’s character abounds w/ original woodwork, moldings & hardwood floors, dramatic foyer with fireplace, tall ceilings, deep front porch, & backyard oasis with swimming pool & entertaining spaces. 5 bedrooms & 3.5 baths, incl’ 1st flr primary suite & elevator to main level & partially fin. basement. Sally Neill (434) 531-9941.

2621 COOPERS LANE • $2,995,000 This distinguished French provincial style Albemarle Estate is nestled among history & wineries. On point floor plan suited for formal & informal living w/ 5 ensuite bedrms w/ expansive 1st flr primary suite, 4 wood-burning fireplaces, stunning kitchen w/ seamless flow btw dining, living, library, & outdoors. 2.89 private acres w/ garden & pool. 130 add’l acreage available. Exclusive gated community mins from Monticello & Downtown. Reidar Stiernstrand (434) 284-3005. MLS# 648822

UNDER CONTRACT IN IVY’S FAR HILLS

COVETED EDNAM WORTHINGTON DRIVE CONDO

WORthingtOn dRive $1,685,000

1871 GREEN BEECH DRIVE • $2,095,000 Premium, custom 5 bedrm constructed in 2012 by Baird Snyder on over 3 acres. Ideal balance of formal & informal spaces, huge eat-in kitchen open to family room, excellent light, high ceilings, extensive trim-work & great flow. Uber high quality finishes & systems incl’ geothermal HVAC, bluestone terraces, & lovely hardwood floors. Expansive level & gently sloping lawns. In Ivy’s coveted Far Hills neighborhood, w/ access to trails & views over permanently conserved fields. Kristin Streed (434) 409-5619.

Super location & fabulous views of the Historic Birdwood Estate, Birdwood Golf Course, Blue Ridge & Southwest Mountains.

Two miles west of the Rotunda, the Ednam neighborhood is adjacent to the Boar’s Head Inn, convenient to shopping, Downtown, UVA and Sentara Hospitals. Enjoy views from every window. Open floor plan w/ gas fireplace takes advantage of the large windows & private balconies w/ sunrise & sunset views. Recently renovated w/ Chef ’s kitchen & easy flow for entertaining. Two large bedrooms, two full & one-half baths and office or den. The building has a secure ground level parking garage, elevator, buzz-in entry, lobby, & guest courtyard parking. Punkie Feil (434) 962-5222 or Elizabeth Feil Matthews (434) 284-2105.

A Selection of Exceptional Properties Sold Winter 2023–2024 REPRESENTED BUYER & SELLER

REPRESENTED BUYER AND SELLER

440 Oak CiRCle Farmington • Sold for $2,900,000 REPRESENTED SELLER

Echo Hill Farm

112 Se 5 th StReet #3a The Holsinger • Sold for $695,000

36 Magical Acres Moments West of Town • Sold for $9,000,000

REPRESENTED SELLER

REPRESENTED SELLER

509 lexingtOn avenue N. Downtown • Sold for $995,000 REPRESENTED BUYER & SELLER

38 Canterbury Road

Bellair • Sold for $2,775,000

1055 e WateR StReet C&O Row • Listed for $1,825,000

R E P R E S E N T I N G D I S T I N C T I V E P RO PE RT I E S I N C H A R LOT T E S V I L L E & T H E S U R RO U N D I N G C O U N T RY S I D E

W W W. L O R I N G W O O D R I F F. C O M

BLUEPRINT

The house so nice, they built it twice Scandi and English influences come together in a Greenwood barn house By Maeve Hayden

B

uilding and designing your dream home is usually a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Hours upon hours are spent researching and deciding on every detail, from where to store the KitchenAid to the right shade of white for inside the coat closet. If you’re lucky, you move in and everything is just as magical as you imagined. More likely, though, you’ll wish you’d done some things differently. After all, taste changes and hindsight is 20/20.

So, what if you got to build your dream house twice? You could keep the things you liked, fix those pesky little problems, and drop any passé trends that old you loved.

Helen Kessler is so lucky.

Kessler and her family moved from Norfolk to Charlottesville in 2016, when she built her first dream home, a modern barn-style dwelling.

After living there for five years, the family decided to move. A piece of land popped up in Greenwood, they got an offer on their old home, and suddenly they had the challenge of building a new home from scratch in the midst of the pandemic with a tight deadline.

Mitchell Shifflett of Evergreen Builders was brought on as project lead, and Kessler’s friend Kristin Cory as architect. The team got to work using photographs and drawings of the original home, and by summer 2022 the Kesslers had moved into their new one.

Sitting neatly atop nearly 22 acres of the land, the dream house 2.0 is a sleek testament to the beauty of contrasting forms and materials. Dark, concrete composite boards in the shade Midnight Oil wrap the house, broken up by a wall of pale stone. The rich hues of the concrete seamlessly carry up to the gabled roof.

“It’s a very sort of taut, minimalist feel to the outside,” says Cory. “There are minimal overhangs on the roof and minimal trim. Everything’s very clean.”

More contrast can be found in the French gravel patio that leads from the driveway to the front door—a glass window that lets visitors see straight through the house and through the windows at the other end.

When the Kesslers built their first home, they decided to lean into the new-for-the-time modern farmhouse look. The home featured two stories, a flat roof section, an “H” shape, and a white exterior. Since then, the white farmhouse has certainly had a mainstream moment, so Helen looked to Europe for some fresh inspo.

The new build—with its single story, “L” shape, and unique hues—is inspired by Suffolk barns found in the South of England and Scandinavian barn homes.

“It’s a Nordic kind of look and feel without it feeling too architectural or too cold,” Kessler says. “We did want it to feel like a warm and inviting, natural family home, not something that was really stylized and overly designed.”

The doors open to an open-concept living, dining, and kitchen area, which at once feels minimal and clean, yet lived in and homey.

Kessler achieved this by using a warm-toned white for the walls and a vaulted ceiling, clever lighting with dimmers (like the white resin antler chandelier by Kathy Kuo Home), and texture through rugs, overstuffed furniture, and pops of color.

One way Kessler incorporated color and added depth into the space is through sparingly placed opulent wallpapers.

“I do love minimalism and that clean, Nordic aesthetic, but I also enjoy some of the richer, more dramatic English wallpapers that you get in some of the country homes,” she says.

Though the front door opens right into the open living space, Kessler was able to create the feel of a separate foyer by papering a botanical wallpaper with flowers and bees on two walls facing each other right inside the door. The bathroom backsplashes also come alive with trippy wallpapers, like the kaleidoscopic pattern in the primary bedroom’s ensuite bathroom, and pink alligator print in the powder room.

In the kitchen, the cabinetry is kept entirely below waist-level, drawing the eye upwards to the dark soapstone countertops and a backsplash made from the same concrete boarding found outside. The center of the kitchen boasts two custom-built islands from local maker Mike Conway of Conway Custom Woodworks, topped with thick slabs of Carrara marble.

Raw materials continue to make appearances in the restoration hardware table, and the radiant-heat concrete floors, which give an earthy feel to the space, and fun details, like a woodburning stove from Malm, give the house a charming feel.

“I think about, as an architect, what I would love to do differently with a project once it’s done,” says Cory. “That’s what Helen’s been able to do with this house. She lived in the old house, it was her dream house, and she had it exactly the way she wanted. Then she was able to do everything she wanted to do differently, and you can feel that.”

“We did want it to feel like a warm and inviting, natural family home, not something that was really stylized and overly designed.” HELEN KESSLER 22

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MEREDITH COE PHOTOGRAPHY

The open-concept living, dining, and kitchen area fels at once minimal and cozy, owing to the warm-toned white walls, vaulted ceilings, and overstuffed furniture.

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Rooms with a A hilltop site helps shape a forever home

By Carol Diggs Photos by Gordon Gregory Photography

Architect Rosney Co. Architects Builder Greer and Associates

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View Interior design Jennifer Stoner Interiors Landscape architect Waterstreet Studio

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“ A

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“ A

s soon as I came up here and saw the view, I called my wife and said, ‘I’ve found the place,’” recalls Hugh Shytle. “I felt like I was on top of the world.”

Shytle and his wife Doreen had lived in New England and raised their children there, but when it came time to build their forever home, Hugh was drawn to central Virginia. As a remote-working partner in a Richmond-based real estate development firm, Hugh was familiar with the area, and the couple homed in on southern Albemarle County close to Charlottesville. When a colleague of Hugh’s called about a lot in Blandemar, he came to check out the site, took in the 360-degree view from the hilltop over rolling hills and the Ragged Mountains, and was hooked.

Hugh had already been networking with colleagues in the Charlottesville area for a design team. By the time the Shytles had closed on the site, they had an architect (Rosney Co.); a builder (Greer and Associates); a landscape architect (Waterstreet Studio); and an interior designer (Jennifer Stoner Interiors) lined up. “We had never built a home before,” Doreen says, “so it helped that we had a great team.”

Having the full team involved from the start “is really our preferred approach,” says Rosney Co. architect Keith Scott. And the site was a plus—not only for its “outstanding” views, but because working on the flat hilltop made construction easier (“steep sites are a budget killer,” he says). Scott says Hugh’s experience in the real estate business helped prepared the Shytles for the hundreds of decisions they had to make—and the many blips that can cause delays or changes in plans.

The couple had also given lots of thought to their forever home. Hugh, in fact, had a 10-page document listing everything the pair wanted.

Top of the list: “maximizing the view with lots of windows.” Other have-to-haves: two home offices at opposite ends of the house (“Doreen doesn’t want to hear me on conference calls,” Hugh laughs); an owner’s bedroom suite on the first floor; lots of fireplaces; and a large screened porch. Doreen wanted a shingle-style house and a large open kitchen with a pantry; Hugh wantCONTINUED ON PAGE 30

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ed geothermal heating, an outdoor kitchen by the pool area, and a barn. And, of course, room for their two children and family to visit.

As the design progressed and “forever” choices had to be made, the original plan for 5,000 square feet ended up at almost 7,000. The Shytles hadn’t originally asked for a full basement, for example, but “we were glad to have that [workout room] when COVID hit,” Doreen recalls.

(The couple came to Charlottesville in June 2017 to oversee construction, and moved into their new house in January 2019.)

The finished home feels comfortable and human-scale, both spacious and well-organized, and the stunning views are everywhere. The main entry’s back wall is the staircase silhouetted against a two-story window. The wing to the left is the owners’ suite: a calm and private bedroom with fireplace and large windows west and south; a couple’s bathroom with separate vanities and a makeup table, heated floors, a walk-in shower, and a free-standing tub; hisand-hers dressing rooms with loads of cabinets and clothing spaces (including shelves for Hugh’s

hats); a laundry room with built-in storage drawers, drying racks, and even a step on which to place the laundry basket.

To the right of the entry, past the formal dining room, is the high-ceilinged great room featuring a fieldstone fireplace and a two-story southwest-facing window. The comfortable furnishings are warm neutrals, with accents of wood, and nature-themed contemporary artwork. “Our house in New England was a colonial, with dark wood furniture,” Doreen says.

“We decided to get rid of almost all of it.” (They did keep several lovely bedsteads and dressers for the upstairs guest rooms.)

Off the great room is the large open-plan kitchen with its own dining area and spacious windows running along both sides. This is Doreen’s domain: “I wanted a large but well-organized space, white but not sterile.” So the expanse of white cabinets is lightened up by opaque patterned-glass inserts, the counters are graystreaked honed Montclair Darby marble, and the cabinet under the island is a neutral lined oak. One side of the island’s large counter is a half oval that gives people gathering on the bar

stools more room. The handmade range hood of burnished nickel from Thompson Traders is set off by the chevron-patterned tiles in shades of gray on the backsplash. Tucked away off the kitchen are additional working spaces—a pantry/appliance room, and a butler’s pantry/staging area across from the dining room. And, as with any country home, there’s a good-sized mud room full of coat hooks and cubbies.

The Shytles got their other must-haves as well.

Hugh’s and Doreen’s offices are on opposite ends of the second floor—with a guest bedroom suite, two bedrooms and a full bath, and a game room in between. The large screened porch, with its shingled columns, fieldstone fireplace, and largescreen television, functions as an all-season outdoor gathering space. Beyond the pool area (designed by Waterstreet and built by Pool Designs

by Schultz in Lexington) is a two-acre wildflower garden with beehives from which the family harvests its own honey. And yes, Hugh got his barn.

“We had our list of what we wanted, and the team brought it to life,” says Hugh. “People ask what we would have done differently, and it’s really very little.”

“We had our list of what we wanted, and the team brought it to life. People ask what we would have done differently, and it’s really very little.”

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Incorporating contemporary into classic To prepare for decorating her new home, Doreen Shytle “spent hours on Pinterest,” she recalls. “I wanted a feeling of calm, light, airy.” Her research online led her to interior designer Jennifer Stoner.

“Doreen knew she wanted a Hamptons shingle-style house, but [for the interior] we started from scratch,” says Stoner. “I took them down to [the showrooms in] High Point, North Carolina, and she started gravitating toward more contemporary styles.”

Stoner keyed the design to the home’s stunning views: “I tried to bring in the greens and blues from nature, and focused on a warmer palette.” Choices like veined marble, textured glass, and patterned tiles in the kitchen, butler’s pantry, laundry room, and baths added warmth and texture

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(Cogswell Stone supplied all the stone in the home, and the patterned tiles came from Sarisand Tiles). In smaller spaces, like the butler’s pantry, the mudroom, and the powder room, Stoner and Doreen used tans and warm dark blues for the walls and cabinets.

Choosing light fixtures “was one of my favorite parts of the process,” says Stoner. Centered in the great room’s vaulted ceiling is a hanging fixture of interlocking gold-toned circles from Currey & Co. The dining room chandelier is a modern metal take on a classic candelabra, with matching wall scones in the adjoining entry. The stairway features large vertical wall scones and an unusual straight-line hanging fixture from Visual Comfort. Doreen admits she was hesitant at first, but has grown to love how they fit the space.—CD

33

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35

BLUEPRINT

Growing interest

To rent or sell, that is the question By Shea Gibbs

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FILE PHOTO

Y

ou bought your house in 2021 with a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage at 2.5 percent interest. You sure were proud of yourself as you watched interest rates skyrocket over the past two years.

Now, you’d like to move. But with that honey of a mortgage, you start thinking. Maybe you want to rent out your existing home rather than sell it.

Buy-sell decisions are complicated and unique for every homeowner. But at least one local real estate expert says it’s pretty much a no-brainer, even in today’s economy.

“We almost always encourage folks to sell,” says Brentney Kozuch of Story House Realty.

“Most people want to sell so they can tap into their equity.”

Still, Kozuch admits certain circumstances could make an owner consider becoming a landlord—at least in the short term. First, the real estate market has cooled since its red-hot streak a few years ago, due in part to the rapid interest rate hikes. Average 30-year fixed mortgage interest rates in Virginia were around 7.5 percent at the turn of the year, up about 300 percent from those historic lows around 2.5 percent. Those scary mortgages are keeping some prospective buyers on the sidelines. And with most industry analysts projecting that rates will soon begin to decline, some sellers are indeed electing to hold on to their properties.

Still, the macroeconomy offers no guarantees.

“From everything that we are seeing and hearing, interest rates will drop,” Kozuch says. “But that may not be in the spring. It might be something that doesn’t happen until the third quarter.”

Second, life circumstances can dictate outside-the-box real estate strategies. Folks planning a wedding, for example, might be looking to generate cash flow without tapping into their equity. Maybe the professional opportunity to be a landlord is just too interesting to pass up.

Or perhaps the tax benefits of being a landlord suit your 2024 plans.

Third, seasonality drives many housing market considerations. “In winter, buyers have more purchasing power versus in the spring,” Kozuch says. “But, prices have not dropped in our area.

Charlottesville is unique compared to the surrounding counties. Prices have stayed level and even peaked in some places.”

For homeowners trying to decide whether to wait to sell, the strong market might be a reason to unload now. But even in a relatively hot market, historical trends show sellers will be able to get more out of buyers as the weather warms.

The reality, according to Kozuch, is that most homeowners aren’t in a situation where they can rent out an existing property and move into a new home to their liking. Most folks looking to move want an upgrade, and the equity in their home is simply a must-have as they go on the market as a buyer.

Indeed, homeowners who bought in 2021 with a mortgage at 2.5 percent are likely to have some chunky equity. “At the end of the day, they want that equity, and in just two or three years, some people have doubled what they bought their house for,” Kozuch says.

Such an equity surplus can even help new buyers balance out the hit they’ll take on today’s elevated interest rates.

“Once interest rates have settled to 5s and 6s, it’s not going to be as daunting or scary,” Kozuch says. “But if you have that 2.5 and you have the ability to rent the home out, it can be a great investment. It’s hard for the seller to give that up.

We are never going to see 2s or 3s again.”

C-VILLE ABODE

Quality Work Courteous Service Services include: • Cabinet Refinishing • Interior and Exterior Painting • Drywall Repair and Finishing • Epoxy Garages, Floors, Walkways, Porches & Driveways • Front Doors and Side Panels We use high quality paints and stains including Milesi Italian Wood Coating, Benjamin Moore, Farrow & Ball and Sherwin Williams.

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Home Sweet Home

Don’t sweat it

STEPHEN BARLING

While the weather outside is (still) frightful, one Woolen Mills family of four has a solution that’s, well, delightful: a sauna.

Hoping to transform a forgotten 5 x 8.5-foot closet in the basement, John Tessada tapped Matt Thomas of Hinge to help him design and build a custom steam room in the under-utilized space. The two were workout buddies who’d attended the Fire & Ice workshops at The Bridge.

Tessada was inspired.

Thomas says a home sauna is fairly easy to DIY (though you will need to get a permit for the electrical wiring for the heat source), but for this particular project, one tricky task was designing the benches and backrests—made from thermally modified Aspen wood—and figuring out how to hide the LED lights.

“This sauna was a custom build so there was more to figure out and customize to the shape of the room,” Thomas says.

They settled on a semi-steam model—meaning you pour water over the rocks, but it doesn’t produce enough moisture to require a drain—with a HUUM Drop 7kW heater. Thomas says the heater runs on a timer and, he notes, can be controlled via an app, “so John can get the sauna heating up on his way home from work.” Delightful, indeed.—CH

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