A Course in Mountain Hospitality

From the mountains that are always on the horizon and old-fashioned home cooking to the benevolence of those who call it home, there are many things to love about living in the South. If there’s anything you’re guaranteed to find here, it’s scenic charm and good ol’ Southern hospitality. There’s something to be said about a region that encourages its inhabitants to go out of their way to greet people and lend a helping hand when needed. You also cannot ignore the mystique of those gorgeous Southern Appalachian Mountains.

While we spend most of our days experiencing the enchantment of Southern living in Knoxville, Tennessee, this exceptional way of life extends to all the major – and minor – cities around us, one of them being a favorite destination of ours: Asheville, North Carolina. A short two-hour drive from Knoxville, Asheville is nestled in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains and is renowned for its multiple art districts and craft beer scene. We experienced much of the aforementioned warmth and accommodation during our recent trip there both from the locals and from our Airbnb stay.

The Shope Creek Cabins are a series of vacation homes that bring luxury and modern convenience to a 22-acre wooded property in East Asheville. And while our hillside cabin boasted a perfect in-the-middle locale just a short drive to both serene Pisgah National Forest and bustling downtown Asheville, we were even more impressed by the cabin’s design and thoughtful accommodations.

Our experience started with a trip through the mountains of North Carolina that led to a gravel driveway guiding us under a canopy of trees. We drove over a creek before the trees opened up, revealing a beautiful hillside that seemed hundreds of miles from the chaos of the city despite being only minutes away. The exterior of each of the Shope Creek Cabins is stained with black Arborcoat by Benjamin Moore, which gives the cabins both a striking aesthetic and an overall look that’s toned down just enough to let the surrounding greenery appear even more bold. 

Before we even got out of the truck, we were in awe of the cabin’s stunning exterior and were excited to see an array of raised garden beds just on the other side of the driveway. A variety of flowers, berries, tomatoes, cucumbers and more were in full-bloom and thriving upon our arrival. Then, just as we stepped out of our truck, a faint clucking could be heard because, yes, they also have chickens! 

When you step inside the cozy hillside cabin, you’re greeted by an open concept living room, kitchen and dinette. The space as a whole gives off a super-modern feel without being cold, which is unique since many highly contemporary spaces can easily feel sterile with their use of metals, clean lines and minimalism. The walls inside are painted with Sherwin Williams Pearly White, breathing life and color into the light-and-bright space.

Keeping with the contemporary vibe, there are beautifully textured, blue-gray concrete floors that run throughout, warmed up with the use of light wood in the cabinetry and accent chairs. We also noticed a mixture of woods being used. Many people think you have to choose a single wood, use it throughout the home and base your accent selections around it, but this was a great example of how mixing woods that compliment each other is a great way to add depth to a space.

Shortly after dropping our luggage, we found a congenial, handwritten letter addressed specifically to us on the kitchen counter. It welcomed us to the cabin and informed us of a few goodies tucked away inside the refrigerator. Beside the note was a small, covered dish with two decadent chocolate truffles that we noshed on almost immediately. Inside the small refrigerator was a selection of local craft beer, a cold bottle of Pelligrino, fresh cream for our coffee and a half-dozen farm-fresh eggs from our neighboring chickens. If this isn’t the most charmingly Southern way to greet your guests, we don’t know what is!

One of the first things we noticed in this gorgeous kitchen were the slab doors on the cabinetry. In lieu of hardware, the cabinets are beveled along the top edge, making them easy to open and giving them a seamless look. At the far left of the cabinetry, the refrigerator is panel-ready, which keeps the look of appliances to a minimum.

Along the top of the cabinets lies a quartz countertop, which is a great choice for Airbnbs since they require no maintenance. This particular top is white with a hint of texture that gives it more vivacity than a solid-white top. The counter is affixed with an induction cooktop and a sink that utilizes a single faucet with pulldown sprayer. The hot/cold valve is attached to the side of the faucet, providing a single-hole installation that makes it very easy to clean.

Nestled just above is a floating shelf that houses decorative art, a floral arrangement and a variety of plates and glasses. Homeowners who spend a lot of time in the kitchen may want to consider an alternative to the floating shelf, as working kitchens with open shelving require a lot of cleaning with daily use. Floating shelves are excellent for Airbnbs, however, because they prevent people from having to open all the cabinets and dig through drawers to find their wine glasses, breakfast plates, etc. and are cleaned after each stay.

The backsplash utilizes a 12x24-inch tile often used in showers or bathroom floors. Its minimal grout lines, however, make it a smart choice for sleek kitchens. These tiles are then taken all the way to the ceiling in a flat stack arrangement as opposed to the classic brick stack, providing a clean, modern grid. If you have a kitchen ceiling height of eight or nine feet, taking the backsplash all the way up provides a look that’s much more aesthetically pleasing than the standard of 18 inches.

The dinette pairs wooden chairs with a bright-white table made from a unique material, giving the impression that the arrangement has been collected. The table was set with a wire basket that contained a small flower arrangement, some garden clippers and another handwritten note that invited us to help ourselves to any of the fresh herbs and produce from the garden – an invitation we happily accepted for breakfast the next morning!

The owner of this Airbnb has close ties with local high-end furniture store Dwellings and those influences are obvious in the living area. For starters, the cozy couch and its accent pillows are all made of down material, giving them a sense of luxury. The down pillows accent the couch in a way that makes it both functional and tasteful – not fussy with extraneous embellishments that make you not want to use them!

Adjacent to the couch is a wood-burning stove that gives the living area a nice, homey touch in the otherwise modern space. The wood stack nearby reminds the visitor they’re in the mountains and provides a sense of “old home” while the rest of the living room furniture keeps things super fresh. The furniture in the living room is rounded out with a sleek accent chair with a modern ottoman – a great combination for folks who would like a recliner in their space without having the bulky recliner look.

Along the far-side wall is a sliding-glass door with linen curtains. This fabric goes with everything and can add texture to a space without being overly busy. These particular curtains were heavy and used in every room of the house, providing a cohesive high-end feel throughout. The color of the fabric is just a shade or two darker than the walls, giving them a subtle contrast, and the blackout fabric sewn onto the back allows visitors to darken up the space for a movie or a nap in a room that’s otherwise flooded by natural light.

The cabin’s posh accommodations continue in the bathroom. The first thing we noticed was the open-concept shower with the floor tile running through the entirety of the space, providing a seamless look. The shower walls are lined with 2x4-foot porcelain tile – a great choice because of the few groutlines it requires. There’s a sleek Schluter trim along the edges of the tile, which is what is generally used with porcelain. The shower is finished with a wall-mounted rain shower head with extended arm and a sleek glass panel with no curve.

Over at the floating bathroom vanity, the cabinetry color matches that of the kitchen, bringing a cohesiveness that’s great for contemporary or modern homes. The countertop, also like the kitchen, is quartz that they’ve run up the wall about eight inches to accommodate the wall-mounted faucet. Faucets like this are considered a mild upgrade due to the labor-intensive plumbing required and added expense of the faucet, but the benefits include the sleek look and the ease of which it can be cleaned.

The aesthetic cherry on top in this bathroom is the oversized, round mirror with the offset light fixture – definitely the first time we’ve seen this done so well!

As we made our way to the bedroom, we noticed the interior doors were painted Sherwin Williams Iron Ore and affixed with black knobs. Doors often blend in with the space but can be used to achieve a high contrast. Interior doors are not always super cheap, so why not give them a little panache with a contrasting color?

The hospitality and unparalleled accommodation then extend to the cabin’s bedroom. The king-size bed is on a platform, which in a contemporary or modern setting allows you to wrap the comforter under the mattress for a more sleek look as opposed to using a dust ruffle. The owners have used a dark bedding with classic-white sheets and included two down Euro shams as well as a down lumbar pillow and a nice white quilt folded at the bottom. 

The bed utilizes an oversized headboard made of shiplap that runs wall-to-wall, giving the feel of a classic headboard while simultaneously acting as a grand wall feature. The floating nightstands have become very popular with the declutter movement and are great for folks who already have plenty of bedroom storage and want to go with a more modern and sleek look. The decluttering initiative is also achieved with the hard-wired wall sconces above each nightstand, allowing for more room for a glass of water, a book or a cell phone on each table.

The cabinetry color found in both the kitchen and bathroom runs throughout the bedroom with the blonde wood found in the dresser piece as well as the unique closet concept. What makes the closet concept so different? There isn’t one! In lieu of closet space, the bedroom has a round, wooden post affixed to the wall that attaches to two crossed posts, forming a creative and unique solution for hanging clothes. When we stepped into the room, the first things we noticed were two cozy robes hanging on this post and a variety of hangers to use for our own clothing behind them.

Under the robes is a basket of clean, rolled towels. When designing an Airbnb or even a guest bedroom, having towels or any other accommodation your guests may need in plain sight is imperative. That could mean a basket like what we found here, an arrangement on the dresser or even a fashionable tray on the bed. This prevents guests from having to dig through drawers and closets to find what they need since everything is already in plain sight. It’s a simple gesture that makes a big impact.

Our favorite element in this bedroom was the corner feature with two windows and an accent chair. When two windows run into each other, it’s often difficult to decide what to do regarding window treatments. In this instance, they used a curved railing system, allowing one curtain to cover both windows. Roman shades could have been another option but the blackout curtains were the perfect choice. The accent chair in front of the window is also very useful in a bedroom, especially a guest room, as it can act as a place to relax and interact if there are multiple people, can double as a living space, is a great drop spot or can just be a place where someone can put on their shoes.

The living area and bedroom also feature simple, black ceiling fans that are layered with four-inch can lights in lieu of the common fan light kit. While six-inch can lights are common, we feel the four-inch lights look much nicer and can often put out the same amount of light.

During our short stay in the Paris of the South, we hit a variety of shops in both downtown and the Historic Biltmore Village Cottage District including Dwellings furniture store and the famous Antique Tobacco Barn. We enjoyed gastronomic delights from Raclette with Prosciutto over Fig Crostinis at The Melting Pot Social and Grand Marnier French Toast with Bourbon Sorghum at The Corner Kitchen, to simple cheeseburgers at Hillman Beer and Carnitas Eggs Benedict at The Cantina.

So many thriving businesses operate in this bustling town that’s growing by the second. What makes Asheville so special, however, is despite its exponential growth and position as a top tourist destination, visitors are still greeted with readily available smiles, waves and salutations that you’ll only find in the American South. The Shope Creek Cabins with their combination of modern amenities and uniquely Southern charm are a perfect fit for this fun, extraordinary little town in the Blue Ridge Mountains and anyone looking for a quiet getaway within them.

No Tub, No Problem

We thought it was time to switch it up and introduce you to a bathroom remodel project. Find all the details behind this design based on my interview with Lead Designer, Katie.

First, what did this project entail?

This homeowner had a primary bathroom in need of major updates to bring it into the 21st century. With its carpeted floor, crimson red accent wall, huge jacuzzi tub being used only to store plants, and a shower stall measuring 3’ x 3’, it was time for change! Katie took advantage of the space by removing the (literal) garden tub, extending the shower, and creating a bench seat below the window for shoe storage. She also incorporated a custom vanity with lots of upgraded features, including open shelving for a nice towel display as well as some other favorites included below. She upgraded all of the doors to a 5-panel shaker style topped off with some beautiful wood finish work and updated all of the material colors, ushering in a lighter palette with a calming oasis effect, grounded with the black fixtures and darker veining in the tile floor and countertops.

Now, for some favorite features:

This time Katie didn’t even have to be asked for her favorites. She jumped right in with the following!

• Clever Storage: Most of the time a sink has a faux door underneath it with 2 cabinet doors below. Instead, Katie swapped out the standard for an inverted sink base, not only allowing products to be closer within reach but also gaining an additional storage drawer below. She created 2 counter-to-ceiling storage cabinets to house even more products as well as outlets inside those cabinets for electric toothbrushes and razors. Additionally, the trash can pivots out of the cabinet when the door is opened while the lid stays in place!
  

• Easy to Clean Design: Another favorite feature are the wall mounted faucets on the slab splash with the additional shelf sitting atop it. This makes the vanity so easy to clean!! Speaking of easy to clean, we left the bases out of the floor-to-counter cabinets so that when they are open, they can easily be wiped out!

• Patterns and Layers: We mixed brushed nickel hardware with black lighting and plumbing fixtures (provided by Ferguson) to create a custom layered effect. Another feature I love about this space is the Versaille pattern of the stone floor, which consists of mixing 4 to 6 different size tiles. That same pattern was carried into the shower floor, creating a beautiful seamless look. We selected a soft grout color so that it kind of fades into the background and lets the pattern and color variation of the stone speak for itself.

From That…

…To THIS!

Lessons to share from this project:

One tip for pulling off such a busy stone is to pair it with a mainly monochromatic look. If you want to add another contrasting element use visual breaks in pattern. In this case the neutral color of the cabinetry allowed for a mix of patterned materials like the countertop and tile floor, both with darker veining.

From Pillows to Parties

Read along for our latest installment of “Catching up with Katie!” This might be my personal favorite project reviewed to date.

As always, let’s start with a little background on this project:

This homeowner is a big entertainer and has guests over on the regular. He wanted space for friends to gather around comfortably, so the remodel took 3 previously small, compartmentalized rooms and turned them into an open concept kitchen, dining area, and front sitting room. All the dividing walls were knocked out, but the kitchen perimeter layout was maintained to save on cost. Those cabinets were given a fresh coat of paint, and an updated island was added. Coming in at a whopping 11', it was the largest Katie has designed to date. The range was relocated to the middle of the kitchen island with a freestanding hood.

In addition to the layout and design, Katie provided assistance with cabinetry hardware, lighting, backsplash, and countertop selections. This remodel took approximately 6 months to complete.

Now, for some highlights:

When asked about her favorite feature of this kitchen, Katie had a few to share!

• Backsplash: this favorite feature was a larger format tile with a blue metallic geometric shape unlike any Katie had seen before. She stumbled upon it at The Tile Shop and used it as the inspiration around which the entire space was designed. To complement that backsplash, she used Cambria’s Portrush, which has specs of blue and gold in its highly defined veining.

• Island: the island is loaded with storage and a mixture of organizational inserts such as spice tiers, utensil dividers, tray dividers, and drawer stacks. Additionally, the cabinets were painted with the bold Benjamin Moore’s “Hale Navy” to complement the backsplash and countertops. Finally, the hardware was all updated to a sleek brass to highlight the gold flecks found in the quartz.
  

• Functional Art: to enhance football get togethers, a large flat screen TV was installed. However, what makes this television special, is that it serves multiple purposes. When not in use, it displays live interchangeable art scenes. Katie and the homeowner selected an unframed version to align with the contemporary aesthetic of the design.

Any surprises?

Katie was amazed and how much bigger and functional the space feels. There was originally a room to the right that was so pointless that it literally served as the “pillow storage room.” Now, the pillows are gone, and there can be multiple cooks in the kitchen!

Lessons to share from this project:

When installing a large island, you always need to make sure that the countertop material is available in that size. There are certain quartz options that will come up to 120” and only a select amount that are offered in jumbo slabs which exceed that limit. If your island exceeds the available slab size, you are subject to having a seam in your countertop. Sometimes seams are necessary (like in L-shaped and long run countertops). If this happens in your project, work with your designer to make sure the seam is placed in an inconspicuous place.

A Little Bit of Magic

Today I’m bringing you details from my latest chat with Katie about one of her recently completed projects.

First, let’s get a little background on this project:

This new construction was built on a piece of property found after a lengthy search in Strawberry Plains, TN. The property originally consisted of a house built in 1812. Though that house was removed, the couple repurposed as much lumber from it as they could salvage to create their literal farmhouse. As you drive up their gravel driveway, you are surrounded by gardens, the barn, and barn kitties! The couple likes to travel, but when they return home they don’t want to leave!  With that in mind, each selection was made with thoughtful intention and often custom work to create a uniquely special place to call theirs. In addition, they have lumber and antiques from places they have been around the globe thoughtfully placed throughout the home.

This project consisted of a kitchen, primary bath, pantry, laundry, and overall fixture selections.

Now, for some highlights:

When asked about her favorite feature of this home, Katie of course couldn’t choose one, so here are a few of them she described by room.

• Kitchen: the Walnut “Magic Corner” which you can in action here. This creative, space maximizing solution is both beautiful and functional. In addition to this corner, we used cabinets with walnut shelves between them and tried to break up each section of upper cabinets with other storage and display features to avoid a solid wall of doors. This, in combination with the arched mullions, seedy glass doors, and the China cabinet like addition, provided dimension and a custom feel. Katie suggests a seeded glass to allow you to see what’s in your cabinets with less cleaning maintenance compared to a clear glass.

• Laundry: every feature - one of my favorite laundry rooms to date. We wanted to play with color, so we went for soft blue on the cabinets. This works well with the mini-farmhouse sink which was a custom upgrade from a more traditional utility sink. While this room is beautiful and may even encourage you to want to do laundry, it is chock full of functional features. The counters are a quartz which is waterproof and non-porous, perfect to catch the drips from the hanging rod installed between the upper cabinets. Another favorite feature is the pull out ironing board, which just makes so much sense. We built a really handy linen closet out of the cabinetry material for a beautiful space to store away cleaning supplies. Finally, the light and bright feel lends itself well to the room’s alternative function as a craft room with its built in desk.
  

• Pantry: wood crate potato and onion drawers. This pantry is a favorite to date with this unique and perfectly farmhouse aligned feature. Katie sketched what the homeowner was thinking and sent that to the cabinet builders. They had that stained in same walnut as the kitchen drawers, range hood, and voila!

Final takeaways:

Katie put a lot of hours into working with vendors on custom pieces for this project. As a client, she recommends discussing your priorities of time to completion versus unique custom work. In this case, the intricate details and one of a kind design were well worth it to the homeowners and led to a project that Katie is proud to have been a part of!

All that Glitters is Bold

Hi, my name is Anna Wiggins. I am Katie Simpson’s Executive Assistant. Today, I had the chance to sit down with her and learn about one of her latest design projects.

First, let’s get a little background on this project:

This new construction situated on the lake in Vonore, TN is what Katie refers to as her “masterpiece.” She worked hand in hand with her clients from the very start to the final selection made. She loved that these clients valued her opinions and expertise, allowing her to guide them through everything from layout, design, cabinetry, and material selections all the way down to the baseboard styles. While this was the couple’s second new build project, this time they were building their forever home after their last of 3 children had moved out. They wanted to create a space that would align with their personal aesthetics and allow for entertaining while also encouraging their grown children and future grandchildren back to visit. Selections were thoughtfully chosen with clean lines and durability for the future.

This project took 13 months from start to finish and includes a large open concept kitchen/dining/living area, 2 primary suites, a guest bedroom, and a fully finished basement complete with a kitchenette and outdoor kitchen.

Now, for some highlights:

When asked about her favorite feature of this home, Katie said

“I know this sounds cliche, but wow, it is so hard to pick just one because we chose some beautiful statement pieces for each area.”

Katie is adamant about each client picking a splurge item (or several) that is going to make their heart flutter. She always works with her clients to offset these costs with other home selections that are “save” items, and helps to pull off higher ticketed items. Some favorite splurge features she described in this home (by room) were:

• Kitchen: the custom copper hood. Katie worked with a local ironsmith from start to finish. She drew up the shape, selected the exact copper patina and texture that was used (astonished at just how many options exist), and worked with the ironsmith to hone in on the perfect banding, rivets, etc. to create this masterpiece. This custom hood was the starting point for the kitchen with the rest of the elements designed around it. The charcoal stained quarter sawn oak cabinets were selected to add boldness without a stark contrast. We also used some beautiful, heavily veined island countertops with a copper undermount sink to match the hood. We chose Cambria Skara Brae and worked with Smokey Mountain Tops to fabricate the countertops.
  

• Primary Suite 1: the black bathtub Katie had been dreaming of installing in a home for years. As with the kitchen, Katie likes to start with a statement piece and build around that, so the other bathroom elements were designed around this feature. She went with a really fun black and white geometric patterned tile for the floor and complemented that with softer selections for the rest of the area. She introduced color in the vanity by using Sherwin Williams Sea Salt and topped that with a black soapstone looking quartz.
  

• Guest Bath: an antique dresser with attached mirror. Converting this piece to a vanity was a labor of love, for sure. It was purchased from an antique store in Clinton and professionally painted and topped with a soapstone looking quartz. The sink was carved out of the same top for a seamless look. Katie loves how unique this feature is, but suggests that if anyone goes this route to put the cabinet in an area that is not used as often (as a primary bath/kitchen cabinet), because you won’t have soft close features and the antique may not be as durable/resistant to wear and tear. In this instance, the guest bath was perfect for this. Katie and the homeowners were all thrilled with the color combination of the green paint, soapstone top, and brass finishes.

• Basement Kitchenette: a pass through window that opens out into the outdoor kitchen area. Katie had the pleasure of attending a post-construction cookout and enjoyed standing in the kitchen while having a conversation with someone who was sitting outside. She loved being able to pass some snacks through the window to share with the outdoor guests!

Hindsight is 20/20:

When asked if there was anything Katie or the homeowner would have changed on this project, she said they would have splurged on gas exterior features. They wanted to go with copper exterior light fixtures that had gas run to them for a real flame. They instead selected a less expensive option with bulbs intended to mimic the look of a gas flame. They simply did not perform. Some splurges are worth it. This is an area where Katie can take what she has learned over years of design work and guide her clients on items worth splurging and saving.

Final takeaways:

Katie points out that you CAN marry different styles. You can start with a primary theme and explore other styles mixed in, as long as you’re doing it well. For instance, you likely wouldn’t want to pair a highly traditional space with Japandi, but combining rustic, industrial, and modern high end elements in this home worked cohesively. They didn’t fully commit to the industrial or modern farmhouse styles but incorporated elements from each, which is why she has termed this particular project Luxury Industrial Modern Farmhouse. Finally, a heads up that if this home ever hits the market (though doubtful), Katie will be first in line to make an offer on this dream home of hers!