The Piedmont Residence nestles into the southern edge of the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. With views of one of the mountain lakes and the forest beyond, the homeowners wanted a place that would enhance the experience of the locale. Carlton Architecture approached the brief by creating a design that broke the home into three distinct volumes, allowing for vast expanses of glass on all three and numerous outdoor zones all contained within a minamalist silhouette. This created the both the harmony and the connectivity of an indoor – outdoor experience their clients hoped for.
The home sits on a slope, allowing the architects to incorporate an enclosed garage entrance on one side as well as direct access to the site from the level above on the other.
The entry is located on the high side of the slope and features a distinct roofline that both covers and defines the doorway. When the door is closed it disappears into the same wood façade as the rest of the entry zone. Not to worry, while the door itself might disappear, the pale wood and strong roofline define the entrance to all who arrive.
Once inside the home, a hallway directs you to each of the three distinct zones comprised of the great room, the guest suite and the master suite. The walls that are not covered with large expanses of windows are featured as a gallery space for the homeowners collection of art.
The living area of the residence is outfitted with classic and comfortable furnishings that are perfect for enjoying a casual afternoon indoors. With walls and floors clad in wood and seating in a soft grey, the space is still filled with colour via the pops of yellows and oranges on the cushions as well as art collectoni on the walls.
The wood of the walls continues on to the kitchen cabinetry. Downlights just in front of the upper cabinets create a dramatic pattern of light and shade while the spots on the steel post and beams sparkle like starlight. The dining table features a stunning solid wood top that is comprised of only two huge planks.
Tucked in beside the kitchen is a stairwell that leads down to the garage in the basement. Outfitted with a balustrade of tempered glass, the views are kept intact for the kitchen with only the diagonal slice of the handrail giving the hidden stairwell away.
Just outside the kitchen and dining area is an outdoor eating area located just below a large overhang on the roof. From the overhang a fan keeps the air moving and pot lights keep the space lit well into the evening. On the far side of the home the master suite extends into the deck for a close up view of the pool.
The pool flanks the master bedroom on one side while an exercise room and lap pool is located on the other side.
The pool and deck are just a few steps away from the grassy backyard.
The master bedroom is completely visible from the deck, but so, too, is the deck to the master bedroom. Here too, the room is wrapped in wood both in the furnishings and the finishings with just the ceiling and bed linens offering other materials and colour.
The bedroom in the guest suite contains a floating table top for an office with a view and a small grouping of chairs and table for guests to enjoy a relaxing vista of the mountain lake and forests beyond. What a perfect place to visit – what a perfect place to live.
Carlton Architecture
