LOOKING OUT FROM THE HUGE SCREENED PORCH OFF THE MAIN living area of this home near Cashiers, North Carolina, there is a moment of appreciation for the Appalachian beauty that Mother Nature offers. Perched on a Blue Ridge Mountain hillside, this Florida couple’s vacation retreat was built to enjoy the beautiful summers in this part of the country—a respite from the hot and humid Florida coastline where their main residence is located. Tucked onto a mountainside, the back porch hovers high above the crystal waters of Lake Glenville below, with a foreground of pines and a backdrop of high green hills behind the lakeshore. Smartly outfitted with contemporary furnishings by designer Jessica Bradley of Atlanta-based Jessica Bradley Interiors, it is just one part of the sprawling home that captures the beauty of one of the southernmost portions of the Appalachian Mountain range.
“Second homes are fun to design,” says Bradley. “Most owners are more relaxed and open to doing something different than they would in their primary homes.” The homeowners indeed wanted something different than what they had in Florida; they asked Bradley not to use brass finishes or other fussy details but instead instill a sense of livability and comfort into the home that even their grandchildren could enjoy. “They wanted a classic aesthetic with some transitional elements,” she continues. “Soft blues and greens and contemporary furniture sourced specifically for this home feel fresh, timeless and clean.”
The color palette matches the surroundings. Lake Glenville is the highest lake east of the Mississippi River, sitting 3,500 feet above sea level and tucked into the hazy Blue Ridge Mountains. The blue tones throughout the home reference not only the water but the color the mountains are known to take on when viewed from a distance. The green, of course, references the forested hills but also is a nod to the homeowners’ love of golfing.
Although Bradley is based in the Buckhead area of Atlanta, she often works up and down the East Coast, designing both primary and vacation homes for her clients. “I love working in the Cashiers area,” she says. “I have designed several homes there. This project was a wonderful fit for my firm because the homeowners wanted what we specialize in—classic, timeless design with a twist of transitional.”
Bradley and her team of designers are driven to transform spaces into more than just visually stunning environments. What sets the firm’s work apart is the profound connection clients feel with the final results—a testament to the deeply personal resonance achieved in every project. Bradley understands that a home is an oasis, a sanctuary and a place of refuge from today’s fast-paced and ever-changing world. This mindful idea is the basis for every project, including this mountain escape, where polished elegance meets everyday functionality.
This particular project required an extra level of detail; Bradley had to plan and execute the design while working with remotely located homeowners. She relied on her well-established relationships with Atlanta workrooms for custom draperies, carpeting and tile but also leaned on new connections with local North Carolina craftsmen, such as cabinetmaker Keystone Kitchen & Bath, to add the traditional-with-a-twist flavor the owners wanted. During a couple of personal visits, she took the homeowners on a field trip to shop at the Atlanta Decorative Arts Center (ADAC) to sit-test chairs and choose just the right furnishings, accessories and artwork.
Working with Charlotte, North Carolina-based architect Eric Binder of Arcade Architecture & Interiors and local Lehotsky & Sons Builders, Bradley and the full team created a home where the architectural and interior design matched its mountain location. Bradley worked closely with the architect to design architectural elements and specify a materials palette that speaks of the Southern Highlands. For both the interiors and the exterior, the architect and designer specified a native materials palette indicative of the home’s Appalachian location. On the outside, cedar shingles and roof shakes, timber brackets, wood detailing and native stone speak a mountain language. “The homeowners appreciate authentic materials, so we stayed away from using any composite products,” Binder explains. He brought in a touch of contemporary style by using a cable rail system on the multiple decks and porches, which also opens up sight lines so water and mountain views are unimpeded. The addition of a porte cochere with triple stone arches adds another touch of contemporary flair to the exterior presence.
Inside the home, the nature-inspired color palette of blues and greens is accented by walls and trim painted in soft hues of beige and cozy, comforting paint colors with names such as “Swiss Coffee” and “Foggy Day.” Walnut-stained cabinetry and ceilings, organic stone fireplaces in the great room and on the screened porch, and other texture-heavy choices echo the landscape and the area’s native materials. Keeping trim to a minimum and adding touches of steel, such as stairway handrails, achieved the homeowner-approved streamlined look. Bradley combined old-world elements, such as dark iron, with contemporary lines in many of the lighting fixtures, such as the great room’s Ironware Acadia lantern, with forged iron bands encircling hammered wrought iron with a hand-applied antique bronze finish. The mixture of the darker tones of native materials with soft, creamy colors and floor-to-ceiling windows to let in plentiful natural light creates the comfortable interiors the homeowners requested.
To keep nature at the forefront, water and mountain views continue from the outdoor living space into the open interiors, where the family room, dining area and kitchen converge. The rooms are connected to the expansive screened porch via accordion-style glass doors for a seamless in-out flow and view. The family can sit in the outside room, warmed by a stone fireplace and in-ceiling heaters, or retreat inside to the main living spaces while still enjoying the stunning landscape.
In the kitchen, dual islands and dual sinks work best for the family’s lifestyle. While Bradley initially began the design process with only one island, she quickly discovered that two adjacent ones, separated by functionality, work best in the space and for the family’s needs. One island provides storage and counter seating, often acting as an impromptu breakfast table. The other island contains a cooktop and faces the lake, so the cook has a pleasing view while working. Dual white glass and bronze pendants over both islands lend a modern counterpoint to the kitchen’s traditional cabinetry.
The team infused the lower-level recreation room with a sense of fun and refinement, anchoring the space with a custom bar designed by Bradley and a state-of-the-art golf simulator. A blue and green palette carries through the level—an homage to nature while also being inspired by the lush vibrancy of a golf course. For a bespoke touch, Bradley wrapped the built-in bar cabinetry in supple blue leather, pairing it with a textured green tile backsplash and a polished granite countertop for a layered, cohesive effect.
Since the homeowners expressed a desire to avoid bright gold or brass detailing at the outset of the project, Bradley commissioned playful iron bistro shelving with walnut-stained wood shelves, deliberately sidestepping the expected brass-and-glass formula. A complementary blue tambour wall, echoing the bar’s cabinetry hue, creates a spirited backdrop for the adjacent gaming area; the tambour motif reappears on a nearby walnut island and reinforces the room’s tailored continuity.
An air of comfort pervades the primary suite, where informal shiplap walls and ceiling and café curtains in the bathroom mix with upscale details like marble tile floors and a marble shower. Upstairs, two king guest suites ensure plenty of comfortable room for visitors.
The architect wisely positioned the bunk room for grandchildren’s visits over the porte cochere, so they can stay up all hours jumping on the beds and playing without disturbing the family members sleeping below them. The lower bunks are queen-size beds and can be used for adult overflow space when needed. A carriage house over the garage contains another guest suite, including a kitchenette for the ultimate in houseguest accommodations.
The home’s design was meticulously considered, including an exterior that the team thoughtfully composed to respond to the steeply sloped site. The architect and builder undertook extensive site work to nestle the structure into the hillside, allowing the homeowners to enjoy both the front and rear of the property with ease. By situating the residence high above the lake and closer to the crest of the hill, the grade softens below the home and maximizes usable terrain for generous outdoor living spaces. The back of the home has paved, rock-lined pathways and turnaround space for all-terrain and utility-task vehicles to meander down to the lakeside for boating recreation.
“The residence sits high up so you feel like you’re in the trees,” says Bradley. “The home turned out just as the owners wanted; it’s not a fussy showhouse but a livable and comfortable home that takes advantage of stunning views.” *
Dana W. Todd is a professional writer specializing in interior design, real estate, luxury homebuilding, landscape design, architecture and art.
Inside the home, the nature-inspired color palette of blues and greens is accented by walls and trim painted in soft hues of beige and cozy, comforting paint colors with names such as “Swiss Coffee” and “Foggy Day.”
