Picture Perfect

Refined Rusticity

DESIGN-BUILD Jim Robinson, Design South Builders; John Warren, Natural Landscapes

Located at Chimney Top of High Hampton, the 2023 Cashiers Designer Showhouse has “a timeless design that is a balance between mountain rustic and subtle elegance,” says architectural designer and builder Jim Robinson, who based the home’s elevated mountain vernacular on natural materials that complement the landscape. The striking exterior has siding consisting of natural stone, poplar bark, and cedar siding shingles, plus a cedar shake roof that will acquire patina over time. The home’s interiors, on the other hand, have a more refined palette that features Venetian plaster ceilings, Calista marble countertops, and white oak floors stained a muted brown. Because the lot has an impressive vantage point of Rock Mountain, Robinson oriented the house so that the main living spaces and the covered porch can take full advantage of the views. The home’s landscaping, which emphasizes hardy native plants, was designed by John Warren to, in Robinson’s words, “look like it’s been there forever.”

FRONT DOOR Roatan Genuine Mahogany PAVERS Hartstone WINDOWS Marvin

Warm Welcome

FRONT PORCH Abbi Williams, Red Door Design Studio

Because the house’s richly textured exterior already makes a statement, Abbi Williams took a pared-down approach to the front porch’s furnishings, framing the space around the front door with a few well-chosen pieces. “I didn’t want to complicate the space with mindless pattern or accessories. Less is truly more if you get the correct pieces in place.” Black outdoor chairs are partnered with crisp white cushions, a contemporary flourish that contrasts with the home’s mountain-oriented architecture.  Another contrasting element that imbues the space with warmth are the large antique baskets that overflow with lavender, the one note of color in the otherwise neutral-hued entry. “The entire design was driven by wanting to create a moment to welcome guests into the home,” says Williams. “That sense of arrival, of coming onto the entry porch and seeing familiar faces answer the door.”

CHAIRS AuthenTEAK ANTIQUE BASKETS Robuck HANGING COPPER LANTERN St. James Lighting

Atmospheric Beauty

Foyer & Powder Room Melanie Couch and Nancy Dyleski, Spruce Interiors

For the foyer and powder room, Melanie Couch and Nancy Dyleski rooted their design in nature, doing so in a surprising way—by choosing a cloud-print wallpaper that appears in both spaces. “As full-time designers in Highlands and Cashiers, we are always mesmerized by the way the clouds and fog shift and move in the mountain valleys,” says Couch. “Incorporating nature into design is not a new concept, but one usually thinks of flora and fauna.” Another atmospheric note is the foyer’s wall and trim color, Providence Blue by Benjamin Moore. “We wanted you to feel like you were actually being hugged in fog.” A floating skirted table, which stands in the center of the foyer, wears a masculine wood plaid, a nod to traditional mountain decor. Modern accents balance the mix, including the designers’ favorite piece, an abstract mirror in the powder room that echoes the surrounding cloud print.

Foyer PAINT COLOR Benjamin Moore Providence Blue SKIRTED TABLE FABRIC Mulberry PENDANT LIGHT Visual Comfort & Co. Powder Room COUNTERTOP Vadara, fabricated by A Touch of Stone, Inc. WALLPAPER Cole & Son LIGHTING Visual Comfort & Co. MIRROR Palecek ARTWORK Through Gregg Irby Gallery

Neutral Hues

Great Room Stacie Platt, Rusticks

Referring to the great room’s design as “mountain casual for everyday living,” Stacie Platt created a space that encourages family and friends to spend time together. “I tried to incorporate elements that allow for a comfortable living space with practical elements and a bit of whimsy.” To make the tall, vaulted space feel cozy, Platt used texture-rich upholstery fabrics, like the chenille that covers the sofa and chairs that have a prime position by the stone fireplace. “The chenille fabric enhances the desire to curl up in front of the fire, pull up a blanket, and spend the day enjoying the relaxing pace of the mountains.” She also worked within a warm color palette to make the space feel even more welcoming. In addition to the room’s primary seating, Platt introduced a slew of eye-catching pieces, including small accent chairs, ottoman poufs, and a stacked console table that is situated behind the sofa.

FLOORING The European Company SOFA, SWIVEL CHAIRS, ACCENT CHAIRS Lee Industries ACCENT CHAIR FABRICS Schumacher RUG Loloi CONSOLE TABLE Made Goods PAINTING OVER FIREPLACE Laura Moser CENTERPIECE Fiddlehead Designs

Elevated Entertaining

Covered Porch, Lynn Monday, Lynn Monday Home

A space for relaxing and dining in fresh air, the covered porch was conceived for “a couple that likes to entertain,” says Lynn Monday, who based her design around a set of four architectural chairs with strong, angular lines. Together with the boldly striped rug and a dark, round cocktail table, the chairs provide ballast for the room’s other notable feature, a vaulted ceiling. The overall color palette is neutral, in part to allow the space to blend into its surroundings, which include the living room on one side and wooded scenery on the other. At the edge of the space, the designer assembled furniture made for casual entertaining, including a sleek dining table, woven, barrel-back chairs, and a buffet console partnered with a sculpture of a deer. The room’s most unexpected detail—and a highlight of the space, according to Monday—is a stacked cork chandelier that hangs overhead.

CHAIRS Brian Boggs Chairmakers RUG, TABLE RUNNER Dash & Albert DINING TABLE Bok by Ethnicraft DINING CHAIRS Mainly Baskets CONSOLE Hooker Furniture CORK CHANDELIER Toby West Home CHAIR PILLOWS Marie Burgos Design

Fireside Chat

Lower Firepit, Lauren Robbins, Lauren Robbins Interiors

A cozy outdoor space that is tucked away in the woods, the lower firepit is surrounded by stone, culminating in a freestanding fireplace. Assembling a color palette that reflects the landscape, Lauren Robbins partnered green hues with rich shades of red, purple, and pink, explaining, “We needed to use rich, bold colors to offset the neutral tones of the stone.” Swivel armchairs are covered in a vibrantly patterned outdoor fabric, a necessity in an uncovered space. For added zest, she introduced two different fabrics for throw pillows, including a green check and a floral print. Another surprising element not often seen outdoors is the painting that hangs on the fireplace chimney. One of the designer’s most welcome gestures—in addition to the armchairs, of course—is a bar. “With the firepit being away from the home, we ensured drinks and entertainment could be easily on hand when enjoying the outdoors.”

PAVERS Hartstone CHAIRS Lane Venture CHAIR AND PILLOW FABRIC Pierre Frey PINK PILLOWS K Hanes RUG Underfoot Design GREEN CONSOLE Mainly Baskets ARTWORK Greg Howard

Nature’s Bounty

Dining Room & Wet Bar Lisa Wester, Lisa Wester Interiors

Open to the kitchen and great room, the dining room manages to stand out with dynamic furnishings that distinguish the space, from the leather chandelier that Lisa Wester had made in South Africa down to the vibrant green stemware on the dining table. Taking her cue from the outdoor landscape, Wester focused on natural materials and colors that work well with the space’s interior architecture, including the wood ceiling beams and the chestnut wood wall of the adjacent wet bar. “We painted the canvas with the rich hues of the mountains, paying special attention to things found in nature.” Genuine deer hides appear on the backs of custom dining chairs, while the host and hostess chairs wear amber-colored velvet on the front and a hand-painted patterned linen on the back. Similar tones can be seen in the antique rug that delineates the dining area and the bar’s Tibetan tiger rug.

Dining Room RUG Paige Albright Orientals LINEN FABRIC MS Design Maven VELVET FABRIC Fabricut UPHOLSTERY Brooke & Wilson Curated Collection DINING TABLE Atelier Maison & Co. STEMWARE Jan Barboglio Wet Bar CABINETRY Omega Cabinetry HARDWARE Baldwin TIGER RUG Mimi Lipton ARTWORK Through dk Gallery

Light & Bright

Kitchen Hallie Lycans, Design South Builders

Starting with its coffered ceiling, which was added to create a feeling of intimacy within the open space, the home’s kitchen is full of interesting finishes and thoughtful details. “I wanted to incorporate warm neutrals for the hard finishes to create a fresh, yet timeless look,” says Hallie Lycans, who partnered quartzite countertops with lightly colored border cabinetry. Both the ceiling and range hood are Venetian plaster, but by using a different neutral color finish for each, Lycans was able to emphasize each application. Dark metal finishes—seen on hardware, barstools, and a trio of pendant lights that hang above the island—accent the space, as do shades of blue, green, and orange, seen primarily in accessories and the barstool upholstery. And by forgoing shades on the large window behind the sink, the designer not only maximized the space’s natural light, but the glorious outdoor views as well.

APPLIANCES Sub-Zero and Wolf through Ferguson CABINETRY Omega Cabinetry HARDWARE Baldwin COUNTERTOPS UMI, fabricated by A Touch of Stone, Inc. FLOORING The European Company FAUCETRY Kohler SINK Signature Hardware LIGHTING Hudson Valley Lighting Group BARSTOOL FABRIC Zak + Fox ARTWORK Through The Bascom ACCESSORIES Fiddlehead Designs 

Colorful Statement

Laundry Room & Mudroom Heather McKeown, Land and Sky Designs

A surprisingly glamorous space, the laundry room is notable for sophisticated details and lavender-blush walls, a color that Heather McKeown borrowed from the hydrangeas and joe-pye that blanket the area in late summer and early fall. “I wanted the laundry room to envelop guests in a blissful rosey cocoon and transport them via a color blast to a soothing oasis where you could light a candle, have a glass of champagne, and hang your clothes right along with your flowers.” A dynamic painting of a woman jumping adds further excitement to the space. McKeown treated the mudroom as an extension of the home’s wooded setting, beginning with a grasscloth wallpaper patterned in shimmery leaves. A jade green ceiling and trim and a golden-toned bench also speak to the outdoor landscape. Unique accents include a sheepskin rug and a 1920s urn with footed legs, which is used as a vessel for ferns.

Laundry Room COUNTERTOP Vadara, fabricated by A Touch of Stone, Inc. PAINT Farrow & Ball Cinder Rose RUNNER Loloi SCONCES Southern Lights Electric ARTWORK Toshkova Fine Art Advisory Mudroom TRIM AND CEILING PAINT Sherwin-Williams Jade Dragon BENCH PAINT Farrow & Ball Sudbury Yellow WALLPAPER, FABRIC Romo WALL MIRROR Jamie Young Co. HOOKS BACKPLATES Modern Matter SHEEPSKIN RUG Sabine Maes Art

Star Turn

Primary Bedroom Nellie Jane Ossi, Mrs. Howard

Branching out from the shades of blue she often works with, Nellie Jane Ossi designed a bedroom whose entire look was created with the outdoors in mind, starting with its deep green, textured wallpaper.  “It felt like a natural place to start because of the lush mountainous landscape.” Choosing red as a color accent (“I love the way green and red work together without feeling holiday”), Ossi upholstered the room’s skirted love seat in a botanical-print fabric in sand and rich red tones. Antique and rustic wood furniture also feel appropriate for the setting, including an antique stump table and wicker mirror. Designed to be a warm space, the room is layered with softness, from the luxurious bed linens down to the kilim rug. One of the room’s highlights is the designer’s inspired choice of ceiling paper: a starry print that gives those slumbering beneath it the sensation of sleeping under the stars.

BED, NIGHTSTANDS, ANTIQUES, LAMPSHADES, ACCESSORIES Mrs. Howard LOVE SEAT Sherrill Furniture FABRICS, WALLCOVERINGS Cowtan & Tout DRAPERY FABRICATION The Drapery Room BED LINEN Pom Pom at Home ARTWORK OVER BED Formations through Jerry Pair DOG BED Rose Tarlow through Jerry Pair CEILING FIXTURE Fermoie through Edgar-Reeves BEDSIDE LAMPS Charlie West through Dearing Antiques RUG Rug & Kilim

Subtle & Soothing

Primary Bathroom & Closet Holly Watson, Old Edwards Inn and Acorns Boutique

Quietly elegant, the primary bathroom and closet were designed by Holly Watson to be a respite from the outside world. “I wanted it to be restful, luxurious, and comfortable.” Influenced by the bathroom cabinetry’s existing blue-green finish, the designer established a color palette of blue and natural tones, an enticing combination seen in the sky blue, ivory, and taupe striped drapery that frames windows in both the tub room and closet. Other fabrics include a flora-and-fauna print by Thibaut. Used for window shades and a feminine skirted chair in the tub room, the print is a reference to the home’s wooded landscape and carries into the primary closet, where an upholstered bench partnered with a set of petite tables provides a spot to relax and enjoy a cocktail or cup of tea. Says Watson, “The room was designed for anyone who sometimes needs a break.”

Bathroom COUNTERTOP Vadara, fabricated by A Touch of Stone, Inc. FABRICS Thibaut LIGHTING Visual Comfort & Co. ARTWORK, RUGS, FLORALS, ACCESSORIES Acorns Boutique Closet UPHOLSTERED BENCH Wesley Hall DRINKS TABLES Jan Barboglio ACCESSORIES Acorns Boutique

Wellness Retreat

Yoga Room Douglas Hilton, DWH Interiors

Although the yoga room might be equipped with a few expected details such as mats and blocks, overall, it is a uniquely sophisticated space where one can also practice meditation or sound therapy. The room’s mood is soothing, the result of ample natural light and a soft, earthy color palette. “I’m used to vibrant jewel tones, but we wanted this space to be serene and distinctly feminine with a soft earth grounding color,” says Douglas Hilton, who maintained the room’s lightness by hanging Lucite brackets on the wall, an assemblage which holds assorted crystals. Anglo-Indian furniture adds personality to the space, as does the room’s artwork, including a gilded bronze sculpture and paintings. The room is not without fun, however, with both ceiling paper and drapery fabric chosen for their luster. “The sparkle in the drapery and ceiling paper adds playfulness.”

FABRICS, WALLPAPER Cowtan & Tout SCULPTURE Jennifer Balcos Gallery PAINTINGS Through Tew Galleries and Pryor Fine Art CRYSTALS, BOWLS, GONG Silver Eagle Gallery

Book Nook

Loft, Hallway, & Upper Laundry Room Janice Dietz, The Consulting House

Located along a passageway, an upstairs loft-like space was transformed by Janice Dietz into a quiet retreat suitable for relaxing, reading, working, or gathering. “I considered the other rooms in the house to determine how to give this space function.” Grounding the space with an antique rug, the designer amplified its warm tones with metal details, such as swing-arm wall lights, and wood finishes, including shutters and custom shelving made of brass and reclaimed wood. A contemporary-style upholstered chaise is joined by a nearby library-table desk, another piece that was designed by Dietz. The hallway also has a warm feel, owing to a gallery-style assemblage of artwork specifically commissioned for the space. Dietz treated the laundry room with a similar eye for detail, particularly in a collage of framed artwork that was drawn by the designer’s husband using his iPhone. “It was nice to be able to incorporate a whimsical element to the space.”

Loft FLOORING The European Company RUG Designer Carpets CHAISE FABRIC Romo PILLOW FABRIC, THROW Holland & Sherry SIDE TABLE Jerry Pair FLOOR LAMP R Hughes ARTWORK Through Tew Galleries SHELVING AND SHUTTER FABRICATION Taylor’d Designs LIBRARY TABLE FABRICATION Chris Flores and Wendy Digel Hallway ARTWORK Craig Greene of the Nashville Artist Collective, Merrell Thompson Laundry Room COUNTERTOP Vadara, fabricated by A Touch of Stone, Inc. WINDOW SHADES Hartmann & Forbes

Sophisticated Sanctuary

Bedroom & Bathroom Katie Jackson, Platt Home

Envisioned as a relaxing, elevated suite for a couple visiting family or friends, a guest bedroom makes its debut with a vestibule papered in a small-scale block-print pattern, then segues into a relaxing space with calm off-white walls. The room’s designer, Katie Jackson, established a color palette of off-white, brown, camel, navy, and black, hues which she says “are soothing and provide a timeless foundation for layering art, accessories, and books.” A navy leather lamp, a cafe-colored chair and ottoman, and the bed’s graphite velvet headboard draw attention with their rich coloration. Explaining that “old pieces come with a story and lend soul and weight to a new build,” Jackson incorporated a number of antiques, including nightstands, a dresser, and coat hook. The vestibule wallpaper was also used in the bathroom, where the designer made a bold statement by painting the cabinetry a dark blue. An antique carved stool stands nearby.

Bedroom FLOORING The European Company CHANDELIER MC2 Studio TABLE LAMPS Visual Comfort & Co. CHAISE, OTTOMAN Charles Stewart FABRICS Yoma Textiles, Jim Thompson RUG Togar Rugs Bathroom COUNTERTOP Vadara, fabricated by A Touch of Stone, Inc. WALLPAPER Thibaut RUG Togar Rugs

Viewing Pleasure

Bedroom & Bathroom Eric Ross, Eric Ross Interiors

The one room in the house that offers a full view of the nearby mountain, this bedroom was designed by Eric Ross to maximize that view. “By placing the twin beds on either side of the window, it invites the viewer to come closer to the window,” while also helping to make the room seem larger. Inspired by the wooded scenery outside, Ross chose a forest-scene fabric for the room’s drapery, whose blue-and-white colorway is echoed in the Turkish rug, antique transferware, and bedding. White iron beds give the room a time-honored look, as do an antique bedside chest and a gold Louis Phillipe mirror. The adjacent bathroom continues the color theme, with blue-and-white striped wallpaper joining pale blue cabinetry, altogether creating a tranquil oasis. The turned legs of the antique étagère, which is used to hold towels, echoes those of the bedroom ottomans, another connection between the two spaces.

Bedroom IRON BEDS Worthen FABRICS, WALLCOVERING Cowtan & Tout CARPETS Turkish Carpets BEDSIDE CHEST, ÉTAGÈRE, LAMPS, TRANSFERWARE, MIRRORS, WALLHANGINGS Vivianne Metzger Antiques OTTOMANS Charles Stewart BEDDING Peacock Alley Bathroom COUNTERTOP Vadara, fabricated by A Touch of Stone, Inc. WALLCOVERING Cowtan & Tout TOWELS Peacock Alley

Deluxe Aerie

Bunkroom & Bathroom Maggie Griffin, Maggie Griffin Design

Boasting four beds, a living area, a walk-in closet, and two bathrooms, the bunkroom is a far cry from camp-like quarters. “I wanted the space to feel both sophisticated for adult guests but fun for kids too,” says Maggie Griffin, who enveloped the room in woodland colors, particularly a rich, cozy shade of green that she selected for the walls. A bright blue sofa is accessorized with both tiger-print and geometric-patterned throw pillows, an inspired mash-up of patterns that also includes a diamond print, which was used for the coffee table ottoman, and a plaid that covers a pair of upholstered stools. Pattern headlines both bathrooms as well, with one being finished in a blue and teal woodland wallpaper. The beds—two twins on the upper bunk with two queen-size beds down below—are lavishly appointed in beautiful bed linen.

Bunkroom FLOORING The European Company WALL PAINT Benjamin Moore Dakota Woods Green CEILING FIXTURE Visual Comfort & Co. ROMAN SHADE FABRIC, OTTOMAN FABRIC Schumacher SOFA FABRIC, CHAIR FABRIC, STOOL FABRIC Kravet BED COVERLETS Ballard Designs DUVET COVERS Serena & Lily TABLE LAMPS Legend of Asia Bathroom VANITY LIGHTS Visual Comfort & Co. WALLPAPER Kravet TRIM COLOR Benjamin Moore Dark Pewter