Written in Stone

The motor court of a Cashiers, North Carolina, home allows visitors to park and enter the front door directly. “The courtyard is meant to be almost like an exterior foyer that says, ‘Come in and relax,’” says architect Ryan Duffey. The landscaping was done by landscape architect Jeremy Smearman of Planters.

A chandelier from Ainsworth-Noah calls attention to the plastered barrel ceiling in the great room, where sofas from Lee Industries flank a glass-top coffee table from Arteriors in front of a stone fireplace.

Sheer draperies with a hint of cashmere from Kravet soften the steel windows in the front loggia, which is furnished with a pair of hide-covered benches from McALPINE and slipper chairs by Formations through Jerry Pair.

The custom office cabinetry by Kingdom Woodworks displays the wife’s collection of seagrass baskets.

A walnut dining table surrounded by slipcovered slipper chairs, all by Formations through Jerry Pair, occupies a perfect spot in front of the arched metal windows overlooking the mountains. 

A plaster hood complements the custom cabinetry by Kingdom Woodworks in the bright and airy kitchen.

Covering the stone pizza oven and fireplaces throughout with a light plaster finish softens the material in a way that befits the elegant interiors by Francie Hargrove Interior Design.

Inspired by one of the wife’s favorite colors, lilac draperies by Fabricut with trim by Samuel & Sons enliven the neutral Venetian plaster walls and bedding by Matouk in the primary bedroom. The chair and stools are by Lee Industries.

Located in an arched niche, a pair of custom vanities with marble waterfall tops by Kingdom Woodworks flank the soaker tub in the primary bathroom. The lighting is by Visual Comfort.

To visually break up the long upstairs corridor, Hargrove had the European white oak floors installed in two different directions.

An upholstered headboard from Lee Industries and a bench from Modern History, both with nailhead trim, contribute to the rich array of textures in the second bedroom suite.

Draperies by Lee Jofa with trim by Samuel & Sons coordinate with a textural basket-weave wallcovering and bedding by Yves Delorme.

A departure from the home’s light color palette, the adult son’s bedroom is rendered in a deep navy tone punctuated by a suede bed and patterned throw pillows. The chest is from Modern History.

A wall of antiqued mirror and a custom wooden vanity by Kingdom Woodworks with a deep marble apron sink highlights the curved niche in the dramatic powder room. The pressed botanical is by Robin LaChance.

Shiplap meets plaster in a media room outfitted with a pair of bunks for visitors. The hair-on-hide chair is from Lee Industries.

The great room doors lead out to a curved patio surrounded by lush greenery by Planters and furnished with wicker furnishings from Southern Home.

One of the many organic elements in the covered porch, a custom antler chandelier by Chad Collins of Stagridge supplements the floor and table lamps by Visual Comfort. 

ENAMORED BY THE IDEAL summer weather and recreational activities in Cashiers, North Carolina, an Atlanta couple asked architect Ryan Duffey to design a retreat for themselves and future generations. Constructed with time-tested materials such as granite, slate and copper, the English Manor-style home he created looks as if it might have stood there for decades. “[The materials] have a classic look and feel, and they will weather well,” he says.

Low, curved stone walls define the verdant courtyard, creating a welcoming first impression. Surrounded by a wall of glass, the front door opens to a long loggia with bluestone flooring that connects the two sides of the home.

An arch separates the loggia from the great room, mirroring the glass doors that sit opposite of it. Simply slide those doors into the wall, and the space is completely open to the exterior, where a flagstone patio overlooks a golf course and the rolling mountains in the distance. “Nothing is in your way,” says Duffey.

Interior designer Francie Hargrove collaborated closely with Duffey on the interior finishes, weighing in on the cabinetry design throughout and the decision to slather the stone fireplaces with a chalky coating that complements the Venetian plaster walls. “What made this project so outstanding and unusual is the marriage of the stone with soft materials,” she says, pointing to the barrel ceilings and plush furnishings.

Linen sheers with a hint of cashmere, for example, soften the metal windows in the loggia, which she furnished with dining chairs slipcovered in vegan leather and a pair of textural hair-on-hide benches—a color and material palette that flows throughout the interior. “The repetition of materials and textures makes the house feel so good,” says Hargrove.

Indeed, the light oak cabinetry in the open kitchen coordinates with the three-quarter-high wall paneling in the living area, where a pair of plush linen velvet sofas face each other in front of the fireplace. Adding a subtle texture that elevates the design, the hair-on-hide fabric can also be found throughout, showing up on the ottomans in the covered porch and on furnishings in the guest bedrooms.

A departure from the neutral palette in the main living areas, lilac draperies distinguish the primary bedroom suite—a nod to the wife’s favorite color. And the adult son’s bedroom is clad with shiplap paneling painted in a rich navy hue accented by sumptuous fabrics, such as caramel-color suede pillows.

Exemplifying the generational family retreat they envisioned, the owners are overjoyed with the result. “It’s an elegant, casual, family-friendly, cheerful environment,” says Hargrove.

“They always say that this house turned out beyond their wildest dreams,” adds Duffey. “They have a hard time leaving.”  

INTERIOR DESIGN Francie Hargrove, Francie Hargrove Interior Design, (828) 743-1700; franciehargrove.com ARCHITECT J. Ryan Duffey Architect, (404) 816-2325; jryanduffey.com LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT Planters, (404) 261-6002; plantersgarden.com cabinetry Marcel Olariu, Kingdom Woodworks; kingdomwoodworks.com CONTRACTOR Sadlon and Associates, (828) 349-0400; sadlonandassociates.com