In urban design, decisions about road lanes, sidewalk widths and shade trees affect the rhythm of use in outdoor spaces—transportation and commerce, social activity, traffic, safety, recreation and even public health are determined by these choices. Urban planners have long been using the catchphrase “live, work, play” to describe an idyllic mixture of programming, but […]
Complex forms: Architect Bob Anderson on art and the built environment
Practice makes perfect. It’s an adage for a reason—the more you do something, the more comfortable with it and adept at it you become. That was architect Bob Anderson’s thinking, anyway, when, as an 8-year-old, he saw an illustration of Albrecht Dürer’s wood carving of a rhinoceros from 1515. “I fell in love with it […]
What’s the best way to utilize in-floor heating in a temperate climate like Charlottesville’s?
Heated floors are less popular than they used to be, according to local builders, but that doesn’t mean they don’t still have their place. “In this climate it’s not economically real feasible as a primary heat source,” says Wayne Stinnette, vice president of Abrahamse & Company Builders. But “you see a lot of in-floor heating […]
Immortal words: At Montpelier, a place for ‘We, the people’ to learn—and record
It’s a special opportunity to hear a luminary speak in person, but for Kat Imhoff, president of James Madison’s Montpelier, it’s a shame to hear those words evaporate without being captured in a recording. Like, say, when Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman to serve as a Supreme Court justice, spoke to a group of […]
Got it covered: At home with Nina Crawford
When it comes to designing a room, often the advice is to start with something you love (a rug, a piece of art—anything) and work from there, layering pattern and texture to achieve a dynamic space. But every project is different, says Nina Crawford, and no two clients are the same. “My favorite customer is […]
November Abode: On stands now!
A renovated barn outside of Charlottesville, a city brewery opens up (literally), a Woolen Mills condo breaks the mold and more, in this month’s issue of Abode. Here’s what you’ll find inside: Architect Jeff Sties‘ solar powers. Preston Avenue’s newest brew space. Your backyard’s best autumn addition. An industrial space in Woolen Mills defies condo […]
The new rustic: In Keswick, a traditional barn structure reimagined—inside and out
There are upsides and downsides to having a barn as the starting point for a house. Upside: that great barn shape. In the case of the Red Barn project, on the grounds of Castle Hill Cidery in Keswick, that form makes for an iconic and historic statement in the landscape. Downside: Iconic and historic barns […]
Barns and barrels: Two local reclaimed lumber projects
Reclaimed wood has been a hot item for years now. Most people are familiar with the idea of giving old wood, from barns or other sources, new life. Most often, the salvaged stuff ends up as flooring, though cabinetry, furniture and ceilings are also big. But the folks at Mountain Lumber, the Ruckersville company that’s […]
Architect Jeff Sties actively pursues a passive approach
Every house is a passive solar house, by the simple fact that every home that is built sits in the sun. But architect Jeff Sties argues that that isn’t enough. “We live on a finite planet with a finite amount of affordable resources,” Sties says. “The alternative is to incorporate the free, abundant natural energy […]
Authenticity vs. evocation: When imitation diminishes design
Every new restaurant looks like a factory. Or, so says a recent NPR article. Reclaimed wood, brick walls and exposed beams, the piece asserted, have become so popular in interior design that new furniture is being treated to look weathered, and new apartments are being built loft-style with “factory” windows. Where does this preference for […]
Random Row Brewing Co. brings you closer to your pint
Customers at a small local brewery might enjoy seeing how their lagers and pale ales are actually brewed. That’s what the folks behind Random Row Brewing Co. were betting on when they designed their tasting room on Preston Avenue, which opened in mid-September. Gleaming metal tanks are a major design element in the space, which […]
Down by the river: Sweet details in Woolen Mills
We don’t know about you, but when we hear the not-too-charming term “condo,” we tend to conjure images of dwellings that are longer on convenience than character. You know—concrete balconies, underground parking, stacked washer/dryer, that sort of thing. Well, along comes a condo that shatters the stereotype. Let’s start by considering the neighborhood. We all […]
October Abode: On stands now!
This month’s Abode features a city home with a cool, uncomplicated palette; a sleek white kitchen in Farmington Heights; tips from Rebecca Schoenthal on choosing art for your home and more! Here’s everything you’ll find inside: Architect Cathy Purple Cherry makes good. The Fralin Museum curator schools us on buying art. 21st century gadgetry. Designer […]
The light touch: A few small changes make a kitchen all new
Designer Wendi Smith found not just good but excellent bones to start with when she tackled a recent kitchen redo. And that was lucky, because the look of this kitchen was very different from what her client ultimately wanted. “She definitely has a style,” says Smith of her client. “She likes neutral and calm colors; […]
Lean & green: In a sustainable house, a minimal palette keeps things cool
When one Charlottesville couple started building a house in December 2014, they had a front-row seat to the construction: Their new house was going up in what had been a vacant lot right next door to their old house. In their case, having daily contact with the building process was welcome—they’d been highly involved with […]
Home, made easier: Residential gadgets and appliances are linking up like never before
If homes aren’t getting more high tech around Charlottesville, they’re at least getting more connected, according to Ben Feiner of local home integration specialist ProLink. Where at one time appliance and gadget manufacturers focused on making their own products more interactive, they’ve since focused on playing well with others. “Once the iPhones-slash-iPads came out, most […]
Living in the past at a one-time Kluge nest
Every place has a history, but the past at some homes looms especially large. In Albemarle County, the name Kluge is synonymous with lavish wealth, wine and, unfortunately, bankruptcy. Locals—and the rest of the country—watched the fortune of Patricia Kluge rise and fall over her three decades or so in town, and a curious byproduct […]
Art at home: The Fralin’s Rebecca Schoenthal on acquisition and display
As the curator for the Fralin Museum of Art, Rebecca Schoenthal is responsible for creating exhibitions for the approximately 10,000-square-foot space. Sometimes she turns to the permanent collection—more than 14,000 objects—in order to expand upon an idea. Other times, the catalyst for an exhibit might be an object within the collection, around which she then […]
Death of the architect: Operating in an era of uncertainty
Architects face an uncertain time. On one hand, we are in the fading era of famous designers, the “starchitects” who shaped discussion of what architecture should be—those who transcended typical barriers facing architecture by mastering the globalized market economy, delivering the ultimate branding strategy based on design to corporations and a wealthy elite. On the […]
From STEM to STREAM: Charlottesville Catholic School expands the possibilities
Time was, when students at Charlottesville Catholic School wanted to do a science experiment, they’d have to contend with the elements. “Students would be heating minerals over an open flame,” recalls Principal Michael Riley. “They’d use a Petri dish with an alcohol flame. They’d be doing it outside”—because there wasn’t a properly ventilated spot indoors—“and […]
Meaningful design: For Cathy Purple Cherry, architecture is more than aesthetic
Architect Cathy Purple Cherry started her practice, Purple Cherry Architects, in a 1,000-square-foot home with two children underfoot and two employees. Back then, as now, her focus was custom, luxury residential projects—the kind you’d see featured in home and garden magazines—and over the next few years, she hired more employees and expanded the work space […]
Welcome surprise: In Bundoran, a log cabin comes out of hiding
Talk about a bonus buy: Jeff and Ivy Levien bought a 30-acre parcel at Bundoran Farm in 2012, and only later realized that it came with a historic log cabin. To be precise, the Leviens knew that the building existed, but they figured it for a teardown. Several contractors had concurred with that view, and […]
It’s all in the mix: A traditional house gets a modern facelift
A 1942 Marshall Wells-designed home in tony Farmington: What could be more traditional? Except when it isn’t. For the last three years, designer Kathy Heiner of KLH Designs has been transforming this home in collaboration with its owners, making it a showcase for an eclectic, unfussy style. “This house is all about friends and family,” says […]