As Inspiring as Nature Herself
It takes a special home to blend seamlessly with the pristine natural setting of the Blue Ridge Mountains. A home that distinctly embodies the Western North Carolina landscape, while remaining unobtrusive and respectful of the wildness and majesty that it inhabits. Such is the exquisite beauty and balance of the new Southern Living Inspired Home at French Broad Crossing, Asheville’s only such home in 2017. Set amidst the backdrop of ancient rolling hills and the mighty French Broad River – the third oldest river in the world according to geologists – the new Southern Living Inspired Home resides in undisturbed splendor. “It’s very exciting for us to have this one-of-a-kind home at French Broad Crossing,” says Developer and Founder Jack Fisher. “As a Southern Living Inspired Community on the French Broad River, we embody the quality and values that Southern Living is known for. Our members often say living here is like living in a National Park. When you see this beautiful new home and take in the scenery all around, you’ll understand exactly what that means.”
A Home at One with Nature
“When I first saw this property,” says builder, Sean Sullivan, of Living Stone Design+Build, “my number one priority was to build a home that looked and felt as if it were part of the landscape, like it had always belonged here, even though it was new. I wanted it to radiate nature.” Indeed, the free-flowing, truly open layout invites the outside in, blending nature’s handiwork with masterful craftsmanship. The 3,600 square-foot, four-bedroom, four-bathroom home has been meticulously constructed to evoke a rustically elegant mountain living experience – seemingly as natural and organic as the indigenous rhododendron, towering hardwoods, and rich mountain clay underfoot.
“One of the key design features of this home was to make it feel like it’s a part of nature. From the moment you open the front door you are greeted with a spectacular mountain view – your eye travels through the foyer and living space, out onto the porch which provides gorgeous views in every direction.”
— Sean Sullivan, Living Stone Construction
A big part of the homes overall appeal is the thoughtful interior design of Laura Sullivan (Sean’s wife), Principle and Lead Interior Designer at ID.ology, a nationally award-winning interior design firm in Asheville. Laura has done an amazing job of balancing refined, rustic furnishings with eclectic accents to accentuate the home’s organic feel and free-flowing comfort. “The setting for this home is so magical,” says Laura, “that I wanted to find tones and textures that really brought that out. We used furniture that was aesthetically pleasing and in-keeping with the refined mountain motif, but was also comfortable and inviting. The overall feel is one of warmth and openness, two attributes that don’t necessarily coexist, but they work wonderfully well here.”
Builder Perspective with Sean Sullivan
What excited you about building the Southern Living Inspired Home?
“Well, having the chance to work on a Southern Living Inspired Home is special, obviously. Southern Living represents the utmost in quality and style. They’ve become a recognized benchmark in this industry. Also, I think this is the absolute perfect community for a Southern Living Inspired Home. It’s a great location, within earshot of the river, and tucked away nicely on an elevated, private lot. It has great unobstructed views of the surrounding mountains and ridgeline, from both the front and back porches. This property is also bordered by conservation land, which means it will be preserved in tact generation after generation.”
The Perfect Design for the Perfect Mountain Setting
Designing a home that is to be an extension of a serene mountain setting requires understanding the interrelationship between nature versus dwelling, indoor versus outdoor space. Sullivan and his team, who have a wealth of experience working with high-end mountain communities, were adept at bringing these seemingly binary forces together. “We had the ideal design for this Southern Living Inspired Home,” says Sullivan, “one that blends indoors and outdoors seamlessly, which is what French Broad Crossing is all about.” In fact, the design itself is conceived to maximize the experience on multiple floor levels. “The house is two stories, very open, with vaulted ceilings, and plenty of windows to give one the sense of being immersed in and part of this pristine setting,” Sullivan says. “The front porch features inviting landscaping and wraps around and connects the left side of the house. When you open the front door, your eye is immediately carried through the open floor plan to the windows straight back to the porch and the trees in the distance. A very nice feature we think. The back porches – there’s two, one on the main floor, one on the lower – are accessible via sliding glass doors. The upper porch features an incredible sitting area around a fireplace, and both present wonderful, expansive views.”
Life on the River
Perhaps the best “feature” of the 2017 Southern Living Inspired Home is it’s one-of-a-kind location, near the mighty French Broad River in the coveted Blue Ridge Mountains. Families here have access to acres of unspoiled wilderness, expansive vistas, and scenic trails. The new home also grants access to a wide range of finished amenities, that include: a rustically elegant River Lodge overlooking the French Broad; a Wellness Facility & Outdoor Pool; a Riverfront Family Park & Pavilion (ideal for fly fishing and easy river access); a masterfully crafted Tree House hidden deep in The Bluffs, complete with an outdoor fireplace; and of course, the mighty French Broad River itself, which serves as the ultimate natural amenity all year round.
Learn More
To learn more about the living experience at French Broad Crossing, please contact our sales office at sales@preservecommunities.com or call us at 866-947-9629.