Preservation Homes

This Old House

By Kelly McCall Branson and photos by Ray Strawbridge

When Tom Bland, president of Preservation Homes, set out to build his own home, he knew he must practice what his company preached: craft a home of unique architectural character (no cookie-cutters here), one that embraced classic architectural traditions while enjoying the latest high-tech amenities and today�s flowing multi-functional floorplans, and of course, the home must fit into the neighborhood as though it had been there � forever.

After 25 years of living in North Raleigh, Bland was ready for a change. He wanted to live closer to where he worked, and this inside-the-Beltline locale offered an ideal opportunity. Two long-neglected modest homes would be replaced with this new showcase home for the local builder.

The recycling of resources that this kind of infill development represents has long been intriguing to Bland and his company. �It just makes so much sense,� he says, �to make the best use of the already existing infrastructure � the streets, sewer, water. And everything is so close � work, restaurants, schools.� Indeed, Preservation Homes is very active in inside-the-Beltline construction, fitting numerous homes and pocket communities into underutilized niches of this prestigious location.

The first challenge Bland faced here was to design a home of suitable stature for the half-acre property and the neighborhood. Set on a double corner lot on a tree-lined inside-the-Beltline street, the home is surrounded by sizeable neighbors, some older, some new. Bland sought to integrate his new home seamlessly into this long-established community, while at the same time giving it a stamp of individuality that would set it apart from any other home on the block.

Bland turned to time-honored architectural traditions, blending the regal English country flavor of Tudor with the artisan stylings of Arts and Crafts for a home that is at once gracious, striking and evocative of Old World charm and the craftsmanship of stonemasons and woodcarvers. The steeply pitched roof and prominent cross gables, along with the tall arching windows, echo the stately lines of English country estates, while the shake siding and wide overhanging eaves with their decorative brackets draw on the beloved Bungalow style for which Preservation Homes has become so well known. Perhaps the most distinguishing feature of this unique home is the extensive stonework; starting with the winding stone walkway, the stone-clad walls, alcoves and steps combine to give this two-year-old house an air of solidity, permanence, even age. Tall, arching double doors of richly stained mahogany are Tudor in line and Cratfstman in their attention to fine woodworking.

Throughout much of this more than 7,000-square-foot home, Bland used exotic Indonesian Merbau plank flooring, a dense, finely grained wood much like mahogany. Finished a deep brown, these floors will improve with age, adding to the Old World character of the home.

To the right of the foyer, French doors, spanned above by a wide crowned transom, lead to a formal dining room. Sunlight floods this room through tall triple windows, and an elegant octagonal tray ceiling with carved medallion sets a tone of quiet formality. Chocolate brown walls against the crisp white of the wainscoting detail add drama.

Opposite the dining room a formal living room, with a distinctly parlor-like feel, features a handsomely coffered 10-foot ceiling. �I really do believe that it is the details that make the home,� says Bland. �It�s attention to all of the little things that are so often overlooked � that�s what gives a home its character.� He points out that this kind of attention, the triple crown molding, transoms and decorative ceiling treatments, shouldn�t just be limited to the most expensive homes. �Whether we�re building a 3,000-square-foot home in Bedford or a much larger home inside the Beltline, we always pay the same level of attention to every detail.�

From the foyer, a few steps up lead to Bland�s home office. From the landing just outside the office door is a peek-a-boo glimpse into the family room, and this ingenious positioning, up just a bit, between entrance and living room, gives this space both privacy and a sense of connectedness with its adjoining rooms. Here, as throughout the home, tall, mullioned transoms add architectural interest over the doorway, while enhancing the open feel of the floorplan as well as the flow of light from room to room. A bay of long windows frames a built-in desk and cabinetry in this sunny workspace.

Open Airy Spaces
The long foyer opens through double arches, handsomely cased with fluted, keystone trim, into the true heart of this home. The airy and open kitchen-caf�-family room area is a decidedly modern twist to this Old World flavored house. The view from the foyer extends through to the breakfast caf�, set off in a bumped out bay of floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the courtyard below. The steel twig styling of the furniture in the caf� is repeated in the kitchen bar stools and the chandelier overhanging the bar. The Merbau plank flooring sweeps throughout this area, including the kitchen, where the exotic wood�s rugged durability stands up to even the day-to-day abuse a busy family can dish out.

To the right, the state-of-the-art kitchen is outfitted with buttermilk-glazed cabinets, Italian tile backsplash, classic black Uba Tuba granite counters and commercial-style stainless steel appliances. A built-in desk offers a nook for list writing and tucking mail. Beside the open kitchen, a huge butler�s pantry connects the kitchen to the dining room and features more buttermilk-glazed cabinets and granite counters. Large enough to work in, this room includes a prep sink and, best of all, doors at either end to hide all that meal preparation clutter while entertaining.

Opposite the kitchen is a casual family room. Twin columns frame the passage to this room, setting the space visually apart from the kitchen and caf�, while still enjoying the feeling of wide open space and communication between the rooms. Soaring 20-foot cathedral ceilings add to the airiness of this room, and an elaborately trimmed, high decorative shelf adds architectural interest and draws the eye upward. On one wall � the wall visible from the kitchen � a granite-trimmed fireplace with crisp white mantle offers a warm focal point. The custom buttermilk glazed cabinetry is continued along another wall with a built-in entertainment center and bookshelves, and a bank of tall windows opposite overlooks the courtyard.

Just down the hall from the kitchen, a more-than-generous laundry room features a built-in ironing station, storage closets and plenty of natural light. �It amazes me, the large expensive homes I�ve seen with just a little closet for a laundry room,� laughs Bland. �I wanted a laundry room that fit with the rest of the home and was a pleasant place to work.�

A Private Enclave
Another modern twist to the traditional plan in this home is the downstairs master suite, set off as a private owner�s enclave. And this master truly does incorporate all of the elements of a true retreat. The rich Merbau floors continue into the huge bedroom, where elegant tray ceilings serve to zone the large bedroom area from the sitting room. Beautifully trimmed bookcases extend the entire length of one wall of the sitting area, giving it a distinctive library ambience. �Books just warm a room so much,� says Bland, who is an avid reader as well as a collector of rare and antique books. �When we furnish a model, one of the first things we do is fill the shelves with books. There is just something so inviting about books in a room � it feels like home.� With a cozy seating area for reading and TV watching, Bland also has a large wood drafting table set up here for drawing plans when inspiration strikes. Cherry furnishings and Bland�s collection of antique maps give this room the character of an old estate.

Adjoining the master bedroom, a room-sized closet is beautifully appointed with floor-to-ceiling burnished built-ins to house Bland�s extensive wardrobe. �I worked in my youth at a fine men�s clothing store in Greenville,� says Bland. �And the bug bit me. I still wear the same size I did in college, so I�ve really got a lifetime�s worth of clothes collected here.� An Oriental rug and plush overstuffed bench complete the aura of a true gentlemen�s space.

The master bath is equally sumptuous. Creamy travertine tile is set on an angle on the floor and continues through the oversized, glass-walled shower and on the double steps leading to the corner garden tub, framed by huge windows on two sides. Bland continued the same level of detail found throughout the home into this private space, with eight-inch crown molding, buttermilk glazed cabinets, granite counters and antique pewter fixtures.

Upstairs and Down
The sloping nature of the property dictated a basement plan for this home, and Bland made good use of this space. An open great room downstairs includes a kitchen built into the large bay of windows overlooking the stone courtyard, a den, with fireplace and wide-screen TV and a game room with space for a card table and foosball.

Bland�s teenage son makes his home in these roomy downstairs quarters, where his bedroom, like his father�s is outfitted with built-in bookshelves.

A windowless room downstairs has been pre-wired for finishing as a home theater. For now though, this room serves as the perfect space for Bland�s son (who plays the guitar) to jam with his band.

The great room opens to an elegant outdoor living space. Stonework abounds on this spacious porch that is really more an extension of the home�s living space than just a typical screened porch. Vaulted ceilings feature skylights and richly stained beadboard, and a bank of transom windows tops a long stone wall, while two sides are open to the courtyard, rendering this room both private and open.

A bank of French doors also open from the great room to the stone courtyard, framed by the porch, the home and the garage. An elaborate gas grill (Bland�s favorite cooking appliance) is built into a fieldstone barbeque here. And this cloistered courtyard offers space for casual dining and entertaining.

This rear garage with its wooden carriage-style doors, shake siding and pergola-style trim is a nod to the home�s Arts and Crafts influence. Also in keeping with the tradition and heritage of the property, Bland preserved the original detached single-car garage, painting the brick, replacing the roof and fitting it with the same walnut-stained carriage-style door as those on the main garage. The garage floors are treated with a special epoxy that mimics the look of granite.

Upstairs, guest rooms are joined by a second master suite, which serves as Bland�s college-aged daughter�s bedroom. This room, features a sitting area bumped out and framed by a bay of windows. From its perch in the tower-like setting of the bay, at the top of the house, Bland jokes that his daughter�s friends call up from below for Rapunzel to let down her hair.

The ceiling in this tower seating area is faux finished in blue sky and clouds for a dome-like effect. Adjoining this room is a master bath, complete with garden tub and outfitted with black and white tile set in a diamond pattern.

From top to bottom, in this distinctive, inside-the-Beltline new, old home, Bland has paid careful attention to every detail. Drawing on time-honored traditions in architecture and craftsmanship he has managed to create an eclectic blend of antique and state-of-the-art, elegant and casual, Old World and high tech for a home that is sure to stand the test of time.

Kelly McCall Branson is a freelance writer