Abode Magazines

Prairie home: A new home harkens back to big sky

Albemarle County and northwest Iowa wouldn’t seem to have much in common. The vast, table-flat spaces of the Midwest are utterly different than the private, wooded coves formed by Central Virginia’s endlessly rolling topography. But at Sue Sargeant’s home, Mossy Rock, the feel of her native Iowa is palpable. The house, designed by Bushman-Dreyfus and […]

Erika Howsare | May 15, 2014

Abode Magazines

Outer edges: A landscape unifies a modern complex

Time marches on! Last time ABODE visited Turkey Saddle—the Free Union home of Elizabeth Birdsall and Eric Young—it was 2008 and the house had just undergone a major renovation, led by local architecture firm Formwork. It was a serene, minimalist retreat, like a treehouse overlooking the Moormans River. Now, the vibe has changed a bit, […]

Erika Howsare | May 15, 2014

Abode

Make it your own: How to upgrade an oldie (but a goodie)  

Glenn Robertson, of Smith & Robertson, cast his remodeler’s eye on a Free Union two-story. Here are his ideas for bringing it up to date. 5315 Free Union Rd. $279,000 MLS# 516858 This home is worthy of a major remodeling project due to the excellent location and house site. The house is suffering from a […]

Erika Howsare | May 14, 2014

Abode

Back at the ranch: A midcentury home gets a new look and new life

Perhaps it’s true that you can’t go home again. But Sarah Lloyd found a way to bring her childhood home, built in the 1950s and woefully outdated, into the 21st century. The ranch-style house, tucked into the Western Albemarle woods, had seen Sarah and her four siblings through their growing years—and not always in the […]

Erika Howsare | May 14, 2014

Abode

Strong Connections: At CFA, design puts people and places together

When Martha Jefferson Hospital relocated to Pantops Mountain in 2011, it left behind a neighborhood landmark whose history went back for decades. And when CFA Institute, an international organization headquartered in Charlottesville, made the building its own, it formed a closer relationship with the city where it was founded back in 1947. CFA, which awards […]

Erika Howsare | May 14, 2014

Abode

Stay awhile: A winery finds a way to say ‘welcome’

Four years ago, a winery in Madison County was named Sweely Estate, it was facing foreclosure, and its 18,000-square-foot visitors’ facility was decorated in a dark French chateau style. Today, it’s called Early Mountain Vineyards, it has new owners, and the tasting room is light and bright. All in all, a hopeful change. Current owners […]

Erika Howsare | April 7, 2014

Abode Magazines

Living in history: At UVA, residing on the Lawn is a unique privilege

It’s easy to say that occupying a pavilion in UVA’s Academical Village is akin to living in a museum. Which is true: The 10 pavilions, 54 student rooms, Rotunda, and surrounding grounds—in their totality, a UNESCO World Heritage Site—are dripping with significance. Every brick, every timeworn doorstep, and every garden bench is documented and preserved. […]

Erika Howsare | April 7, 2014

Abode Magazines

Secret gardens: UVA’s pavilion gardens harbor history

Here’s a fairly well-kept secret about Charlottesville: If you walk uninvited into one of the gardens just off UVA’s Lawn, in the Academical Village, you will not be breaking any rules. They are open to the public. You wouldn’t necessarily know this, because the gardens are surrounded by Thomas Jefferson’s famous serpentine walls; the design […]

Erika Howsare | April 7, 2014

Abode Magazines

Mix and match: An all-new kitchen (with the same old cabinets)

Usually, when tackling a kitchen renovation, homeowners and contractors assume that the first step is to gut the old kitchen. But not always. Last year, Todd Buck and his team at Weston Construction completed a kitchen redo that left nearly all the existing cabinetry in place—and yet completely updated the space. The house, built in 2005 in […]

Erika Howsare | March 7, 2014