This place has been called The Cottage since it was built in the 1930s. A small house on about two acres in Cismont, its first incarnation was four rooms with an attic. Over time and owners, The Cottage grew and changed. The kitchen was modernized, and a wing with a living room and primary suite […]
Birdwood Mansion opened its doors as a boutique, seven-room hotel on June 11. It was the culmination of a project nearly 18 months in the making for a property with history dating back to the early 1800s. The mansion was built between 1819 and 1830 and reflected Jeffersonian ideals: a four-over-four brick structure fronted by […]
The Glass Building on the railroad tracks downtown was home to breakfast joints for more than two decades, most notably during Bluegrass Grill & Bakery’s storied 19-year run. In early May, the folks behind Aster unveiled the former greasy spoon as a modern, upscale dining room and kitchen. Aster bills itself as a “restaurant designed […]
Susannah Vierra and her family didn’t have a small kitchen. Some might’ve called it a large kitchen. But the space wasn’t as functional as it could have been, and just behind the wall across from the sink was an unnecessarily expansive laundry room. Vierra is the first to admit she didn’t have all the answers […]
What is the Caspari style? “There are certain themes,” says Gaea Rich, head of design, licensing, and product development for the store. “Our inspiration is international—Chinoiserie, classic French, botanicals, textiles from India and Asia, ceramics, European 19th century but also modern influences…” Mark Bergadon, director of marketing, retail and e-commerce, nods: “You know it when […]
Kate Chambers Beck has followed her passion for architecture from Charlottesville to the Midwest to Alabama and—finally—back home to the Blue Ridge. The C’ville native recently opened a local office for her firm, ’bama-based Tippett Sease Baker Architecture, and took time to chat with Abode about the homecoming. Abode: What made you want to bring […]
COVID had Chip and Betsy Tucker thinking things over after living in this area for four decades. A combination of practicality and the post-pandemic real estate market made them consider their next move. Was it time for a smaller house? A transition to one-floor living? The Tuckers began exploring their options, and found a 1920s […]
A historic house doesn’t have to be a saltbox Colonial or a gingerbread Victorian—houses built in the late 20th century are also pieces of history, especially when they were designed by notable local architects. And while they may not have historic designation, they often present the same challenges—and satisfactions—as renovating a much older home. That’s […]
Kevin Nguyen & Matt Pinyan August 30, 2025, at Montfair Resort Farm Photography by Colby Blount Weddings The inspiration for Kevin Nguyen and Matt Pinyan’s Montfair Resort Farm wedding came from another wedding they attended together in Wisconsin, which, coincidentally, was inspired by a Montfair wedding that the couple had attended. “What we loved about […]
When Erin Kinsey launched her wedding planning and coordination business in 2020, she quickly became immersed in “countless celebrations over several seasons.” But the deeper she moved into the industry, the more she noticed a pattern. “Through that experience, I saw firsthand how trends cycle—often resulting in weddings that, while beautiful, begin to feel visually […]
Weddings are celebrations. And when people get together to celebrate, there’s going to be wonderful food and lots of it. So what’s currently on the menu at big days in our area? We talked to three top wedding caterers in town—The Local, Harvest Moon, and C&O—to get the latest. Since Central Virginia is popular for […]