Ruth Chiari and Phil Simon wanted a modest single-family home close to amenities when they moved to Charlottesville. But with nothing on the market befitting the couple, they shifted focus to a single-bedroom apartment—with plenty of clever renovations. “I wanted something that gave me a feeling of space and light,” Chiari says. “We were also […]
Ruth Chiari and Phil Simon wanted a modest single-family home close to amenities when they moved to Charlottesville. But with nothing on the market befitting the couple, they shifted focus to a single-bedroom apartment—with plenty of clever renovations. “I wanted something that gave me a feeling of space and light,” Chiari says. “We were also […]
Charlottesville residents could easily sell their homes without staging 10 years ago. Now, most buyers expect every detail to be covered, from fastidious interior designto meticulous landscaping, according to local realtor Lorrie Nicholson. “Staging allows people to visualize themselves in the home and helps create an emotional connection,” Nicholson says. “From my experience, you always […]
When Matthew Jull and Leena Cho, of Charlottesville-based architecture firm KUTONOTUK, first heard of a competition hosted by Atlantic Beach, North Carolina, to design a major upgrade to its oceanside boardwalk, the architects were intrigued. “Within a town with such a rich history, and in such a dynamic environment, how do we create new spaces […]
“My husband and I used to take walks along Locust Avenue, and we just adored this one old house,” says Bryant Taylor. “It had an amazing yard, with lots of green space—and both of us love a project.” For the Taylors, “project” is an understatement: Alan is co-founder and president of Riverbend Development, and Bryant […]
The tiny house craze may have tempered a touch, but in the right application, downscale domiciles can still bring it big time. Crozet-based John and Lori O’Connor contracted with Charlottesville Area Builders to construct a new farmhouse several years ago. They didn’t plan to add a guest house but came to the idea as an […]
For an artist moving to Charlottesville from the West Coast, dashed urban hopes led to a near-downtown dream renovation. The homeowner quickly learned the loft-style living and working space she wanted wasn’t currently available, but she says she got lucky. She found a single-family home on Lexington Avenue that had already undergone a modern renovation […]
With the real estate market still red hot, you may have noticed a new trend on Instagram: buyers selling their houses fully furnished. They don’t have to pay to pack up and haul all their worldly goods elsewhere, and sellers get a custom-decorated house with minimal unpacking. But before you decide to jump on this […]
“You gotta love old houses to live in one,” says master stonemason Mike Ondrick. “If you keep it anywhere near correct [to its era], you’re going to live with cold walls and damp in the basement sometimes.” Ondrick should know: He’s a founder and project manager for Dominion Traditional Building Group, which specializes in restoring […]
Over the last few years, Beth Ann Kallen, co-owner of home furnishing and interior design firm Folly, has been helping a client redecorate the family’s home in Blandemar Farm Estates room by room. For the latest project, the master bedroom, Kallen (a mother of three) knew just what the mother of four needed: “I wanted […]
When the kids leave home, what are the choices: Rent out the basement? Move? Retire to a warmer climate? Sean and Gineane Stalfort rejected all those options. “We thought about downsizing,” says Gineane. “But we do a lot of entertaining, we host family holidays, and we wanted to have our sons come back here.” The […]