Annual Homes & Design Issue
By Tory Irmeger | Photography by Matt Treft/Creative Revolver
Builder: Nate Clark, Sun Construction
With the opportunity to build in a setting as stunning as the Southeast, what follows can only be a home that complements the wealth and beauty of natural resources all around. This home by Nate Clark of Sun Construction does just that, implementing traditional design in an innovative way.
The character of a home begins with the materials employed in its structure. Here, the modern farmhouse design is immediately communicated through the use of local stone in the porch. Clark shares, “This build incorporated a seamless and meaningful use of stone from around the base of the house, up the large chimney, and onto the pool deck and patios.” This element is incorporated throughout the home, as Clark adds, “The same stone was used around the interior fireplace, while a large stone found onsite was used as the hearth. I really feel like that natural element provides a good sense of grounding for the home.”
To see more from Sun Construction,
visit sun-construction.net.
The farmhouse feel is built around friends and family, and this home was built to host. The kitchen features an expansive island that can accommodate a potluck with all the fixings while also providing plenty of additional storage space. Beaded inset cabinets are painted in a soothing seafoam green with bronze pulls to tie in the traditional look. A weathered copper pendant light illuminates the island with corresponding sconces on the range wall. To the side, a wet bar displays open shelving full of vintage glassware and serving dishes in a rainbow of colors.
Countertops: Stone Source, Inc.
“One of my favorite areas in the home is the kitchen, dining, and living room. This space is open, airy, and is filled with natural light and exquisite views of the valley below. This is a place where you want to spend time and gather.”
– Nate Clark, Sun Construction
Featuring panoramic views, guests dining in this room truly have a bird’s-eye view. The furnishings here lean into the traditional with an expandable wooden table and woven-back chairs, while overhead a gaslight-style chandelier harkens back to bygone eras. Thanks to surrounding windows and bright walls, this dining atmosphere is delicate and dignified.
Steps away, a cozy living area beckons guests to gather around the fire or retreat to the sunny reading nook. Rich with patterned textiles and upholstery, this area maximizes the best in country décor while balancing modern aesthetic preferences. The hearth, as Clark mentions, utilizes a large stone that was repurposed from the construction site, making the fireplace a truly one-of-a-kind feature in this room. White shiplap walls encircle the room and continue throughout the house, adding visual interest and a cohesive sense of coziness to every room.
Interior Doors: East Chattanooga Lumber & Supply Co.
“One great thing about this home is it uses many of the modern concepts of open floor plans, high ceilings, clean lines, and plenty of windows for natural light,” says Clark. “The home is very much an elegant farmhouse with modern touches. The use of vintage light fixtures, painted wood walls, antique furniture, and stunning artwork create a feeling of being right at home and comfortable.”
Vaulted ceilings in the primary suite accentuate the feeling of sleeping above the clouds. The calming seafoam green and soft neutral palette continues here, and floral artwork adorns the walls. The bed frame incorporates more natural elements with posts designed in the style similar to birch bark. Reclaimed furnishings create the feeling that this space was curated over a period of time.
Passing through the primary suite, the bathroom is anything but rustic. This polished space features an octagon and dot tile floor, while wide windows allow plenty of natural light. Opposite the soaker tub is a doorless walk-in shower, and an antique pie safe is repurposed as a linen cupboard. The dual vanity repeats the beaded inset cabinetry found in the kitchen, this time in a deeper blue.
Furniture: Fowler Brothers Co.
Perfect for any summer soirée, this home’s pool deck boasts shimmering turquoise waters amidst a backdrop of hazy blue mountains. The natural stone elements of the home continue with the Crab Orchard pool surround in kaleidoscopic shades of tan. Around the pool, several
seating vignettes offer a spot to soak in the sun, including one area where a firepit functions out of a cleverly reclaimed antique millstone. This stone was found onsite as part of a pair, and the corresponding millstone doubles as a planter in the front garden.
Design is often a product of its environment, and this home is a shining example of how the natural scenery lends itself to such elevated simplicity. “The main goal of this project was to take the vision and concepts of our clients and put it all together in a seamless and cohesive way,” Clark shares. “The result is a beautiful, high quality home that speaks for itself – inside and out.”
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Architect: Jay Caughman, Caughman + Caughman Architects | Artwork: Ellen Franklin | Cabinetry: Michael Smith Designs | Floor and Tile Installation: Kevin Whited | Flooring: Millwood Specialty Flooring | Ironwork: Proctor Fabrication | Partner Builder: Joel Fox, FoxBilt Construction | Pool: Backyard Creations of North Georgia | Stone: Stephens Construction | Trim: Junior’s Building Materials, Inc. | Windows: HomeChoice Windows & Doors
