The Burnses’ Signal Mountain home is a blend of comfortable design elements and practical features – an ideal spot for hosting family and friends and reveling in the beauty of nature.
Wending through the verdant Signal Mountain landscape, it’s clear to see why many choose to call this town home. Tim and Carol Burns are no exception to this—their custom home, nestled in a quiet neighborhood, is the perfect place to enjoy the beauty of the outdoors while still living just a few minutes from downtown.
Vibrant flowers, ferns, and lush shrubberies line the outside of the Burnses’ home, and mature trees tower above, creating bountiful shade and plenty of privacy. Rustic stone and gray wood make up the home’s exterior, helping it to blend perfectly into the surrounding landscape.
The Burnses have built dozens of homes for themselves, but they feel this one suits them to a tee. Their son drew the plans for the home, and they tweaked them slightly before breaking ground.
“I like homes to feel very nice but also comfortable,” Tim explains. “You can live in them and you don’t have to tell a child not to touch anything. Simple, but nice.”
Through the front door, oak floors and a neutral wall color make for a cozy and comfortable vibe. In the entryway, the Burnses have showcased their love of traveling. Black and white sketches of various cities, including New York and San Francisco, are displayed above a wrought-iron table – an Atlanta flea market find. “When we travel, we try and find a local artist who does beautiful black and white images of the city,” Carol says.
To the right of the entry is a formal dining space, which includes many heirloom pieces and personal touches. The oblong dining table has been with the Burnses for the last 35 years. “The first three years of our marriage, we had a ping-pong table in our dining room!’’ Carol says. “I decided we needed a real dining room suite, and we’ve had this one ever since.’’ Heirloom silverware and a tea set add vintage charm, and a cabinet displaying the couples’ golf trophies sits in one corner while wedding china is displayed in another.
A powder room on the main floor is perfect for guests, and opposite the bath is a flight of stairs leading to the upper level of the home. Wrought iron and richly-colored wood make the staircase an appealing design element. Upstairs, massive guest quarters and storage spaces bring more function to the home.
A few steps away on the main floor is the master suite. Carol opted to paint the room a shade darker than the main section of the home, and the result is a cozy and intimate retreat. A four-poster bed dominates the room, and a small patterned settee rests at the foot of the bed. Framed family photos are displayed on the walls and dresser.
A sliding door separates the master bath from the bedroom. Travertine marble covers the floor and runs halfway up the walls. A wide his-and-her vanity with granite counters has abundant storage for keeping clutter at bay. An arch highlights the space with a deep-set tub, and an expansive walk-in shower continues the luxurious vibe of the space. A California closet completes the suite with its built-in shelving and racks for storing clothes and shoes.
“This is a really functional bathroom,” Carol says. “It’s nice to have a place for
everything.”
Just outside the master suite is the main living space. Lofty 12-foot coffered ceilings add a beautiful architectural flair to the cozy room. Handsome leather furniture and neutral-colored décor lend a warm vibe to the cheerful space. Windows trimmed in wood line the far side of the room. These give an unmatched view of the home’s private backyard and dense foliage.
The family room is the most used area of the home, according to the Burnses. A focal point of the space is the built-in bookshelves that surround the wood-burning fireplace. Tim’s aunt staged the shelves to represent the couples’ interests, making it more than just a place to arrange favorite novels.
The kitchen is connected through an archway, which allows the Burnses to cook and entertain simultaneously. A breakfast table beside the windows is a sweet spot to enjoy a meal. A repurposed chest (Tim’s childhood dresser!) now serves as an accent piece in the room.
“I like the openness of this area,” Carol says. “Because we’ve lived in so many homes, we’ve been able to learn from each home and decide what we like and what we don’t like.”
A large island with a warm cherry wood counter gives lots of space for guests to join in on kitchen activities and allows the cook plenty of room to prepare meals. The functional kitchen features richly stained wood cabinetry, with drawers that close automatically and custom pullouts to keep things organized. A large Thermador range helps take cooking to the next level. Granite countertops line the perimeter.
“She likes to cook, and I like to eat!” Tim says. “We eat at home almost every night, and what we like about this kitchen is that it makes it easy. Everybody can sit around and talk and be a part of the cooking process.”
A back door leads to the home’s covered top porch, an ideal spot to enjoy a little solitude.
While Carol and Tim have lived in more than two dozen homes during their marriage, this Signal Mountain abode combines a host of the couple’s favorite home features in a picturesque setting to last a lifetime.
