Scenic Serenity

By Katie Faulkner | Photos provided by Philip Slowiak

When Don Jackson and his wife Jerre Treece relocated to Chattanooga nearly 10 years ago, they were in the market for a home that could easily handle a lot of corporate entertaining. Don was moving to Chattanooga as the president of manufacturing at Volkswagen, and Jerre knew she wanted a unique home that had great flow and plenty of space for entertaining. As soon as they came across this English manor-style home, tucked away on a ridge on White Oak Mountain, they knew it was a perfect fit. With eight mountain ranges visible on a clear day, Don and Jerre can enjoy views of the Cherokee National Forrest from the front of their home and Lookout Mountain from the back terrace.

Arched French doors usher guests across the sprawling slate porch and into the marble foyer. Sturdy millwork, thick walls, and a coffered ceiling, reminiscent of older homes, denote the attention to quality in this home’s construction. From the foyer, the home’s natural circular flow gently beckons you into the formal
dining room.

A dazzling crystal chandelier crowns the pristine Stoneleigh dining room furniture and highlights the unique hand-painted wall treatments. In this room, one of the home’s most distinguishing features plays an impactful role – sets of French doors open to the spacious slate porch that creates a seamless flow from inside to outside, and from one entertaining space to the next. Don says, “We’ve had over 200 people in the house for events before and it didn’t feel crowded.”

From the dining room, a convenient and functional butler’s pantry leads into the kitchen and keeping room. The open floor plan makes this heart of the home a welcoming hangout area. “We use the dining room space, butler’s pantry, and kitchen all the time,” Jerre says. “Especially for corporate events, meetings, charity events, family gatherings, and small dinner parties.”

In the kitchen, custom cabinetry lines the wall, and ample counters are cloaked in black granite. A dual oven, warming drawer, instant hot water faucet, ice machine, and three sinks make this kitchen a cook’s fantasy. Both counters open to inviting seating areas including an eat-in breakfast nook and a cozy keeping room. The keeping room is complete with a stone fireplace. All three spaces are soaked in sunlight and scenery, as generous picture windows and transoms line each wall. The eat-in breakfast nook has mountainous views from the back of the house, and looks into the formal living room.

“There’s not one day since we’ve been here that we’ve taken this for granted.”

-Jerre Treece

Adjacent to the eat-in breakfast nook and kitchen is the formal living room. In this room, you can see Jerre’s affinity for melding traditional with touches of elevated English manor styling. Carribean blue tones, a coffered ceiling, and a sumptuous cut-velvet sofa mix with plaid chairs, a custom Habersham living room unit, and another stone fireplace to strike a perfect balance between formal and relaxed. A white, intricately moulded mantle was custom built for the home. Views from this room are unparalleled, as even more of the sweeping mountainous scenery can be glimpsed through the enormous wall of windows. “There’s nothing quite like a sunrise here but experiencing God’s majestic sunsets, in all their brilliant colors, from our back terrace is truly humbling,” says Don.

Off the living room is the master suite. Blues and neutrals create a calming retreat in the bedroom. French doors provide more of the home’s  definitive view, as well as private access to the large outdoor patio area. A silky chaise snuggles in next to the fireplace for another cozy spot to relax.

In the next room, a jetted soaking tub, dual vanities, under-cabinet lighting, custom cabinetry, and travertine floors and counters compose a luxurious, spa-like master bathroom. Skylights and more windows maintain an airy vibe while inviting the surrounding natural beauty inside.

Outside the master bedroom’s French doors is the home’s main patio area. A slate terrace and natural stone patio spread into the wooded stretches behind the house. Valley views are unobscured and symmetrical staircases wind down to the back garden.

Here you’ll find a trickling, man-made brook, a koi pond, and dozens of hostas and hydrangeas. “We do all that we can to respect and be good stewards of the natural beauty here,” Jerre says. In fact, one of her favorite flowering plants is a hydrangea bush, evidenced by the over 140 hydrangea plants on the property. Some were planted by the previous owner and Jerre added the rest. They envelop the home in a multitude of hues.

Truly, from almost anywhere inside or outside of the home, you can enjoy astonishing views of valleys, mountains, sunrises, or sunsets. The wrap-around porches and seemingly endless supply of windows ensure picturesque vantage points of the home’s 360-degree view. Enjoying every aspect of the home, from inside to out, Don and Jerre love to share their home with friends, family, and colleagues. And as Jerre says, “This property, the house, the view, it all feels like our own personal sanctuary. There’s not one day since we’ve been here that we’ve taken this for granted.”