A New Take on Mountain Living

For many Southerners, heading to the mountains means venturing to western North Carolina.  But amongst these same people, mountain style means many different things.  While traditional mountain decor is still alive and well in this area, there are some homeowners, architects, and designers who are taking a different approach to mountain living.  Rather than color schemes of browns, creams, and dark greens, steely grays and cool blues are often their colors of choice.  Furniture is sleek and spare, and contemporary art has replaced antique oil paintings. 

One North Carolina mountain home that reflects this new spirit appears in the April issue of House Beautiful.  Owned by a Charlotte, North Carolina based couple, the home was designed by talented architect Ruard Veltman in tandem with the wife, who is a designer.  Respecting the home's location in a 1920s-era community, the exterior architecture is deliberately traditional.  And yet, the interior is a departure from its surroundings, a blend of luxurious materials and urbane furnishings.  But despite the home's gussied up interiors, there is a sense of comfort that permeates the house, one that invites relaxation.  It's really a most striking mountain house.

Here are a few images for your perusal, but you can read the entire article in the April issue, which hits the newsstands tomorrow.

All photos from the April 2013 issue of House Beautiful, Eric Piasecki photographer.  Images used with express permission from the publisher.