WHEN PENNY AND TIM Rush began looking for another vacation home, they knew Grandfather Golf & Country Club was where they wanted to be. They already had a home in the community, but as life changed and grandchildren were born, they required more space to fit the needs of their growing family.
The Rushes, who have renovated seventeen homes together over the last seven years, wanted to pursue their shared passion once again and began looking for a fixer-upper in the gated neighborhood.
“We’d seen twelve other properties on the day we found out about this one, but none had been exactly what we were looking for,” Penny says. “When this house with good bones was mentioned, we knew we’d found the perfect match, especially when we saw the rolling natural landscape surrounding the place. But it needed extensive renovations.”
Extensive renovations indeed. The original structure was uninhabitable, having sat vacant for nearly five years, exposed to the elements. The internal space was smaller than desired, the rooms were in a traditional floor plan, and there was no garage or outdoor living area.
For the novice, “daunting” was an understatement, but for the Rushes, it was full of possibilities, and they knew exactly who to call for support. Having previously worked with or consulted with architect Greg Perry and interior designer Patrick Lewis on renovations for all of their other projects, they already had an established rapport.
The Rushes’ vision for the home deviated from their traditional Georgian primary residence in Charlotte and their coastal home at Wild Dunes in South Carolina. They met with Perry and Lewis to discuss their new concept: a warm, modern space with open sight lines that embraced the surrounding wooded landscape. They wanted something beautiful but also livable and comfortable, offering flexibility when gathering with family and friends or simply seeking relaxation.
The 3,800-square-foot renovated home expanded the smaller footprint and features a host of family-oriented amenities, including four individual bedroom suites with king-sized beds and private baths. The owner’s suite is secluded from the rest of the home and connected via a bridgeway. While much of the original space was gutted, a few original features were salvaged, like the large stone fireplace. The main living areas exist in a large, shared space that is arranged into smaller, more intimate areas, allowing the entire family to gather in one place, even if engaged in different activities.
Glass walls were installed to act as dividers offering uninterrupted sight lines to the stunning view. The clean and modern interiors pair perfectly with the expansive windows and the property’s mountain vistas and lush foliage. A large dormer on the covered porch and an expansive wall of windows in the owner’s suite give panoramic views of the mountainside by day and breathtaking planetarium-like starry skies by night.
Lewis kept a finger on the pulse of their ultimate goal for the home: pure relaxation in nature. “My main goal was to not overdecorate,” Lewis says. “The interiors needed to be natural and minimalistic so as to visually connect with and not detract from the outdoors.”
Soothing fabrics, clean furniture lines, and a neutral color palette create a showcase that directs the eye to the expansive windows. Layered textures like Palecek rope dining chairs, the upholstered bed, and the woven accessories mingle with harder elements like stone, tile, and wood to add interest and warmth. Undertones of polished nickel in the kitchen island pendants, the dining room chandelier, and bathroom fixtures impart modern sophistication that soften more rustic elements. Because the homeowners have grandkids, dogs, and often entertain guests, Lewis focused on durability, using performance fabrics and carpets that provide easy maintenance to maintain their beauty despite traffic.
“The home embraces an understated ambiance that imparts a sense of calm,” Lewis says. “When you step inside, your blood pressure drops.” Lewis’s design proves the concept that less is more in this oasis of pure mountain tranquility. “This home means so much to us—a haven for relaxation, more opportunities to gather, and a lot more memories made,” Penny says. “Up here, away from the lights and the noise, in our warm and comfortable home, we find true serenity.”