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Building a mountain home gives you the an incredible opportunity, not only to invest it with your own sense of taste, but to incorporate bold design elements that make the most of your breathtaking surroundings. Typically, that means using natural materials wherever possible, an application MossCreek, a Knoxville Tennessee architectural firm, commonly applies in their designs. Natural materials include stone, timber, metals and glass. By doing so, you can create a unique environment that’s more at one with these elements that richly define your property.  It’s a look that’s sometimes termed “rustic elegance”.

Mountain homes are popular in the gated communities near Asheville NC.  At best, the exteriors are so attuned to nature that they look as if they’ve grown out of the ground.  And why not?  In this part of the country, the layered mountain views, clear night skies and lush green forests are the real stars of the show.  Because these panoramas are so spectacular, North Carolina mountain homes tend not to be large, symmetrical, obtrusive structures.  They take advantage of the trees, boulders and other land features by designing around them and even making them a part of outdoor living areas with decks or terraces.

Perhaps you’ll be building a mountain home near one of the picturesque rivers or waterfalls that define this part of the country.  You’ll want to plan and orient your layout to make the most of that location.  Building in a variety of levels and carefully-placed windows can give you that flexibility.  And the broad, sheltering roofs of multi-level homes that follow the lay of the terrain create an attractive cascading appearance while providing effective protection against winter snow, spring rain and summer sun.

In gated communities near Asheville, NC, you’ll find that mountain homes utilize bigger and bolder columns, beams, rafters and other structural elements for maximum protection against heavy snow loads.  These are typically Douglas fir and/or reclaimed wood.  Roofs may be constructed of cedar shakes or slate, sometimes with copper accents.  The siding is likely to be cedar (boards, shake shingles or logs) and stone. Recycled barn wood is sometimes employed for a more rustic look. Windows often have wood or metal clad (aluminum, copper or bronze) frames, which can include an aged patina for an older appearance.

Interiors of mountain homes should also include as many natural materials and forms as possible, along with warm, earth tone colors.  The ideal effect is more rustic than the look of a typical home and can be described as “old world” in appearance.

Landscaping is also an important element to consider.  The orientation of your home on the site needs to achieve maximum privacy, minimal visibility, and minimized grading and disruption of natural drainage. Water runoff should be contained, and enhancing the natural landforms and vegetation is encouraged.  Retaining walls are ideally kept to a minimum, to preserve a natural look as well as to keep costs down. Natural stone is the preferred material, and vegetation will help them to blend in.

The site can also include native hardscaping (patios, walkways), and minimal walls, fences and gates. Everything should look open and natural, and relate to the building. A good architect or landscape architect will know some good tricks to help you accomplish your goal.

As you have seen, the goal in building North Carolina mountain homes is to achieve a perfect balance between nature and architecture.  MossCreek designs suggested at The Coves, offer a remarkable selection of luxurious log, timber and hybrid frame floor plans that are easy to build and affordable to meet your family’s individual needs.

We invite you to visit and tour The Coves Mountain River Club. Here you’ll see some great examples of how a well-planned and well-crafted mountain home can blend in perfectly with the outdoor lifestyle here in the Western North Carolina foothills. We have a variety of homesites for sale to show you too. From large riverfront acreage, private wooded estates to pastoral property with beautiful mountain views. Our homesites begin in the high $30’s. From start to finish, you’ll find it is possible to build a new mountain home in the $300’s.

If you’re exploring the area for the first time, ask for our 70 page complimentary Western North Carolina Visitor’s Guide which provides more information about living in the foothills.