Bringing the outdoors in was a high priority.
After 10 years living in Boston, Pamela Krengel was wanting to return to her North Carolina roots. For a time, Pamela lived in Raleigh, North Carolina.
“My parents, at the time, lived in Nashville, Tennessee. Occasionally we would meet in between in Asheville, North Carolina. This was my introduction to the area, and this occurred more than 20 years ago.
“From this introduction onwards, I always loved Western North Carolina. Even after moving away from the state, I always returned to this area and over time, really got to know some of the wonders that are in this part of the U.S. I always feel at peace here in the mountains and in nature.
“After my time in Raleigh, I took a position in the Boston, Massachusetts area. While in Boston, I lived in a small apartment for 13 years.
“While in Boston, I was ready to own a home again and wanted to invest in a location that I loved. This desire ultimately led me to build my forever home in this magical part of the world.”
Through a local real estate agent, Beverly Hanks and Associates, Pamela purchased two lots in The Homestead at Mills River development in Horse Shoe, just outside Asheville, NC. Together the two parcels total three acres.
Selecting Moss Creek for the Design
“As I was exploring locations with my real-estate agent, I came upon a model home where Moss Creek was the architectural firm. The design really stuck with me. As it would happen, the construction company that I selected (Livingstone Design and Build) was also familiar with Moss Creek.”
“After evaluating a few architectural firms in the area, I selected Moss Creek for their expertise in Craftsman home design and for the exceptional level of communication and responsiveness that they provided.”
Going into the project, Pamela communicated to her design team that she wanted a craftsman-style design that would bring the outside in. Rather than a straightforward timber frame style, Pamela wanted softer design with curved timber frame beams.
“The repeating curved beams were really important to me. To me, the curved Craftsman beams are just a bit softer than the beams that run straight across. These curved beams can be seen on both the exterior and interior of the home.
“The stonework was also important to me. There is stonework also on the exterior and interior of the home. The floor to ceiling fireplace is the centerpiece of the Great Room.
“A Craftsman focus was important. Incorporating natural elements was also important. My home is also an Energy Star certified green built home,” Pamela says. “The house is very well insulated and efficient. We also included some aging in place principles into the house, such as a zero-threshold entrance to the Master Bath shower, electrical outlets a little higher off the floor, larger, wider doors and a flat entrance from the garage to the primary level of the home.”
When building a new custom home there are literally thousands of decisions to make, on everything from design, to hardware, and exterior features, to the placement of the home on the site. To avoid decision fatigue, Pamela hired an interior design firm to help finetune the architectural design.
“I hired the design firm, ID.ology Interiors and Design. At the kick-off meeting, we discussed the concepts of bringing the outside in, giving a shout-out to nature and being true to the Craftsman style.
“As the construction progressed, we made decisions in waves, so I didn’t have to make all of the interior design decisions right away. I did my build remotely, so we had ‘Zoom’ calls and I flew into Asheville every four to six weeks for live meetings.
“We started the project in mid-2020 and ended before the summer of 2022. So, less than two years from the signing of the contract with the construction firm,” Pamela says.
Favorite Spaces in the New Home
Pamela loves the design of her new home, so much so that choosing favorite spaces within it is difficult.
“One of my favorite spaces is the Great Room, where family and friends can gather. One goal of the build was to bring the outside in, so that nature could truly be appreciated. The Great Room has three levels of windows that look out onto pristine forest and mountains. I don’t get tired of looking out of the windows. I love this room in all seasons. The stone fireplace in the Great Room also adds some coziness, particularly in cooler months.
“There is an additional 1,017 square feet of covered outdoor space. The side porch includes retractable screens and a lovely stone fireplace,” Pamela says.
Supply Chain Issues From Covid
Because the home was built during the height of Covid lockdowns, this threw a wrench into the design-build process. “You really did need to keep your sense of humor. During the pandemic, even the most basic of items could turn out to be a challenge to obtain,” Pamela recalls. “It seems absurd now, but at the time we were searching for stain for wood flooring, and it was super difficult to obtain. We had located the last 30 cans of stain in the country in Chicago and had to have it shipped here,” Pamela recalls.
- Designer: Moss Creek (Knoxville, TN)
- Interior Designer: ID.ology Interiors and Design
- Timber Frame Manufacturer: Sauter Timber LLC (Rockwood, TN)
- Builder: Living Stone Design and Build
- Square footage: 3,314, plus another 1,017 square feet of outdoor patio space
- Bedrooms: 4
- Baths: 3.5, including the Studio over the garage that has a full bath