Beach house season is upon us and Figure Eight Island is one lovely place to spend your summer. The private island in North Carolina has around 450 homes and is reached by a guarded causeway bridge.Today's home on the island is a new build. It has a reverse floor plan with the main living level on top floor. The home has four bedrooms including a large master suite that includes a steam shower in the master bath. The home has large porches and decks and is built for entertaining with a chef's kitchen, wine cellar, family room with a wet bar and an elevator to all three levels. This home is listed at $4.595 million.
A new condo tower in Charlotte, North Carolina promise some of the priciest and most distinctive penthouses in the city. The 20-story Encore condo tower includes the Encore 5 – five 7,000-square-foot units priced from $4.5 million to $5.5 million which are pitched at five specific types of buyers: the art collector, the food enthusiast, the wine connoisseur, the technology buff and the consummate entertainer. So far, condos in the area haven't sold at this price but the developer behind the Encore believes that these five penthouses can sell because they are each aimed at that one special person who will love the idea. Each of the five penthouses will be specifically designed to incorporate the interests of the penthouse buyer.
The Encore project will preserve the 81-year old Carolina Theatre at North Tryon and East Sixth streets and offers three floors of office space, a restaurant level, theater lounge floor, an amenities floor for residents and a 1,400-seat auditorium for movies, live entertainment, charitable benefits and corporate events. The developer Jim Donnelly of Pursuit Group Charlotte told the Charlotte Observer that he has "contracts on nine units priced from $1.75 million to $5.5 million" and hopes to break ground this summer.
Adamsleigh is one of the largest and most famous homes in Greensboro, North Carolina. Designed by Winston-Salem based Luther Lashmit. Adamsleigh, was built for High Point textile baron John Hampton Adams and is on 13.5 acres. Italian artisans were commissioned to create the molded plaster ceiling details, hand-carved woodwork, tilework and murals. The four-story staircase is said to be forged from one large piece of wrought iron. The den has wood-paneled walls with a secret entrance to a spiral staircase. The home has 22 rooms including 10 bedrooms. It's a beautiful home and one obviously in need of a lot of work but I hope whoever buys it manages to save those delicious Art Deco bathrooms and doesn't just plop in giant jacuzzi tubs. At $4.8 million it's the most expensive listing in the area.
What else would you find on castle ridge road but a castle? This castle is located in Tuckasgee, North Carolina is a four-bedroom palace tucked in to the Smoky Mountains. The home has a great hall, chef's kitchen with butler's pantry, wine cellar, art studio, pub/movie room, office and a hidden, secret room. The four bedrooms are each suites with fireplaces, separate sitting areas, large bathrooms. and balconies. The home is on eight acres which includes English-style gardens and multiple outbuildings. Vintage style details include the turret tower, spiral staircase, handpainted murals, stained glass, vintage pine floors and a 400-year-old Normandy mantel. There is also an additional 43 acres with a horse barn and tack room available. One man's castle might be another man's white elephant but it's right for a knight. This home is listed at $4 million.
Despite the fact that I once lived on in a condo on a golf course I tend not to be a fan of golf course homes. This one however, is quite charming. it is located in the Knollwood area of Southern Pines, North Carolina, nestled midway between the picturesque town of Southern Pines and the Village of Pinehurst, bracketed by the Donald Ross golf courses at Mid-Pines and Pine Needles. The Ivy Cottage was built in 1925 as a part of architect Aymar Embery's Mid-Pines Inn and golf resort. It sits on a hilltop overlooking the 10th and 11th holes of Mid-Pines, with views of three additional fairways. The Ivy House and Cottage underwent a massive renovation in 1995, turning the former Mid-Pines lodging quarters back into a residence.
The main house received a new cottage style entry that opens to a spacious kitchen. The kitchen opens to a breakfast room with French doors and a wall of windows with access to expansive tiered decking on the southwest side of the house. The home also has a formal dining room which overlooks the terraced deck and a brick floored Carolina/family room opens to a brick patio. A downstairs guest suite has anew tiled full bath and a dressing room. The second floor master bedroom has a master bath with Jacuzzi tub and there is an additional second floor bedroom. The guest house has been newly renovated and includes views of the 11th hole tee box and 10th fairway beyond. Glass French doors lead to a sun filled bedroom with fireplace and newly tiled full bath. Downstairs is a roomy bedroom/sitting area, also with full bath. A cottage style garden is between the main house and guest-house on one side and a view of the golf course on the other. This home is listed at $845,000.
More proof that Nascar is big business comes in the plans for a luxury residential tower in Concord, North Carolina near the Lowe's Motor Speedway. The Arcadian will include penthouses, corporate suites and one-, two-, and three-bedroom units as well as a parking garage,conference rooms, a putting green, theater, fitness center, terrace pool, concierge services, shops and a signature restaurant. According to a report in the Charlotte Observer, buyers have sign contracts on 30 units since sales began in late November. The goal is to have the building ready no later than fall 2012 but that depends on sales. One Charlotte, the 40-story luxury building planned for downtown Charlotte, which we covered last May, has now been delayed. The tower will have 13 stories with 151 units priced from $395,000 to $3 million.
Today's house in Marshall, North Carolina is tucked into the Blue Ridge Mountains near Asheville, North Carolina. The house can be bought with 215 acres or just five acres but either way you get a rare amount of privacy since the home is surrounded by 157 acres that will remain in permanent conservation easement. The home is 6,400 square feet of living space with a cedar and stone exterior and a lodge-style interior that includes a beautiful great hall with 100-year-old stained glass windows. The home has radiant floor heat, three fireplaces, a magnificent solarium with skylights, private library, and billiards room. The finished basement is home to a climate-controlled wine cellar. Outside, the home includes a hot tub, covered porch and stone terrace. The library has green faux leather walls and built-in shelves and the billiards room on the mezzanine floor has a circular window. The master bedroom has a stone fireplace, walnut floors and a private balcony. The master bath is a bit heavy with its cherry woodwork. There are four additional bedrooms. Other structures on the grounds include a gated greenhouse, tennis court, barn and a 900-square-foot log cabin guest cottage. The home is listed at $3,500,000 with 215 acres or $2,250,000 with five acres.
Arrowwood Farm is a gorgeous getaway home in Vass, North Carolina. The quiet retreat is is 24.5 acres that is designed for the horse lover. There is a cozy post and beam main house that is over 4,000 square feet as well as a three-bedroom apartment over the eight stall barn. The main home has a two-story stone fireplace, an upstairs loft and a screened-in porch. On the land there is a riding ring and plenty of trails. The farm is listed at $2.2 million.
More green development, this time from Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Greenbridge Developments is creating a $30 million condominium and retail project with some major green features. The building promises to use solar energy to help power the units, rainwater catch basins to catch water, soil-covered rooftops, a central air filtration system and energy saving appliances. Green materials are also being used including cork floors and bamboo cabinets. The construction of the building will also be as green as possible. They plan to recycle much of the construction waste back into the building. The building is seeking to get a LEED Gold certification. The building will have 100 condominium units and more than 25,000 square feet of retail space in ten stories, making it the tallest building in Chapel Hill. Prices will mainly fall in the $225,000 and $350,000 range with the largest and most expensive units going past $1 million. The building is set to be completed in 2009.
Today's home, a newer build in Flat Rock, North Carolina is fascinating just for how many different places were sourced to create it. This over 10,000 square foot home includes a granite cobblestone driveway that came from the streets of Chicago, fireplace beams from farms in the Midwest and stone floors from Burgundy, France, The home has mountain views and sits at an elevation of 2,800 feet. The home is a faux-Tuscan meets Western pastiche with the latest details including a security system with motion detectors and Lutron/Crestron lighting control systems. The five-bedroom home is on 58 acres that include barns with horse stalls, a pond and four separate homes for caretakers and trainers. This home is listed at $9.85 million. After the jump, this is the first home I have seen where the television is actually built into the stone fireplace.
As much as I love choosing homes for estate of the day posts, I also love it when people send in tips, highlighting homes I never would have found on my own. Today's estate, courtesy of tipster Higher Ground, is a deluxe log cabin in Ashe County, North Carolina. The home is built with huge logs of hemlock harvested in Virginia and sits on 12 acres with a creek and views. It also sets next to 2000 acres of game land on Three Top Mountain for added privacy. The five-bedroom home has more than 3,800 square feet of space. The great room features a floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace and the entire home features luxury amenities such as granite and maple butcher-block counters. The master suit has a private covered balcony and a master bath with a whirlpool tub and heated ceramic tile floors. The loft serves as an exercise room. The deck includes speakers, a hot tub, refrigerator and a grill. It is listed at $1.3 million. After the jump, beams everywhere, even in the bathrooms.
A new development will change the Charlotte, North Carolina skyline. One Charlotte is a luxury tower that will have 99 residences priced from $1.5-$10 million, The units, including two penthouse suites, range from 2,000 to 8,000 square feet. The 40-story tower has floor-to-ceiling glass and balconies that pinwheel around the facade to create an asymmetrical silhouette. The peaked crown will form a vaulted ceiling penthouse. One Charlotte residents will also have individual elevators with direct access to residence foyers, valet and private parking. The main entry will have works of art and be home to a full-service concierge. A24,000-square-foot terrace will form an outdoor living environment that includes a fountain, fire pit and a fully equipped outdoor kitchen for group gatherings. There is also a lap pool that will spill into a resort-style water feature, surrounded by Portman-designed cabanas. The building will also have a 10,000-square-foot fitness and spa club. A demonstration kitchen and a private dining suite will be served by an on-site chef service that will pre-prepare custom meals, and cold storage lockers will be available at the concierge level for on-site grocery delivery. Sales start in September.
I don't know if today's house was a vacation rental but it definitely has the look and it sits on a picturesque island that is studded with beautiful ocean rentals. Figure Eight Island near Wilmington, North Carolina can only be reached via a gated bridge and it is home to around 440 homes including one owned by Presidential candidate John Edwards. This home on Beach Road has three separate living areas each with kitchens, decks and an entertainment system. The home was rebuilt in 2001. It has a garage that can be home to five cars or three cars and two boats. Features include an outside loggia, outdoor fireplace, a master suite with his and hers baths, an exercise room and a colorful, beachy decor. It is listed at $5.2 million. After the jump, fun with primary colors.
Call it the Al Gore effect but lately I'm seeing eco-friendly everywhere. The latest luxury development, Celadon, is located in the Wesley Heights area of Charlotte, North Carolina. The development is said to be the city's greenest. It will consist of 24 townhomes ranging from 900 to 2,076 square feet. The condos site in a wooded area and have a modern look surrounded by trees which help with reducing stormwater runoff. Green features a light reflective roofing system to keep things cool, dual flush toilets, environmentally-friendly insulation, xeriscaping, bamboo floors and the use of concrete which is enhanced with fly ash, a by-product of coal-burning power plants. Prices at Celadon will range from the mid-$200,000s to the mid-$400,000s. Construction should begin in May and be done by early 2008.
If you have watched Dateline on NBC you may be familiar with the case of Michael Peterson, the author who was convicted of his wife's murder after she fell down the stairs in their home. The tawdry tale, which involved the testimony of a gay escort and the mysterious death of another woman in Germany was also a staple on Court TV. The Peterson home in Durham, North Carolina is now on the market. It is a charming nearly 10,000 square foot home which was designed by architect George Watts Carr in 1935. The six-bedroom home is on 3.5 acres and has been completely renovated. It looks utterly sanitized, expanses of white unblemished walls and freshly finished floors. No bedroom shots, alas. It is listed at $2.199 million. After the jump, I'm not going to mention the staircases.
