A rustic ramble through twenty-eight picturesque acres of Piedmont forest in Chapel Hill suddenly reveals this singular and stunning cozy Brutalist home, perched over idyllic Neville creek encircling a secluded property surrounded by lush flora and fauna. Designed by revered local architect Louis Cherry, the house draws inspiration from the domestic architecture of modernist masters Le Corbusier and Carlo Scarpa with their emphasis on graceful functionality, industrial materials, and open spaces.
A classic modernist deck house once stood on the building site; unfortunately, it could not be saved. For his vision of the new home, the owner fully embraced the concept of ruinenlust, leaving the abandoned brick chimney and former foundation to provide contrast and counterpoint, counterpoising these discrete derelict structures alongside the bold, clean lines of the new cantilevered concrete construction.
The house is rich in materials that soften the industrial concrete framework, from the reclaimed 19th century wide-plank hardwood floors (each hand-stained for uniformity), to the inviting tactility of the burlap walls in the living room, to the design-forward Enzo Mari-esque plywood kitchen. These thoughtful details are further elevated by the sweeping floor-to-ceiling windows, which suffuse the expansive interior spaces with sunlight and shadowplay, reflecting flickering glimpses of the landscape outdoors onto the walls and across the floors.
The house unfolds over three levels, including two bedrooms, each with an ensuite bathroom featuring Heath Ceramics tiles, Duravit sinks and Hansgrohe faucets. The library sitting room, which could double as a third bedroom, is just off the long corridor overlooking the front courtyard. The heart of the home is the open entertaining space, with ample room for an oversized dining table, and the deep sunken living room, with its impressive fireplace hearth and custom built-in cabinetry. The stairs lead up to a third level and open out onto a spacious screened-in porch and an open rooftop deck that offers a tree-house vista of the surrounding scenic woodlands. A network of trails weaves through the property, leading to a magnolia grove established by the former owners of the original deck house, who were expert rare magnolia specimen collectors. It's an outdoor space perfect for peaceful contemplation, parties, or even pastoral weddings.
This dreamy location is surprisingly only 3 miles from downtown Carrboro, where you can frequent all the best bars, coffee shops, restaurants, and grocery stores in the area. This remarkable home is truly incomparable, utterly unlike any other in the Triangle.
Listed by Samantha Greaves, Compass -- Chapel Hill - Durham.
