What makes your home a Green or Healthy Home?
The house is enclosed by SIP (structural insulated panels) with 6.25" thick walls and an 8" thick roof, so it is extremely energy efficient. The SIP insulation combined with the passive solar design and south-facing windows means that the house is very thermally efficient and seldom requires heating when the sun is shining in the winter. Conversely, the precisely calculated overhangs prevent the sun from entering the house during the warmer months to keep the house cooler. When it gets really cold, a beautiful Vermont Castings cast iron wood-burning stove in the living room puts out enough heat to keep the house toasty warm. Those wanting to farm organically should know that no synthetic herbicides, pesticides or fertilizers have been used on the property for at least the last 10+ years.Property Description
The entire hand-chiseled and rough-cut white pine timber frame is visible from the inside. In fact, some of the larger timbers were hand-cut from trees on the property. Looking up from the living room, the second and third floors are visible along with the roof timbers soaring 27' overhead. 10' ceilings on the first floor give the home an open and airy feel. Located right off the spacious kitchen is an east-facing and handsomely-cut 15'x15' white oak timber framed screened porch that is a perfect spot to enjoy a morning cup of coffee or an evening beverage with friends and family. The poured concrete foundation has 10" thick, steel-reinforced walls and a finished walk-out basement with a root cellar. The 1" thick white oak board and batten siding along with the heavy-gauge steel roofing make for a very beautiful, durable and low maintenance exterior.
Overall, the house has a very open and sunny feel due to the 35 windows, 14 of which are south-facing, as well as the free-flowing floor plan. Despite being a large house, the practical layout gives it a cozy feel with excellent working efficiency. The kitchen and all three baths have custom granite countertops along with custom-designed black walnut cabinetry. Apart from the carpeted basement and the tongue and groove pine 3rd floor loft, the entire house has handsome stained oak flooring. Rustic reclaimed wood barn siding is featured on walls throughout the house as well as a gorgeous reclaimed stained-glass church window in the piano alcove. Real sandstone rock adorns the wall behind the cast iron wood stove as well as the entire exterior foundation on both the house and the workshop. All of the ceilings, with the exception of the basement, are tongue in groove yellow pine.
Woodworkers will love the hand-sawn and hand-chiseled 1,340 sq. ft. timber frame workshop located right next to the house. The workshop features lean-tos on each side to shelter your equipment and a 2nd floor loft for additional storage space. The 9' ceiling and 8' wide pass-through sliding barn doors on each end allow for large projects to come in and out of the workshop. A 28'x28' concrete pad outside the workshop is a perfect staging area for even larger projects.
Gardeners will appreciate the two acres of open land next to the house that is perfect for gardening or small-scale farming. There is also a small orchard with a handful of apple, peach, pear and plum trees along with a grove of blueberry bushes and a few grape vines. The property also naturally abounds with wild black walnut, persimmon and muscadine trees.
The 1,200' private driveway bisects 9 acres of high-tensile woven wire and energized fenced pastures. The 1-acre and the 8-acre pastures give you flexibility in sorting and managing your livestock. The fence posts were driven 3-4' into the ground with a hydraulic pounder, so they are rock solid and the fencing supplies are all low maintenance and top-quality products from Premier 1 Supplies. The high-tensile woven wire serves to contain and protect a broad variety of animals from horses down to baby goats and chickens.
ATV/horse trails run through the 10 acres of forest and along the meandering creek at the back of the property. The forest features gorgeous white pines that range in size from 2-3' in diameter giving the forest canopy a cathedral-like feel and sound. Deer and turkey are common sightings while walking the trails. The neighboring properties along the side and the back are all forest and pasture, giving the feeling of additional privacy and solitude.Neighborhood Description
The home is situated in a quiet, rural farm/mixed residential area composed of rolling pastures and woods with mountains visible in every direction. Rock climbers, trail runners and hikers will love the dog-friendly Rocky Face Mountain Recreation area located only 4 miles down the road. Also, Riverbend Park is located only 15 minutes away and has a great selection of more moderate trails.Market Area
Taylorsville is a five-minute drive from the house. Thirty minutes away are the four larger cities of Hickory, Statesville, Wilkesboro, and Lenoir. Charlotte and the Charlotte airport are approximately one hour away so you can enjoy the country lifestyle and privacy while still having easy access to city amenities. The picturesque Appalachian mountain towns and ski areas of Boone and Blowing Rock are only an hour away.School District
Alexander County Schools is the public school system for all of Alexander County, NC. There are 11 schools in the district, one early college, one high school, two middle schools and seven elementary schools. Distances to assigned schools from the home are: Sugarloaf Elementary-4.4 miles, East Middle School-3.7 miles, Alexander Central High School-3.1 miles, and Alexander Early College-2.9 miles.Community
Taylorsville, a friendly, close-knit community of 2,100 people, offers two grocery stores, restaurants, and shopping. The Alexander County Library offers programs for adults and children. The local Rotary Club and Lion's Club are active in the community and churches dot the county. The Apple Festival, the Old Fashioned Christmas, and the Independence Celebration are just a few of the local festivals that bring the community together, as well as the many running races.Location of Home or Land
Rural
Elevation of Home
Mountain
Air Quality
| Agriculture in Area | yes |
| Industry in Area | yes |
| Air Pollution in Area | no |
| Pesticide Free | yes |
| Fragrance Free | yes |
| Cleaned with Green Products | yes |
Interior Environment
| Heating System | Forced Air - Heat Pump |
| Cooling System | Conventional Heat Pump |
| Ventilation System | Other |
| Whole House Filtration | None |
| Whole House Vacuum | no |
Energy & Water
| Water System | Well |
| Wastewater System | Septic System |
Construction Information
| Exterior Finish | Wood |
| Interior Finish | Gypsum Board - Sheet Rock |
| Interior Paint | Low VOC |
| Floor Material | Carpet |
| Roof Material | Metal |
| Window Material | Wood Dual Glazed |
| Insulation Material | Other |
Garage / Car Port
| Garage / Carport | no |
| Garage Type | attached |
| Number of Cars | 1 |
