Just returned from Asheville, NC where I was attending to my father who is recovering from surgery, and yes, even in a serious time like that, I could not resist the urge to take a quick drive through a few downtown neighborhoods. I came away refreshed and inspired by Asheville’s rich architectural tradition and with plans to spend more time there in the near future.
It is very hard finding communities in the US that have their own local style of architecture. But in Asheville you can find the same architectural theme on homes and commercial buildings: pebble-dash stucco walls, half-timbering, cedar shake accents, broad overhanging eaves with dove-tail rafters, timbered brackets supporting deep gable ends, and warm earth-tone colors resting on split-face granite foundations. The best term I have found for this style comes from The Architectural Pattern Book by Urban Design Associates: “Biltmore Mountain Shingle” (p. 184).
Above are some prominent examples of this style. They are (top to bottom) the Southern wing of the Manor Inn and Cottages on Charlotte Street, a cottage once associated with the Manor Inn, and the new Grand Bohemian Hotel in Biltmore Village. Next time you are in town be sure to go by both locations. They are great examples of Asheville’s living tradition of a timeless local architectural style that is making Asheville one of our Nation’s most loveable places.
It was a pleasure to tour some of these neighborhoods with you even if you were speaking in some other language – “Architecturese.” My favorite detail was the use of painted cedar shingles to cover brackets or overhang window openings on the shingle-sided homes. I probably didn’t use the right words for this but you can translate as needed into your vernacular.
Big brother – Doug