But for Bonnie Rash, owner of Silver Fox Gallery & Interiors in Hendersonville, it’s more than all of that. It is a way of life — a pathway to serenity. Living with beauty, she says, “creates a space that nurtures the soul.”
In that spirit, Rash has made a home with an ambience that is both peaceful and joyful — a haven where daily life, art and nature are seamlessly integrated. “The Cairn House,” a 6,000-square-foot dwelling at the Bright’s Creek community in bucolic Polk County, is so named for the stacked stone “cairn” at its entrance — an ancient custom for denoting a sacred site. “A cairn is a marker of a very special place, somewhere that you want to remember,” Rash explains.
“The first thing we considered was the site, which has an embracing feel of trees all around you. There’s a mountain view, which is important, but it isn’t one of those ‘top of the hill, see-all-the-way-to-China’ views,” she notes. “It feels very private.”
The inspiration for the home was, appropriately, a work of art. “When you come in the door, you turn and see what I designed the house around — a painting by William Martin Jean, one of his ‘Sabi’ series. I took the painting as my ‘divine guidance’ in crafting the home. The color palette is, perhaps, the most obvious reference point, but it also told me what the lines should be: blocky, bold, strong. Yet there is a delicacy and balance in it as well. And there’s a central, curved, calligraphic line that is echoed in the roofline.”
Working with plans from architect and structural designer Ed Kriskywicz, Rash modified the layout of the footprint to snuggle into the hillside, and chose native materials for the exterior — slate, wood and river rock — that would be incorporated into the interior spaces. “I was concerned with honoring natural materials,” she says. “I wanted the house to fit into its setting.”
While the overall style of the home could be described as Contemporary Craftsman, there are resonances of Japanese tea house as well — an elegant simplicity that provides an ideal venue for appreciating both the organic and man-made. The interiors have been designed with display in mind, from the abundance of available wall space to the carefully planned lighting. Rash has artfully employed privacy-protecting, ribbed glass doors in transition spaces, installed custom art-glass pieces into the structure and inserted small windows in unexpected spots to capture natural light.
To supplement this, she’s added exquisitely crafted fixtures, many of them by Hubbardton Forge and Bruck Lighting. “Lighting is one of the most important elements in a home,” Rash points out, “and is too often ignored. You end up with a cavernous, flat space. All the lighting in this home is dual purpose — it highlights the art and illuminates the room. People tend to think that you only need to light what you’re looking at, but you need to have layers of light. Cans are simply vertical — you need horizontal light also, at different levels, to create ambience and warmth in a home.”
Understated custom woodwork throughout the residence provides subtle texture and visual interest, complementing the artworks and furnishings without overwhelming them. Impeccable cherry-stained alder cabinetry flanks the massive stacked river-stone fireplace in the great room, fitted with generous niches that are intended as showcases. “Not crowded little spaces,” Rash notes, “but appropriate to the size and scale of the room.”
To draw the eye across the living area and into the dining and kitchen portions of the great room, Rash maintained a consistent horizontal line with the cabinetry. “The functional elements define different places for people to congregate, but the continuity retains the openness of the space,” she observes.
In the kitchen, the polished granite countertops and island and brushed stainless appliances — all from Salon Blue Ridge in Flat Rock — reflect ambient light while blending beautifully with the calmness of the wood. Deep, soft-close drawers store large and small implements, and even offer customized storage for art pottery, dinnerware and mugs — a further example of the beauty in efficiency.
Although an integrated sound system joins the entire living space with music, the private areas are well defined, and entered indirectly to establish a sense of detachment. The master suite incorporates his and hers wardrobe rooms — intended to create intimate personal space — as well as a technology-ready library area and easy access to the wrap-around deck. Downstairs, a family room and gaming area inspire a gathering together, while the attached, well-appointed guest suite offers sanctuary.
And everywhere the eye alights there is art and beauty: embraced and exalted, but never encumbered by unnecessary embellishment or pretense. “I designed this home as a place to find comfort and balance,” Rash explains. “It’s about substance, livability, rest and restoration. Clutter keeps your mind busy and doesn’t leave room for the soul. And room for the soul is what’s truly important.”