Coming Home to Roost – Carolina Home + Garden magazine

The updated living room boasts a polished yet comfortable aesthetic. The elegant cabinets, built by master carpenter Thomas Williams with Palladium Builders, were painted a warm khaki shade. The fireplace surround was freshly trimmed with black mist granite (Viktor’s Granite & Marble). Pillows and throws are from Dwellings and Atelier Maison & Co. *Photo by Graham Yelton*

Sure, the early bird wins in the avian world. But in the world of competitive mountain real estate, it’s the patient and purposeful house hunter who swoops up property in coveted Buncombe County neighborhoods. At least, that was the case for the Yeatman family.

From 2011 to 2020, Jonathon, Shannon, and their two children nested in Biltmore Park while pining for a home in nearby Deerhaven, a South Asheville community with sprawling lots and heaps of privacy. “We kept our eyes open for a long time,” Jonathon confirms, noting that he recruited a team of top-tier realtors to assist with the search in 2018.

But after two more years of persistence, the couple put Deerhaven out of their minds and migrated 300 miles west to Nashville for work. Then, on a fateful day last November, they learned a home in Deerhaven had become available. The Yeatmans took the plunge, closing in January.

“We intended to rent it out and then move back permanently when our kids finished high school,” says Jonathon.

To anchor the new dining room, interior designer Susan Chancey selected an oversized, brushed-brass linear light fixture from Visual Comfort & Co. “It has such a major presence,” she says. “The gorgeous glow spills onto the table, resonating with the family’s warm approach to entertaining.” The zinc-top trestle table is a custom piece by Kingston Krafts, and the chairs are from Restoration Hardware. *Photo by Graham Yelton*

However, as the holiday season wore on, the family couldn’t shake an aching nostalgia. Their transition to Music City had been marked by the chaos of the pandemic, and they missed home. Jonathon wanted to be back in Western North Carolina, close to his four sisters and flock of nieces and nephews. Shannon also felt a strong pull to her sister and father, both of whom live outside of Atlanta. Simply put, the mountains were calling. But before the Yeatmans could make the move, their new home needed a few tweaks.

Built in the early aughts, the 6,000-square-foot home was marked by very traditional finishes. Mustard-yellow wallpaper dominated the kitchen, along with the ornate cabinetry of the period. In the living room, heavy shelving darkened the space, as did an imposing fireplace mantel.

Anchored by moody trim (“Iron Ore” by Sherwin-Williams) and cozy pillows, the banquette is where the kids gather to do homework, and refuel after recreating. “It’s a natural gathering spot,” Jonathon offers. “It’s where we eat together as a family most frequently.” *Photo by Graham Yelton*

“It was a very well-built house,” Jonathon says. “However, it was definitely built to suit the previous owners’ style.”

Hoping to achieve a contemporary aesthetic with a distinctly Appalachian drawl — a charming look one might find in the pages of Southern Living or Country Living — the Yeatmans recruited Susan Chancey, an Alabama-born interior designer in Asheville whose work has appeared on the cover of both of those heritage publications. “It was the perfect house,” Chancey says, referencing the desirable location and winsome, wooded lot. “But,” she says, “everything needed to change.”

In April, Palladium Builders began removing vestiges of the home’s past. The kitchen was stripped to the studs and its cupboards replaced. The wallpaper, which Chancey describes as “elaborate,” was booted from the roost. Walls were removed to create and open and an airy floor plan. “The kitchen now has a nice flow and is great for entertaining,” Chancey notes.

Other rooms received a similar refresh, though Chancey was sure to keep things low key and livable. Jonathon and Shannon have a high-school sophomore, a middle schooler, and a menagerie of pets, after all. “The homeowners wanted to create a place where guests could be comfortable,” the interior designer says. “They didn’t want it to feel uptight and untouchable.”

On the contrary, the remodeled residence is warm and stylish. It’s a home where Jonathon and Shannon can usher their children through young adulthood, sharing pizza dinners and ping-pong tournaments until the fateful day when their son and daughter leave the nest. “The design is inherently welcoming,” Jonathon says. “It will keep us connected as a family as our kids go through the teenage years.”