Ovation of a Renovation

Music lovers from Austin get more room for memory making

When Catherine Haynes and Bo Platt’s Asheville realtor emailed them a listing she thought would pique their interest, it took Catherine less than five minutes to respond. “I sent back ‘NO,’” Catherine recalls with a laugh. “The décor was so not us, and that was my immediate reaction.”

Some years before, the retired couple had left their beloved Austin, Texas, where they met and married, and moved to Florida to care for aging parents. But they were never keen on the Sunshine State, and when they decided to make one more move, they set their sights on Asheville, where Catherine’s sister and her partner lived. “We just fell in love with that area, and we knew the importance of being close to family members as we age,” she notes. Four distinct seasons with moderate weather also appealed to them. Specifically, they wanted Weaverville.

“We liked its close proximity to Asheville but with more of a small-town feel and a close-knit community — the best of both worlds.”

It just so happened that the house that got the big no was in Weaverville, and everything they didn’t love about it was eventually superseded by what they did.

“The view really sold us,” Catherine says. “Unfortunately, the house as we bought it was not taking advantage of that, and was dark and dated. We knew we would have to do a lot of remodeling, but Bo and I have remodeled every house we’ve had — this is our fourth — so it’s not new to us.”

Eventually they engaged Hearth & Home Interiors to help them. The firm’s owner and principal designer Courtney Hinton concurs that the project was a major undertaking. She remembers walking through for the first time with Catherine. “I think she was a little overwhelmed by how big a project it would be.”

Enter Hearth and Home’s Amber Baxley, the project’s lead interior designer, who focused heavily on furnishings and accents.

“After getting to know Catherine and Bo and discussing the personal items they wanted to use in their home, I was excited to get started on a design that highlighted their eclectic style,” says Baxley.“We knew this was going to be a large renovation, so as soon as the homeowners were settled into their rental, we wasted no time getting started.”

Everyone agreed the house needed to be lightened up, not only to the views outside the windows but within the challenging interior layout. That meant taking out a wall between the living room and the kitchen — a gas fireplace the couple both wanted was installed as a wraparound on a column between both rooms — creating a wider route from the foyer into the separate dining room, and reimagining an interesting basement level that included an actual movie theater but also “a lot of small rooms that were not functional and [needed] more light,” says Hinton.

Bo was firm in keeping the enormous gas stove in the kitchen, where he spends a lot of time as head cook. And ultimately, they decided to keep the 22-seat theater, too. 

But the space all around it, once dominated by a huge pool table, was transformed into a cozy rec/game room with a wet bar. The couple’s antique blue cabinet was kept to store games, and a built-in display space was added for their hundreds of CDs and for Bo’s sports memorabilia. Colorful concert posters from live shows in Austin were pulled out of their hiding place, framed, and hung, evoking delightful memories for the couple.

“Using existing items that are of great importance to a client — especially items that have been collected over the years — really allows for their personality to shine through in the end … [it] makes the home feel lived in and full of soul,” says Baxley.

In the kitchen, she explains, a dated decorative soffit was removed from the kitchen and white Shaker cabinets were extended to the ceiling to accentuate the height of the space. The island remained in the same location but was completely reimagined from ’50s diner style to sleek, clean, and contemporary. (Countertop material is “Taj Royal” Caesarstone.)

A corner banquette, built by woodworker Gordon Harrod and upholstered in pale blue to acknowledge Catherine’s favorite color, is where the couple take most meals. Harrod also built the panels on the dining-room walls that transformed the room. “Catherine wanted a non-formal formal dining room,” quips Hinton. In other words: “a nice place to host dinners and holiday meals — elevated but approachable.”

Here Baxley worked off a large painting the couple owned and loved, centered above a blue sideboard. Traditional Windsor chairs were partnered with a rustic dining-room table and set on a contemporary rug. The remodel was completed in September 2024, and Catherine and Bo say it’s a completely different home. 

“The views make us feel like we’re living in the woods,” Catherine says. “Inside is so ‘us’ and everything we love. Every day is confirmation we made the right decision.”

Hearth and Home Interiors, 53 Orange St., Asheville, hearthandhomeinteriors.co, 215-595-4768.

Resources:

Interior Designer: Amber Baxley, Hearth & Home Interiors (Asheville)

Artisan Carpenter: Gordon Harrod (Asheville)

Builder: Brian Barrett, Blue Ridge Homes (Asheville)

Cabinetry & Countertops: CDI Cabinets (Asheville and Greenville)