Black-walnut-and-butternut chairs, hickory flooring, and exotic Wenge wood on the island’s waterfall edge unite with oversized subway tile for a clean, modern pastiche. Photos by Aaron H. Photography.
In many custom kitchens, the island barstools take a back seat — they’re necessary, of course, but usually not the main idea. In this recent Biltmore Park remodel, however, the chairs directed the outcome. And that’s no accident, says Becky Walter, design and selections manager at Sineath Construction.
In 2021, when Walter toured the original kitchen, she saw “an outdated palette of materials and colors” that included pear-green walls and lots of shiny stainless steel. But the collection of “Lily” barstools, purchased in 2013 from Brian Boggs Chairmakers in Asheville, were timeless.
As noted by Brian’s wife Melanie, who directs business for the upscale artisan company, the black walnut and butternut barstools were designed to “have the fewest lines for the least complicated look.” This way, she says, they “compete for less attention while offering a subtle invitation to explore their form.”
Plus, unlike store-bought seats that tend to pinch your legs and numb your rump, the Boggs barstools beg guests to linger. “The ergonomically shaped seats and backs provide amazingly comfortable support for hours of enjoyment,” Melanie confirms. “These chairs go a long way in helping our clients up their entertainment game.”
Walter instantly recognized this meticulous attention to detail. “I thought the chairs were a beautiful representation of regional craft,” she says.
That evening, when Walter returned to her office, she added the heirloom furniture to her composition. “I then balanced other elements around the chairs, allowing them to take center focus.”
But that’s not to downplay the dramatic updates that she and co-designer Mason Elliott of Mason Elliott Designs executed with the expertise of Brian Sineath, co-founder and president of Sineath Construction. Though the trio preserved the original L-shaped floor plan, almost everything else changed.
The traditional beadboard cupboards, for instance, were replaced with maple cabinetry (Touchstone Fine Cabinetry) finished in “Willow” with an oyster glaze. This soft, wistful tone allows the cabinets to serve as a subdued backdrop for alluring additions like the oversized subway tile (Horizon Tile & Stone Gallery) and “Black Mist” honed-granite countertops (Viktor’s Granite & Marble).
According to Walter, the countertop material looks like soapstone but requires much less maintenance. “The rich color also picks up the dark hue of the walnut barstool legs,” she explains.
To add contrast, Elliott collaborated with The Southside Woodshop of Portsmouth, Virginia, to procure a slab of Wenge — an exotic hardwood from Africa — for a waterfall edge at the end of the island. “It’s a different material that brings a great amount of interest to the space,” says Elliott. This accent also plays off the dark tones in the hickory floor.
Other fun features include the in-kitchen office, which Sineath crafted by salvaging a piece of the original butcher-block island top. Nodding back to the beloved barstools, the homeowners commissioned Brian Boggs Chairmakers to craft a matching “Grand Lily” desk chair.
“Like all of our seating designs,” says Melanie, “the chair enlivens a space and brings an inviting energy.”
To accommodate the lady of the home’s canine companions, Elliott worked with Touchstone Fine Cabinetry to create cozy, built-in kennels that hide out of sight. A previously unused nook in the dining room was repurposed into a wet bar with maple cabinetry sporting an eggshell finish.
According to Walter, a funky mosaic backsplash “brings a little bling” to the beverage center while offering a sense of division from the rest of the space. “The dimensions of this kitchen were large enough that we could accommodate different ‘centers’ such as the office, bar, and island,” the interior designer explains.
Though all distinctive in their own right, each center comes together to afford a seamless look. Taken whole, they embody the “Mountain Modern” mode put forth by Sineath. It’s a descriptor Brian and Melanie often assign to their own work.
“‘Mountain Modern’ aligns with our designs,” says Melanie, noting that a Boggs chair features “natural palettes that celebrate the beauty of Mother Nature [with] clean, organic lines and nothing superfluous or over-elaborated.”
Sineath Construction, 65 Monticello Road, Weaverville. For more information, call 828-645-8518 or visit sineathconstruction.com.
R E S O U R C E S
Builder: Sineath Construction (Weaverville)
Kitchen Design: Becky Walter (Sineath Construction), Mason Elliott (Mason Elliott Designs, Asheville)
Seating: Brian Boggs Chairmakers (Asheville)
Cabinetry: Touchstone Fine Cabinetry (Rutherfordton)
Countertops: Viktor’s Granite & Marble (Arden)
Kitchen Island Accent: The Southside Woodshop (Portsmouth, Virginia)
Tile: Horizon Tile & Stone Gallery (Fletcher)
Flooring: Naturally Aged Flooring (Moorpark, California)
Plumbing Fixtures: ProSource Plumbing Supply (Asheville)
Appliances: Haywood Appliance (Clyde)