Room to Bloom

Weaverville home brims with stylish yet livable choices 

There are some people in this world who relegate wallpaper to the sidelines of interior design, dismissing it as too garish, too busy, or too reminiscent of their late aunt’s avocado-green kitchen. 

Matina Williams isn’t one of those people. 

Having owned a high-end jewelry shop in Florida for many years, Williams knows better. She has a keen eye for style and considers wallpaper — in all its creative and customizable modern iterations — as the perfect opportunity to make a statement. So, when it came time to design a second home with her husband, David, on a spacious lot in Weaverville, she knew exactly where to begin.

“Some people start with rugs or paintings,” says Matina, “but I started with wallpaper.”

More specifically, the now-retired entrepreneur started with “Bloom,” a grasscloth wallcovering by Phillip Jeffries that, according to the purveyor’s website, is “a fresh interpretation of budding blossoms.”    

“The truth is, I’ve always wanted to use this wallpaper in one of my homes,” says Matina, who chose the print in indigo for her upstairs powder room. She then worked with LaShawn Thomason, selections coordinator at Sineath Construction, to stylize the rest of the 3,683-square-foot space. The home was drafted by recently retired architect Tom Panek. Brian Sineath, president of Sineath Construction, served as the general contractor.

According to Thomason, the couple envisioned a high-elevation haven where they could escape the heat of their high-rise condo in Florida. David, a business owner, also sought a basecamp for his mountain-biking adventures. However, neither husband nor wife was interested in the rustic embellishments typically found in Western North Carolina residences. 

“We wanted a home in the mountains that didn’t look like a home in the mountains,” says Matina, who discovered the one-and-a-half-acre property while visiting her sister right before the pandemic. “We wanted something modern.”

With this in mind, Thomason kept things simple, creating a blank canvas for Matina to add pops of style. 

“The homeowner had a very clear vision of some of the elements she wanted to incorporate right from the start,” says Thomason. 

Exemplars of such include the marble mosaic hearth (via WNC Tile) in the living room, the lime-green “Blommen Leaf” wallpaper (Schumacher) in the downstairs lavatory, and the Midcentury Modern chandelier (Visual Comfort) in the dining room. There’s also the custom cabinets by Mountain Side Kitchen & Bath in Burnsville and the “Reseda Green” Smeg range hood, sourced through Blue Ridge Appliance & Hearth. Together, says, Sineath, these elements “elevate the kitchen’s functionality and aesthetic, making it a centerpiece of the home.”

The outside of the residence is striking, too. Matina says she handed over the reins to David for this aspect of the design, and he chose a natural cedar (Nakamoto Forestry) that was treated using shou sugi ban — a traditional Japanese technique of preserving wood by charring its surface. The wood was then finished with a semi-solid dark-gray stain, bringing a hearty dose of character to the exterior.

Once united, these “thoughtful, high-end features make the home both stylish and uniquely livable, setting it apart from other custom builds,” says Sineath. 

A Glow Up

A Midcentury Modern chandelier from interior designer Kelly Wearstler’s “Strada” series (Visual Comfort) steals the show in the dining room, with a supporting role played by a striking set of teal mohair chairs from Made Goods. “It’s a comfortable space … with access to the kitchen and living room for conversation,” says homeowner Matina Williams, who shares dinners here with her husband, David. On occasion, their three adult children stop by for a bite, too. 

Wildly Stylish

Homeowner Matina Williams proudly displays tiger-striped pillows on her custom couch from Moss Studio in Los Angeles, California. “I believe everyone should have some animal prints somewhere in their house,” Matina says decidedly. Other noteworthy accents in the living room include the brass lotus-leaf side tables (Made Goods), the marble mosaic hearth (WNC Tile), and the framed flatscreen, which looks convincingly like a piece of art. 

Granite Expectations

In the kitchen, Amanda Hudgins with Mountain Side Kitchen & Bath in Burnsville suggested Mouser Cabinetry in cherry and ebony. The countertops are Belvedere granite, a natural stone with an inky-black base that “adds an organic element,” she says. The trio of clear “Victoria Ghost” chairs are from Kartell and the “Reseda Green” Smeg rangehood is from Blue Ridge Appliance & Hearth. “We had it powder-coated a custom color for the homeowners,” says vice president Mike Glenn.    

An Idea in Full Flower

Homeowner Matina Williams fell in love with this abstract floral wallpaper (“Bloom” in Indigo, by Philip Jeffries) before the house was even begun. She chose it for her upstairs powder room. Williams worked with LaShawn Thomason, selections coordinator at Sineath Construction. 

Lathering on Lavish

In the master suite, homeowner Matina Williams wanted to create a space both she and her husband could enjoy — “a space that was feminine and masculine,” she says. The more delicate touches include a butterfly chandelier and terrazzo tiles with flecks of blushy pink granite. For the rugged embellishments, the lady of the home went with an alder vanity in onyx and Silestone quartz countertops in “Iconic White” (Mountain Side Kitchen & Bath). The striking work above the tub is The Healer by Kader Boly, an artist based in the West African country of Burkina Faso. 

Serenity in Blue 

Not to upstage the forested view from the primary bedroom, LaShawn Thomason, selections coordinator at Sineath Construction, kept the finishings quiet and subdued. The headboard wall is covered in a blue grasscloth wallpaper by Phillip Jeffries and the poster bed and bedding are from Arhaus. Underfoot, the homeowner selected an area rug from Veni Vidi Vici Flooring in Florida.  

In the guest bedroom, all eyes are on the custom headboard, which features “Bixi Velvet” fabric from F. Schumacher & Co. The nightstand is from Made Goods and the rug is Serena and Lily. 

All Decked Out

Both husband and wife love to sip coffee on their back porch, built by Sineath Construction using mahogany TimberTech decking. The metal handrails were sourced by Jennings Builders Supply and offer uninterrupted views of the backyard, which Kyle Guie of Mountain Meadow Landscaping sowed with native wildflower seeds. “Native small flowering trees were also installed in the rear as a transition from the tall existing tree canopy down to the newly created landscape,” he says. The sofas are from Restoration Hardware.  

Less Is Lawn

According to Kyle Guie, founder and owner of Mountain Meadow Landscaping, the Williams’ residence is “a great example of how simple design has a big impact.” Working with Site Design Studio, Guie created a clean, low-maintenance landscape that makes a bold yet subtle statement. “The front of the house has a few deciduous trees for color, height, and texture,” he explains. Shrubs were forgone to help create a “minimalist and modern feel.” For both drainage and aesthetics, river rock was installed against the home.

Resources

Builder: Brian Sineath, Sineath Construction (Weaverville)

Interior Designer: Homeowner Matina Williams with LaShawn Thomason, Sineath Construction (Weaverville) 

Architect: Tom Panek (Mars Hill, NC)

Cabinetry and Countertops: Mountain Side Kitchen & Bath, Amanda Hudgins (Burnsville)

Flooring: Arbor Zen Hardwood Floors (Black Mountain)

Tile: WNC Tile (Asheville)

Woodwork: Joshua Park, Corvus Wood Company (Asheville)

Bathroom Vanity: AVL Custom Made (Asheville)

Range Hood: Blue Ridge Appliance & Hearth (East Flat Rock) 

Landscaping Design: Site Design Studio (Asheville)

Landscaping: Kyle Guie, Mountain Meadow Landscaping (Marshall) 

Furniture: Mobilia (Asheville) 

Shou Sugi Ban Cladding: Nakamoto Forestry (Oregon)