There’s a bromide about one’s home being one’s castle and, in most cases, it’s merely an illusion. But when it comes to Kathy and Jack Affeldt’s home in Biltmore Forest, the old saw could be interpreted more literally. Externally, the structure certainly has the proportions — and many of the architectural hallmarks — of a noble residence. But it is the ease of living and sense of comfort that it affords its residents that truly define its riches.
Architect Robert Griffin found aesthetic inspiration in the storied edifices of Brittany and Normandy and the grand manors of the English countryside, incorporating many vernacular elements in the design. There are elegant nods to the gentrified lifestyle: a winding cobblestone drive leads to an ample porte cochere with gabled roof which offers access to the entrance portico; a long loggia graces the front of the house and a turret gestures forth from the stone-clad façade.
Don’t be fooled by appearances. Despite references to a bygone era, this house is configured to accommodate a very modern lifestyle. “It’s a contemporary floor plan in a traditional shell,” says Griffin. “We wanted the house to feel really warm and inviting for just the two of us,” says Kathy, “but we like to entertain — our house often fills up with family and friends — so the layout had to be flexible enough to accommodate a crowd.”
Griffin fulfilled this mandate by creating a series of interconnected spaces at the center of the home, where a casual sensibility prevails. “Houses need to expand, but you also need to have cozy spots, where two people can perch on the island, for example, or a breakfast room that is scaled to be intimate,” he explains.
The kitchen fulfills this by offering an ample and well-appointed prep area, dressed in fieldstone, that adjoins an informal dining area. Because it sits at the interior “heart” of the home, a skylight above the island provides natural light and, in lieu of the standard window above the sink, the Affeldts have a custom stained glass “vista” created by friend and glass artist Sherry Bales.
The cherry stained and contrasting creamy white-glazed cabinetry — articulated with Florentine gold — reflect Griffin’s signature “furniture style” approach to kitchen design. Custom made by Jeff Asire of Architectural Cabinetry in Greenville, SC, the cabinets are topped with polished granite from Mountain Marble & Granite. Rustic elements, like the wire door insets, hammered zinc range hood and staggered, rectangular backsplash tiles by Mediterranean Tiling & Stone above the induction cooktop add a relaxed touch.
Another island — convenient for serving — delineates the dining area, where a portrait of “Curly,” an exceptionally handsome goat who is a resident of the Biltmore Estate, slides up on an art-lift to reveal a flat screen TV. Just beyond a set of French doors, an all-season sunroom — which can be opened for use as a screened porch in summer — offers a stacked stone fireplace surrounded by comfortable settees for lounging, with the added bonus of a sheltered grilling nook that allows Jack to show off his barbecuing skills while still interacting with guests.
The generously-sized “gathering room” flanks the front loggia and adjoins an outdoor terrace, which can also be approached through the sunroom. “There’s a lot of light in the room,” notes Griffin. “We borrow light from the loggia, and there’s light from the south side as well.” Interior designer Wendy Convery chose a copper color for the insets in the coffered ceiling, to reflect that ambient light. The repetition of fieldstone on the walls beside the hearth visually connects the room with the kitchen, sunroom and terrace and adds a sense of warmth and welcome.
There are, of course, more formal aspects to the home’s interiors — and grace notes. A sweeping spiral staircase — housed in the turret — ascends from the entrance foyer (a back stairway off the kitchen provides less dramatic, but somewhat easier access to the upper and lower levels). At the far end of the loggia, the dining room provides a baronial atmosphere for entertaining beneath the glow of a massive wrought iron chandelier, hung from a vaulted ceiling that has been dressed in a metallic glaze that is a blend of gold, bronze and copper. Patterned leather and fabric chairs from Drexel surround Jack’s mother’s dining table. Nearby, a wall hanging proudly displays the family crests.
But it is on the lower level that the home’s more playful, and decidedly modern nature is revealed: a true “recreation room” with a wine cellar, comfortable media area and, for Jack — an avid golfer — a full-swing simulator that can transport him magically (well, virtually) to over 60 world-class courses from Sea Island to Pebble Beach.
For the Affeldts, it is not the stately appointments, but the function, the personalized elements and the livability that have been designed into their residence that make it truly luxurious. They have not created a castle, but a home.