Cozy Outdoor Living at the 2020 Southern Living House
Royal® Building Products was honored to participate in the 2020 Southern Living Idea House as the exclusive decking sponsor. Our Zuri® Premium Decking in Weathered Gray, a cool gray wood tone, is featured on the home’s back deck while Chestnut, a creamy timber, makes a statement on the home’s screened-in porch. We hope you enjoy these design insights and photos from the house!
The 2020 Southern Living Idea House sits on a picturesque wooded mountainside in The Ramble Biltmore Forest in Asheville, North Carolina. Asheville, a hub for artists, outdoorsy types, and foodies, has a small-town feel that makes escaping to this “New Southern Gothic” getaway home even more of a unique experience.
Interior designer Lauren Liess, of the HGTV show “Best House on the Block,” and architect Beau Clowney carefully selected building materials that would play off of the home’s tree-shrouded location, including the use of Zuri® Premium Decking by Royal® throughout the home’s generous outdoor spaces. Zuri, which mimics the warmth and beauty of natural wood, provided the perfect accent for the screened-in porch and deck.
Keep reading for our conversation with Clowney, Liess and her team about their experience using Zuri and designing the 2020 Southern Living Idea House.
Tell us a little about the overall design of the house.
We refer to the house as “New Southern Gothic,” characterized by tall eaves and gables. To incorporate the core gothic design element we looked at turn-of-the-century design. We set the mood for the whole house with one very distinct chair, and from there, we incorporated William Morris wallpapers and as many handmade pieces as possible throughout the home. Since the home has a picturesque backdrop among the mountains, we infused that inspiration into the use of natural wood elements throughout the interior of the home. The whole project is about spending time in open, family spaces. So we wanted to create a cozy, relatable vibe while paying homage to the authentic architecture of the home.
What distinctive design trends did you incorporate into the house that you’re particularly excited about?
Two of the rooms are fully wallpapered and heavily patterned even into the ceiling, dormers and eaves, offering impactful continuity when you step into the room. For a while, so much of home design was very white and neutral. We’re trying to get away from that with elements like patterned tile or a crazy granny chair. We’re expecting a return to expressiveness in home decor, and don’t think people are afraid of color and pattern anymore. We also chose unique shapes for the screened-in porch to create even more visual interest in the space. The bay at the end of the room where the stone fireplace sits is hexagonal, and the ceilings are vaulted.
How much outdoor living space does the house have?
A lot. Wherever you’re sitting, there’s something else happening in the background, making it a great house in which to have a party. It has perfect flow between indoor and outdoor living, so you never feel like you’re isolated from the action. The house has a campus-like feel, with lots of tiers and pathways. The deck acts as a link between the garage and the main house, creating a private courtyard area on the back of the house. You never get bored.
Why was incorporating multiple options for outdoor living a priority for the house?
Right when you arrive you feel like this is the kind of place to spend a lot of time outdoors. The whole forest behind the house is made up of pine trees and is so green and lush. If you have that view year round, why wouldn’t you want to savor it as much as possible? Our job was to make the outdoor living spaces coincide with the interior design aesthetic while elevating the views surrounding the home into livable spaces.
How did the decking influence the rest of the design for your outdoor spaces? What did you like about using Zuri® Premium Decking?
Zuri® decking is great quality and fits in seamlessly with the forest surrounding this home. We were able to avoid a jarring transition as you walk between the indoor and outdoor spaces. We were also able to achieve a weathered look for the deck and a more polished look for the screened-in porch by using two different Zuri colors, Weathered Gray and Chestnut. We got exactly what we were looking for with Zuri.
