From House To Home

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Building a home doesn’t ordinarily involve burning another one down. But when John and Lynn Snow realized that the 1920s farmhouse they had hoped to restore was beyond repair, they donated it to the Volunteer Fire Department. In a controlled burn, the firefighters practiced their technique—lighting and then extinguishing the flames in an all-day exercise that Lynn admits was somewhat surreal.

“It was for a good cause, but it was wild,” she says. “The heat was amazing.”

The day took on an almost family affair as people came and watched the firefighters work in rotation,  each learning from the drill. When they finished, the only things left were a smoldering pile and the original driveway.

John and Lynn own Snow Custom Building, Inc., so while this may have been their biggest bonfire, it wasn’t their first rodeo. They cleared the debris and went to work developing the property to build the home they really wanted. They chose a blend of classic materials and infused the interiors with a wide-open contemporary ambiance, which utilizes every inch of the 4,300-square-foot home.

Thanks to an open floor plan and a more contemporary styling, they kept a home in the country but completely updated the country in the home.

John’s sister, Mitzi Covington, was for many years her brother’s business partner and remains one of his biggest fans. “John has a talent for seeing a house on a blueprint and visualizing it on the property,” she says. “He never wastes space, and he doesn’t cut up a house.”

This short analysis is actually a good description of the entire blueprint. Throughout, distinctive ceiling lines not only capture attic space, but they also define the rooms. And the overall circulation relies on wide passageways and open access to the centrally located great room. There is plenty of formal structure, but also a sense of surprise that comes from the home’s framing and finishes.

Since most of the living is on the main level, the home is designed to accentuate the open floor plan.

There are three bedrooms, including the master suite, and a fourth bedroom could be made from an upstairs bonus room, which adjoins the home office. The master is large enough to accommodate a seating area as soon as Lynn decides on furnishings. The bath features a cultured marble walk-in shower with multiple heads. Ceramic tile on the floor contrasts with Lynn’s choice of moisture-resistant wallpaper in rich red with gold accents.

Since most of the living is on the main level, the home is designed to accentuate the open floor plan. Entertaining is made easier by the fact that the kitchen directly overlooks the main living area and has easy access to an adjoining breakfast nook and nearby formal dining room.

Finally, the home is surrounded by more than 7 acres of privacy, including a backyard pond. The landscaping is a combination of mature growth and newly planted additions. A comfortable front porch defines the entryway and allows room to relax in one of several rocking chairs.

They chose a blend of classic materials and infused the interiors with a wide-open contemporary ambiance….

The couple is pleased with the finished project and never looked back once they decided to demolish the old home that had stood on the property for so many years. Now, thanks to an open floor plan and a more contemporary styling, they kept a home in the country but completely updated the country in the home.