Your Home

We will introduce the joys and quirks that come with rural living by starting with your home and the immediate landscape that surrounds it. As a resident of the northern Piedmont region, there are many important considerations to note as you begin to build your relationship with your new space. Whether your home be young or old, stucco or fieldstone, large or small, this section will share information on some of the most significant aspects of maintenance and renovation.

 

We encourage you to explore ways to care for your property from the mindset that your land is a contributing piece of the northern Piedmont landscape and a shared resource. Making choices that are better for the environment and our native wildlife are important aspects of rural culture as we interact with them on a daily basis. It is essential to choose high quality materials for longevity that will reduce waste, recycle when possible, and adopt a less-is-more attitude to diminish your impact on the landscape. One of the glories of rural living is the outdoor experience and we encourage you to spend just as much thought on your outdoor space as you do inside. We are blessed with four distinct seasons in this part of the Commonwealth, each with their own beauty to enjoy, and it is just as customary to be invited to an outdoor “Winter Solstice” party as it is a July 4th BBQ.

 

When building a new house, carefully planning your building placement can ensure maximum enjoyment of your design. Nestling your house along a tree line or within a natural depression—as opposed to on top of a hill—can dramatically reduce your energy consumption, reduce erosion, and protect you from unpleasant wind. Selecting building materials and styles already prevalent across the northern Piedmont region is a wonderful nod to the traditions of this area that makes it the special place you have chosen to call home.

 

We are fortunate to live in a place with a supportive community, where neighbors are often welcome to walk or ride across adjoining properties, bountiful gardens are shared with friends, and road blockages from storm damage are cleared by working together without waiting for VDOT. We hope you will consider these northern Piedmont values and that these resources will assist you with designing your own unique space.