A modern wooden house with large windows beside a pond filled with water lilies and lush plants, surrounded by trees and mountains in the background.

The Copperhead House

Location: South Toe Valley, Yancey County, NC

Size: 4,016 sf heated

Program: 3 bed / 3 bath / two living areas / finished basement / attached greenhouse

Construction: timber frame hybrid

When the Chappelear family's home burned down, they came back to Equinox to rebuild - and this time, they had a clear vision for everything they wanted their new home to be. The result is a timber frame hybrid designed around a family of four who needed more room to spread out, space for an extensive aquarium collection, an attached greenhouse, and long views facing the Black Mountains from their South Toe Valley farm.

Where possible, materials salvaged from the fire were worked back into the new build; a meaningful continuity running beneath the surface of an otherwise entirely new home. Inside, the design embraces variety: multiple wood species appear throughout, nowhere more visibly than in the staircase that anchors the main living space, where the interplay of grain and tone makes the craftsmanship impossible to miss. Rebuilding for a family you already know and care about raises the stakes, and it shows in every detail.

A two-story wooden house with large windows, a sloped roof, and a chimney, surrounded by trees and greenery.
Open-concept kitchen and living area with wooden beams, a tree in the center, and hardwood floors. Kitchen features wood cabinets, a window with colorful hanging pendant lights, and a granite island with three stools.
Open-concept living room and kitchen with wooden accents, large windows, a dining table, staircase, and hardwood floors.
Interior view of a wooden cabin with a staircase, dining area, wood flooring, and large windows with a view of greenery outside.
Interior view of a two-story wooden staircase with railing, wooden beams, and decorative stained glass window.
Interior of a wooden house with a high ceiling, wooden beams, a staircase, and a loft overlooking the living space. There is a dining table with chairs, a sofa with cushions, a floor lamp, and a stone fireplace with a wood stove.
A kitchen with wooden cabinets, colorful hanging pendant lights, a granite countertop, a window with a view of trees, and a breakfast bar with three wooden stools.
A screened-in porch with wooden ceiling and walls, featuring outdoor seating including a sofa, two armchairs, and a hanging swing, overlooking a lush green garden.
Interior view of a room with a wooden vaulted ceiling featuring skylights and a ceiling fan. Hanging colorful glass ornaments are suspended from the ceiling. Large windows show a scenic outdoor landscape with trees and mountains.

The McCade House →