Home needs a refresh?

Whether you are itching to sell in the new year or are contently settled in your forever home, seasoned renovators recommend tackling one of these projects in 2021.

Paint, paint and more paint.
Dig out those old gym shorts and roll up your sleeves—because the number one way to add value to your home is to paint it.

“I call it an emotional change,” says Daryl Calfee, owner of Penny Lane Properties, which specializes in renovating old houses. “It’s the hands down best return-versus-cost improvement you can make.”

Statistics show on average, just painting the exterior of a home can improve its value by five percent—that’s a large chunk of change. Painting the inside is also effective, especially for those who plan to sell their home in the new year.

“A well-chosen palette that brightens, refreshes and even smells new goes a long way with buyers,” Calfee says.

Painting is also the number one recommendation from Josh Redmond, local real estate agent who also renovates homes to sell or rent, and Owen Hurst, who has years of home renovation and woodworking experience. Since 2014, the two have partnered on more than a dozen local renovation projects.

“We use ‘Repose Gray’ for a reason. It works in any space, large or small, with any style or color,” Redmond says of their preferred paint color, adding that it is a true gray that doesn’t pull from other colors such as blue or purple.

A neutral paint color is ideal when considering a home’s resale value, which Redmond says is something he’s often asked about when homeowners are considering home renovations.

“It’s helpful to know if the time and investment you make in your home will increase the value for potential buyers down the road,” he explains. “If you enjoy the changes, and they can improve the home, that’s a win-win.”

For those with no plans moving in the near future, below are a few much brighter paint recommendations.

Update landscaping.
Another exterior update that can drastically increase the value of your home is landscaping, one of the building blocks of impeccable curb appeal.

“It’s the first thing that gives people a ‘wow’ factor within seconds of pulling up to your home,” Redmond says.

For many homeowners, a landscaping update might not be a massive overhaul—just a few loads of mulch and a sunny Saturday’s worth of work.

“Start by trimming existing bushes and plants, rake out all clippings and leaves, make sure to pull weeds and spray weed killer for the future, then put down a good landscape fabric, if you haven’t before. Finally, when all else is done, you can mulch,” says Dan Vollmer, associate broker with REMAX 1st Olympic and home project enthusiast, who adds that removing dead trees should also be a priority.

If you need to plant brand new bushes, shrubs or small trees, consider your houseʼs style and architecture—for example, if there’s not a lot of interest in the front, you would choose higher plants or shrubs. Your local nursery can help you make selections.

According to Lynchburg Living gardening contributor Ashleigh Meyer, the biggest problem for most who DIY their landscaping is planting too deep. “The root collar needs to be about two inches above the existing grade. This is right where the stem transitions into the first/highest root,” she says. “You also want to make sure the hole youʼre planting in is nice and wide so that roots spread out rather than encircle the stem.”

Change out light fixtures and/or hardware.

Older light fixtures can really date a home, says Vollmer—but new ones don’t have to break the bank or require an expensive bill.

“Shop local stores and online sites for great deals, and try to stick to the same finishes throughout,” he explains.

Along with your fixtures, consider changing out your door handles and hinges too—even faucets. “There are lots of options and styles for this,” says Cole Rice, real estate agent with Lauren Bell Real Estate. “Brushed nickel, matte black, oil-rubbed bronze, even gold—it’s coming back!”
Refinish wood floors.

They are often the “ta da” discovery of home reality shows—the moment when gorgeous hardwood floors are unearthed below faded linoleum or lime green carpet. If you have hardwoods that have seen better days, now may be the time to shift your home improvement focus down.

“Refinished wood floors are worth their weight in gold,” says Calfee. “Walking into a home with refinished wood floors immediately gives a high-end feel and the reflection of light brightens the room.”

Calfee says you can expect to pay around two to three dollars per square foot to have your floors professionally refinished or you can rent a sander and products yourself from ACE Hardware locally. Keep in mind while this is not an extremely difficult DIY project, it is time intensive and requires multiple steps to complete.

Become a master of plaster.
Before there was drywall, there was plaster—a material most likely used in homes built before the 1950s. If you have an older home, this refresh project is for you.

“Repairing plaster walls offers an organic texture and elevated value that sometimes drywall lacks,” Calfee explains. “Ceilings can and will be a pain, so covering them with drywall at times makes sense if they are too far gone to repair.”

If you want to add subtle texture and value to drywall, Calfee says use Roman Clay. It’s simply
applied with a putty knife and will give your walls a subtle marbling texture.

DIY a new backsplash.
According to Hurst, one of the best ways to make a big impact in your home is to go for a new kitchen backsplash—and to try it yourself.

“I originally taught myself how to do it years ago by watching YouTube tutorials—there are so many out there and really good ones to learn from,” he says. “If someone is willing to take on the project, they could do it in one weekend and have a big impact for a pretty low cost.”

Hurst installed a traditional white subway tile in his own kitchen when they renovated last year; he and his wife love it for the simple, classic look and how the white tile brightens their space.
It’s also the best option for beginners. Subway tile is typically very affordable and is the easiest to install in Hurst’s opinion.

Winter can be somewhat depressing for those of us who love to look out the windows and see a beautifully lush and colorful landscape. It seems as though the gardens and flowers we maintained through the warmer months have been washed in a sea of gray and brown. Not so inspiring.

But chilly doesn’t have to mean charmless.
Enter: Camellias. These evergreen queens of the winter landscape thrive in our region and add a burst of color and class to our otherwise empty garden beds. Beloved for their glossy and substantial foliage, elegant cold-season blooms and overall versatility, they really are the gem of the year-round garden.

They thrive in more acidic soils and prefer shade, making them great for filling in those difficult-to-cultivate spaces, and with so many varieties, there is a camellia for every landscape.

Camellia Types
Camellias are originally native to Southeast Asia where they’ve been a treasure of meticulous Japanese gardens for hundreds of years. Their blooms tend to come in shades of red, pink, and white with waxy evergreen foliage. In the United States, we primarily cultivate two species of camellias: Sasanquas and Japonicas. Sasanquas bloom from early to mid-season, beginning in late fall and continuing through the first part of winter.

Japonicas begin their blooming season in late winter and show off their color through the spring. Of course, each of these species has hundreds of hybrids. Planting a few carefully selected types will result in an almost year-round display of showy, eye-catching blossoms.

Basic Care
Maybe their reputation for being difficult plants to grow comes from their high-class, rose-like appearance. It’s really a myth that these shrubs are challenging, and they actually grow well with little attention as long as they are properly planted in the right spot.

While camellias can be planted in winter, it’s best to wait until spring so that they have time to take root before the cold weather comes. This is generally a good rule of thumb for anything you might want to plant.

Choose a location in your yard with a lot of shade. That’s right—these beauties are shade lovers! If you’re like me, you’re constantly on the hunt for ways to fill out those darkened spaces and camellias make excellent candidates. Like a proper Victorian lady, they need to be sheltered from the hot midday sun. Some varieties can handle more sunlight than others—so do some research before planting—but most prefer a bit of sun in the morning, then cool, dappled light throughout the afternoon. They like the consistently moist soil that shade provides, but they don’t like wet feet, so you’ll want to make sure the soil is well-drained to prevent rot and disease. Nutrient-rich, organic material with a slightly high pH is ideal.

As with most garden shrubs and trees, correct planting is absolutely vital to healthy growth and a long lifespan (camellias can live for more than a hundred years). One of the more common planting mistakes is burying the plant too deep. So dig a hole that is just deep enough to cover the root ball. It’ll need to be at least twice as wide so that the roots can spread out. If the roots encircle the ball when removed from the pot, carefully cut the encircling roots and spread them away from the root ball. Fill the hole back in with healthy organic material, and water generously. Mulching will also aid in water retention, protect the roots from extreme temperatures, and prevent weeds from overtaking the space. Just be sure to keep the mulch out of direct contact with the stem.

As your camellias continue to grow, make sure they are watered regularly.

They do not handle drought well, especially during the blooming season. Otherwise, caring for them is pretty simple. They don’t typically require fertilizing, and they only need to be pruned for aesthetic purposes. Left to their own devices, they will likely grow quickly and bloom prolifically.

Camellias in the Landscape
Because of the multitude of varieties, camellias can serve a number of purposes in the landscape. They can grow to be quite large—between six and 12 feet in height and width! However, different varieties grow to different sizes, and most can be pruned to maintain your desired aesthetic.

Thanks to their thick, appealing foliage they make
great screens. They can be used as hedges for a little privacy from your neighbors or to hide unsightly fences and foundations.

Some varieties are prone to keeping a low, sprawling profile and can make for unique and attractive ground cover.

For a more formal focal point, they can be trained and shaped as small, winter-flowering trees. They can also be used as espaliers, growing up and spreading along flat, vertical surfaces such as walls. This requires a decent amount of work, but for those who enjoy pruning and training plants, camellias are a great choice. Sasanqua varieties work best for this purpose.

When thinking about adding them to a full, year-round landscape, consider planting camellias among azaleas and rhododendron, which have similar needs and structures. They can fill in the space with color when your camellias are out of bloom. Hydrangeas make another dramatic summer-blooming companion. Of course, anything you plant with camellias will need to be shade-tolerant, but don’t worry about giving the camellias too much shade. As long as they get just a little sunshine at some point in the day, they will be fine. Use them to fill in the understory below crepe myrtles and Japanese maples. Scatter some hostas throughout and you’ll have yourself a perfect shade garden with year-round color.

The holiday season is all about nostalgia—from that ornament you can’t wait to unwrap to the highly anticipated dish your grandmother makes year after year. So, we couldn’t help but look back and reminisce here in our Home department as well. We are walking you through the Lynchburg Living holiday homes featured over the past five years. Enjoy taking a peek inside these festive abodes—and you may get a few ideas for yourself too!

2019
A Cozy, Cottage Christmas

Laura and Woody Watts purchased what they have dubbed the “Summerville Cottage” in 2014. Since then, Laura—with lots of elbow grease from Woody—has slowly transformed the 1930s home into a French-inspired cottage with Southern farmhouse charm.

The Watts love all holidays (especially Halloween, that’s their anniversary), but decorating for Christmas is also high on Laura’s list. Her main goal is to reflect the joy of the season. As she told Lynchburg Living writer Jennifer Redmond: “I want to reflect calm but Christmas spirit, too.”

What We Loved:
While we all have a special place in our hearts for the traditional red-and-green color combo, Laura anchored her holiday décor theme in an elegant duo of blush and ivory. She added visual interest with texture and layering.

What You Should Try:
Don’t be afraid to break up a collection. Laura sprinkled various nativity pieces and vintage ceramic churches, originally owned by her grandparents, throughout their home.

2018
The Christmas Elf’s Colorful Colonial

Carter Bendall’s intense interest in holiday décor dates back to her childhood, when her mother—the owner of a flower and gift shop—would take her to market in Atlanta to pick out ornaments. “From about third grade on, I did all of our Christmas decorations in our house … and I just loved it,” she told Lynchburg Living writer Charlotte Farley.

Now, not only does Carter fully decorate the home she shares with her husband Richard and daughter Lawson, she also enjoys being “The Christmas Elf” and helps others decorate their homes as well.

What You Should Try:
There is a place for tradition. You’ll notice a pause from the bright colors in the home’s den, which features a large green tree with gold accents and a nutcracker collection. Since the space is where the family spends a lot of time, it’s a more calming color palette. It’s also “where Santa comes,” Carter explained.

What We Loved:
The Bendall home is the perfect example of vintage meets modern. The bright colors—from hot pink to tangerine and everything in between—are layered onto antique furniture.

2017
Spreading Christmas Cheer

Rachel and Wayne Beeler’s sprawling Georgian Colonial on Thomas Jefferson Road is a head turner anytime of the year—but at Christmastime, the brick manor with its wall-to-wall festive décor steals the show. “I love to help other people feel happy—that’s one of the reasons that I do all of this every year,” Rachel explained to Lynchburg Living writer Charlotte Farley.

The Beelers have come a long way since their first Christmas as a married couple more than 50 years ago. They celebrated in Oregon, where Wayne was in the Air Force. Rachel recalls a small tree on a table as their only decoration but said, “the truth was that we were as happy as could be with our little tree and just being together.”

What We Loved:
The Beelers truly love to share their Christmas spirit with others. In past years, they have invited church groups or women’s clubs to tour the home. Tours concluded with refreshments in a banquet room that seats 32 people.

What You Should Try:
No room is overlooked in the Beeler house. While it’s typical to focus on decorations in the main living area, consider adding some festive touches to a bedroom or bathroom.

2016
A Dickens of a Christmas

Located on Madison Street in Lynchburg’s Garland Hill Historic District, “The Wilson House” is a glimpse into what the Christmas season may have looked like in the late 19th century. Bobbi and Randy Hurst bought the home in 2004. “We hadn’t thought of moving here until we fell in love with the house…” Bobbi told Lynchburg Living writer Heather Cravens.

While their initial focus was making the home livable (such as installing heat and air conditioning), they were eventually able to focus more on the home’s aesthetics—especially around Christmastime. Bobbi strives for period-appropriate décor as much as possible, so you won’t see the Hursts decorating before Thanksgiving, to make sure their
natural greenery won’t dry out before Christmas Day.

What We Loved:
Ribbons and bows were very popular during the Victorian era, and Bobbi makes sure they are prominent inside her historic home.

What You Should Try:
You don’t necessarily have to go all in or all out with natural greenery. Bobbi likes to add live greenery and boughs to her synthetic Christmas trees and garlands.

2015
Oh Christmas Trees!

The holiday celebration usually begins in September in the Donovan household—that’s how much time they need to unpack 97 trees, hundreds of ornaments, and much more. “I’ve always been a Christmas fanatic,” Thomas Donovan said to Lynchburg Living writer Heather Cravens. “As an adult, understanding the true meaning of Christmas has only increased my passion for it.”

Thomas is actually the main Christmas enthusiast in their home, although his wife of 14 years, Sundi, is fully supportive of his passion. In years past, they have opened their home to invitation-only tours throughout the holidays.

What We Loved:
Each of the family’s Christmas trees tells a story—including “The Watson Tree,” named after one of Thomas’s former students at Liberty Christian Academy who raised peacocks.

What You Should Try:
If you have the room for multiple trees, try flipping one upside down. This Christmas tradition, known as God’s Trinity Tree, dates back to the 12th century. (The upside down tree is also very functional in small spaces!)

Creating Your Own Holiday Arrangements
Photos by Ashlee Glen

While faux garlands certainly have their place in our modern-day homes every December, it’s nice to experiment with some natural décor to help us connect with nature—from foraged greenery to fresh florals.

We asked Heather Smith, of Fleur by Heather, to help us out with a few DIY arrangements, and she didn’t hesitate to say yes. Heather is not only an accomplished wedding florist with a delightfully undone style, but she also absolutely adores decorating for Christmas.

Before you start flipping through, take her mantra to heart: “Don’t overthink it. Just experiment with things. And have fun!”

Natural Mantel

The mantel is often the focal point of the living room, making it an ideal place to focus your time and attention during the holiday season.

Heather says first, before emptying your wallet on supplies, take a walk outside. “Forage, with permission if it’s not your property, for as much as possible. There are plenty of pine and magnolia trees around this area,” she explains.

Once you have gathered greenery, Heather recommends sorting your pine into larger and smaller cuts. Use the larger pieces for your base. “Then, start filling in and layering with smaller pieces of pine,” she says. On top of the pine, use magnolia leaves as accents to give the green base more texture and depth.

With your greenery in place, it’s time to add color and get creative. “If you are already utilizing a theme, carry it over to your mantel and accent pieces. It can be whimsical, old Christmas, or modern. Let your imagination run wild!” she says, but adds that if you truly want a natural look, items such as pine cones and berries help achieve that aesthetic. She also chose to incorporate simple white florals into the design to help break up some of the green.

Finally, the big question—how long will this natural masterpiece last? “Hardier pines, not traditional pine trees, and magnolia will last a good while without water. You can put any fresh florals into water tubes,” Heather explains. “Since those are added after your greenery is set, they’re easy to pull out, trim their ends and refill as needed.”

You Will Need:
Foraged
Pine Boughs,
Magnolia Leaves
and Pine Cones
Faux Berries
Holiday
Accent Beads
Florals
(From Local Farm
or Grocery Store)
Whimsical
Accents
Candles or Candlesticks

Floral Centerpiece

While anything goes in terms of holiday color schemes these days, Heather wanted her arrangement to follow a more classic red-and-green style with a simple design. “This is not too big and can be used on most dinner tables,” she says.

Creating your piece starts with your container. Heather chose one that is waterproof, matte black, and rectangular.

For those not particularly comfortable creating arrangements, Heather suggests using water foam (soaked overnight for a few hours) to ensure that everything stays in place. Use floral tape to secure the foam inside your container. If filling your container with water, she says remember to add a packet of floral food and change out the water every few days.

When gathering your florals, Heather says most grocery stores around the holidays carry roses, carnations or lilies that look great in Christmas arrangements. Stores will also carry filler flowers such as berries or foliage.

As with the mantel, begin by arranging your various pieces of greenery. “While doing this, I’m thinking ahead to where I may place flowers. This will determine how much greenery I’ll put in each designated section of the container,” Heather says. “Always make sure that you cut your stems at an angle, so they go into the foam easily or, if using just water, that they are able to absorb as much water as possible.”

With your greenery and florals in place, use accents such as pine cones and berries to fill in the gaps. Keep everything close knit or let your greenery spill over the sides—the arrangement style is up to you!

You Will Need:
Waterproof Container
Oasis Water Foam
Floral Tape
Holiday
Accent Beads
Florals
(From Local Farm or Grocery Store)
Foraged Pine, Magnolia
and Pine Cones

Simple Accent

Perfect for an end table, entryway table or bathroom, this smaller arrangement gives off just the right Christmas flair and could even be a fun project for older kids.

You don’t need much and the possibilities are endless. Heather used a few small cuts of pine, two flowers, some pine cones, and glass beads as accents. Use floral tape to create a grid inside the cup or container. This will help you as you arrange the different types of materials in such a small space.

One thing to keep in mind: “Be mindful of pieces that may be too tall or heavy for a smaller container,” Heather says. “You don’t want them to add unnecessary weight that would possibly cause the arrangement to tip over.”

You Will Need:
Fun Container
or Cup
Floral Tape
Holiday
Accent Beads
Florals
(From Local Farm or Grocery Store)
Foraged Pine
and Pine Cones

Thank You
We are grateful to Belong Here, local Airbnb consulting business, for letting us use one of their newest rentals for this shoot. The “Lady Anne” is a 5200-square-foot historic home located on Rivermont Avenue, and it had plenty of fireplaces for us to choose from! Learn more at belonghere.co.

Is a too-small patio putting a damper on your parties? Or is the blazing afternoon sun making you sweat during that 5 p.m. beverage? It might be time for an outdoor space overhaul.

“You have to balance aesthetics with function,” says Rebecca Mahanes of Land Tech Group.

First, she says they usually address space issues. “The big thing is being able to have space for furniture and people to gather,” she says, adding that many standard new builds only provide a small concrete pad in the backyard. Their team will start by using pavers or concrete to make an area large enough for the homeowner’s entertaining needs.

Another common complaint that prevents patio usage—the sun. “In Forest, where a lot of newer homes are being built, there is not a lot of shade,” says Mahanes. “Pergolas are becoming more popular.” The slats or some type of fabric can provide the extra shade homeowners need to feel comfortable. Not only does it look good, it’s typically a very economical addition, she says.

Whether you have an unlimited budget or just enough money for one cool feature, we hope you can gain some ideas from this stunning project Land Tech completed a few years ago in Forest’s Ivy Lake neighborhood:

Overall Aesthetics:
It’s always trendy to have your outdoor entertaining area blend into its natural environment. Here, Mahanes says the homeowners wanted a rustic look. A stacked stone retaining wall adds to that vibe as well as the A-frame metal roof over the kitchen area.

In-Ground Hot Tub:
This custom in-ground hot tub has a water feature that runs on a pump and flows into the spa. It’s partially raised so that guests who don’t want to get in the water can still socialize with those who are.

Fire Bowls:
These run on gas/propane and can either be turned on with a wireless antenna or lit with a match. “I love these because they create a warm ambience,” says Mahanes. “It’s not just about having the space but also having the nice lighting at night.” Landscape lighting is another way to create a cozy atmosphere.

Outdoor Kitchen:
These are a highly popular addition to outdoor areas right now. Mahanes says those who seek one out always want a grill, but many are also starting to request smokers, such as a Big Green Egg. Outdoor kitchens function best if they are covered well and have enough counter space to operate like an indoor kitchen.

Fire Pit:
“This home’s fire pit is really the centerpiece that ties the whole area together,” says Mahanes. She adds that there’s about a 50/50 split between wood burning and gas fire pit installations. “People who like the smoky smell choose wood for the camping ambience. Those who choose gas just want to come out, turn it on and be done.”

A rustic, yet refined, home where self-expression is EMBRACED
photography by Heather Kidd

A record player rests atop a faux fur throw with a vintage record player at the ready. “I collect vinyl—it’s soft, and I like the sound,” Ellen Dorman says of the display on her entry console table. Indeed, softness seems to be a dominant theme in the Dorman family home: everything feels warm and inviting in this space, from the earth tone walls to the abundance of soft throw rugs to the natural wood furnishings. It’s the kind of home that welcomes you the instant you walk through the door.

The front hallway is a vignette unto itself, offering family photos from a few falls ago hanging in charming old window panes beside whimsical paintings of roosters, flowers and cows—a carefully curated homage to what the Dorman family holds dear.

Despite the open floor plan and lofty ceilings, the neutral palette helps the Dorman home feel cozy and intimate. And although her home is dressed in neutrals, it doesn’t feel dull or one-note thanks to Ellen’s expert application of layering techniques. Here, beiges, greys, and creams exist harmoniously beside bountiful textures: wood, textiles, and stone. Stone serves as a stand-out feature that ties together the kitchen and living room of the home.

The muted color scheme works overtime. Not only does it offer warmth, but it also serves as the perfect foil for Ellen’s vibrant gallery walls. Her thoughtful design choices work to draw the eye to these focal points. Each room serves as a sort of gallery revealing vivid expressions of cherished memories preserved in time. From the staircase to the family room wall to the children’s playroom, you’ll see handcrafted collections of family portraits, pastoral symbols and other meaningful moments, each one depicted in brilliant colors.

The layered neutrals, which consist of grays and browns—such as Colonnade Gray, Foothills, and Stone Lion by Sherwin-Williams—are very different from the colors Ellen used in her previous home. “Our last house was completely colorful,” Ellen explains, sharing that she painted every room a different color after living with white walls for many years. “It was a rainbow house!” she adds. When building this home, however, she decided to use a neutral palette instead. “I knew I wanted neutrals so I could easily change out the art… that’s where I bring in color,” she explains.

The Dormans left their earlier (and colorful) home several years ago in search of a halfway point between husband Erik’s workplace in Lynchburg and Altavista Combined School, where Ellen taught art. After spending over a year driving around, attending open houses, and scouring real estate listings, they came upon Evington’s Hickory Hill neighborhood, which ended up being the ideal place for their family.

“It feels like you’re outside of town, but you’re still close to everything—and this lot was woods, and I really wanted a wooded lot,” Ellen says. “We love being outside.”

Surrounded by woodlands, Ellen’s two children are free to play outside to their hearts’ content. Here, they have the chance to engage in good, old-fashioned play: building forts and constructing teepees are just a few of the ways that Ethan and Elliott have fun on the three-acre property. The family often gathers around the fire pit, and the boys play in what Ellen jokingly refers to as their “dirt pile.” She explains that when they were constructing the patio and fire pit, she asked the contractors to flatten out a mound of earth where she had intended to install a swing set. She reconsidered when she saw how much fun the boys had just playing in the dirt. “I thought, ‘Shoot, I’m not gonna ruin that. Let ’em play in the dirt!’” she laughs.

Ellen takes an equally easy-going, child-friendly approach with the interior. For example, the dining room finds itself in regular use, not just on holidays. It’s not your typical dining room. A roll of brown craft paper runs down the center of the table, and instead of traditional dining chairs, stools, poufs, and benches serve as seating. “This isn’t a ‘formal dining room’ unless we’re entertaining at the holidays and whenever we have family over,” she explains. Instead, the room serves as a convenient place for the kids to dabble with colored pencils and paint and engage in art making. And it’s not just for the kids: “Anybody’s allowed to scribble, doodle, or leave notes here!” says Ellen.

The table itself, worn with paint splatters and carved markings, is a remnant from the former Patriotic Peacock art studio in Downtown Lynchburg, where Ellen spent time as an art instructor. It should come as no surprise, then, that Ellen, who spent 13 years teaching art for Campbell County Public Schools, encourages creativity and has designed this space—and this home—as a safe place in which to foster self-expression. “A lot of these pieces tell a story,” Ellen says, such as the family room’s end tables, which were fashioned from wood from her family’s farm in Charlotte County. Although Ellen grew up in Altavista, the farm holds special meaning. As the birthplace of her father, it’s a true homeplace, where the family still gathers for summer cookouts and the traditional Fall Stew event.

Ellen celebrates family life through her artwork—this was even the theme of her senior art exhibit at Emory & Henry (and a few pieces from that show hang upstairs). Even the family pet— a beloved English bulldog—has made it onto a gallery wall in the family room. With its deep leather couches and abundance of throw blankets, the family room feels just as inviting as all of the other spaces, and this is intentional. While Ellen appreciates the modern design aesthetic, she finds the straight lines to be “too stiff. To me they’re not as inviting, and I wanted my home to be user-friendly,” she says.

And user-friendly it is, indeed. Equally rustic and refined, the home epitomizes the Danish concept of hygge—loosely translated as extraordinarily cozy and comfortable. Featuring a stacked stone fireplace that’s topped with rows of candles, the space summons the feeling of sumptuous mountain ski lodge, which is fitting since the Dormans love to spend time in the mountains and on the slopes.

The wing chairs that flank the fireplace belonged to Ellen’s grandmother; the desk is another heirloom piece. This combination of heirloom furniture, original artwork, and natural finishes creates a home that not only tells the story of their family and their history but also serves as a reflection into what they hold dear: memories, comfort, and each other.

Before the mercury drops, mark these items off your home to-do list

Heating & Cooling

Change your air filter monthly. “One of the leading causes of break downs are dirty air filters,” says Brandon Brown of Browns Heating and Air. He suggests setting a reminder on your phone for the first of the month to change filters. This will help your system work better and easier overall.

Line up a full system maintenance. This will clean your system inside and out. “A normal home HVAC system runs more than a car does per year and needs to be cleaned and maintained like a car needs its oil changed,” says Brown.

Fill gas or oil tanks. Do this now, “before cold hits and prices go up,” Brown says. It’s also a good idea to check on your gas logs and get them serviced if needed.

Have your ducts professionally cleaned. Brown says this is suggested for older systems that have been installed for a while. “This gets rid of all dust, dirt, mold spores and toxins in the duct system you breathe,” he says.

Exterior Upkeep

Check your roof for damaged shingles. According to All Phase Roofing and Construction, while roof damage happens throughout the year, the rough winter seasons in Lynchburg can be especially tough on your roof. Repairing damaged shingles now can prevent leakage once snow starts falling.

Clean and repair your gutters. This task needs to happen after all of the leaves have fallen and when temperatures are still above freezing. “If you [miss] cleaning gutters in the fall, you may have issues going into winter,” says The Brothers that just do Gutters on its website. “These issues are not always evident in the winter because your gutter is frozen, but during the first thaw they’ll show. The excess debris in your gutters that was not cleaned prior to winter will result in a sort of debris popsicle within your gutter system.”

Check around your windows and doors for air leaks. If needed, seal the leaks with caulk to keep out the cold air.

Inspect and clean your chimney to prevent fires. Statistics show dirty chimneys cause approximately 22,000 house fires each winter. Have a certified professional inspect your chimney annually, and make sweeps or repairs.

Miscellaneous

Store unused lawn care equipment. Local realtor and home renovation expert Dan Vollmer says whether it’s a mower or a trimmer, you should drain all of the gas before you put the equipment away.

Remove and store window screens. This is something else Vollmer does to prevent future, often costly, repairs. “Sometimes the weight of snow can stretch them out,” he says.

Replace smoke detector and CO detector batteries. According to the National Fire Protection Association, house fires occur more in the winter than in any other season, and heating equipment is involved in one of every six house fires.

Recognizing and Defeating Boxwood Blight

Sometimes heralded as the “Aristocrat” of hedging topiaries, boxwoods have held the limelight as a favorite shrub for centuries. They are prized as a slow-growing, easy-to-maintain ornamental that looks as picturesque in tidy, trimmed rows of historic, formal gardens as it does gracing the porch steps around farmhouses and community buildings.

For many home gardeners, boxwoods are a timeless American tradition, recalling sentiments of days gone by. In fact, they arrived in what we now call the United States sometime around the 1650s, before it was even an independent nation. Many European immigrants traveling to the New World carried boxwood cuttings with them, and they made a strange new place feel more like home. But these highly cultivated bushes actually have an even longer history as a decorative landscape plant. Archaeologists have discovered evidence that boxwoods were trimmed and shaped to adorn the pyramids of the ancient Egyptians in 4,000 B.C., making it the oldest known ornamental shrub in the world.

There are over 200 varieties of stately and versatile boxwoods, each with their own unique shapes, leaf characteristics, and growth potential. Unfortunately, all of them are vulnerable, some more than others, to a fast-acting and deadly disease known as boxwood blight.

Boxwood blight spread rapidly through Europe in the ’90s, ravaging centuries-old historic gardens. Finally in 2011, it made its long-dreaded arrival in America, first in Connecticut and North Carolina. Today, it exists in almost every state, and has taken a toll on the gardens of homeowners and historic estates alike.

A “blight” in plant science is a rapidly progressing fungal disease that causes chlorosis (loss of green coloration), browning, and if untreated will lead to the death of plant tissue. For boxwoods, the fungal spores that cause the blight are highly transferable, very sticky, and can be spread from nurseries, plant clippings, and even contact, before the bush is showing symptoms. The pathogen thrives in warm, wet environments, and spreads most rapidly from July through September, though it can be spread and contracted all year long. The most noticeable symptom of boxwood blight is sudden and fast-acting defoliation, or the loss of leaves.

This defoliation is exactly what alerted Lynchburg resident Lisa Richards to the problem in July of 2016. Richards installed English boxwoods around her home as soon as it was built in 1995. She had some small ones, and some as big as eight feet tall. Unfortunately, she was one of the first in the region to deal with the devastating effects of boxwood blight.

It all started when she purchased some new shrubs from a big box retailer in order to fill some holes in her landscape. She planted the young bushes and mulched heavily. The very next day, she noticed that two of her boxwoods had begun to turn brown and lose leaves. Of course, at the time not much was known about boxwood blight, so Richards assumed that the mulch was the guilty culprit. She went out of town for a few days, and when she returned home, she found that the defoliation had spread.

“It looked like someone had taken a blow torch to them,” said Richards. She spoke to a friend who suggested that the blight may have been responsible for the damage, and when Richards sent samples out to the state lab for testing, her suspicions were confirmed. She contacted professional horticulturalists who came to her property, dug up all of her boxwoods, and even removed and replaced the existing soil. “They wore hazmat suits and did everything they could to contain it,” Richards explained. “But a squirrel, a dog, or a neighbor can carry the spores from one yard to another.”

Richards ultimately lost 60 boxwoods in total, and now, there are very few healthy ones left in her Boonsboro neighborhood.

Horticulturalists have responded to the threat of boxwood blight with a tremendous effort to develop a whole new selection of bushes that don’t fall prey to blight, or even other serious boxwood problems, such as leafminer insects. While the classic English varieties with their tightly packed, oval-shaped leaves are extremely vulnerable to blight—and American varieties are also at great risk—many Asian cultivars are more disease-resistant.

Saunders Brothers, a family-owned nursery in Nelson County, is one of the largest providers of boxwoods and topiaries in the southern United States. They had the blight on their radar long before it came to our shores, and once it did, they began conducting extensive research into identifying and propogating the most disease-resistant boxwood cultivars possible. In fact, since Richards replanted her landscape with Green Beauties from their nursery, a Japanese cultivar genetically bred to stand up to the aggressive blight, she says that her yard looks wonderful again.

In addition to offering many of the well-known Asian varieties, Saunders Brothers has developed what they are calling “NewGen,” which are bred to closely resemble the English classic, but have a strong resilience against blight, and hold up to leafminers even better than some of their resistant contemporaries.

Boxwood blight thrives in wet, rainy conditions with temperatures between 60 and 77 degrees. As we enter into late summer and early fall, conditions for the growth and spread of blight are ideal. Saunders Brothers has really been a driving force behind defeating boxwood blight, and the tips we’re about to share have come straight from Bennett Saunders himself.

If you believe you have a plant that has become infected with blight, consider these practices to rid the disease from your yard, and prevent it from spreading:

• If you live in a rural area, the best way to get rid of blight once and for all is to burn the infected plants on site. Fallen leaves and stems carry the disease and can be easily transported by people and animals, so avoid moving it as much as possible. A flame torch will do the trick.

• If burning is not an option, wear disposable gloves, and carefully gather all infected plants into plastic bags before transporting them to the landfill. Be sure to contain the material to prevent spreading as you drive through town.

• After you have removed the diseased boxwoods, avoid replanting in the same spot for at least a year. The fungal spores can survive under the soil, but grow weaker and die off as time passes.

• Thoroughly clean and sanitize all of your tools and clothing after working with infected materials.

If you’re looking to add boxwoods to your home landscape, here are some great planting tips to help ward off diseases and keep your boxwoods healthy and happy for a very long time:

• Plant Selection: Choose a disease-resistant variety. Saunders Brothers’ website offers a complete list of options that will stand up to blight and leafminers. (See box at bottom of page.) If you purchase from a local nursery or big box store, ask if they participate in the extension agency’s boxwood sanitation practices to ensure you are not purchasing infected plants.

• Proper Planting: Choose a spot with good drainage, where rain water doesn’t pool up or linger. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball of your new boxwood, and allow the top of the root ball to sit about two inches above the soil surface. This elevation will need to be maintained over time to ensure proper drainage.

• Mulching: Saunders said that the importance of mulching cannot be overstated. In addition to a host of other benefits, mulch minimizes the splash of spore-contaminated rain water onto the leaves of nearby plantings. Rain water transfer is thought to be the most common way that the blight spreads. Mulch also creates a physical barrier between infected, fallen leaves and healthy plants. Light layers of mulch should be added every year, preferably in early spring. Choose a well-aged mulch option, and surround your plant with mulch of about one inch deep.

• Watering: Soak the root zone of the new boxwood thoroughly as soon as planting is complete. Then water on an as-needed basis to help it through periods of drought.

With proper sanitation practices, stronger boxwood varieties, and a little common sense, boxwood blight can be eradicated from your yard and your neighborhood. Eliminating this disease is the best chance we have at preserving existing boxwood plantings and continuing the tradition of boxwoods in the landscape. Doing your small part in your home landscape will have great and lasting effects on the state of boxwood health in your community.

Tons of helpful tips and information, as well as interesting boxwood and boxwood blight facts, can be found at the Saunders Brothers website, www.newgenboxwood.com.

Troubleshooting common problems in the off season

Images of houseplants abound on social media outlets today. We’re encouraged to have conservatory corners, living walls and plants hanging from our ceilings en masse. But achieving that indoor green look is sometimes easier said than done. To help you succeed, we’ve compiled a list of the top mistakes plant lovers of all skill levels often make.

Bad Lighting
This may be the number one issue plant collectors face. Every plant has to be grown in the right location in your home or it is a waste of time and money. Low light means no direct light should reach your plant. A low-light plant has to live a few feet away from a direct light source and can survive in mostly artificial light. A high light plant needs at least three hours of direct sun daily.

A Too-Small Pot
New plants should be transplanted into fresh pots that are at least two inches larger than their current pot’s diameter. It’s also a good idea to repot with new potting soil. If the plant hasn’t had proper care then problems are less likely to develop with a root and leaf washing and new soil. A pot with a drainage hole is best. Cover the drainage hole with a stone to prevent soil from washing out the bottom. When your plant starts to look top heavy or there is no more room in the pot, you need to transplant it again. As a rule, transplant in spring when the growing season is beginning again.

Improper Watering
Most folks have a tendency to overwater house plants, especially in the winter. It’s a good schedule to check on your plants weekly by using your finger. If the soil feels damp to your touch an inch deep into the pot, you are probably fine and can skip the chore this week. If it’s dry to the touch, time to water. Don’t attempt to trick your plant by leaving water in the saucer for it to water itself later. Plants sitting in water often get rotten roots. Also, to know how much to water, it’s helpful to know where your plant originated. For example, a tropical plant will be used to drowning rains with periods of dry spells but desert plants—such as cacti, succulents and euphorbias—need less water.

Lack of Nourishment
If you don’t transplant your plant and give it new potting soil regularly, you can be sure it will need some supplemental feeding. Grow sticks are easy; just add to the pot and they are time-released. I use a small amount of compost (one cup per 18-inch diameter pot) on top of my houseplants just like my garden plants. Concentrated liquid fertilizers are an easy choice and go a long way. I also have found my fiddle leaf fig performs much better on a weekly diluted concentrated fig food.

Overlooking Pests
Mealybugs, whiteflies and spider mites are the most common intruders. Mealybugs look fuzzy and leave a shiny sap on the surface of the plant. Whiteflies fly around the plant when you disturb it. Both mealybugs and whiteflies can be treated by washing the plant thoroughly with an insecticidal soap—either homemade (4 cups of water, 1 tsp of dish soap) or store bought. Wash all parts of the plant in the shower, from the tops and bottom of leaves to the stems and stalks. It wouldn’t hurt to get new potting soil as that could also be infested. Spider mites make a web and will quickly kill a plant. If you have a particularly bad pest problem, neem oil is effective, but I would be cautious using it inside and it has an unpleasant odor.

Misting the Wrong Plants
There is no cookie cutter answer here so again, do your research. Tropical houseplants may love misting. If you have a fern in your master bathroom and it gets misted when you shower, adding more mist may be overkill and it may suffer from rot. Plants with fuzzy leaves, such as African violets, hate misting. The incredibly popular fiddle leaf fig also is not a misting fan. Neither is your jade plant.

Not Enough Humidity
Leaf curling, yellowing and brown edges on leaves can all indicate a lack-of-humidity problem. How can you fix this if your plant isn’t a mist lover? Make a humidity tray! Place a saucer or baking sheet filled with stones and water underneath your struggling plant. As the water evaporates into the air the plant receives additional humidity. Just like we get drier skin in winter your plants may like a humidifier in the room too. Grouping your plants for display in your home also increases humidity levels as the plants transpire into the air.

Temperature Trouble
Move your houseplants away from large windows and doors that are not only cold to the touch but also drafty. Also keep them away from your fireplace and heat vents. You may find you need to move your plants to a different room of your house to help keep them well. During the winter, wipe their leaves top and bottom with a damp paper towel if they get dusty. This will help them photosynthesize better in that season’s lower light.

Forgetting to Share
When you really get the passionate about plants, you’ll want to have more of them! A lot of house plants should be divided when transplanting. Some sprout easily from cuttings placed in water, such as Swedish ivy (Plectranthus australis), for example. Others like to be stuck into continuously damp soil to grow new roots. Do the research and figure out what your plants need. You’ll know you are a bona fide plant lady (or gentleman) when you have house plants you are propagating and caring for on every surface possible in your home as well as sharing “plant babies” with your friends.

There are few things so satisfying as a cool, juicy peach, picked at the height of summer. That first bite, breaking through the tender orange skin and sinking into the sweet gold on the inside. For me, it’s an instant flashback to childhood, splashing along mountain creek beds in the heat of July, with peach juice running down my chin.

Though sometimes apples outshine them, peaches actually grow quite well in our region. There are several orchards that offer the option to pick-your-own, such as Gross’ Orchard in Bedford, which advertises its peach season from June 15 through September 10. (And if you wander into the nearby Mountain Fruit and Produce before they’re sold out, you can even treat yourself to Mrs. Joy’s famous peach ice cream or peach hand-pies, made from the orchard’s fruit.)

However, if you are so inclined to grow your own peaches, it can be done. With a little patience, home orchards can be incredibly rewarding, and fun to tend. Fruit trees, peaches in particular, can be a bit finicky. Thankfully, I didn’t have to look far for growing tips and tricks. My husband is a professional arborist, and owner of Meyer Arboriculture, and he is full of useful information. Here are Nick’s best practices for growing peaches.

Terms To Know
Cling: These are typically early season varieties. They are called “cling peaches” because the flesh of the peach is still clinging to the stone (pit) in the middle. There are also “semi-cling” varieties, where the flesh detaches more easily.

Freestone: The fruit of a freestone peach has completely detached from the stone (pit). They often have that bright red color in the very center surrounding the stone, and they typically fruit in late summer. These are generally preferred by consumers for snacking and preserving.

Dwarf & Standard: Most fruit trees come in both dwarf and standard sizes. Dwarf trees usually stay in the 10- to 15-foot range and are ideal for the home orchard. The fruit is easier to access, and they can produce prolifically, despite their smaller size. Standard trees can grow very big and tall, and also fruit very well, but may require a ladder for access.

Pick Your Variety
There are over a hundred varieties of peaches available to the home orchardist, and a plethora of things to consider when choosing the specific variety you would like to grow. Peaches can be grown in zones 4 through 9. Here in zone 7, we actually have a great climate for peaches, so your selection process can focus a bit more on flavor and less on hardiness. However, if you’re looking to plant in one of the more outlying zones, you’ll want to choose a variety engineered to withstand extreme heat or cold. We do have a few pests and diseases that target fruit trees, such as fireblight and leaf spot, so consider disease-resistant varieties. Some great choices for our area are Contender and White Lady.

Most peach varieties are self-fertilizing, meaning you only need one tree to produce fruit. However, planting more than one tree could improve the pollination, and production, of fruit. And of course, you’ll have more peaches.

Choose Your Location
Peaches like a lot of sun, and a fertile, well-drained soil.

The location of your trees will impact their productivity, as well as their vulnerability to disease. Choose a spot in your yard that gets full sun at least six hours a day. You’ll want to take space into consideration. Dwarf trees will need to be spaced about 12 to 15 feet apart, while standard size trees will need more room, about 15 to 20 feet.

Soil drainage is critical to growing healthy trees. Test your soil drainage by digging a 1×1 hole, filling it with water, and monitoring how long it takes for the hole to empty. Measure the depth of the water, wait 15 minutes, and measure it again. Then, multiply the difference by 4 (because 15×4=60, or 1 hour), and you’ll know how much the soil will drain in an hour. If it is less than an inch or so per hour, you may want to consider a new location, or take additional measures to improve soil drainage. Wet roots can cause rot and encourage bacterial growth.

Peaches also prefer a slightly higher pH, so consider testing your soil prior to planting. You can pick up an inexpensive test kit at any garden or home improvement store. You’ll want a pH of around 6.5 or 7. Once you determine the pH of your soil, you can raise it if necessary by adding garden lime or peat moss. There are products and tips available to lower pH as well.

Plant Your Tree
Once you’ve chosen your location, you’ll need to carefully plant the tree or trees. Planting is arguably the most important part of long-term tree health, and planting it correctly can save a lot of heartache down the road.

Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball or pot of your tree, and only about two-thirds as deep. Around the edges of the hole, use your shovel to loosen the soil. This will help the roots spread out into the compacted earth. Remove the peach tree from the pot and loosen the roots, spreading them away from the trunk. Any roots that appear to be circling the root ball or trunk can (and should) be clipped to avoid girdling (when a tree’s roots wrap around the trunk and ultimately choke it). Generally, all of the roots should be laid out to spread like fingers away from the tree.

At the cellular level, root wood and trunk wood are very different. If trunk wood is below the surface of the soil, your tree will be a magnet for disease and rot. For this reason, planting depth is critical. The root flare, or the spot on the base of the tree where the first root shoots off of the stem, should be planted two inches above the existing soil level. Remember why we dug our hole two-thirds the depth of our pot? This is why. You’ll want to plant the tree on a subtle mound. If needed, toss some loose soil into the hole in order to elevate the tree.

The graft union (where the rootstock meets the scion) should also remain above the soil when planting and growing fruit trees. As long as the above instructions are followed, this will occur naturally, as the graft union is several inches above the root flare. You can identify the union by looking for a bulge at the base of the tree with a visible line running through it.

Give your newly planted peach tree a nice soaking, and then make sure the tree gets water every day for the first week. After that, water a few times a week for the first month, then leave it to nature to handle the watering, unless you get a particularly dry spell.

Continued Care
When the peach trees start to bloom, it’s a good idea to thin the blossoms so that there is only one flower every six inches or so.

This will reduce the overall number of fruits, but will result in a yield of larger, healthier peaches with better flavor. Consider contacting a professional arborist to help with this part if you are unsure of the proper pruning technique.

In healthy soil, fertilization is really not necessary until your fruit trees are ready to produce fruit. This will be when they are about two or three years old. Ask your nursery about the age of the trees available. Usually, potted trees available for purchase are about a year old. You should also avoid fertilization until at least six weeks after your trees have been planted. If you do decide to fertilize, and give your trees a boost just before the fruiting season, apply a balanced, nitrogen-rich fertilizer in early spring.

Peach trees are very vulnerable to a number of pests and diseases. It is highly recommended to spray the trees a few times a year with fungicides and insecticides in order to prevent stunted growth, poor production, structural failure, and tree death. There are products available in most garden centers, but be sure to read the label carefully and completely. It never hurts to call a professional arborist, either.