Apison Residence | Apison, Tennessee

This house, which is inspired by the simple form of the Tennessee vernacular farmhouse, is located on the edge of a large meadow. The natural beauty and park-like feel of the site strongly influenced the entry and approach to the house as well as the general design of the house itself. Upon entering the property you cross a stone bridge and wind through a grove of trees and a field prior to reaching the house. You arrive at a circular drive/drop off which accommodates the guest cars while a motor court serves the home owners and provides for the farm and recreational vehicles.

The ground floor house is divided into two zones: the public and the private. The public/entertaining area includes a large great room open to the kitchen where the family will spend the majority of their time together. Adjacent to the great room and kitchen are the formal dining room that doubles as a library and the living room. Large covered porches surround the house providing for indoor outdoor living and for shade from the summer sun. The other wing of the first floor includes the master suite and guest suite. The second floor includes two bedroom suites, a home theater and an exercise room.

The 8,000 square foot residence’s exterior is clad in native stone and cypress board and batten siding. The heavy timber framing, exposed rafter tails, and tongue and groove porch ceilings and eaves are also cypress. A standing seam metal roof with 4’ overhangs is utilized to reduce maintenance and also increase energy efficiency through shading and emissivity. 

A large swimming pool and patio area in back of the house provides for outdoor living and entertainment. The ‘one room deep’ planning concept provides windows on two or more exposures in each room allowing for adequate natural light throughout the day, various views of the surround rolling meadow and woods, and excellent cross ventilation. The large floor to ceiling windows in the public spaces as well as the use of cypress and stone in the interior begin to break down the inside-outside relationship further connecting the house to the surrounding site. The natural material palettes used throughout the interior reinforce the refined rustic approach utilized in this Tennessee Farmhouse.

Design Team: Heidi Hefferlin and Daniel Oakley                

Hefferlin + Kronenberg is a full service architecture firm based in Chattanooga, TN.

www.hkarchitects.net