Finding Rest at Flatrock
Nestled in one of the quietest nooks of Crane Hill, this Smith Lake home finds greatness in simplicity and restraint.
Words by Al Blanton | Images by Al Blanton and Launch Production and Design
If a house could be likened to a Hollywood star, Flatrock would serve as the gentle protagonist. Like Robert Redford in the movie Legal Eagles, this elegant Smith Lake home pulls off one of the most difficult dynamics in residential design: being impressive without being ostentatious.
Decatur contractor Neal Holland understands this theme well. For the last 11 years, Neal and his family have utilized the home and accompanying 2.6 acres as both a respite and weekend getaway. In Flatrock, Holland found the perfect blend of country and craftsmanship, and in the Crane Hill community, he found privacy and simplicity away from the big city.
“It just fit us,” he says.
Built in 2008, the home is actually two houses in one, separated by a dogtrot. On one side is the great room, kitchen, and dining room area, and on the other, the sleeping area. From the lake, the four-bedroom, five-bath home stretching out across 3,316 square feet appears massive, but in reality the home is loaded with charm and austerity.
The great room boasts exposed beams and wide-plank pine floors, and the natural wood countertops and farmhouse sink in the adjoining kitchen underscore Flatrock’s campy motif. The room’s soaring ceilings and windows threaten to give off a cathedral-like posture, but just before it does, the overall coziness and understated style (credit to the architect and builder) of the space makes guests want to plop down on the couch and read the latest fiction novel.
Across the dogtrot are bedrooms configured for large families and multiple guests. In the girls’ room, four swinging beds jut out from the walls and are affixed to the ceiling by ropes. Upstairs, the multiple-bunk room is perfect for rambunctious boys or a serious game of checkers. The master suite tucked in below offers painted wood ceilings, and the bead-boarded hallways provide the perfect punctuation for the place to rest your head after a long day on the water.
One of the best features of the property is the lot—flat as an airstrip and accentuated by a natural rock patio—and, of course, the lake itself. “There are zero steps to the water,” says Neal, “and water depth at the seawall is 85-90 feet. At the center it’s 250.”
One of the more impressive Smith Lake homes you’ll ever see, Flatrock lives on without an ounce of pretentiousness. It’s more proof that often, restraint does not have to be sacrificed at the altar of quality. 78