Press Releases
Lake Oconee Living Magazine
Great Ideas Close to Home
Return to Press Releases
June 1, 1999 -- Cuscowilla on Lake Oconee, a resort and residential community, has yet another reason to brag this summer – the 600-acre gem now hosts a new Southern Living Idea House.
The house will be open for tours beginning June 19 and will remain open through September 26. The home is one of three being built through the “Southern Living” Idea House Program. The other two 1999 Idea Houses are located in Austin, Texas, and Pinehurst, North Carolina. All three homes will be featured in the August issue of “Southern Living”.
According to Derick Belden, manager of the Idea House program, the Cuscowilla development is the perfect setting for the new home. “We are thrilled to be working with Cuscowilla on Lake Oconee,” he says. “The community is very attuned to preserving as much of the area’s natural beauty as possible. We could not ask for a better host or a more beautiful site for the Idea House than at Lake Oconee.”
Cuscowilla is widely known for its award-winning Coore/Crenshaw golf course. Fashioned by two-time Masters Champion Ben Crenshaw and architect Bill Coore, the 18-hole course was named the 1998 Best New Course in the state by “Fore! Georgia” magazine and one of the best 100 Modern Courses in America by “Golfweek”. Besides world-class golf, Cuscowilla offers swimming and tennis, canoeing, fishing, and waterskiing. A lakefront restaurant provides a wonderful place to relax and socialize for lunch or dinner.
The Idea House planners also took into account Cuscowilla’s prime location. The resort is an easy one hour drive from Atlanta via I-20, and ideal side-trip for area visitors.
“Our readers from all over the South love to go to Atlanta, whether they’re visiting friends or enjoying a shopping spree,” says “Southern Living” editor John Floyd. “We think a trip to the Idea House complements any itinerary. You’re sure to discover a few ideas to take home with you.”
The Cuscowilla Idea House was designed to be either a weekend getaway or a permanent residence. In any capacity, the house caters to relaxed living. Porches, patios and decks with sweeping views of the lake blur the boundaries between indoors and out. Expansive windows bring natural beauty into the home while airy interiors echo the spaciousness of the outdoors. The plan bridges the gap between outdoor living and at-home comfort. (Plans for the home will be available form the “Southern Living” House Plans Service at 1-800-755-1122.)
The house features a wide gambrel roof with a combination shingle and granite exterior facing. The eclectic detailing blends with the house’s natural setting and complements the casual-themed interior. Situated on a point, the house is surrounded on three sides by the waters of Lake Oconee.
Inside, the main level includes a combination great room/dining room, which boasts a wall of windows overlooking the water. The kitchen joins this room for easy entertaining, and a grilling deck just off the kitchen makes outdoor cooking ideal. The master bedroom and bath complete this floor.
Downstairs, a large family room, game room and mini kitchen occupy most of the space. An exercise room, office and bedroom branch off the main area. A covered terrace extends off the exercise room, and a veranda connects to the family room. Separate from the main house is a guest suite above the garage. The octagonal suite has its own bathroom, walk-in closet and built-in deck.
Credit for many of the great ideas throughout the Cuscowilla home goes to Stephen Fuller Inc., of Atlanta, the designers of the Idea House. Stephen Fuller, president and CEO, has designed six Idea Houses in his career. A member of the National Association of Homebuilders, his work has been featured in numerous publications, including “Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles”, “Professional Builders & Remodeler”, and “Southern Living”.
“The home was designed to epitomize lakeside living,” explains Fuller. “We wanted the design to respond to the lake and be unique to this particular site. More often than not, lake homes are too suburban (so they) are not appropriate to casual lake living.”
The interior of the home is in the expert hands of Atlanta designer Ann Platz of Ann Platz & Co. and Julie Feagin, interior design coordinator at “Southern Living”. The two are working together to plan décor that will bring to life the home’s relaxing and comfortable character. Involved in the design industry since 1975, Platz’s work has appeared in “Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles”, “Southern Home Magazine”, and “Southern Living”.
“My vision was for a lake house that is classic and timeless,” Platz says. “Particularly, I wanted it to be reminiscent of a house in the 1930’s and ‘40’s with a lot of wood and muted colors – colors of the lake as opposed to something trendy or bright that would go out of style or tire one out.” Most importantly, she says, it has a homey atmosphere. “It’s not masculine, it’s not feminine, it’s family. It’s a very comfortable and livable house. You can really imagine a wonderful family living here.”
The house is being built by Kingfort Homes Inc., of Eatonton, the same company that built the 1992 “Southern Living” Idea House. Nimrod Long and Associates in Atlanta will design the exterior hardscape and landscape for the Idea House with an emphasis on working harmoniously with surrounding nature. Charles R. Miller of Season Color Company in Eatonton will provide installation services.
With so many experts on the job, the Cuscowilla Idea House is a must-see for current and future homeowners. From the blueprints to the final plantings, the home promises to be a stunning example of home-building – exactly what the “Southern Living” program sets out to do.
