Landscape Architects' Eco-Friendly Cottage Renovation in Virginia Wine Country

When two landscape architecture students marry and buy a 1940s cottage in Charlottesville, the result is an eco-friendly renovation and garden that reads like a masterclass in site-sensitive design. The property sits along breathtaking country roads near Monticello, Tufton Farm, Jefferson Vineyards, and Morven Estate—steeped in history and horticulture.

From Dated to Distinctive

The before photo reveals a modest cottage transformed: back door relocated, small bathroom added, 2-over-2 energy-efficient windows installed, poplar siding and trim from Appalachian Sustainable Development mills applied, and the original metal roof salvaged. Twenty dump trucks of fill created the "tapis vert"—a taut, precise lawn expanse that packs serious design punch.

Before Photo

Approach and Arrival

The driveway winds past a hillside garden signaling something special ahead. A staircase of field-collected shale connects the basement laundry to the patio—"not a great building stone, but it's free," the owner notes. The low garden wall uses the same material. A parking court behind the house leads via stepping stones through a shaded passage (hammock and Craigslist bench included) to the glorious back garden.

The Tapis Vert and Border Gardens

The lawn and undulating borders are perfectly scaled to the house, edged in Pennsylvania bluestone. Thick plantings—coneflowers, daylilies, hydrangeas, amsonia, verbena, bronze fennel, salvia, and more—create a composition of color, leaf shape, and mounded form. The topography reveals itself: woods uphill, created flat lawn, hillside garden, driveway, and creek floodplain below. The house occupies a transitional spot, giving home and garden a distinct place of their own.

Patio and Outdoor Living

The patio features a box garden for tomatoes, basil pots for easy picking—just add mozzarella for Caprese salad. A farm table and candle chandelier anchor cozy dinners. Jack Russell terriers patrol the garden, keeping deer at bay.

Interior: Light, Open, and Layered

The main living area—once four dark rooms with low ceilings—opens to exposed beams. Reclaimed heart pine floors, a mirror from recycled boat wood, and a mix of family heirlooms, antiques, IKEA pieces, and global finds create a space that's simultaneously contemporary, country, and warm. Botanical drawings and a handmade paper lampshade (a wedding gift) add personal touches.

The master loft (former attic) stores musical instruments—fiddle, Scottish snare drum, guitar. A bench from World Market grounds the globally inspired decor. The living room, viewed from above at weekend's end, proves this is a place where everyone gets comfortable.

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