(L to R) interior designer - Steve Chambliss, Troy Ball, Charlie Ball, winners of the Whisper Creek Cabin - Penny and Ken Hawkes. The picture is taken inside of the winning Whisper Creek Cabin.

Charlie and I are so excited that Whisper Creek was selected to be the winning home of the 2009 Southern Living Choose Your Home Giveaway. It makes us feel very good that so many people voted to win our beautiful cabin at Whisper Mountain. Over 5.4 million entries were cast in this sweepstakes. Whisper Mountain had the most email subscriptions of any of the other houses and was the second most viewed community on MyHomeIdeas.com and Southern Living’s websites. That tells us this cool mountain air, stunning location and dedication to doing it right resonates with many people. We want to thank Bill McDougal and the rest of the Southern Living and MyHomeIdeas.com, Steve Chambliss, our outstanding interior designer and Haven Custom Homes for making this dream a reality for us and for the winner Penny Hawkes.

Meet Penny Hawkes, the lucky winner of our Choose Your Home Giveaway Sweepstakes.

Sara Essex, Article by Cathy Still Johnson // southernliving.com

Penny Hawkes received the best 50th birthday present ever. (Officially, it’s August 24th.) Winner of the MyHomeIdeas.com and Southern Living Choose Your Home Giveaway, this lucky entrant chose the Whisper Mountain’s Whisper Creek Cottage for herself, her husband, Ken, and their family to enjoy. Now residents of LaPlace, Louisiana, the Hawkes family has ties to the mountains and are finally getting a chance to come home. “I was born in Huntersville, and Ken and I met when we were both working in Charlotte. Their careers took them to California and then to Louisiana, but Penny says, “We always said we would retire to North Carolina.”

Big Win

Persistence paid off for Penny Hawkes. This devoted winner visited MyHomeIdeas.com and SouthernLiving.com every single day to enter the Choose Your Home Giveaway Sweepstakes. With more than 5,400,000 entries, her name was the first pulled from the hat. “The Whisper Creek Cottage was the only house I entered for,” Penny says. “I called my friend, Arlene, and told her to enter too. I said, ‘Someone’s got to win, and it should be us,’ never imagining that it would really be me. I’ve never won anything in my life.”

There’s No Place Like Home

Jean Allsopp, Article by Cathy Still Johnson // southernliving.com

The mountains have always held a special place in Penny’s heart. She’s from there, after all. Though she’s running LaPlace Optical, a thriving eye care business in LaPlace, Louisiana, she’s anxious to make an escape as soon as possible to meet her new home. Her parents, North Carolina residents, are equally excited that the Hawkeses’ dream of retiring to their home state will come to fruition. “When I found out I won, I called my mom and told her I was coming home,” Penny says.

Welcome Home

The mountaintop community of Whisper Mountain covers more than 270 acres in one of the most beautiful and culturally diverse areas of the South. Just 17 miles outside of Asheville, North Carolina, the Blue Ridge Mountains have long been a go-to for outdoors enthusiasts and those who just need a cool, breezy retreat.

On the property, Penny and her family will find creeks, meadows, trails, and panoramas of the mountains and valleys below. The center of the community, Sky Valley Lodge, will serve as an extended gathering spot for the Hawkes family with its spacious decks and cozy gathering area around a stacked stone fireplace. ” I hope to make it up in time to celebrate my birthday,” Penny says. “And after that, I plan to spend as much time there as I can.”

Oh, the Places She’ll Go!

Joe DeSciose, Article by Cathy Still Johnson // southernliving.com

With close proximity to Asheville, Penny and her family will have the best of both worlds: a private mountain getaway and a city center brimming with culinary delights and a thriving arts and music scene.

She’s likely to embrace local favorites such as Tupelo Honey Café, beloved for its shrimp and grits and pecan crusted chicken, Biltmore House and Biltmore Village, America’s largest home and adjacent shopping area, and the Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center, a LEED-certified building with interactive maps of the area’s sights and activities. “I’ve been to Asheville a couple of times, but I’ve never gotten to spend a lot of time there. It will be fun to get to know the city better,” Penny says.

A Great Getaway

Charmed by the house and its location, Penny says, “It looks like a little cabin in the woods.” She’ll find out soon that the house is just that―set over a creek with spectacular mountain views. Perfect for a family getaway or just relaxing on the porches, Penny and her family may find themselves relocating sooner rather than later.

Jean Allsopp, Article by Cathy Still Johnson // southernliving.com

Back to Her Roots

Designed in the mountain Arts-and-Crafts style, Penny’s new home is made of natural materials pulled from the site. Poplar bark dresses the facade, and the ceiling of the master bedroom. Locust tree columns support the front porch, rhododendron branches form porch railings, and salvaged barn roofing give that timeworn appeal that adds to the home’s indigenous look. And because it’s a North Carolina HealthyBuilt home, it’s just as environmentally friendly as it looks. “I love that they used recycled things and composite siding,” says Penny. “I didn’t want a house that would require a lot of upkeep.”

Family Gatherings

Jean Allsopp, Article by Cathy Still Johnson // southernliving.com

“My daughter, Hannah, was in Gatlinburg when I got the call that I had won,” Penny says. “Everyone there said they were already planning Thanksgiving at Whisper Creek.

“I’m so excited about the kitchen,” says Penny. Part of the modular home system delivered to the site, the kitchen features cabinetry that wraps around one side of the great room. A granite-topped island will suit casual meals for Penny’s family―or serve as the Thanksgiving buffet.

“I love the area, and I love my family. We usually make it to the mountains two or three times a year, but now, we can all spend more time together,” Penny says.

Just Relax

Inspired by the architecture of homes throughout the mountains of Western North Carolina, Whisper Creek Cottage blends well into the history of this region. With shakes and lap siding accented by a stone chimney and Craftsman details, the house is very much at home in the Whisper Mountain community. “I can’t wait to be able to sit in the chairs on the porch and relax,” Penny says.

Private Retreat

Impressed by the master bathroom, Penny is looking forward to checking out the walk-in shower. “It looks awesome!” says Penny. The tiled shower was delivered intact as part of the modular home system―and it has an eye-level window with a view.

»» Take a virtual tour of the bathroom on southernliving.com

Out and About

“I look forward to being able to get out and walk on the trails,” Penny says. “I can’t wait to watch my grandson running around out here. Whisper Mountain looks like a great place to just get away. My brother and sister-in-law live nearby, so they got a chance to see it. She said that it is to die for!”

Guest List

“More than likely, someone will always be there,” Penny says. Her parents have joked that they’re going to sell their house in nearby Huntersville and move in. Does she have a sign-up list yet for guests? “Not now,” says Penny, “but I am sure I will be getting a lot of calls after this is released.”

Whisper Creek House Plan

You can have your own version of our winning house by purchasing the plans for the 2 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath home.

»» See the house plan on southernliving.com

Meet Steve Chambliss, Whisper Creek Cottage, Asheville, North Carolina

Now that you’ve seen the houses, we thought we’d share the interior designer’s insights on great design and how they make it happen. Though all of them forgo trends, they each have their own ideas and points of inspiration for making a house a home. Take their tips for your own projects. And if you enter to win, you might just find yourself living in one of their inviting creations.

Here are Steve’s tips for creating a great looking interior:

Find Inspiration
Look to established designers for guidance. Steve finds inspiration in Ralph Lauren’s classic and tailored looks—whether in his fashion or home designs. “One of my favorite Ralph Lauren pieces is a jacket that  I got when I was 18-years old. It looks just as good today as the day I got it. One day I was wearing it and a client asked me to use the jacket color in their home.”

Mix it up
“I love mixing textures, deep colors, and elements from different centuries,” Steve says. “It gives rooms timeless appeal.” In the Whisper Creek cottage, Steve mixes custom new and antique oil paintings, new and antique furnishings and accessories for a gathered over time look.

Wide Open Spaces
Planning for family gatherings is important says Steve. “I try to create comfortable, open spaces for people to gather.” The Whisper Creek cottage offers an adjacent living room and kitchen beneath a soaring vaulted ceiling. The dining room is accessible by a large opening so people are always in proximity—especially important in a vacation home.

Pull Double Duty
In a small home, Steve prefers versatile furnishings such as a dining room table that can double as a game table, coffee tables that can easily convert to the “kid’s table,” and swivel chairs that turn easily to jump in on a conversation.

Embrace Technology
Televisons, video games, and computers are a major part of our daily lives. Steve suggests embracing these everyday electronics by putting them in accessible places in an elegant way. “I always make sure the electrical layout is compatible for the high-tech family,” Steve says. “I know some designers find electronics intrusive, but we are a media generation in a media world. With televisions getting thinner, there are many ways to add them to your decor in an unobtrusive way Steve says. He suggests concealing them with thin cabinets, hiding them behind artwork, or suspending them from the ceiling.

Set The Mood
Lighting needs vary for different activities such as watching television or having dinner says Steve. “I like to use directional lighting as well as dimmer switches to cover all the bases.”

Go For Color
“I think a lot of people feel safer with beige or white walls, but color is a guaranteed way to spice up an interior and add drama,” says Steve.

Leave a Light Footprint
“The world has moved to green design. We have all become very conscience of the environment,” Steve says. When building or renovating, Steve suggests seeking out recycled materials, reclaimed wood, and antique or vintage furniture. The Whisper Creek cottage embraces Green and sustainable design with its tin roof—pulled from an old barn; poplar bark siding and locust posts—harvested from felled trees on site. Hardie Plank, a fiber-cement composite, offers durability with no detriment to forests.

Where to Splurge?
“One of the greatest mistakes a homeowner can make is to try to do too much on a limited budget,” Steve says. “It is always better to buy quality not quantity. If you do something right the first time, it will cost you less on repairs or upgrades in the long run.”

Where to Save?
Buy off the rack. Create your own custom looks by mixing and matching store-bought items such as draperies and bedding.