LEGACY HOME IN THE MOUNTAINS: A FAMILY'S 20-YEAR JOURNEY AT THE GREENBRIER
Walking into Gus and Karen Sauter’s new home in The Ridges on Greenbrier Mountain, you get a distinct sense that this house contains multitudes. Multitudes of family stories and history and design choices. The home is as inviting as its owners, and gathered around the kitchen’s luxurious black magma-topped island, they tell a story not unfamiliar to others that call The Greenbrier “home.”
The Sauter’s love affair with The Greenbrier started in 1994, when Gus’s parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary at the historic Greenbrier resort, marking the beginning of a cherished family tradition. What started as a yearly reunion for the scattered family turned into a two-decade love affair with the serene mountainside. Today, perched atop Greenbrier Mountain, with commanding views down to the resort and valley below, Karen and Gus share the story of their legacy home, a culmination of family history and architectural and design vision.
The design process for this home was a delicate balance between function and form. Gus's vision for a classic mountain home was born of memories of Aspen and ample timber detailing and large beams took precedence. The couple engaged in a hands-on approach, meticulously selecting materials like the striking aforementioned black magma island in the kitchen, which epitomizes their love for bold, unique elements.
The couple’s first order of business was to engage architect Rene Hoffman to turn their dream into reality. Gus and Karen came armed with an extensive wish list, that included a wine cellar, sauna, golf simulator, solar panels, and spaces for the family’s tremendous collection of art and antiques. The challenge lay in incorporating various rooms with specific requirements while ensuring the house harmonized with its natural surroundings. Hoffman's expertise and collaborative approach impressed the couple, making him the clear choice for the project. He also happened to be just down the road from the couple’s Valley Forge home.
“The Sauters live within a few miles of our office here in Paoli, Pennsylvania, and they discovered that we are on the Greenbrier’s approved Architects list,” explains Hoffman, who has been designing projects at The Greenbrier Sporting Club for 20 years. “Upon meeting at the lot with the clients, and listening to their wish list, it was quite evident that this was a very special property and would provide a spectacular setting for their dream retreat. It commands unmatched views of the valley floor, and it straddles a ridge that provides interesting topography on every side of the house. The main body of the house and its Great Room is oriented on an axis with a direct view to the hotel far below in the distance. Wings on either side “wrap” the central house at angles to maximize views and sunlight. Natural materials like stone, shingle walls, and timber framing marry the house to its wooded surroundings.”
“He's done a number of houses here,” reiterates Karen. “So that was just crazy! And when we met him, we thought we were going to interview a whole bunch of architects. But we loved Rene from the very beginning. He's funny, he's smart, he's quick, but he loves to come up and bring his little chair and have his cigar and sit out and just see what's happening on the property. and He gets a feel for how the house should be set”.
Indeed, collaboration was key to the project's success. The couple worked closely with Hoffman, Main Street Building Group, Barbara Gisel Design, and other craftsmen, ensuring the incorporation of certain family heirlooms and maintaining the home's rustic charm.
“We're very hands-on,” says Karen. “So, we were involved in every single decision in this house. It wasn't like we just turned it over to a designer or whatever. We are really hands-on. For example, we made several trips to North Carolina to visit every granite place we could find, to actually put our hands on the slabs.”
Rob Vass, principal of Main Street Building Group and builder of numerous Greenbrier Sporting Club homes since its inception, agrees.
“I recognized from the moment I met with Gus and Karen that this was going to be a special home,” says Rob, “largely in part to their desire to be actively involved in the process. Each decision, from the slate roof to the cabinet hardware and everything in-between, was made by them reflecting the care and commitment to shaping the vision of their legacy home.”
A Home Filled with Stories
The Greenbrier legacy home is more than just a mountain retreat; it's a narrative woven with family history. From the kitchen's Amish-crafted cabinetry to the Cape Cod-inspired accents, a nod to Karen’s family history, each element holds a story, making this residence a true testament to the couple's journey.
Karen, whose great-great-grandfather William Harris founded the colony of Providence, Rhode Island, in 1636, retains numerous antiques and art that have been handed down over generations. On the other side, Gus’s family also dates back to the 1600s, with a long history in Ohio.
“My grandmother actually won the Greenbrier Waltz competition in the 1930s,” he says with a smile. “She even took a lesson from Sam Snead!”
“That's what this house is supposed to be,” explains Karen, “a conglomeration of our backgrounds and our families and their history.”
A great example of this is the fantastic Amish cabinetry throughout the house. Gus, who grew up in north central Ohio in Amish Country, wanted to pay homage to that part of his story. So, all of the cabinetry in the kitchen and office was done in Walnut Creek, Ohio, in an Amish factory that employs over 800 people.
“Not exactly what you. Imagine when you think of the Amish building cabinets,” jokes Gus.
But it’s that attention to the stories their design decisions tell that makes the Sauter home so special. Gus’s office, bathed in beautiful Cherry wood cabinets, became a special moment for the Amish workers installing the room.
“We got a phone call from Mimi,” Explains Karen, “Telling us the owner of the company, John Schrock, and several others from the company were flying down in a private plane to surprise them and see their work in progress first-hand.”
“So they were down in the basement doing something,” continues Gus, “and we let them in. It was a big group of them, like five or something. The guys come up from the basement, and they almost fall over to see their boss. You know? How great is that?!”
“Building a custom home is akin to putting together a finely tailored suit,” says Mimi Coffman, Project Coordinator Consultant for Main Street Building Group, “where we collaborate with the client and architect to piece comfort, style, and practicality into every room—creating a unique space that feels just right. With the Sauter’s home, they challenged us to include very special components throughout the project to include radiant floor heating, incorporating a unique and meaningful antique millstone into the fireplace stone design, and the first solar at the Greenbrier Sporting Club. They embraced every construction challenge, weaving their dedication into the very fabric of the home. We loved working with Gus and Karen as they cared deeply about every aspect of construction, and they collaborated with us and every trade member in a way that built a strong and committed team.”
Sustainable and Serene Living
In line with the couple's vision for a low-maintenance home that is also sustainably built, materials like concrete and PVC were chosen for their durability and the house boasts solar shingles, generating 26 kilowatts daily while seamlessly blending with the roofline.
“It was important to Gus and Karen to craft a sustainable home as a pledge to the future,” explains Rob. “They did so by making conscientious decisions that would reduce the impact of their home on the environment. We utilized Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF) for the foundation, incorporated Andersen high-performance windows with SmartSun, Low-E4 glass, insulated with Icynene foam, and installed radiant floor heat throughout the home. The solar panels were the icing on the cake.”
As Karen and Gus share their mornings above the clouds, it's evident that this legacy home is not just a structure; it's a living, breathing testament to a family's love for each other and the mountainside. This magnificent Greenbrier retreat stands as a symbol of the enduring power of family, tradition, and architectural ingenuity.