Contemporary house inspired by Wright up for sale
Ed Cope
Tom and Marti Hill stand outside the patio and pool area of their unique home on Morgantown Road near Uniontown. The couple is putting the house up for sale.
Shown above is an outside view of a unique house on Morgantown Road in Uniontown. The house, owned by Tommy and Marti Hill, is up for sale.
Here's the kitchen area of a Unontown house owned by Thomas and Marti Hill. The kitchen area has access to patio and pool
For nearly a quarter of a century, Tom and Marti Hill have watched the change in seasons from the comfort of their home overlooking the Laurel Mountains.
Placed comfortably atop a four-acre spread, the distinctive stone, cedar and glass contemporary home also offers a connection to local history as well as scenic vistas.
Called Hillcrest, Tom and Marti Hill are selling their home of the past 24 years.
鈥淲e are both retired now and we are downsizing,鈥� Marti Hill explained.
In the coal business for more than 40 years, Tom Hill looked to his industry to find construction materials as well as inspiration while Marti Hill and Uniontown architect Dale Drost worked together on the house蘑菇视频 design. Wayne Long was general contractor.
More than 500 tons of stone went into interior and exterior walls of the 4,400 square-foot two-story dwelling. It all came from area coke ovens, was cleaned of its soot and tarnish and faced to display multi-colored walls created by the intense heat of the coke-making process.
In addition, Tom Hill蘑菇视频 home office has one entire wall made from coal he removed from a strip mine. 鈥淚t蘑菇视频 Redstone coal, so it蘑菇视频 bituminous,鈥� he said, adding that he coated it with a layer of polyurethane to give it stability and luster.
In addition to its connection to his family business and the region蘑菇视频 coal industry, the home was built with multiple glass windows and cedar, creating a contemporary home that remains warm and inviting.
Fans of the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright, who built Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob in Fayette County, the Hills were always 鈥渃ontemporary minded,鈥� not being interested in a colonial or more traditional home found in Fayette County.
鈥淥ur home is not just steel and glass but is still contemporary, a very warm contemporary that evokes the essence of Frank Lloyd Wright,鈥� Marti Hill said.
鈥淣othing obstructs our view of the mountains. We wanted that view and we wanted privacy. We also have a lot of history built into the home. The stone came from local coke ovens. My husband was a coal stripper so he made one wall of his office out of coal,鈥� she added.
While John Carr of Hopwood crafted all the stone walls, inside and out, he also inspired some other features, including some of the d茅cor.
Marti Hill said she had one large blank wall and was perplexed about what to mount on it. Carr had saved some tin ceiling panels from the demolition of a downtown Uniontown bank building. 鈥淗e gave me those tiles, we cleaned them off, put them in frames and hung them on the wall,鈥� Marti Hill said. The effect looks more like something from a high-end decorator蘑菇视频 shop.
Taking about a year to complete, Tom Hill said Hillcrest would likely cost about $1.5 million to reproduce today. With nine rooms, two full and two half-baths, it offers much living space as well as a unique living experience.
Due to its construction, with interior and exterior walls insulated in between, Marti Hill said the home keeps warm in winter and cool in summer. The stone retains heat in winter thanks to the angle of the sun. It蘑菇视频 also cool during summer, thanks to overhangs and again, how the sun strikes the house. Marti Hill estimates the all-electric house uses about $200 worth of electricity a month.
鈥淚t蘑菇视频 pretty much passive solar,鈥� Tom Hill said. The Hills recently installed a new, high-efficiency water heater with heat pump, new furnaces and a new roof.
There are also a series of fireplaces in and outside the home.
Ceilings are cedar and floors are white tile. A furnished outdoor living room with kitchen, pool and pool house and gazebo are where the Hills spend most of their time during warmer weather.
There are three bedrooms, one being the master bedroom with adjoining master bath; an ensuite bedroom with bath and another bedroom downstairs; living, dining, family rooms, kitchen, mechanical room, game room, laundry room and office.
According to the official description, Hillcrest is a 鈥渓uxury contemporary style home situated on 4 acres with magnificent mountain views features that include beautiful stonework, private lane with stone entrance, three-car garage, outdoor kitchen and entertaining area with stone fireplace, in-ground pool, professionally landscaped, several private balconies, circular drive, architectural designed features and much more!鈥�
For more information on Hillcrest, call Ron Lovelace at RE/MAX at 724-425-5444.