BALD MOUNTAIN HOMES, INC. Solar & Non-Toxic, "An Environmental Partnership"

McCelo House

The owner designed this house, and worked alongside. Built in 1979 by John and Eric, this project predated the formation of Bald Mountain Homes by three years. The house is a masterpiece of form and function, built with many local used & scrounged materials. The design is passive solar, with a greenhouse attached. A solar water heater in the greenhouse space is augmented by a woodstove water loop.

Using local materials like sawmill lumber and river rock helped to keep costs low. The fireplace has a wood stove on the back side. Cabinets and trim were all done by hand. Vents and baffles allow cross circulation of heat year round. Insulation and earth berming reduce the need for heat.

On the upper floor, with sloped ceilings and dormers, the woodwork lines show off. The natural wood beams were sawed from the house site, saved and dried. The whole house blends into the mountainside, looking like it has always been there.

Built in the historic Celo Community, this house is a jewel. Tucked away on a wooded ridgetop, you'd never find it without a guide. This house was featured in Fine Homebuilding Magazine, April/May 1988.

Current Building Project:

E-Mail: JASenechal@aol.com
US Mail: PO box 1665, Asheville, NC 28802