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REAL ESTATE SECTION
Virtual Oasis
BY KATHRYN GAGE
Greeted by Scarlett’s bright blue eyes and welcoming smile, I am instantly at ease. Ray Evans is seated in his office adjacent to the foyer and he, too, greets me warmly. I am at once struck by how unassuming and candid both are…no airs of pretension, just pure Southern charm. This is even more difficult to fathom when chatting with them in this multi-million dollar mansion situated high atop the banks of picturesque Fort Loudon Lake. Scarlett leads the tour, but we are often joined by Ray, who shares the story of his background and many details of the home. Ray describes his upbringing as modest; he spent his formative years working at his father’s roadside fruit stand. The elder Evans taught Ray the value of hard work, and much of his business savvy was gleaned from his late father’s work ethics. “Dad was a salesman. He was a cool guy, really funny,” Ray recalls.
Ray and Scarlett met as teens (both attended West High School) and have been together ever since. According to Ray, “We were poor folks.” They lived in campus housing while he attended the University of Tennessee; Scarlett worked to pay his way. With Ray’s degree in hand, they developed a successful health care business. Ray now owns several thriving enterprises; most recently, he has ventured into real estate development.
My tour begins in the foyer of the home. There is a lot to take in. As a prelude to the wonderful architectural details I will soon encounter, I first notice the flooring. An oversized diamond pattern of tile converges with inlaid wood, and Scarlett tells me of the great care and labor that were required to achieve the stunning result. Due to the intricate design, the proper fit of wood within tile represents almost an art form in execution. To my right is a handsome office of dark woods and leathers, where Ray is no doubt working a deal related to this very subdivision (LashBrooke) that he and longtime business partner and friend, Rob Stooksbury, are developing. Of the Stooksburys, Scarlett says, “We’ve been through a lot together in more than 30 years. We’re close friends.” So close, in fact, they have been neighbors in four of the last five subdivisions each has lived in, including LashBrooke. This community boasts 130 lots, of which all but 30 have sold. Ray is quick to add, “There are still some great lakefront lots available.”
To my left is a structural masterpiece—a beautifully milled and arched doorway leading into an exquisitely appointed dining room. The crystal chandelier is the focal point and hangs beneath an oval-shaped tray ceiling with a criss-cross pattern of beams so complex Scarlett says it took months to complete.
Ahead is the two-story open living area with an expanse of gleaming windows and views of the lake beyond. The paint colors are warm wheat-toned hues punctuated by touches of bold red, as in the downstairs powder bath, or a rich green with slightly acidic undertones in the master suite. These accents reflect Scarlett’s love of bold colors and are the perfect compliment to an array of animal prints, which are found throughout the home in upholstery, artwork, bedding – even carpeting. Scarlett relied heavily on the design direction of Jill Thomas of Braden’s Furniture, who calls the decorating style “traditional elegance.” Together they pored over flooring samples, carpeting, tiles, fabric options and lighting fixtures for “what seemed like weeks on end” until the main decisions were made. “It was sort of difficult choosing light fixtures from a black and white catalog, but we got lucky,” says Scarlett. Lucky indeed - the elegant light fixtures are another detail that gives the home an old-world feel. Jill and Scarlett continue to collaborate on the selection of furnishings, rugs and accessories.
An open kitchen shares the living room space, a true cook’s kitchen complete with black and copper-colored granite countertops, a Sub-Zero brand refrigerator and Dacor range, double oven and warming drawer. A convenient drawer-style microwave, the first of the many technologically advanced gizmos I will see, keeps counters free from clutter. Across the room, Scarlett points out the “pop-up TV”. Encased within floor-to-ceiling built-in book cases is a plasma television that appears at the touch of a remote and, just as quickly, disappears with another click.
Sitting beneath a grand staircase is the gleaming ebony piano given to Scarlett as a 20th anniversary gift from her husband. (Scarlett began playing piano as a child and still finds it to be a relaxing pastime.) The gently curving staircase was built on-site of heavily laminated wood pieces which were carefully cut to accommodate the curve and incline. Railings comprised of a myriad of curved metal flourishes were handcrafted of wrought iron by the experts at Dixon Machine Fabricators. The stairs lead to a walkover also adorned with one-of-a-kind ironwork; the entire ensemble took more than three months to complete.
The most utilized room sits right off the kitchen - a home theater fit for a squadron of even the most finicky movie buffs. Scarlett and Ray spend most evenings watching old movies in this moody respite, complete with cozy rows of black leather seating and leopard-print carpeting. The back wall houses the home’s surveillance monitors. Virtually every room, but for bathrooms, can be viewed from this portal.
While Scarlett had insisted in an earlier conversation that she didn’t display many mementos or collect anything, I discover a wall of carefully arranged photos across from the three-story elevator. Mostly black and white, some tattered by age, Scarlett says they are images of her and Ray’s families from decades past. Now that I have called her bluff, she admits that she does love to display old photos throughout the home. From here we enter the master suite, and I see a bit more of Scarlett’s sentimental side: an antique Victrola that belonged to Ray’s grandmother; a framed handkerchief that belonged to Scarlett’s grandmother; the christening gown worn by Scarlett and Ray’s daughter, Heather.
Moving from the nostalgia displayed in the bedroom, we ease into the suite’s master bath. In the center of this room sits an oval-shaped tub Scarlett describes as a “mood tub.” When filled, various shades of light cause the water to change colors. Scarlett admits she has yet to use the tub (as she always seems to be in a hurry and prefers a quick shower), but that Ray enjoys it. The enormous his-and-her closet feels like a posh boutique complete with custom cabinetry; drawers were made and measured specifically for each and every shoe, accessory or article of clothing.
Stepping out of the bedroom’s glass door leading to the pool area, I am transported to what feels like a vacation retreat. The enormous covered stone porch that runs the length of the home’s rear faces the lake, and the spectacular view of the water includes two previous homes, which Ray and Scarlett also built. A wading pool visually appears to flow directly into the water below—a seamless transition. Comfortable rattan seating aside a gas hearth offers the perfect setting for entertaining, made even more conducive by the fully outfitted outdoor kitchen. Ray expresses their love for entertaining. “We like to share with others. That’s what you ought to do, especially for family.” He adds that they realize how fortunate they are. Members of Tennessee Troupe and Travel for twenty-plus years, the couple has a group of 150 friends whose company they frequently enjoy, either traveling en masse or gathering at home for live music and catered fare.
Ray, a self-described gadget guru, excitedly describes the intricate lighting and sound controls installed by SafeT, his daughter’s company. This system is so advanced that any light in the home can be programmed from one panel. It also affords Scarlett and Ray the ability to set overall lighting to suit a specific mood: ambient lighting, fans at half-speed, jazz music at the push of a button, even a “panic” button that activates every light in the house. Scarlett acknowledges that she once thought it was all utterly ridiculous, but now she finds the lighting feature to be indispensable. Another favorite gadget is the flashing light in the theater that alerts when the doorbell sounds. Laughing, Ray says, “Then I look at the video monitor and decide if I’m going to get up or not.” Door locks feature coded keys. This eliminates traditional fumbling at the door and offers the convenience of assigning one-day codes to various service providers.
Finally, we head up the winding stairwell and across the walkover. Three of the home’s four bedrooms are here, one of which belongs to “the love of our lives,” Kaiden, the couple’s only grandchild. The tot also enjoys a fully stocked playroom during his frequent visits. Scarlett has a spacious office, which she hasn’t had the opportunity to use just yet, except for wrapping gifts, but looks forward to “spending time alone” here. Up one more flight, we come to an open space used for storage but wired and plumbed to be finished out at some point. Tidy shelves contain a variety of items - Christmas decorations, even the vintage Huffy their daughter rode as a child. Despite the abundance of storage space, Scarlett felt compelled to give some things away that they weren’t using. “We sent three truckloads to Habitat for Humanity before we moved in.” In this space, I find what is undeniably the finest view in the house: from a massive window I can see across the lake. Scarlett says Ray has considered using the space as a poker room, while she imagines a natural light studio. Different visions of the perfect room yet in tandem in their love of home. In this house, and for this couple who have made their dreams a reality, the possibilities seem truly endless.
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