Lake Home: The Ponderosa

On summer weekends, a steady stream of boats can often be found cruising past the home of Gil and Anne McGeorge on the Blackwater River Channel. Granted, the reason is usually because the McGeorge residence is located next door to what is generally considered Smith Mountain Lake’s most famous house – the cottage used in the filming of the 1980’s movie “What About Bob?”
    However, what the curious boaters might not realize is that, while they’re busy snapping photos of the house made famous by Bill Murray and Richard Dreyfuss, they’re missing out on seeing a home with star power all its own.
    Like many couples, the McGeorges took their time finding the perfect retirement spot on Smith Mountain Lake. They had owned two smaller homes at the lake but were ready for something bigger and more permanent. For months, they spent weekends casually house hunting, but when one of them loved a home, the other didn’t.
Then, in the spring of 2009, the McGeorges’ real estate agent showed them what they jokingly referred to as “The Ponderosa” – and it was love at first site for both.
    “We built one home and remodeled another, and we weren’t anxious to do that again,” said Anne McGeorge, noting that one attractive aspect of the home was it was in move-in ready condition. In addition, every room, except the bathrooms, faced the lake, which they found appealing.
    The home’s style is definitely western/mountain with a slightly rustic feel, but it is completely modern with new appliances, granite countertops and a sophisticated whole-house music system. The 3,500-square-foot main level includes a master suite; another 1,500 square feet upstairs features three guest bedrooms and two baths.
    Upon entering the home, one is greeted by a carved and painted Balinese house protector, complete with protruding fangs.
    “He supposedly protects the place and brings good luck,” said Anne, who bought the piece on the couple’s honeymoon in Bali, Indonesia. It sits in front of a stone wall in the entryway that is the back side of the fireplace in the den.
    “We call it the den because living room just seems too formal for us,” Anne said.
With big windows opening up to a long view up the Blackwater, cozy fireplace, comfy furniture and a TV, the room is attractive and livable – a favorite place for the couple to spend time. Adjacent to the den is the dining room, which features an oversized Western-style table and chairs crafted from hefty logs that came with the house.
    The kitchen has plenty of space for cooking and socializing, due in part to a large island. The McGeorges remodeled the adjacent laundry room to double as a butler’s pantry by adding a utility sink, an extra dishwasher and additional granite countertops.
    “When having a large party, it’s great to whisk all the dirty dishes to this separate room, out of sight of all who gather in the kitchen,” said Anne. “That’s an idea I got from [interior designer] Kris Willard.”
    A lake-facing eating area off the kitchen has a built-in dining set, which continues the log theme on a smaller scale. The McGeorges converted the former pantry into a temperature-controlled wine room to hold 1,000 bottles.
    “We’ve been small collectors of wine,” Gil said.
    A double office with two desks, each with lake view, suits Gil, a retired CFO of Roanoke’s Associated Asphalt, and Anne who is managing partner of healthcare for Grant Thornton, based in Charlotte.
    The largest room in the house, which Gil refers to as “the party room,” still seems cozy because of its grass-cloth-covered walls and plush furniture surrounding a large coffee table. It has a wet bar, an area for playing cards and a 63-inch TV used primarily for watching sporting events.
    “When we bought the home [in June 2009] from the second owners, it was decorated with woodsy dark green and coral colors. Kris [Willard] helped us lighten up the walls and window treatments to give it a more contemporary/artsy lake-house look,” said Anne.
    In the master suite, renovation included reconfiguring the entrance to the bathroom and closet, creating a long wall to position the couple’s bed opposite the lake windows.
    Another favorite area of the property is the dock, which the McGeorges use as an outdoor room. They converted the previous owners’ four-slip dock to have one boat slip and one slip with a lift for two personal watercraft. The other two slips were filled in with flooring to provide an additional sitting area.
    Gil has roots in the lake area: his father was from Bedford County, and his mother was one of 13 children in the Brooks family of Franklin County for whom Brooks Mill Road is named. Gil said he remembers seeing Hales Ford Bridge being built and wondering if the water would ever really fill up to be right below it.
    “Anne and I are both from Virginia,” he said. “She grew up in Norfolk and I was born and raised in Roanoke. We love the activities the lake offers and the many, many friends we’ve made here. We hope to always maintain a presence at Smith Mountain Lake.”

BUILDING BASICS

Year Built: 2002
Square Footage: 5,000
Design Style: Western/Mountain
Architect: Peter Morris (Vergennes, Vt.)
Builder: Pringle Construction
Dock Builder: Pringle Construction (original); Turner’s Building, Inc. (remodel)

HOME JOURNAL

Anne’s Favorite Room
The kitchen. “Everyone gathers here. People can be cooking and others can be sitting at the bar and not be in the way. I now realize that, in our other houses, we were always climbing over each other in the kitchen.”

Gil’s Top Spot
“When we have other people here, it’s probably the party room where we can watch movies or TV or have massive card games.”

The Lake Factor
With the exception of the bathrooms, every room in the house has a long-water view up the Blackwater River Channel with Boones Mill’s 3,000-foot Cahas Mountain in the distance.