Blackberry Farm

Don't miss the wonderful story and photos in this month's Town & County highlighting one of our favorite places, Blackberry Farm. 

Blackberry Farm is a 4,200-acre luxury country inn located in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. In 1976, Kreis and Sandy Beall were enthralled with the charm of the property and made the original house, built in the 1930s, their family home. They wanted to create a tradition of Southern hospitality, gourment cuisine and memorable experiences for family, friends, and guests. Kreis Beall’s son, Sam currently runs Blackberry Farm, while Kreis continues Blackberry Farm’s high country style in her own designs which have been featured in many magazines including Southern Accents, Bon Appetit, and Town & Country.  She recently designed the Master bedroom in the Cashier’s Show House, along with our own Mary Prillaman Holland.  The food at Blackberry Farm is phenominal due to their three chefs: Josh Feathers – Corporate Chef, Joseph Lenn – Executive Chef, and Maggie Davidson – Pastry Chef. You can learn more about Blackberry Farm on their website, http://www.blackberryfarm.com.

Faux Bois

Faux Bois, is French for false wood, and is the artistic imitation of wood or wood grains in several elements.  This artistry dates back to the Renaissance and trompe-l’oeil (deceive the eye), which is a technique involving realistic imagery to create the optical illusion that objects exist in three dimensions.  Joseph Monier, inventor of ferrocement (reinforced concrete), a combination of cement and sand coated over layers of woven steel mesh, designed the first bridge of reinforced concrete over the moat at the Chateau Chazelet in France in 1875. It was carved and molded to look like timbers and logs. In Mexico and Texas, this craft is sometimes known as “El Trabajo Rustico” (The Rustic Work) and has a more realistic look as compared to European work.  Dionicio Rodriquez, a Mexican who moved to Texas in the early 1920s is a highly regarded artist who worked in this technique and his works have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places.