The all-volunteer Smith Mountain Lake Charity Home Tour, now in its 32nd year of operation, has raised $5 million for area charities! It’s great fun to explore some of the most beautiful homes on the lake and experience their lovely lake and mountain views. Visitors get ideas about building, remodeling, materials, contractors, architects, products and their sources. Here’s a look at the eight homes showcased on the Charity Home Tour this year on October 6, 7 and 8. All homes are accessible by boat or by car.
The HUDLER home in Huddleston provides a spectacular view of the lake with Smith Mountain in the background. It feels like being in a treehouse because trees frame the lake view from the windows. The Hudlers had the lot’s former house torn down and, two years later, the current New England-style contemporary with modern finishes was completed.
Also in Huddleston, the SHEETS home exhibits rustic, “shabby-chic” style. Examples include: many unique furniture pieces and artwork, grandmother’s antique ice box, a display of old metal toys, a Black Dog Salvage-refurbished church door and a bar made from a boat. Enjoy the decorating of very creative homeowners!
The MCGEE home, in Kennedy Shores, one of SML’s newest developments, has a wide view of the Bull Run area of the lake. This white Hardy plank home with black trim is Craftsman-style with French country interior décor. The open-concept living/dining area has patios that beckon outdoor entertaining. The kitchen’s hidden pantry is a separate room with a coffee bar.
The THOMAS home underwent major remodeling five years ago. The owners removed walls, including a rock fireplace between the kitchen and living room, added new windows to better capture their view of the Roanoke River, looking toward Carter Island, and modernized many areas of the home they had owned for 18 years. “Before photos” indicate many of the changes — including extending and roofing the deck to make it more like a room.
In a quiet, wide cove of the Blackwater River sits the MILLS-GRECO home. Construction took just eight months, with the homeowner as the builder. This 5,700-square-foot, three-level home has 4 bedrooms, 4 baths, 2 half baths and a bonus room over the garage. This modern home has a light exterior with dark trim accents. Cali luxury vinyl flooring, which “looks like wood but wears like cement,” is featured throughout the home and on the deck.
The MCAVOY home offers wide-water views of the Roanoke River toward Smith Mountain from all upstairs rooms. The interior is Tuscan style with a large painting over the fireplace. Off the kitchen is a screened porch with a fireplace, and there’s a covered balcony off the living room. Antique-looking wooden mantles cap the fireplaces. Outdoors a unique fire pit and sitting area were created behind huge rocks that were already on the property.
The DERR home, in South Harbour, another of the lake’s newest housing areas, is one of the large homes that have sprouted from a former campground. This 6,500-square-foot timber frame home is built of Douglas fir and Western red cedar with nice stonework. Unusual features include custom copper kitchen hood, copper hanging lamps and a unique light fixture over the dining table. Kitchen counters are double-thick granite with natural edges.
The DUNCAN home on Tranquility Road is a peaceful place indeed, tucked into a quiet cove of the Blackwater River. This French Country-style home, built in 2000, was remodeled extensively in 2020. The interior is eclectic, with white-washed oak floors, vaulted wooden ceiling in the entryway, a large sunroom with remote-control skylights, and Czechoslovakian family china displayed in the dining room. ✦
For information, tickets and home photos, visit SMLCharityHomeTour.com.