At Bright’s Creek, there’s a sense of adventure around every corner. From award-winning community features to one of North Carolina’s top golf courses to luxury mountain real estate options for every family, there’s a dream life waiting for everyone here in Mill Spring, NC.
This month, we chatted with Greg Junge and Sam Stenard from one of our preferred builders, Junge Construction, to discover the details behind their vision for our newest mountain sanctuary. With their long standing local experience and roots right here in town, they’re especially equipped to build right here in the mountains they call home. Here’s a look at this custom North Carolina estate plan, complete with an age-in-place design, smart home features, luxury finishes, and so much more.
Tell us more about the 2015 Deep Gap Farm Road W. Mountain Sanctuary plan and how the lot choice came to be.
It all starts with the Bright’s Creek real estate team. It’s amazing how well Bright’s real estate agents, Heather and JJ, know the community and the landscape. The conversation starts with them, and we determine what a buyer would really value about the lot. We visit the site and ideally, we walk it during different seasons to see what the views will be like. Our goal is to find a home lot that will make someone really happy all year round. Bright’s Creek is one of the best-looking communities in the area. Their views are panoramic and the area truly feels like a sanctuary.
This site was chosen based on proximity to the amazing Bright’s Creek amenity center, so it’s close to all the action. The views here are also spectacular—you can see over the lodges, onto the golf course, as well as the mountain range. It’s the best of everything!
As far as our vision, we wanted to create something timeless and really true to this mountain craftsman style—something you would only find in North Carolina. The best architect we could dream of to help us bring this to life was Wayland Shamburger. He’s a renowned local architect who has spent 25 years defining our region’s famous architectural style, so we knew he was the perfect fit.
Tell us more about the floor plan and all of the sanctuary’s customizable features.
This home really strikes a balance between feeling very luxurious and well-appointed while being a manageable size of about 3,100 square feet. The interior and exterior space really integrate beautifully. There’s a protected lower-level patio, an upper deck, spacious bathrooms with heated floors, a built-in energy recovery ventilation system to fill your home with healthy, fresh air, and more.
There’s a freestanding garage and breezeway, so no matter the weather, you can get into your house under cover the whole way. This aligns with our aging-in-place design, so you can park in the garage and not have any stairs into the home. It’s very accessible and has a designated space for a future elevator, a curbless custom shower in the master suite, plus wheelchair-accessible entry. Our Superior Walls foundation creates a very well-insulated home and indoor and outdoor fireplaces allow a buyer to truly enjoy North Carolina all year round.
As far as the process goes, we begin with recommended selections via a detailed online design book. This includes everything from the trim to the wall finishes to the light fixtures, faucets, door knobs, and more. We use adaptable fixtures, so if a client wants to make a change, we have a lot of flexibility without adding tons of extra time. Everything except for the main foundation is fully customizable. So while we do offer our suggestions and expertise, the client still has total control. It’s a completely custom North Carolina home.
What makes the Junge Construction approach special?
Our approach centers around prioritizing the customer experience. At Junge Construction, we’re on a mission to build legacy homes and lifelong relationships. When you’re building a house with someone, you’re really part of each other’s lives for a period of time. We really want you to have a great experience throughout the entire process and feel like we’ve established a real friendship by the end of our journey together.
One of our differentiators is that we use a project management software as a way to make things clear and easy for our homeowners. Many clients are out of state, so our project logs are updated frequently, offering transparency and access to the state of the project, no matter where they are in the country. It also allows us to make adjustments in real time, so clients can offer feedback and make changes to selections. For example, if a client selected a tile or a color, but they end up not liking how it looks in the photos, we can capture that feedback and address it promptly. It really connects clients to the project and fosters a deeper emotional connection. It’s a great way to keep the whole team on the same page!
Each client also has a dedicated project manager so they can spend as much time on-site as they’d like. Another element that stands out is that we like to keep our worksites extremely clean—almost as if nothing is happening except for the work. The environment doesn’t feel chaotic, so it gives our clients a calming peace of mind and instills a sense of confidence. We always keep our spaces organized and set high standards because it’s so important to us to respect the culture of every community we’re working in. Everything matters, so our approach is to take the utmost care in even the smallest detail.
Are there any unique challenges that come with custom home building in North Carolina?
The hills, rocks, and mountains can all pose unique challenges in the area. But, we’re all creative problem solvers, so that’s really what makes us tick here at Junge Construction. We’ve lived in these mountains for over thirty years and our office is ten minutes from Bright’s Creek’s gates, so we know this area in and out because it’s our home.
We really want to specialize in our local community and create a wonderful place for generations to come. We’re not just building houses—we’re deeply rooted here and are working to create an incredible future together.
Ready to make this North Carolina mountain home yours? Discover the beauty of Bright’s Creek for yourself. Contact our real estate team directly at (828) 600-5132 to start your journey today.
