The story below is from our September/October 2025 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!
A local designer transforms a South Roanoke County contemporary house into a family sanctuary.
Abby and Brian Hostetler were searching for a home that could suit their family for the long term, and they fell for a 1970s sprawling contemporary rancher in south Roanoke County. The home had custom touches and a liveable layout but needed to be updated and expanded to suit the family of five, as the Hostetlers’ three active middle and high school aged boys have friend hangouts at home, and their mom and dad enjoy hosting family and friends.
“It’s more modern in architecture than any home we’ve had before, and I think you should lean into the home’s style rather than work against it,” notes Abby. “We’ve been here for four years and have gradually acquired pieces that fit the aesthetic.”
Furnishing the home intentionally over time has resulted in a space that is warm and personal, with a unifying palette throughout of neutrals punctuated with shades of blues, terracotta orange and mustard yellow. The walls are a clean white and speckled with art, mementos and family photos, and the trim is greige, which complements the natural stone featured both inside and outside the home. Black accents, such as the trim on the large picture window in the cathedral family room, which overlooks the wooded front yard, create dramatic contrast.
“When the window trim was white, your eye focused on the trim–black trim recedes and you focus on the view,” Abby says.
While other potential buyers may have bypassed the property because of a small primary bedroom and bath or an outdated basement, Abby, who helps her clients design livable, beautiful spaces through her company, Enhance, only saw potential. She knew the addition of a primary bedroom suite would create the space the family needed, while balancing the home’s exterior to create an outdoor space for three-season enjoyment. But the planned addition took a backseat to other challenges that came up soon after the moving van pulled out of the driveway.
The basement moves to the top of the list
Three weeks after the Hostetlers moved in, the septic tank failed — causing flooding in the basement that necessitated a full-on tear-out and remodel. Abby turned the disaster into opportunity by designing a space that better addressed the family’s needs.
“Brian works primarily from home, and we needed a home office, so we created one in the basement that can be closed off for privacy,” says Abby.
The remainder of the basement is open, with a game area, complete with air hockey and table tennis, and a TV zone where the couple’s teens can play video games or gather with friends after school. A custom height table and stools behind the couch allow kids to snack and watch, and was built by Abby’s father, who does custom woodworking. The updated full bathroom is stylish and current with all new fixtures and finishes, and a wet bar completes the space. Brian and Abby wanted a standout staircase, as it cuts through the middle of the basement, and opted for a cable rail system which lends a touch of industrial cool. An exposed brick wall in the basement complements the look.
As many homeowners know, when it rains — it often pours. After the basement was finished, the driveway and a retaining wall needed attention, and costly tree work was necessary to ensure safety. But in November of 2022, the couple finally broke ground on the 600-square-foot new bedroom, bathroom and closet that Abby designed as a dream retreat for the busy couple.
No detail left to chance in primary suite
“I wanted this addition to look as if it belongs, and to be seamless as if it could have been part of the original house,” Abby says. Standing in the backyard, the addition is a near perfect mirror of the family room, with a cathedral ceiling and stone accents identical to the original ones, which Abby was relentless in sourcing.
“The stone accents are such an important architectural feature of this house,” notes Abby, who had the first attempt at the match removed and started again. She found a contractor who looked it over and declared that his father had done stone work in the neighborhood in the 1970s, and recognized the house. He was able to get the same stone from a quarry in Giles County and the results are impeccable.
The primary bedroom has Andersen windows, which were an investment, but necessary to match the existing Andersen windows throughout the home. The bed is anchored by two swivel chairs from local favorite Better Sofas, who Abby uses often in her clients’ designs. A TV perched in the corner next to a burl wood dresser allows Abby to sip her coffee while catching the news, or for the couple to watch a favorite show in the evening without interruption.
The bold, mid-century modern color palette of blues, mustard and terracotta orange carries into the suite, and feels like just the right amount of punchy color. The bathroom’s muted terracotta-colored tile has a handmade edge, which softens the vibe. The large wet room has a shower and freestanding soaking tub within the same space — a trend that has taken off in recent years, striking a modern, European look that can also be space-saving.
Black and brass fixtures marry in the double sink area, which boasts warm wood cabinetry topped in marble. Abby’s eye for detail is evident in the bathroom, with custom touches like inset wooden shelving to house bathroom essentials so they are close at hand, an accent wall behind the sink area and wet room tile that extends to the sloped ceiling for added drama.
A new closet with custom shelving completes the new space, providing a dramatic increase in storage from the original primary bedroom, which now belongs to one of the couple’s sons.
The outside is close at hand
In the newly designed primary bedroom, a large sliding double door can be opened wide to bring the outside in — and the patio created by the renovation is a private oasis for the family.
The stone patio sports a fire pit surrounded by a circle of Adirondacks for s’mores making or fireside hangs, and across the patio, a porch overhang covers a table and chairs that can host a barbeque, even if the Virginia weather isn’t cooperating. Cafe lights strung overhead connect the addition to an original section of the house for nighttime ambiance. In addition to the couple’s private entrance from their room, the patio can be accessed off of the kitchen so everyone can enjoy it.
While the basement re-do was unexpected, and the addition lasted 11 months and was stressful at times, the family has now settled into the new space and are living fully in all areas of their home. “We hope to stay here for a very long time,” says Abby
The story above is from our September/October 2025 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!
