Meet the Builder, Bill Wennerberg
What is your building philosophy when it comes to Hickorywood Cottages? They are so unique and colorful. How would you describe them?
Hickorywood Cottages are one-of-a-kind woodland cottages sited in a way that makes you feel like you’re in your own little place even though you have neighbors around you. The lots are heavily wooded with slopes and natural boulder masses which create extra privacy and leave room for the best possible views.
The homes are set within, around and through the natural topography of the land. My goal has always been to make the homeowner feel like their home has always been a part of the land.
What inspired me was the feeling you get when you first drive into The Pinehills; the winding roads and all the landscaping, I thought it would be nice to mimic that feeling as you are driving up to your home.”
How would you describe the feeling of the neighborhood?
I’ve always explained it like this – if you’ve ever been on vacation and said – wow I could really get used to living like this – Hickorywood is like that. Although it’s actually your every day home, it feels like you’re on vacation. From the moment that you’re driving up the winding driveway you start to feel relaxed. Like you’re escaping reality.
Are all the cottages the same in terms of size? There are two and three bedroom cottages and they range from 1500 to 3000 square feet. Because of the topography and way the cottages are sited on the land, there is also the ability to finish off the lower levels with a private walk out in many of the cottages. I like to think that the homes complement each other rather than compete with each other.
How important were the views when it came to the building of these cottages?
The views were very important. There are views from every direction from the moment you enter the neighborhood and drive up your driveway. As you drive from the street to the garage pass through this wooded space and then see the bold colors of the cottages popping through the natural colors of the landscape.
The inside is just as important as the outside as far as the views are concerned. When you’re in the home you feel like you’re living in the tree tops – you can reach out and feed the birds, you can look down from your deck and see deer trails cutting through your backyard.
By design, I’ve taken advantage of everything that is beautiful about The Pinehills and incorporated into Hickorywood.
Your approach to landscaping around the Hickorywood Cottages is also so interesting. Maintenance would appear to be at a minimum. Was that your goal?True – the goal was no lawn, no irrigation. There are hundreds of ornamental grasses that constantly change throughout the seasons along with native shrubbery that produces beautiful colors and berries. I wanted to have the landscaping change not only each season but also when the wind blows. That’s when the pine needles become a great addition to the landscaping.
In addition to the Hickorywood Cottages neighborhood, you are also creating the Cobblestone Cottages neighborhood at The Pinehills. Tell us about your vision for this new neighborhood.
With regard to Cobblestone Cottages I envisioned a Nantucket neighborhood with white picket fences, sea shell driveways, and hydrangeas. White on white on the inside with wide pine floors and beadboard ceilings. I’m even working with someone who is growing roses specifically for this neighborhood. Once everything starts blooming these roses will be winding through the white fences and up the trellises throughout the whole neighborhood.
See Hickorywood Cottages at pinehills.com, or call 508-209-2000 for more information.
