C&E Remodeling

C&E is a family operation. Owner Jim Eiland and his son, Peter, along with nephew Sean Cogan, began construction in the spring of 2006 on the Southern Highlands Reserve’s new office, andmeeting and maintenance facility, Chestnut Lodge. The Eilands and Cogan brought along a staff of experienced artisans and craftsmen that have completed a much talked-about building. Many of those in the wood business have commented... "there is not another building like this in the U.S." — a handcrafted building with this much wormy chestnut. What makes the chestnut special, of course, is that nature isn't making any more of it. About half the wood used for the finish work was dragged out of local forests with horses by Jack Owen, while the other half was taken from old barns and buildings as reclaimed lumber.  The interior doors and stairs are made of heart pine, but almost everything else including the interior paneling, trim, and cabinetry was constructed with chestnut. There are over 20 pieces of hand-built furniture in Chestnut Lodge — from oak and walnut octagonal tables to craftsman inspired hall benches and magazine racks for the bathroom. Almost all of this furniture was made and finished on-site, with quarter-sawn white oak being the material of choice. The poplar bark siding on the exterior of the lodge gives a nod to the rusticity of the building while keeping in line with a trend of almost all the wood choices being native to Western NC. 

From the 18,000 board feet of finely-finished wormy chestnut to hand-built furniture, C&E has placed their unmistakable mark of quality throughout the building. Except for a few sinks and windows, everything in the new building is hand-crafted and celebrates the culture and heritage of the indigenous people of western North Carolina.