Searching for Blue Ridge resorts in NC? Flat Mountain Farm elevates the experience of a stay in Highlands, NC.
Highlands is a cozy, small North Carolina town located just about three and a half hours west of Charlotte and two hours north of Atlanta. At a population of roughly 3,000 year-round residents, it’s nestled within the Nantahala National Forest and sits on a plateau in the southern Appalachian Mountains.
There are many ways to enjoy Highlands, but Flat Mountain Farm stands apart from the rest. Christopher and Margaret Shutze, a husband and wife duo behind acclaimed interior design firm Shutze Studio, purchased the 28-acre property from an eighth-generation Highlands resident.
At the time, though it had fallen into some measure of disrepair, Margaret and Chris both saw heaps of potential in the property’s antique log cabins and barns. Margaret’s background is in international hospitality, completing prestigious projects such as Boca Raton Resort and Club and Four Seasons Vail, while Chris’s is in creating specialty homes and custom furniture.
The couple embarked upon a project, during 2020 no less, that took them over a year to finish: remodeling the cabins, moving and then updating an antique barn, and renovating their own home on the property where they reside today with their children.
The doors to Flat Mountain Farm were officially opened in March 2021.
A Luxury Resort Goes Micro
Through the careful renovation process and the couples’ expertise in thoughtful design, today their historic rhododendron farm operates as a luxury micro-resort available for everything from weddings and rehearsal dinners to corporate retreats, celebrations, private dinner parties, and getaways.
On the Farm, you’ll find three homes, a barn, a pristine private lake and an expansive lawn. Altogether, the mountainside retreat can house up to 27 overnight or hosts up to 200 guests during the day. The design is entirely intentional: refined but rustic, historic but up-to-date. Each lodging and venue is effortlessly stylish while offering a nod to the natural setting surrounding.
The Peregrine is the largest option on the estate with four bedrooms and four and a half baths. There is a large chef’s kitchen, a library and a formal living room with a stone fireplace. There is also a formal dining area with a wine fridge and bar.
There’s also the Kingfisher, an antique log cabin that was originally located in Burlington, NC. It has three bedrooms, three bathrooms and sleeps 8-10 people. Finally, there’s The Wren. Located across from The Barn, it’s the smallest of the three with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and two living rooms (sleeping up to six). Expect details like vaulted wood ceilings, a private balcony with seating, and a clawfoot tub for soaking.
Height of the Highlands: Blue Ridge Resorts in NC
Once there, visitors have many ways to enjoy all that Highlands and the Farm offer. Borrow a canoe, visit the cut-flower garden, sit by the firepit, and soak in your private hot tub. Or, venture off-site where fishing and hiking abound. Pay a visit to one of Highlands’ many waterfalls. For example, hea to Whitewater Falls, Sliding Rock or Bust Your Butt Falls, a popular swimming hole where you can jump off a boulder into the Cullasaja River).
As you head into Highlands, pay a visit to Madison’s Restaurant and Wine Garden. Here, you can relax with a glass outside and take in the beautiful views. Calders Coffee Cafe is a veteran-owned company and rumored to be the best coffee in town. For those with a sweet tooth, try SweeTreats, with ice cream, milkshakes, sundaes and more to quench your cravings.
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