DEL.ICIO.USVacation Home: Lake Burton
Freedom for family fun
For the AJC
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Robin and Archie Lowe bought a 3.5 acre lot on a Lake Burton cove in 2002. They vacationed in the little house on the property until they were ready to tear it down and build a home to accommodate the needs of their two children, Fortune and Kate, and their three Jack Russell terriers, Annie, Sister and Buddy. Archie, 52, owner of a benefits firm in Atlanta, and Robin, 51, had owned property on the lake since 1998, but it was 2007 when they completed their dream home.
Photos by Christopher Oquendo / AJC Special
Homeowner Robin Lowe enjoys her Lake Burton home with the family dogs.
The view from the dock. The entire family enjoys spending time on the lake, and the Lowe’s children learned how to drive a boat before a car.
Getting there:
Directions from downtown Atlanta: Take I-85 north to I-985 north to Ga. 375 north to U.S. 441 north into Clayton. Turn left at Hwy. 76 to reach Lake Burton.
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Growing up on a lake: Archie’s grandparents had a house on Lake Rabun so the area held a particular attraction for him. Robin’s family was from Gainesville and she had grown up on Lake Lanier. “We wanted a place on a lake and when we saw this lot on Lake Burton, we knew it was the place for us,” said Archie. Robin added, “I like the mountains here and it’s close enough that you can get away without spending your whole time in the car.”
Designing a home: When it was time to replace the small house on the property, the Lowes worked with architect John Hopkins and designer Craig Kettles to create a home that would provide room for the children to invite their friends and separate places for the kids and adults to hang out. One room everyone loves is the kitchen. “The kitchen is so much better designed than the one in our home in Brookhaven,” said Robin. “It’s such an easy place to prepare meals and that means it’s much more lived in.”
Having fun: The Lowes spend as much time as possible out on the lake. They enjoy grilling out and having a glass of wine when it’s 90* in Atlanta and 70* at the lake. In the winter, they enjoy hiking and letting the dogs run in the area. Spending time there as a family is what makes it all so much fun. “The kids could drive a boat before they could drive cars. There’s just a huge amount of freedom and fun here for them,” said Robin. “It’s always so much fun to walk into our house. You can feel the stress melt away.”
At a glance: The Lowe’s four-bedroom four-bath home is dressed in rough stone and board-and-batten siding. The lake side features double screened porches that overlook the two-story boat house. The open floor plan was designed to have a lodge-like feel with as many rooms as possible opening out onto the porches and terrace.
Lake Burton:
Lake Burton is managed by Georgia Power and the level stays fairly constant throughout the year. The level is lowered for a few days annually to allow homeowners to do maintenance on their docks. Michael J. McGaughey of Harry Norman Realtors said the average price on Lake Burton is about $1.8 million these days with a variety of cabins, cottages and new homes that are available ranging from $800,000 to $10 million. One reason for the popularity of the area is the availability of amenities like golf, hiking, hunting, and fishing in the area and another reason is the quaint shops of Clayton.
For sale:
E. Wildcat Road, Clarksville; vintage two-bedroom two-bath Lake Burton fishing cabin, long lake frontage and approved for a boathouse; $840,000
Laurel Lodge, “The Roost”, Clarksville; three-bedroom home in prominent location, approximately 400 feet of lake frontage; $2,950,000
Recent sales:
E. Wildcat Road, Clarksville; older “tear down” cabin; $1,232,000
Rainbow Village Road, Clayton; five-bedroom home on point lot; $2,350,000
Info: Call 706-982-9030, or Lake Burton.