All posts by Jamie Yoos

Elite Agent: Casey Margenau

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Meet Casey Margenau

Elite Agent

 

703.827.5777

www.caseymargenau.com

1907 Bargo Court McLean, VA

Featured Property

This unique new home, located in Franklin Park on a half-acre corner lot within a cul-de-sac, is remarkable. Crafted with the utmost attention to detail and the finest materials. The home features an inviting open floor plan with 10-foot ceilings and white oak hardwood floors. The family room boasts a beautiful marble wall with a fireplace and a glass wall opening to the rear covered veranda. The kitchen is a showstopper, featuring a large black center island, distressed cabinetry, quartz countertops, and high-end appliances. The home offers generously sized secondary bedrooms, each with unique designer tiles and walk-in closets. The owner’s suite offers its own foyer, a morning kitchen, and a bath exuding luxury with separate vanities, custom cabinetry, a freestanding tub, water closet, and an exquisite shower with custom tiling. The owner’s closet provides ample space for 2, along with storage for shoes, purses, and sweaters. A back door leads to an upstairs bonus room, suitable for additional closet space or an office. In the lower level are an exercise room, media room, and a rec room with built-in bookshelves and cabinetry, all crafted from black walnut. A stone fireplace and matching bar enhance the space, complete with designer features, an ice machine, wine chiller, and refrigerator as well as a full bedroom and bath.

6 Bedrooms

6.5 Baths

$4,749,675

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Crafting a Legacy

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For 115 years, Hacker-Craft’s luxurious wooden boats have been iconic. Today, the brand remains at the forefront of its industry.

Nestled in Silver Bay, New York, the illustrious Hacker-Craft Boat company, renowned for meticulous craftsmanship and for being the world’s oldest manufacturer of wooden motorboats, produces masterpieces that exude elegance and time-honored charm. The High End recently spoke with Erin Badcock, the Chief Operating Officer of Hacker-Craft, delving into the cherished 115-year legacy and unraveling the qualities that set this company apart.

Naval architect John Hacker established Hacker-Craft in 1908 outside of Detroit. Hacker’s journey began when he was just 14 years old and built his first boat — a humble rowboat. This ignited a passionate pursuit into courses on naval architecture and the art and science of boat design, and the rest is history. According to the Detroit Historical Society, Hacker created the revolutionary “V”-hull design and designed Au Revoir, the fastest boat of its class worldwide in 1903. “He was credited with what we know as the modern displacement hull,” says Badcock. Badcock and family became involved in 2008, eventually solidifying their complete ownership of the company in 2011.

 

Hailed as one of “America’s Top 50 Products” by Forbes Magazine, Hacker-Craft’s Legacy Collection of classics showcases the company’s most esteemed models, including the Sport Boat, Runabout, Sportabout, Sterling, one-of-a-kind yacht tenders, and Racers. Hacker created more race-winning designs than all other builders combined during his decades-long career.

 

The values Hacker-Craft holds today are correlative to those Hacker held in the 1900s. “We’re committed to quality and craftsmanship.” Badcock explains. “We’re stewards of the brand. It’s an iconic brand. We are committed to giving our customers this unique, exclusive, timeless experience, and to preserve the legacy that is Hacker-Craft.”

115 years of consistent excellence doesn’t just happen. Badcock credits the company’s ability to assure consistently high-quality products to the efforts of the Hacker Boat team. “Some of our builders have been with us for upwards of 15, almost 20 years. They have very specific skills and talents. Our newer, younger boat builders are learning the Hacker- Craft build process through these veterans. We’re selective about the craftsmen that we bring on our team. We work with them to fit into the Hacker-Craft way.”

Keeping the astounding legacy alive is high priority, but so is evolving with the ever- changing industry. “We continue to be unique because we walk this line of marrying the legacy of Hacker-Craft and its timelessness with the inclusion of innovation using modern technologies to make the boats — to create a convenient experience for our owners without losing the feeling of timelessness,” Badcock explains. Committed to innovation, Hacker- Craft recently released the company’s first electric performance boat at the end of 2022. “We are looking toward innovation, in any way, however we can incorporate that without sacrificing our mission.”

The Hacker-Craft team operates with a strong belief in the power of collaboration, recognizing it as the cornerstone for delivering exceptional products. “From the moment the customer starts looking at a boat or discussing building and designing a boat with the company’s naval architect, it’s a one-on- one experience.” Badcock explains. “Often, they interact with almost every member of our team. They’re seeing the boat builders who are actually working on their boat.” This open line of communication fosters a strong, ongoing relationship with valued clients.

“We are continuing to evolve our design of new boats, of new models,” says Badcock of future company goals and plans. “We look to realize different ideas and designs over the next couple of years that will be specific to the saltwater market, like the South Florida market.” In Badcock’s opinion, the future of the boating industry is electric. “I think overall, the market is going to head that direction, not in entirety, but I think we’re going to see more electric boats. I think electric boating will become more normalized in the next five years, similar to the way EVs have grown their sector of the automotive market. Several boat companies either have released an electric boat or are in the process of releasing and designing electric boats. I think that that’s definitely a telltale sign of the market kind of testing this out and offering an alternative for boat buyers.”

 

With 115 years under its belt, the Hacker- Craft company’s values and practices have kept it at the forefront of the boating industry. And the team’s intention is that its commitment to the legacy, improving their products and evolving as a brand will keep it there for years to come.

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Ultimate Location: The Cave at Dunlap Hollow

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Unique Homes takes you to Hocking Hills, Ohio for an architectural marvel.

In the luxury realm, it takes a truly unique property to leave visitors feeling awe-struck — and The Cave does just that. This ultimate home was constructed in a natural recess cave surrounded by idyllic woods and eco-friendly materials.

Bryant and Amy Gingerich, the owners and builders of Dunlap Hollow, credit their shared love for nature and exploring as the inspiration behind The Cave.

“After we bought the land, we stumbled upon this cave and immediately saw the potential,” says Gingerich. “We were eager to see if we could build a real-life fort in one of the coolest spots we had ever seen.” The Cave was simply, “too cool to not share.”

The 1,500-square-foot home features two bedrooms, a full-service kitchen, a large outdoor patio, a pool table, and easy access to private hiking trails. “There are trailheads leading off the patio that invite guests through the Ohio woods to a beautiful overlook,” says Gingerich.

The Cave stands out as both a unique architectural wonder and an ultra-luxurious getaway outfitted with one-of-a-kind amenities, including vintage chandeliers, an expansive collection of books, antique furniture, fossils on the walls, luxury bedding, high-end appliances, and more. “We want guests to feel like they are having an out-of-this-world experience. We hope The Cave gives our visitors a unique perspective on nature and keeps the spirit of wonder alive,” the team says.

Perhaps the most astonishing features of the home are the walls and ceilings, which were left mostly untouched during construction, adding an unmatched earthy feel. “It’s amazing to be inside the cave and see the real rock up close,” says Gingerich.“Guests catch their breath when they first walk in.”

Visitors can expect ultimate relaxation during their stay at The Cave. Guests are often surprised by how warm and inviting it is, the builders/owners note. “It doesn’t feel damp or cold as you might imagine.” The sense of luxury is complemented beautifully by the home’s ultimate natural setting.

 

Unique Location: The Cave
originally appeared in
Unique Homes Ultimate 2024.

Click here to read more!

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