The Five Kinds of Hollin Hillers
By Joe Ayoub
Replica? Original? Beautiful either way.
Are you new to Hollin Hills? Or are you just curious about the native inhabitants? In either case, this handy guide will help you identify the five kinds of people who live in Hollin Hills. A fun activity for both kids and adults is to try and converse with all five in a single day … succeed, and a Jedi Hollin Hiller you shall be.
One: The Goodman Groupie
The Goodman Groupie was talking about Herman Miller design before they could drive. Usually, they have stalked Hollin Hills for several years before buying their home here. If you notice a luxury SUV or a Tesla with DC plates slowly circling your street, or have been accosted by a stranger in your driveway while unloading your groceries politely asking about your home [the author may or may not have done this], you may have spotted a Goodman Groupie.
The Goodman Groupie’s favorite websites include Redfin, Zillow, Houzz, Dwell, Apartment Therapy, and Design Within Reach. If they own one stick of furniture that isn’t mid-century, they have an annotated short thesis ready to explain the contradiction, or they keep it in a room that’s “in progress” and hence “cannot be viewed at this time”.
Always ready to remind one that “the original term at the time was modern”, the Goodman Groupie seeks perfection of their surroundings. Although they recoil at replica or inauthentic furniture, even they admit that the $250 Nelson replica platform bench from Overstock is indistinguishable from the $2,000+ original, and note that unlike that pesky Noguchi, Nelson had the decency not to put his signature on it.
Two: The Virtuous Veteran
The Virtuous Veteran measures their time in Hollin Hills in decades, rather than years. Some are original owners, some grew up in one HH home and now live in another, and others were responsible for many modifications and additions to their homes over the years. If you see a silver-haired person smile and serenely wave at you while tending their yard as you zoom by on your way to work, you may have spotted a Virtuous Veteran.
Although their kitchen appliances may not be stainless steel, and they may not own any smart home devices, their homes are a treasure trove of memories and encapsule the good times of the past. They love their neighbors and enjoy watching the next generation of design aficionados grow up here.
Three: The Dog Don/Donna
Corgis, Shiba Inus, Lowchens, Whippets, Poodles, and on and on ... fans of mid-century architecture may love Hollin Hills, but Hollin Hills loves dogs. The Dog Don/Donna add joy to our streets with their furry companions, and (almost) always pick up after them. When you meet a new neighbor, do you sometimes remember their dog's name before theirs? Of course not, me neither.
The true lifehack is to take a daily walk and play with our neighborhood dogs, and then go home to your immaculate Goodman home that doesn't smell like dog.
Four: The Peerless Paragon
Why have three azalea bushes when you can have twenty-three? Why would one put down plastic composite floors when natural white oak is only ten times the price? And of course it's more efficient to paint each wall of a room in a different shade simultaneously before making a final decision.
If you can relate to any of these examples, you may be a Peerless Paragon. The Peerless Paragon's home is picture perfect in every way, inside and out. Lovely established landscaping, inviting entrances, warm outdoor spaces, and beautifully appointed and decorated interiors are hallmarks of the Peerless Paragon's home. They transform our neighborhood from "Neat!" to "Wow!" We, and our home equity, all owe them a sincere thank you.
Five: The DRC Member
The Design Review Committee Member is the most delightful person you will ever meet. They are valued members of our historic community who volunteer their time to insure Hollin Hills retains its authentic character, and they smell like Arabian jasmine in springtime.
Concluding Thoughts
I've now lived in Hollin Hills for a little over six years, and I'm still pinching myself. As my neighbor says, “Where do you go from here?”
Anyway, regardless of what kind of Hollin Hiller you are, or if you don’t fall neatly into one of these categories, we are all family here in beautiful Hollin Hills, a truly wonderful place to live. Happy Summer!
Writer and Calligrapher Joe Ayoub is a retired Federal government employee who served five Presidents over his 30-year career. He is a self-described polymath who appreciates that word is a polite way of saying he's not an expert at anything. He has lived in Hollin Hills since 2019.
Midcentury starchitect and Hollin Hills visionary Charles Goodman
The inimitable Bobbie Seligmann, a Hollin Hiller since 1952
We do love our dogs; Toby and pal on Marthas Road
A Hollin Hills interior. Photo: Chris McNamara
Frank Lloyd Wright is not, in fact, on the DRC
