Carolina Architecture & Design (Annual 2002)

This home on the Calibogue Sound is both a showplace and a livable haven. But achieving both was no piece of cake. It took time, patience, and great attention to detail to bring this house to fruition. The owners, both born and raised in Miami, had enough of the hustle and bustle of Florida's big-city living and wanted a change – for themselves and their children. So they took a chance on the one place that consistently gave them a sense of peace and tranquility whenever they visited during vacations. The fact that a best friend lived on Hilton Head Island made the move easier. Plus, with two school-age children – a boy, five, and a girl, 11 – they felt is was "now or never."

Since it was such a drastic move for the family, they decided to put "everything" into the design and realization of a home in the quiet and beautifully situated Spanish Wells, a very "close knit" community that offers a golf course and a tennis facility, as well as many neighborhood activities. "We decided to do things we hadn't done to a home we build in Coral Cables or a vacation home we built in Cashiers (North Carolina)," says the wife. "And we figured this was where we would stay … this would be our last house. So we wanted to do it right."

The husband, primarily a private commercial real estate investor, closed his company in Florida and started over in South Carolina. Then the family purchased a golf cottage in the Spanish Wells neighborhood that is literally a block from the acre and a half they bought on a main street overlooking the Sound.

"What we loved about the community right off is that it is very family oriented," she says. "Plus, it's so beautiful and well preserved. The landscaping is very indigenous to this area. The lot we bought has at least 50 pine trees and 50 oaks." ...

Building on the house began in January, 2000. Restrictions involved height, set back, drainage, and trees, according to Bill Mischler, contractor and owner of Genesis Construction, Inc. Many different crafts people were hired to handle the different disciplines: stonework, shingles, moldings, cabinetry and the staircase.

"What we offered to the job were highly skilled crafts people who know the traditional historic techniques of building. We specialize in furniture-quality trim work and carpentry, and that's exactly what the clients were interested in achieving in every aspect of this job," says Mischler. "They did not push us about a deadline, but instead wanted everything done right. No corners were to be cut. The details were often painstaking, but in the end it all came together beautifully," says Mischler, chronicling the highlights:

• The office that overlooks the Sound features an inlaid compass that the owners made certain indicated proper north and south directions, plus it sports mahogany wainscoting, floors and cabinetry;
  
• The "smart-house" electronics system links heating, ventilation, cooling, lighting, audio/video and security systems so that they can be controlled from a key pad or from a remote computer via the Internet;
  
• An environmentally friendly geothermal heating and cooling system that required a number of wells to be dug is linked to the home-automation system;
  
• A bunk room over the garage that sleeps eight and replicated a '50s diner is complete with kitchenette, soda bar, swinging doors, glass block and '57 Chevy sofa;
  
• A seven-foot movie screen descends from the ceiling of the great room, while a television projector rises on a hydraulic lift from a custom console behind the sofa;
  
• A sunburst design is etched and cut into the leaded, colored glass door and side panels by internationally renowned stained glass artist Laurel Herter, and the foyer floor is inlaid with several species of wood to create a compass design; and
  
• The entryway staircase required Paul Morey of Staircrafters in Easley, SC, to oversee an elaborate rail-transition design that is helically-twisted, changing from curved to straight to curved again. Heart of pine that is 150 to 200 years old was used to construct the treads and railing of the staircase.

"It's called a full spiral design," says Morey, whose company specializes in custom stair creations. "And it's gorgeous. But this design is quite complicated. From start to finish, it took at least six months. The challenge is making it look good, but also meeting South Carolina safety codes, which are quite stringent."

Lighting designer Cyndee Sessons got involved when the house was being framed to coordinate a detailed lighting plan that includes a complete lighting system programmed into the home automation system. "The owners did not want a lot of conventional switches, so we arranged it so that lights could be turned on from a key pad," she says. "We had to consider many details of the home … natural light, ceiling heights … and the goal was to achieve Old World charm using new technology. John Zook and his son Michael, of Wood Creations, Hilton Head Island, spent months building coffered ceilings, elliptical and arched trims, wall panels and custom wood pieces, such as a double over mantel with a recessed, plasma television in the master bedroom and some of the special furniture pieces in the great room.

Rick Lindsey, of Vista Windows, West Columbia, SC, points out that all aluminum-clad simulated, divided-light windows with laminated glass on the outside were requested by the owners for extra protection against break-ins and flying storm debris. Windows like the upstairs dormers were customized according to the owners' and architect's specifications. "In the dormers we used customized crank-out windows and installed them to look like double-hung, up and down windows, says Lindsey.

"There is such craftsmanship in this house," says the wife. "We're just so grateful for the fine work everyone did."

Shanna Mauldin, of Stoneworks on Hilton Head Island, explains that the owners chose a light batch of golden oak granite with an ogee edge for the kitchen countertops. For the master bathroom, a pattern on the floor features a Turkish ivory and walnut travertine. The matching slabs on the countertops in this room are finished with an ogee edge.

Says Mauldin, "The owners did a lot of research and knew what they wanted. The stone work and the woodwork in the house are stunning."

The house was completed in late spring of 2001. For the décor, the owners worked with architect and interior designer Mike Ruegamer and interior designer Eloise Smith, both of Group 3, a 16-year-old architecture and interior design form on Hilton Head Island. Ruegamer, along with the owners and architect Gerry Cowart, designed the trim work in the foyer, the ceiling in the library and the millwork in the living room. He also assisted with the furniture layouts, overall design concepts and furniture selection, while Smith guided the selection of fabrics and soft goods, such as upholstery and bedding. In essence, designing the interiors was a group effort, with the owners very much involved – to the point of actually going on two buying trips to High Point, NC, for home furnishings.

"I told the designer I want the home to convey casual sophistication," says the wife. "Don't give me anything white, silk or marble. I wanted all natural stone and granite … nothing that indicated a polished look. And I wanted it all to be beautiful, but easy to take care of."

Ruegamer says that with the owners' excellent sense of style, it was no problem blending their quality antiques from their home in Florida with new pieces. Some signature antiques the owners moved into their Hilton Head Island home include the delightful European farmhouse chairs in the breakfast nook, the graceful lady's writing desk in the library, and the imposing dining table and chairs that comfortably seat 12.

The owners even chose to keep some of their existing upholstery, which was recovered for the new house. "She wanted the color scheme to be predominantly reds, blues and greens," says Ruegamer. "These are not primaries but rather strong, rich shades that are a few notches away from being primaries."

Ruegamer believes that what makes the colors "pop" in many of the rooms is the fact that the trim was painted a dark taupe. "This color does two things: It helps to make these elegant rooms a little more casual, which is what the client was seeking, and it melds the colors and patters in the room better than white would."

Mixing many different colors and patters is typical of French Country styling. In the master bedroom, for example, there are gingham, chintz, and toile fabrics, all in different patterns and colors – but the effect is striking. Throughout the home, a careful mix of fabrics was chosen – primarily cottons and chenilles – that coordinate beautifully.

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