Coastal Homes Southern Style, Premier Issue (Summer) 2007
By Katie Osteen
Photos by Brian Vanden Brink

When Ed and Nancy Flynn decided to build a new house, they couldn't abandon Hilton Head, S.C., the island they'd lived on for 17 years. Sure, they loved spending time in the old colonial family home in Kennebunkport, Maine, or sometimes in downtown Charleston. But Hilton Head was home. "It's where we've worked and raised our family," Nancy says. And who can argue with that?

The Flynn's, who are real estate investors and builders, were adamant about two other things: The home would have to be in Wexford Plantation - an exclusive golfing, tennis and yachting community whose privacy they loved - and it would be designed by an architect whose work they had admired forever. "Every time I went into a home and really liked what I saw, I'd think, "I'll bet Mike Ruegamer was involved in this," Nancy says. So when a waterfront home site became available at Wexford, they contacted Michael G. Ruegamer, an award-winning architect and designer at Group3 Architecture and Interiors in Hilton Head, to make their dream a reality.

For Ruegamer acting as both architect and interior designer is the preferred way of working. It allows him to mold the total creative package. His design for the three-story Tuscan-inspired Mediterranean villa, incorporating Nancy's tastes and ideas as well as his own, resulted in the aura the Flynns had hoped for - "elegant, yet welcoming."

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE VIEWS

For coastal houses water is the focus, and four outside sitting areas provide choices to enjoy yachts coming and going along the waterways that crisscross the community. Wexford's unique man made harbor maintains the water level at an eight-foot depth through all of the waterways by using a lock system. The family's powerboat, a 28-foot Regal, is tied up almost level with their pool and back yard - no tides to worry about here. When it's time to enjoy the glorious Carolina sun and sea breeze, the Flynns take their boat out through the lock, into the Intracoastal Waterway and beyond. Even when they're not on the water, the Flynns enjoy the views from their upper patios on the top floor; their covered porch off the middle floor; or their cozy, protected loggia on the ground floor, next to the pool. "I enjoy the porch outside the living room, and Ed and I both use the upper patio off the family room," Nancy says. The views extend even from the spacious kitchen, where light shimmers through the room from clerestory windows near the ceiling, and more large windows face the water. The lucky chef can enjoy conversation and views as the bruschetta is prepared.

The kitchen opens to a comfortable dining area, and beyond, a rounded sitting area extends the views. The ironwork chandelier over the breakfast table would look almost rustic were it not for the large crystal teardrops that dress up the look. "The combined area was deliberately planned to be more casual," Nancy says, adding that in her earlier homes, she'd always had a more formal dining room, "which we didn't use except on Christmas."

FROM THE GROUND UP

The home was carefully thought out from the ground up. After driving into one of two garages on the ground floor, the family can take the elevator to their middle or top floor, or use those divided front steps, which are reminiscent of older beach homes up and down the Southeastern coast. There are practical as well as aesthetic reasons for the design, which keeps the footprint small (land is scarce on the island), enhances the view, and raises the living area up higher. When it came time to furnish the home, virtually everything was bought, except the family photos and an intricate chess set carefully carried back from Tuscany. Ruegamer was deeply involved in this phase as well. "After the bones of the home are set, the interior process continues, choosing trim, millwork, cabinetry, colors and even furnishings," he says.

EMINENTLY LIVABLE, REMARKABLY ELEGANT

At the entry, the foyer is remarkable in scale, with a floor design that combines hand-planed walnut with limestone tiles. The walnut almost seems to ripple along the floor, like undulating waves touching the sand. A winding staircase leads to the bridge across the room - a dramatic open effect that will be imitated by those who experience it."I didn't want the bridge columns to make the room feel closed, and so we used brackets and cantilevered the support for more openness," Ruegamer says. Visitors invariably ask about the floor and bridge, but the cabinets on the left side of the cast-stone fireplace deserve star billing as well. Lighting highlights artfully displayed pieces, and with every other shelf made of glass, the color and lights flow between the levels. A high ceiling draws summer heat up and adds dramatic effect with its beam work in a modified coffer design.

The first floor's open plan radiates from a two-story living room furnished with contemporary pieces, including two bright red Ribbon chairs from Minima. A dramatic fireplace is faced in Volga Blue granite and stretches 16 feet high. The adjacent kitchen has custom cabinets made of anigre wood, sleek black granite counters and Miele appliances that were chosen as much for their modern good looks as for their features. A row of hidden storage nooks keeps clutter out of sight.

"I'm really fastidious about the finished product, both in regard to design and workmanship, and I'm willing to reconstruct things to get it right," says Hankin. In the end, that dedication proved worthwhile. "I think I achieved pretty much what I wanted," he says, ticking off the setting, the natural light and the contrast of material as favored elements. "Being a builder, I knew I would have regrets if I wasn't careful, so I really took my time."

TOP FLOOR

Up a set of winding stairs is the "Arabian Nights" bedroom belonging to daughter Jacquelyn, who attends Savannah College of Art and Design. The former ballet student has danced in "The Nutcracker" several times, and a tattered ballet costume from one production adorns a dress model in the corner; the walls are vibrant red. The bedrooms are closet-free, at the request of Ed, who wanted a venerable old feel to the rooms. Built-in wardrobes jut out slightly, adding a practical design element. In Jacquelyn's room, the wardrobe is positioned between two fireplaces coming from the floor below. In the guest suite, the wardrobe is more prominent, and actually provides a tiny corner alcove for a window seat. Small children really love that perch! The Flynns' adult son, Johnryan, has his own home on Hilton Head Island, but he, too, loves this new house and frequently spends time enjoying its many amenities. Across the bridge from the two bedrooms is the family room, or what Ruegamer likes to call the leisure lounge (aptly named, since it has a bar, pool table, large TV and access to the two upper patios).

"We had a wonderful family brunch after Easter, and everyone returned here to watch the Masters Golf Tournament and be together," Nancy says. The middle and top floors are both used to form the two-story office/library, another idea that originally came from the family and was enhanced by Ruegamer's deft touch. Spiral stairs wind up to the top floor, and books line the walls on both levels. "This design gives purpose to the openness," Nancy says, adding that she and her husband knew they wanted a great two-story work space. "We got that for sure." There's also a door to the rest of the house, including the exercise room strategically placed outside that top-floor office door. For the office, carpet has been used to soften the area, and stained pine covers the walls. It's a baby boomer's dream work space, in a home which values the art and science of play, work, solitude and sociability.

Was the perfect suitability of the finished home a surprise to Nancy Flynn? "It didn't really surprise me, but I was wonderfully impressed with the way Mike could interpret my wishes on the first go-round," she says. "We spent a year meeting once a week or so, and I was always amazed by his creativity." In fact, their architect is in the middle of another Flynn project in downtown Charleston. With an empty nest looming, there will probably come a time when the Flynns replace this home vision with another. When that happens, the smart money is betting that Mike Ruegamer will be involved.

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