Coastal Living (September 2004)
By Susan Emack Allison
Photography by Brian Vanden Brink

On a tour with a Hilton Head Island real estate agent, Deedy and Don McKenna found a less-than-perfect house with a deal-maker view. Moving into what would eventually become a teardown, this couple spent the next five years discovering what they wanted and didn't want when it came time to rebuild.

"We ended up with a completely different house than if we had started right away," says Don, a builder, about their move to South Carolina from Atlanta. "We got a feel for how we wanted to live here," explains Deedy. "It took time to figure out the local styles and way of life."

Each season brought new questions and answers for the McKennas. "We asked, 'Do we need a screened porch? Are the bugs bad?'" Deedy Says. "We wanted to study the changing light, the way to get the best views. You'd think with moving to the beach, you'd want sun, but really you want a lot of shade.

In time, the new residents became familiar with the island's topographical and architectural characteristics. "One of the distinguishing features of Hilton Head is the lush tropical feel right on the ocean," says Deedy. "There's an incredible amount of green." As a result, most homes are neutral in color to play up the landscape. "When I first got here, I said, 'Where's the brick?' I was used to the houses in Atlanta," Deedy says. But soon she acquired a taste for the neighboring homes and took note of their Carribbean traits. "Georgia's islands, Charleston, Savannah, and old Southern plantations were all inhabited by migrants from the Caribbean, so the West Indies style fits here," she says.

The McKennas also learned a few things from their temporary abode. The home's upside-down floor plan, with bedrooms on the first floor and the main living space upstairs, didn't suit their needs. They didn't like lugging groceries upstairs or trying to nap through the sound of footsteps overhead. But they did like having ocean views from the main living space. So Deedy suggested creating terraced levels that would maintain an unobstructed view from the front door to the sea.

Ready to rebuild, the McKennas turned to local architect Mike Ruegamer, who reviewed Deedy's sketches. "We were definitely on the same page," he says.

The team used indigenous materials that would withstand the ocean climate. For the facade, they coated 16-inch-thick concrete block with tabby (crushed limestone, sand and oyster shells) on the first floor. Cypress, a rot-resistant swamp wood, wraps the top floor. All hardware, including outdoor light fixtures and the courtyard gate, is solid, no-maintenance, oil-rubbed bronze. Salt air ages it beautiful in no time, as it does the copper roof flashings. "The concrete-tile roof is resistant to high winds and will never need replacing," says Don. For the windows and doors, they chose dense, moisture-resistant mahogany. The PVC trim, Mike says, "cuts like wood and paints like wood but doesn't rot. It costs more up front but less in the log run."

With construction under way, Deedy and interior designer Kitty Cook set about filling the interiors. "Deedy had great, clear ideas from the start," says Kitty. "She told me, 'I want the house to be Lowcountry, Hilton Head, and St. Barts.' I think we achieved that distinctive look."

To accommodate both Deedy's elegant parties and her small children, Kitty mixed sturdy antiques with durable upholstered pieces. French armoires hold toys, Deedy explains, to Jack and James "can be with us and not relegated to some room over the garage." White terry-cloth slipcovers protect sofas in the beach room,, a living/dining/den area between the kitchen and veranda. "Like the house itself, the furniture is strong and solid, without feeling clunky," says Kitty.

The McKennas' transition to permanent island living has given them firm footing in the Sea Pines Plantation neighborhood. "We chose Hilton Head," says Don, "because it's not just a resort area, where people come and then leave, it's a community. And the weather," he adds. "After two or three months of a moderate winter, we're back to prime conditions again." For this family, taking the time to learn the ins and outs of island living was worth every minute.

[ TO TOP ]