WHEN THIS HOMEOWNER LOOKS OUT HIS BACK WINDOWS, HE HAS an ever-changing, panoramic view—the only decision is what to focus on first. His home looks over a green slice of Patriots Point Golf Links at the foot of the Ravenel Bridge in Mount Pleasant. He also can take in the harbor activity of passing ships and the shrimp boats trawling on Shem Creek. Up close, a calm view of his poolside escape, where he spends time relaxing whenever he gets a break, never gets old. The views are framed by mature live oaks with expansive canopies that have lived on the land for many, many years.
“The location is so peaceful,” says designer Amy Trowman. The homeowner chose her firm to design his newly constructed home as he has a longstanding working relationship with Trowman. As a busy chef and entrepreneur in the hospitality and tourism industry, he hired Trowman a couple of times over the years to design a few of his popular local restaurants. “He is great to work with,” Trowman adds. “The design process seems effortless when you are only having to consider one person’s viewpoint. Plus, his busy profession dictated that he lean on professionals to bring his custom home vision to life, and he trusted the process.”
The homeowner was just as well acquainted with the rest of the team he chose to design and construct his new home. “I’ve known the owner since college,” says builder Jay Madigan of Madigan Projects. “I talked to him some time ago about his needs but did not actually reconnect on this project until I pulled up beside him at a stoplight.”
Architect Phil Clarke of Clarke Design Group also knew the homeowner through commercial design projects. He expresses his affinity for the piece of property on which the home was built. “It is in the heart of Mount Pleasant but feels very secluded,” he says.
The land had been in the homeowner’s family for a long time; in fact, his parents lived in the house that once stood on it, and he spent time there when he was younger. When his parents decided to sell the home, he bought it. While he considered renovating it, he decided he couldn’t get exactly what he wanted. He planned to tear down the existing house and let his team of professionals help create a home that better fit his design style and lifestyle.
“The homeowner had an idea of what he wanted and was not concerned that his ideas were atypical of the area,” Madigan says. As a hospitality professional who also enjoys entertaining at home, he asked for outdoor entertainment space in addition to a modern edge and masculine features. “He also specifically asked for a huge wood-burning fireplace in order to enjoy fires during the wintertime,” the builder adds. “This was the first time we have constructed board-formed concrete fireplaces. After we allowed the poured concrete to dry and removed the wooden boards, it left the rustic, raw feel of the wood’s grain imprint behind.”
While a massive concrete fireplace is the focal point of the living room, another one is accessible by walking through one of two Euro-Wall systems of sliding glass doors off both the living room and kitchen. There, the outdoor fireplace anchors a huge deck space. In giving the homeowner the entertainment spaces he wanted, the team included a host of amenities, including a pool just steps outside of the living room, which adds to the indoor-outdoor flow. Dividing the expansive deck into two living areas enables it to feel inviting and intimate, not cavernous. A cabana, outdoor bathroom and outdoor kitchen with a bar complete the space overlooking the water and the golf course. Ipe decking and mahogany shutters withstand the harsh coastal environment.
While the architect designed the home to take maximum advantage of the views, his ingenuity also helped the home feel private. By adding porches on either side of the structure, he increased the level of seclusion on the interiors by screening the neighbors’ homes but still allowing the homeowner to see through the porches to the views beyond them.
On the inside, he designed an open-concept space but with rooms clearly defined by varying ceiling beams. “Our design style is Lowcountry classic at heart, but we love reimagining spaces with a cleaner look for a modern time,” Clarke says. “While it was important for us to set up the home for an owner who likes to entertain lots of people at once, it was on our mind to design it so that the spaces feel equally as comfortable when he is there alone.”
In the interiors, Trowman’s goal was to complement the architect’s design with an inviting modern rustic vibe, reflecting the owner’s and her shared interest in a design style prevalent in the Mountain West. The style captures a layered look by incorporating natural elements with organic textures, including leather, wood, wool, natural stone and concrete. Subdued and neutral earth tones mute the color palette inspired by the outdoor environment. “It was fun to work with a client who appreciates mountain design and its use of natural elements,” Trowman says. The results are interiors that hint at mountain modern’s earthy elements while combining them with coastal flair.
There’s a touch of warmth in the interiors, with wooden ceiling beams in many rooms, a wooden plank focal wall in the primary bedroom, vaulted wooden ceilings in the living room, an oversize sapele mahogany entry door, and a music room covered on all five walls (ceiling included) with cypress. Most of the wood was sourced through local supplier Elliott Brothers Woodworks. “The owner loves all species of wood,” says Trowman. “Including it in the design helps bring the outdoors in and adds a touch of modern rusticity.”
The earth-tone palette includes black-stained cabinetry in the kitchen, which adds to the masculine feel and highlights the natural wood grain of the custom white oak cabinets. Organic elements continue through the use of thick slabs of quartzite for countertops, with mitered edges and natural movement. This is a home sans ornate moldings that focuses instead on straight lines and dark trim in lieu of the typical coastal white shiplap. “Working on this home was a chance to step out and do something unique for the homeowner,” Trowman explains.
Since the homeowner loves to cook even when he is off the clock, the kitchen received an extra dose of attention. To offset the dark colorway and provide some privacy, the architect designed a glass backsplash underneath upper cabinetry that blocks direct sight lines of the neighbor’s house yet still provides plenty of natural light to filter into the room. A built-in bar and wine room nestle beside Euro-Wall sliding glass doors that lead onto the deck, a perfect setup for entertaining during a party that flows inside and out. Lowered ceilings in the kitchen demarcate the space as separate from the adjacent dining area and living room while still reading as open concept.
The linear living room runs along the back of the home and fully opens to all of the views of the water, golf course and outdoor living amenities. Its soaring ceilings are open for two levels, which helps it to live larger than its actual footprint. The focal concrete fireplace anchors it at one end, while an expansive L-shaped leather sofa makes the room comfortable and inviting. Like all rooms in which the homeowner spends the most time, this room is designed to take advantage of both views and breezes. “This is a calm and cool space,” Trowman says. “It is a place you just want to hang out.”
Because of Trowman’s professional connection to the hospitality industry in which the homeowner works, she had insight into what would make this home meaningful to him and welcoming to his friends. Trowman has designed upscale residences and commercial resorts for the past 27 years in the Charleston area. Like with this home, she often works with architects in the very early stages of project development. Her projects include resort bungalows in the Bahamas, historic residences in Downtown Charleston, boutique hotels, restaurants, and beautiful island homes on Isle of Palms and Sullivan’s Island. Her designs show off the architecture of the home in the best light. Trowman’s respect for the home’s natural flow and design is the reason why she has built and maintains strong relationships with builders, architects and contractors within the Charleston community.
“This team worked well together—everyone was flexible with a common vision; no one lost perspective during the course of the project,” concludes Madigan. “It’s one of my favorite houses I’ve ever built. The in-out flow and blend of coastal design with mountain style makes it hard to beat. Although the homeowner didn’t want a typical design, he was open-minded and leaned on the professionals to nail it down. He was excited about the home and the building process without getting bogged down in the minor issues. His complete faith in us allowed us to achieve his vision.” *
Dana W. Todd is a professional writer specializing in interior design, real estate, luxury homebuilding, landscape design, architecture and fine art.
In the interiors, Trowman’s goal was to complement the architect’s design with an inviting modern rustic vibe, reflecting the owner’s and her shared interest in a design style prevalent in the Mountain West.
