Home Discovery

The view has barely changed through the front windows of Bluffton’s Pine House from the time it was built in 1903 until today. Looking out over Heyward Cove and the May River, the occupants could watch the mist melt off the water or catch sight of fishing vessels passing by.

Nestled amongst the Spanish moss-draped trees near the end of Boundary Street, the Pine House was built by Savannahnian Dr. Freeman Valentine Walker. It later passed into the hands of Gaillard and Lucille Heyward, who bought the property in 1943.

The Heywards, whose early South Carolina ancestor Thomas Heyward Jr. signed the Declaration of Independence, enjoyed rare indoor plumbing and the only concrete basement in Bluffton. Following the death in 1992 of his mother Lucille, the late Thomas G. Heyward inherited his childhood home. He and his wife Joan researched the possibilities of salvaging the building and restoring it to its original condition.

Web extra: Scroll down to the bottom to enjoy a slideshow of photos from before and after the rebuilding of the Pine House.

“We felt like we were entrusted to save it for future generations,” said Joan. “Tommy felt like his parents would have wanted that.”

Comfort and relaxation are as much a part of this Palmetto Bluff home as fat oysters and barbecue are in the Lowcountry.

The award-winning residence on Wilson Row, just off the square, was the recipient of three 2012 Aurora Awards, a design competition of the Southeast Building Conference.

Architect Wayne Windham designed the three-story house as part of a six-unit development, offering buyers a couple of different plans to fit the small lots.

Spring Island homeowners blend old with new for casual comfort.

No detail was too small for the architect, builder, cabinet maker or homeowner to include in plans for a two-bedroom home on Spring Island.

With a sense of being both stewards of the land as well as of their home, the owners chose to use reclaimed materials and repurpose other items when planning.

Tucked in next to part of the community’s 3,000 acres of wildlife preserve, the 2,911-square-foot home greets visitors with a large and welcoming screened-in front porch. The beautiful mahogany doors can be hooked open for a more expansive feel – insects permitting.

Palmetto Bluff Style Home seamlessly blends indoor and outdoor living with designs that inspire.

High ceilings, large windows and the muted colors that define the Lowcountry’s coastal landscape make Palmetto Bluff’s Style Home as much of an outdoor experience as it does a comfortable, casual home.

Haig Point home dazzles with views across the Calibogue Sound.

When Ken Crast moved to Hilton Head Island on his boat from New York State in 1978, he didn’t think he could have used the vessel to design and build custom homes on Daufuskie Island.

Crast lived for a while on his boat on Hilton Head, met his future wife Susan, and they began designing and building singular homes throughout the Lowcountry, and as far south as the Ford Plantation near Richmond Hill, Ga.

In March, the Crasts completed a home on Daufuskie Island’s Haig Point for Tammy and Kris Kelley, a couple that moved down from Connecticut. Naturally, the locale created a few logistical demands.

After living in 13 different communities during their married life, Gene and Denise Conahan of Colleyville, Texas, have finally settled on their haven they will soon call their permanent home.

The Conahans, originally from Philadelphia, often vacationed on Hilton Head while living in Greenville. When the couple joined forces with H2 Builders in 2008 they knew they had plans for the perfect home in the perfect location:

Bluffton’s Belfair.

“It is now our haven,” said Denise from their home about halfway between Dallas and Fort Worth. “At first we fell in love with Hilton Head, then with Belfair, and then with Bluffton — we just love the way old town Bluffton is lovely and small. We hope to move there permanently by the end of next year. It’s a great house for having friends and family and entertaining. It’s a wonderful gathering place for our children.”

Initially, the Conahans were a bit concerned about building their new home “from scratch” and from a long distance, Denise said. “But, H2 Builders were wonderful and easy to work with. They have a great system, and there was no problem being here while the home was being built. We love every detail.”

When Wayne and Helga Lilley married their talents as a homebuilder and designer, they gave birth to a beloved Lowcountry home.

Wayne, an inventor and licensed residential builder, and Helga, a designer with a master’s degree in architecture, moved to the Lowcountry in 2007 and  decided to build their own home in Oldfield in 2008 after falling in love with the Okatie community.

Before moving to the Lowcountry,  they split their time between Massachusetts and the Caribbean for seven years. In the Caribbean island of Nevis, they built a Japanese-style pole house designed by Helga with an unusual construction technique styled especially for the Caribbean.

“Because of this, Wayne decided to hire local workers, train them as his crew and build the home himself,” the couple says. “The project was challenging in many ways, including the procurement and shipping of materials that were not locally available. But the process gave us a firsthand education in building a home and also gave us the confidence to do it again.”

That practice came in handy when the couple decided to build here.

When Duane Constantino’s Bay 10 Ventures began renovating a home in Baynard Cove Club, the plan was to keep approximately half of the existing structure; but it didn’t take long before Constantino, architect Terry Rosser and the owners realized that they needed to start essentially from scratch.

The Hilton Head/Beaufort section of the South Carolina Chapter of the American Institute of Architects got together in December to unveil the winners of its annual awards. From commercial to residential, the buildings on the following pages represent the finest designs from area architects. Enjoy the tour, complete with project notes from the architects of record.