Outdoor Entertaining

Creating an Entertaining Oasis on Sullivan’s

Award Winning Architectural Design

This home was awarded the 2018 ArCH Design Award.

This project on Sullivan’s Island was a major exterior renovation of both the front and rear of the home. In addition to updating the look of the home, we also wanted to transform how the exterior spaces were used–our vision was to maximize outdoor living. This included the design and construction of a new 3rd floor porch, as well as extensive renovations to the existing screened porches on the rear of the home and the front entry–new ceilings, floors, railings. We also designed an outdoor entertaining area on the ground-level. The entertaining area encompasses the entire rear yard and includes a bar, outdoor kitchen and dining area, new pool and spa, private cabana for outdoor TV viewing, and the incorporation of an historic cottage that sits on the rear of the property. We combined all these elements together into a cohesive plan where there are distinct zones, but together it all creates an outdoor oasis.

We took this already large scale home and updated it with new coastal appeal. The color palette for the home is a combination of soft and muted coastal tones: blues, whites, oyster, and gray. The new siding and windows were done in a crisp white. Stained wood doors on the main house and historic cottage bring a richness to the overall design while tying the two structure together. The stained wood front door, gas light front porch light, and hand bell for the door bell complete the charm of welcoming guest. The new and operational shutters on the main house perfectly punctuate the coastal style of the home while providing for an added layer of protection from the weather. Other pops of color can be changed out in the decor against this serene coastal palette.

The home had many porches, both screened and opened already, but the addition of a 3rd floor opened porch dramatically changed the rear elevation of the home while also creating the perfect perch for long range views. To unify the design of all of the porches we painted the ceilings a calm and relaxing soft blue. We also added new fans for better air flow and integrated a heat lamp system so that the space could be used throughout the seasons.

The outdoor kitchen, dining area, and bar were located under the porches to provide shade and comfort. A combination of tabby, painted vertical slats, and horizontal reclaimed wood boards reminiscent of coastal driftwood were used throughout the ground-level recreation areas. The reclaimed wood was also used on the surround of the gas fireplace in in the cabana where the TV is mounted over the fireplace making it viewable not only from the covered seating area but also from the pool. We were able to tie together the home and the grounds but including a large, grand staircase from the 2nd floor screened porch area down to the backyard. A private outdoor shower was tucked away under the stairs for privacy.

Image Gallery

Covered Outdoor TV watching area in Sullivan's Island renovation

From Rachel’s Desk