Lowcountry Local Products
Lowcountry style, but with a unique twist, is an idea we have gotten pretty familiar with here at Frederick + Frederick. We believe that houses should be integrated into their place, they should belong. One way to achieve this goal is to use building materials that are native or made here in the Lowcountry. The house often features tabby (a concrete aggregate made with oyster shell), handmade brick, and native wood species. There are a number of products being made here in the Lowcountry evoke the vibe.
Lowcountry Originals is based in Bluffton, SC. Their handmade light fixtures reflect the natural materials and patterns of the area.
Savannah Surfaces has developed a paver product that we have been using a lot and it looks great! It is a porcelain paver that is patterned to mimic the look of tabby. Tabby is so quintessential “Lowcountry” but its not great underfoot. The porcelain “Old World Tabby” brings the desired look to a material that is better suited for pavers and pool decks.
This custom iron stair railing was designed by Michael Frederick. It’s meant to be evocative of the colors and shapes of the marsh grass that surrounds our islands.
Ahern’s Anvil fabricated this hammered iron stair rail (above) for a custom touch at a Hilton Head Island project.
Charleston Architectural Glass creates gorgeous custom glass- we have used their antiqued mirrors in interior transoms where privacy is desired. The effect is a subtle reflection of the room and the light without being too highly reflective.
Vetrostone is a countertop material that is manufactured in Yemassee, SC. They use recycled glass and shell mixed in quartz to create a uniquely coastal material.
Guest Rooms
As we get ready to welcome family and friends this holiday season, here are some tips from our clients on how to make your guest feel at home.
This Long Cove Club guest room checks all the boxes; comfy seating, full length mirror, drawer space, extra blankets and a great view. The arched window and high ceiling adds drama.
This Fripp Island guest house has plenty of privacy with its private porch overlooking the golf course and ocean. The guest house has a small kitchenette for morning coffee and a desk for sneaking in a connection to the office. Be sure to leave the wifi password on a card that is easy to find.
A great mattress with fine linens make this St. Simon Island guest room a mini retreat. Remember that your guest will need a space to put their stuff, so empty drawers and cleared nightstands are greatly appreciated.
En suite bathrooms are really popular as shown in this Palmetto Bluff bedroom. A full length mirror helps your guest make sure that they are ready for visiting the town.
Bunk rooms are perfect for grandkids. Each bunk has it’s own reading light and small shelf for a book in this St. Simon Island house.
There have been many spend the night parties in this girls guest room on Fripp Island.
High windows capture views of the majestic live oak outside of this guest room on St. Simons Island.
A Ben Ham photograph is reflected in an antique mirror in this Daufuskie Island guest room.
Fireplaces
It’s the time of year where we all want to gather together and snuggle up around a fireplace. Here in the lowcountry, some of our favorite fireplaces are located outdoors, either on a screened porch or free standing in the garden. Fireplaces add a great focal point to a space whether it is indoors or out. Here are a few that we have designed over the past thirty years.
Brick Fireplace with Claire Crowe firescreen and Holly Hunt Swan lamp
Fireplace with bookmatched stone
Arts & Crafts inspired fireplace
Concrete fireplace
Four sided brick fireplace
Outdoor brick fireplace with oyster roaster
Brick fireplace with Phoebe the dog
Sculptural fireplace with Stella the dog
Historic fireplace
Sleeping porch fireplace
Contemporary fireplace with Venetian plaster finish
Exterior fireplace inspired by a historic rice mill chimney
Screened porch fireplace that opens to the great room
Another rice mill inspired chimney
Double fireplaces
Outdoor fireplace on an addition to a historic house
Screened porch fireplace
February Construction Update
It’s February in the Lowcountry, which means it can be 37 degrees or 73 degrees, like today! We are loving watching our projects being built. First up is the Cane Island house, which is going to be amazing! This week, they are working on the interior stairs and they just finished sanding the wood floors. Here’s a couple photos:
The Brays Island renovation is 99% done, and wow, looks great! Next time we will share professional photography of this stunning house, as well as the before pictures.
We have two of our Camellia plan houses being built in Beaufort right now! Its fun to see them side-by side
The first is in Islands of Beaufort:
The other Camellia is in the Grays Hill area of Northern Beaufort County, on the Marshes of McCalley Creek
These three projects are just getting started. A new house on Brays Island, the great porch on St. Helena Island and a renovation project in Rose Hill.
Porches
Every evening, Michael and I enjoy sitting out on the porch, while watching the sunset and listening to the tree frogs serenade us. With fall’s cooler weather we are reaching peak porch season. There are many factors to consider to create the best experience for outdoor living.
The best location for a porch is the south façade. This protects the interior from the hot summer sun and provides a cozy spot for winter days. Likewise, do not put porches on the north, unless it is a small covered entrance for a door. Large porches on the north side of the house tend to be dark, dank and uninviting.
Most porches need to accommodate both an eating area and a comfy sitting area. Ten feet deep is a good starting point for the porch. Fourteen to sixteen feet is more gracious. Allow for at least three feet around all sides of a dining table to give maneuvering room for chairs.
Unless you are ocean front with a constant breeze, most people want to have a screened porch. Retractable screen are extremely popular because they can be rolled up when not in use and not block the view. Fenetex offers a dual insect and hurricane screen for the ultimate protection. Ceiling fans will help beat the heat and keep the bugs at bay. The ceiling fan should be U.L. rated for Wet Locations for safety and longevity of the fan.
Here in the lowcountry, many porches are raised to be out of the flood plain. If the house does not need raising, porches that are 30” or less from the adjacent grade, deck or terrace do not need a railing. This is ideal because the view remains open.
Adding an exterior fireplace to the porch to extends porch season to a year-round activity.
Finally, outfit the porch for leisurely visiting and entertaining with lowcountry favorites such as swinging day beds, joggling boards and Pawley island hammocks.
On the Boards in July
Brays Island
Here’s a house on Brays Island that we designed years ago. The new owners are adding on to the main house and also building a new guest house.
Palmetto Bluff House
This house is on a beautiful, wooded lot in Palmetto Bluff. The guest house is already built, we designed the main house and garage to complement the existing building and to take advantage of the marsh views over the May River.
Fripp Island
A fun renovation project on Fripp Island, perfect for family vacations, all year long!
Lady’s Island
This project is an outdoor living improvement. We have gotten lots of calls lately about improving outdoor living spaces. Adding pools, decks, porches, fireplaces/ firepits, outdoor seating, kitchen and dining is super popular right now!
2021 Kitchen and Bath Trends
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the online home design platform Houzz, recently released independent reports on design trends for kitchens and bathrooms. The AIA’s research is gathered from a panel of 500 AIA architects who specialized in residential design. Houzz’s research is from their community of homeowners who have recently completed a renovation project.
Unsurprisingly, with more people staying at home due to the pandemic, there are new trends reflecting how we are adapting. Due to the desire the carve our personal space the request for an open concept floor plan by opening the kitchen up to other living spaces decreased significantly; the AIA reported an eleven percent decrease and Houzz a ten percent decrease.
As people limited their trips to the grocery store, pantries increased in size. The AIA and Houzz reported growth of 10% and 13% respectively. The AIA reported that pantries are not only bigger but they are now a work hub with an additional dishwasher, refrigerator and other small appliances. Pictured above is what our clients call their “Costco Room” in their under construction house- plenty of space for all the toilet paper.
Opening the kitchen to an outdoor living space continued to grow in popularity with outdoor kitchens the leading trend reported by the AIA.
According to the Houzz survey for style trends, the most popular style for kitchens is transitional, with modern and contemporary styles in a close second. Farmhouse style peaked in 2019 and continues to decline popularity.
The AIA found that the top three trends in bathroom design include larger curb-less showers, universal design for aging in place, and shower stalls without a separate tub in the bathroom. Houzz reported that only 10% of renovators include a separate bathtub.
Houzz renovators cited an old and outdated space as their primary reason for the project. Therefore 89% of the homeowners change the style of the bathroom. The desire for clean lines resulted in modern as the number one style for bathroom remodels with contemporary in a close second. Traditional and farmhouse are not as desirable.
Whole house remodels and additions grew by 27% in 2020 and kitchen and bath remodeling projects grew by 20% according to the AIA. Due to this increase, firm project backlogs are currently five to six months.
Though not cited in the research by Houzz or AIA, outdoor showers are very popular among our clients. I imagine this is a geographic trend, and that an outdoor shower is not requested often in a cold or snowy location. Here in the Lowcountry, the climate and the proximity to the beach make this trend popular and practical.
March Construction
Cane Island
The house on Cane Island is looking great. The house is dried in and work continues on exterior trim, roof installation and rough ins for HVAC and plumbing.
Brays Island Renovation
St Helena Island Dogtrot Cottage
The owners have moved in to this lovely little house. The dogtrot is outdoor living space which separates the kitchen/living areas from the bedroom.
Fripp Island
This Fripp Island House is very nearly complete, which just punch list items remaining, as well as landscaping. Until the plants are installed, the frog will have to hang on the deck. 😉
Many of the projects that we have shown recently in our under construction posts are nearing completion, but not to worry; We have exciting projects on the boards and beginning construction!
Early Spring on the boards
Fripp Island
As we finish up one beachfront house on Fripp Island, we begin another. This house will have the public areas (kitchen, great room, outdoor dining) and primary bedroom on the second floor and the guest bedrooms on the first floor. The views over the beach and ocean are spectacular from the upper floor, so we may as well flip the house in order to have the best view from the areas where the family will spend the most time.
Harbor Island
Here’s another “upside down” house. This one is on Harbor Island and has views of both the ocean and of St. Helena Sound. This is a relatively small house that makes efficient use of space. The T shaped plan allows for great views from every room, ample outdoor living areas, and refreshing cross ventilation when the weather’s good for open windows.
Brays Island Cabin
The latest drawings from our cabin on Brays Island. When Brays Island was developed, the lots were divided so that they are all one-acre circular lots, resulting in privacy and screening from neighboring houses for its residents.
Brays Island Addition
Here’s another project at Brays Island. We designed this house about 20 years ago and new owner has some modifications to make. One the main house, they are building a small addition to house their book collection. They are also building a two story guest house.
Colleton River preliminary design
We presented the preliminary design to a client building in Colleton River Club, in Bluffton, SC. They have a gorgeous view of the Colleton River, as well as many beautiful Live Oak trees.
The goal of the design is to preserve all the Live Oaks and maximize the view. Here are the drawings:
