Historic Preservation

Boathouse, Charleston low-country                 

This magnificent boathouse is the only structure of its kind located on a low-country river.  The building was allowed to be reconstructed because historic documentation and photographs of the original boathouse could be provided to the State Historic Preservation Office.  Our design goals were to design a building with the same details as the original but build it to code as required by the state.  The only portion of the building that existed on the site was the chimney. With the ghosting still visible on the chimney, reconstruction of the original design along with old photographs, was possible.  Cedar roof shakes and board and battan walls are characteristics of the 1930's Arts & Crafts period.  Rustic handrails were embellished with logs found on the property bringing the once lost piece of history back to the low-country.  The boathouse was designed for an historic wood Chris Craft boat.

Lamboll Street, Charleston

This 1870's tiny Charleston Single was restored to its original condition at the time of restoration.  Since the house and the driveway fill the entire lot, the replacement of the side piazza was not feasible for the owner.   Existing windows and shutters were removed and restored.  Exterior materials, such as the crumbling stucco was replaced with a lime stucco to match historic material of this period. New slate roof tiles, ordered from England, were installed.  All of the masonry was tuckpointed at the exterior and interior of the building. The original mortar was researched and completed by experienced masons. If bricks needed replacing we flipped them and kept the historic value.  The simple interior with two rooms at each floor was restored.  A small 8' x 10' custom Kitchen was designed for the existing one story rear addition. The house even boasts a full basement, very unusual for its location.  

Hampden Court, Charleston

The restoration of simple wood Charleston Single homes are unusual when they need this much repair.  Our office and the contractor did the research of the house and returned it to the original design in this up and coming neighborhood. The original interior stair was replaced allowing the house to be restored back to a single residence. A Charleston Single is a regional design found only in Charleston.  They were designed one room wide and three rooms deep with a piazza on the east or south side.  The house was designed to take advantage of the local breezes and city living in Charleston.  The north side had very few windows to allow privacy between the neighbors, while providing a large open piazza along the side to enjoy the cool weather whenever possible.  The door façade seen at the street provides privacy to the entry to the house which is located at the center of the piazza.  This house was awarded a Carolopolis Award from the Preservation Society.