The Breeeze Janruary 2020

After the war and the fall of the plantation system, the
land was purchased by wealthy northern businessmen
and used for hunting. In 1984 BASF bought this beautiful
place and attempted to build a chemical plant. A band
of shrimpers and environmentalists purportedly took 25
pounds to Congress and with the help of Strom Thurman,
stopped the construction that would have certainly
changed the face of the river, local nature and Beaufort
County forever. Eventually, local developers bought the
land and named it Colleton River Club. They had a vision
and here we are in this pristine place with all the beauty
and nature that surrounds, and the wonderful people
who live there.
I met Doug and Joanne Phillips and one could not ask
for more kind and considerate clients. They knew what
they wanted, both being from the South. The design
of the house began late in the year 2000. My sister,
Corinne Reeves, IIDA, was selected by Joanne for interior
design, and John Clark, a Master Builder, of Clark Custom
Builders, rounded out the team.
The architecture features a raised tabby foundation which
is typical of the ante-bellum period (in this case partially
raised). There is a two car garage, cart barn and storage
rooms, under the home that is entered from the left side.
This is extremely rare in the low country but the slope of
the terrain to the marsh and rivers edge permitted it. By
not having the garage “wagging” the house allowed the
architecture to have the correct vertical and horizontal
proportions that create the balance and grace that is so
important. The two story wrapping porches dominate
the front and rear elevations. Ionic columns on the first
floor and Tuscan columns on the second create the
proper timeless scale and balance. The porches serve
several important purposes. They shade the house as the
sun moves from winter to summer and they gather the
breezes – no matter if it is the prevailing summer breeze
out of the south west or the coastal microclimate breeze
from the south east.
The flanking enclosed terraces with Chippendale design
balustrade and crows foot bottom rail, and with vertical
tongue and groove dado completes the balance and grace
of the home. The entry door with sidelites, transom and
articulating pilasters, focuses on the Centerhall entry.
The gracious width creates a sittingroom with fireplace,
all below the open gallery above. The walls are odorned
with a neo-classical in Greek style monumental painting
by noted Savannah Artist Bob Christian and opposite a
Hippocampus mirror of the period.
The flanking rooms have large double-hung windows
with transoms and louver shutters.
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