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ca. 1790/1818
32 Legare Street
Charleston, South Carolina

Constructed in two distinct periods (1790 and 1818) and materials (wood and masonry), this unique house was built as a residence, but has been used as a girls boarding school and inn. Subdivided into several parcels, the original Sword Gate property has been reassembled and the buildings restored. The Kitchen Building and Carriage House were required and concerted from apartments to Guest Quarters. The work included reopening the original arched carriageway. Since the original main stair had along been lost, a new period stair was designed for the Entry Hall.

c. 1897, altered 1935
Yemassee, South Carolina

The current Victorian structure now known as Bonny Hall replaced a Federal style plantation house burned in 1875. In 1935, Under the ownership of publisher Nelson Doubleday and his wife Ellen, the house underwent significant alterations and nearly doubled in size. Doubleday hired the firm of Simons and Lapham, who added the two-story flankers, altered the interior layout and converted the style to colonial revival.

Recent work included repairing the original slate roof, replacing modern windows, restoring historic windows, and repairing wood detailing and shutters.

ca. 1782
91 East Bay Street
Charleston, South Carolina

The house at 91 East Bay was built for commercial purposes. It was not until the creation of Rainbow Row in the 1930s that the structure was converted to a single family residence. The most recent rehabilitation included the construction of a spiral stair spanning all three floors, terminating in a cupola allowing light into the space. The rear dependency was adapted for a library and guest quarters.

ca. 1810
39 East Battery
Charleston, South Carolina

Occupying two Grand Modell lots, this L-shaped Federal style home follows the bend in the peninsula, allowing sweeping views of the harbor from both the two-story piazza and five bay façade. Unlike many of the residences on the Battery, the house has no formal public entrance off the street, and is only accessible by a stair from the garden. Interior work included restoration of the fine ornamental plaster and ornate woodwork.

ca. 1750
59 Meeting Street
Charleston, South Carolina

The Branford-Horry house is a classic Charleston "double house" and considered one of the great Georgian houses in Charleston. The house's fine cypress paneling dominates the interior with rich Georgian detailing.  Many of the orginal firebox Delft tiles were missing and have been painstakingly recreated by local artisans. The distinctive double portico overhanging the sidewalk was added in the 1830's. The wall, garden structure and drive gates have been added to complement the architecture of the house.

Constructed circa 1750, this house includes an outstanding example of a Georgian Drawing Room with its elaborate carved mantle, raised paneled walls, and wainscot. Many of the original firebox Delft tiles were missing and have been painstakingly recreated by local artisans. The imposing portico represents an 1830's modification to the house. A 1960s garage was removed to make room for the period garden structure and formal garden.

ca. 1817
Berkeley County, South Carolina

Damaged by Hurricane Hugo in 1989, this 1817 house was left open to the weather for 12 years until a sympathetic owner saw the potential through the deterioration. Requiring relocation by the institutional owner, the building structure had deteriorated to the point that intact relocation was no longer an option. As a last resort, the house was thoroughly documented through photographs and measured drawings, then carefully dismantled with each piece of wood numbered and cataloged. The house was re-assembled on a plantation site where a previous plantation house had once overlooked an historic rice field. The intricate woodwork was carefully conserved and restored. The highly ornamental plaster was recreated from moulds taken from the originals. Through careful conservation, the reassembled building reused 85% of the original woodwork.

ca. 1800
60 Montagu Street
Charleston, South Carolina

This complex of buildings occupies over an acre of land. The main house includes highly ornamental plaster cornices and woodwork. Its collection of mantles is unparalleled in the city. The array of outbuildings include a kitchen house and Gothic carriage house. An unusual tack house was demolished in the 1960s. Photographs and the remaining foundation provided the information needed to reconstruct this missing element as well as the Gadsden Street garden wall and gate. A new classically inspired pool house utilizes elements from the main house.

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ca. 1800
51 East Bay Street
Charleston, South Carolina

Built in 1802, this 21,000 square foot house and outbuilding sat vacant for eight years. Attempts to convert the house into condominiums proved unsuccessful, and the house was purchased in 1993 for a single family residence. Two and a half years of work restored the main house, installed a new kitchen in the old kitchen building, and adapted the old carriage house and stable building into guest quarters and an indoor pool. Work on the main house included restoration of the ornamental plaster and composition ornament as well as the mahogany doors and exterior iron work. This project represents the first collaborative effort with Reggie Gibson Architect.

Contractor: Palmetto Craftsmen

ca. 1800
14 Legare Street
Charleston, South Carolina

This National Historic Landmark includes a significant collection of intact outbuildings and a period garden. The museum-quality restoration of this Adam style house included extensive historical and architectural research. Work encompassed reiteration and conservation of the ornamental plaster cornices and ceiling medallions, as well as the decorative woodwork and mahogany-grained doors. Garden archeology uncovered the original design of the ca. 1818 garden which has been reconstructed with period plants of the early 19th century.

ca. 1828
Berkeley County, South Carolina

This abandoned dilapidated structure had been altered extensively throughout its history. Most recently it had been modified for use as a hunting lodge. It has now been rehabilitated for use as a guest house for the adjacent Mulberry Plantation. A new greenhouse was constructed behind the house to root seedlings and grow ornamental plants much like 19th century owners would have done.

ca. 1803
Kiawah Island, South Carolina

As the only remaining historic building on Kiawah Island, the 1903 Vanderhorst Mansion was one of the two original plantation houses on the island. Vacant for most of the 20th century, this structure has been used as a barn to store hay, it had lost its piazza, and had its main stair balustrade stolen. Work on this house included a sensitive rehabilitation of the main house and the addition of modern compatible corner pavilions on the rear, housing the new bathrooms, kitchen, and mechanical equipment. These pavilions allow the introduction of modern conveniences with minimal intrusion on the historic fabric of the original structure. Completed in 1995, the house and grounds represent a successful adaptation for the modern use that preserves the integrity of the historic structure.