Sometimes fate just has a way of working out.
Several months ago, while on a photoshoot for a special section in this magazine, CH2 Publisher Maggie Washo casually mentioned to Realtor Laura Leigh Miles that if she ever had a really unforgettable listing, it could find a home in the magazine.
As a specialist in Daufuskie Island real estate, having called the island home for more than 18 years, Miles would have had plenty to choose from. Her listings run the gamut of Daufuskie properties, from jaw-dropping manors to quiet, secluded beachside hideaways.
But something about this house, and the unique circumstance in which it finds its way to market, told Miles that she’d found her feature story.
The great room features a wet bar, flexible seating, and opens to the screened porch.
“It’s a really unique property for Haig Point, because it has all the right features and it was only finished in 2023,” Miles said. “Building in Haig Point is quite a commitment, so most of the time they don’t go back on the market so quickly. A fully furnished, brand-new home is something I haven’t seen in 18 years.”
Adding to the shockingly young age of the house is its prime location, with expansive water views across Calibogue Sound directly to Harbour Town. The lot is one of the highest elevations on the island, just a short walking distance from Calibogue Club and the ferry embarkation. Then, of course, there’s the sheer artistry that went into the home’s construction, evidenced beautifully in the photos here.
A single slab was used to create the large kitchen island
“There are no other lots with a view like this, and no homes that serve as a pure showcase like this,” Miles said.
Every detail inside speaks to the labor of love that was this home’s construction. Depending on transport via barges and ferries, the owners brought in tile from Savannah Surfaces, custom plantation shutters and shades from Budget Blinds, and the kind of unique local materials Osprey Construction prizes in their homes, such as the white oak mantel over the outdoor fireplace. Sourced from a Daufuskie Island tree that fell during Hurricane Matthew, it is one of the items in the home that didn’t need to be brought in across the tides.
With water views, the Carolina room is a favorite spot and features custom Sunbrella fabric to withstand the abundance of natural light.
So why put his much effort into building a home just to put it on the market a few years later?
“We’ve never been ‘forever home’ people,” said the owner of the home. “We’ve moved for jobs, we’ve moved for family, so we wanted to build something flexible enough for our family but also for future buyers.”
Originally from Chicago, the owners had become used to entertaining large crowds of visitors since moving down in 2019. As such, they crafted this home with an eye on space, opening up vast sections of the main living space to screened-in outdoor living and creating a breezy flow from the great room and into quieter spaces.
The outdoor family room is part of more than 1800 square feet of screened space and includes a fireplace and heaters for year-round use
“We tried to build so that no one ever feels like they’re on top of each other,” the owner said. “Occasionally we’ll host 20-plus people, between family and friends. Everyone can seamlessly flow in and out, and with the heaters and fireplace in the outdoor spaces, it makes the whole area so livable. … Especially coming from Chicago, where you can’t be outside half the year.”
Beyond the screened spaces, an elevated deck provides an elegant framework for the amazing water views, allowing for crystal clear vistas across Calibogue Sound from the hot tub.
The saltwater pool and hot tub provide relaxing views of the Calibogue sound, marsh and pond.
Inside, the owners worked with John Kilmer Interiors, as well as longtime family friend Janis Campbell of J and J Designs, to create a motif of light and easy beachside living, defined by textiles and window treatments that lend texture to classical Lowcountry elements of engineered white oak, polished brass, and veined quartz.
“The overall vibe we were looking for was one that incorporated a lot of natural elements but still had a sense of fun and was a little adventurous,” the owner said. “Light, airy, and beachy without feeling sterile – that was the priority.”
The master bedroom provides additional access to the screened porch, a spa like bath and an adjacent office
That vibe toes the line between the casual grandeur of the great room, with its charcoal black shiplap on an accent wall, in the blazing cerulean of the bunk room, in the crisp mint stripes in one of the guest rooms, and in the marbled veins of the porcelain tile of the primary bath. These accents push the envelope, without working against each other or overpowering the beautiful simplicity of the home’s design.
This disciplined, thoughtful design, found in a home that’s just a few years old, with stunning water views, make this home a rarity. But there is one more element that makes this house one in a million. As Midwesterners, the owners couldn’t help but take advantage of the home’s high lot to add the closest thing you’ll find to a basement rec room in the Lowcountry.
“It would feel weird not to have some kind of space down there, and because our lot is one of the highest on Daufuskie, we knew we could utilize it,” the owner said. “We use the workout space every day. When the family is here, they can walk right outside to the pool deck and back into the rec room without being soaking wet in the house.”
There are rare homes, and then there are homes that show up once in a lifetime. This one showed up just in time.
