Editor’s Note: May 2020
I saw fireflies blinking for the first time from my back deck a few days ago. It made me wonder if they had always been there. Was I too busy to notice? Or was the lack of cars on the road at night contributing to less light pollution? This is noteworthy to me because that’s one thing I have really missed seeing since we moved to South Carolina 30 years ago. I used to see them all the time in Upstate New York.
Custom at Every Level: This Moss Creek house started out as a remodel. It wound up a made-from-scratch masterpiece.
There are custom homes, and then there are custom homes. The distinction between them is subtle, but as with most things, it’s all in the details. After all, can a home be considered truly custom if it contains the same flooring, the same hardware, the same fixtures...
Out of Sight! Palmetto Electric line burial project coming to an end
Look up! It happened so gradually, perhaps you didn’t notice. Since 2004, Palmetto Electric Cooperative has been working steadily and methodically to remove overhead power lines and poles on Hilton Head Island and replace them with an underground network that is not...
The tide comes in: Palmetto Dunes brings Southern Tide to town.
Think back to the moment that made you fall in love with the coastal Southeast. Feel, once again in your memory, the light breezes that came off the ocean, the distinct smell of salt in the air and the warming blanket of sunlight on your face. Think of the way the...
Musicians in Bathrooms featuring The Calibogue Sound Band
Musicians: Carrie McDowell, Bernie Fee, Jim Schroeder, Wayne Altman, and Jeff Rigg
Kayaking the Lowcountry
If it ever feels too crowded on land, get out on the water. Well over half our local area is comprised of wetlands—marshes, rivers, creeks, beaches, little islands and freshwater swamps—and for the most part these estuaries can never be developed. They will remain...
Editor’s Note: April 2020
Fragile, Yet Resilient The first time I realized everything in my world could change in an instant, I was 17 years old. My parents told me we were moving from New York to Hilton Head Island. I had just met a boy. It wasn’t great news. The second time I learned how...
How to Invest During an Economic Crisis
COVID-19, aka coronavirus, has clearly generated great concern over the health and well-being of people all around the world. While we understandably worry about contracting the virus and potentially infecting our friends or loved ones, we simultaneously wonder about...
The Ripple Effect: Trent Malphrus
The soul of South Carolina’s Lowcountry rests comfortably on the shoulders of one of its own. Native islander and master fisherman Captain Trent Malphrus wakes each day with a grateful to-do list and a love for his life on the water. From the Calibogue and Port Royal...
A Wedding Story: One beautiful day in November saw two people come together as man and wife. This is their story.
When it comes to telling the story of the day Kimberly Cardone and Matthew McNab became man and wife, the pictures you see here will do most of the heavy lifting. You need only glance at these pages to see how tastefully arranged greenery supplanted over-the-top...
A Place for Everything
Closets by Design recently completed a luxurious his-and-her closet for a customer that gained space from a home recent expansion. Overall design, color palette and textures convey the aura of a couture boutique, blending drama and warmth with supreme spaciousness and functionality. Standout features abound, including glass door panels; dimmable mood lighting; shelves that display while protecting clothes shoes and accessories; a large center island with built-in beverage/wine cooler; and a corner with three-way mirrors and flat-screen television.
How’s Your Hearing?
In our special section on Boomers and Beyond, we thought it pertinent to address hearing loss, as the average age hearing loss begins to present is 65. We chatted with Randy Rose of Rose Hearing Healthcare Centers, about what the first signs of hearing loss are, what to expect on an initial visit to a specialist, and how technology is improving the landscape for those in need of hearing aids.
Retire to the South. It’s Beautiful Here!
Every year, retirees flock to the South in droves for the next (and maybe the best) chapter of their lives. The kids are officially out of the house, first careers are over, and who wants to shovel snow in their sixties?
When Housing Trends Trigger a Buyer’s or Seller’s Market
If you have ever shopped for a home or sold one, you probably have heard your real estate agent mention that it is either a “buyer’s market” or a “seller’s market.” But what does that mean, and how can you tell which real estate market it is today in the Hilton Head Island area?
Stop! The! Clock!
Does the face you see in the mirror conflict with who you are inside? Is the “real” you younger, more vibrant, less road weary? Many boomers report this phenomenon and are trying to figure out how to bridge the gap. I am one of them.
The Local Catch: Island Institution hits Milestone as Catch 22 starts 20th year
Island institution hits milestone as Catch 22 starts 20th year. On an island whose shoreline is literally defined by the tides, it seems at times that its restaurant scene moves in a similar ebb and flow. Eateries open with a flourish, then shutter after a few cycles of tourist seasons. It’s a simple fact of nature on Hilton Head Island that the circle of life keeps turning.
Dream Boutique now open at Shelter Cove Harbour & Marina
Do you ever come across someone and feel an instant rapport, as if being drawn by a strong magnet? Someone whose smile feels like a hug? Whose joy and verve are infectious? Prepare for that kind of powerful encounter when you meet Lea Mitchell, owner of Dream Boutique—the newest women’s clothing store at Shelter Cove Harbour & Marina.
C2 Spring Fashion: A Model in a Model
We recruited a local model, the beautiful Lily, to show off the latest spring fashions in this model home in Oldfield.
Special thanks to Matt Green and Frontlight Building Company for hosting us.
Old World / New world
When it comes to luxury homes, there are two distinctly different schools of thought in our little slice of the South. There is the classical “Lowcountry” luxury: think vast open spaces, natural textures, outdoor living and sense of Southern graces. Then there is the more traditional luxury, skewing contemporary with crisp lines, monochromatic color palettes with accent pieces here and there and materials that skew metallic.
The No-Nonsense Investing Guide for Boomers
The baby boom generation, often referred to as boomers, includes Americans born between 1946 and 1964. This means that current ages range between 56 and 74 years. If you’re a boomer, you’re either approaching retirement or are already in retirement now. In terms of personal finance, you’ve likely done some retirement planning, specifically with regard to investing.
Secure or Not Secure. How the SECURE Act affects YOU
On December 20, 2019, President Trump signed the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act. The acronym “SECURE” is curious to me because many Americans may find themselves paying a little more in taxes as a result of the Act. In fact, the government is counting on roughly $15 billion of tax revenue with the passage of the Act.
#9PMROUTINE
Have you ever gotten out of your vehicle with your hands full, or when you are trying to get your kids inside and thinking about what to cook for dinner, and forgotten to lock your car? We are all busy. I get it. But we have to get better at locking our vehicles when...
Editor’s Note: March 2020
In late September of last year, local stylist Danielle Galella sent me a text message asking if Lucy could be a dog model for HGTV. We were headed out of town for a fashion shoot in Greenville on the date they were shooting, so unfortunately, I had to tell them she couldn’t swing it. Danielle got back to me again and said they would adjust their schedule; they really wanted a Bernese Mountain Dog for the shoot. At this point, I knew no details, and I guess I just assumed it was some sort of real estate-based show, since I knew local realtor Brad Wilson had been involved in a few of such episodes for “Island Life.”
Interior Trend Predictions for 2020
With 2020 fast approaching, interior design specialists have looked at current styles, patterns, and sales in order to predict what interior trends we will see skyrocket in popularity throughout 2020.
Islander turns passion into support for Parkinson’s disease
Hilton Head Island has beautiful scenes from sunrises and sunsets to our beaches and golf courses. These very scenes captured the attention of islander and photographer Jeffrey Keefer, whom I would describe as a pretty amazing and giving person. I was so moved by...
What Will your Retirement Years Look Like?
As a financial advisor, I have the pleasure of working with and speaking to a vast number of very different people. Everyone has their own story, different circumstances and a unique explanation of how and why they ended up in our community. Many of the conversations...
Brian Patrick Flynn – Bold, Unconventional, and Imperfectly Perfect
Brian Patrick Flynn, the resident interior designer on HGTV’s Urban Oasis and HGTV’s Dream Home, describes his design aesthetic as “soft-masculine,” and the spaces he creates are characterized by his own mix of styles and his bold, unconventional color palettes. Here, Brian discusses how he turned his passion into a career and how he enjoys shining a light on the imperfections of a perfection-oriented industry.
Edible Landscaping
Folks have caught on to the lifestyle benefits of fresh organic produce and the joy that growing your own food brings. But the latest trend has people utilizing yard space in unconventional ways to make the most of what’s available, whether an enclosed back patio, flower beds out front, or a few containers on the porch. Landscaping is no longer just for ornamentals! There are so many fun and attractive ways to produce food around your home.
Mighty Mac offers so much more than just carpet cleaning.
More than likely you can remember that last time you had your carpets cleaned. Maybe it was six years ago, maybe it was last year. Maybe you’ve never had your carpets cleaned (and if that’s the case, eew. You need to get on that).
Belmont Insurance Services: Putting a face on your insurance coverage
Imagine: (1) You’ve just returned from a hurricane evacuation to find extensive roof damage, a flooded garage, and ruined furnishings. (2) Your teenage son was involved in a fender bender. He’s fine, but your car is being towed to a local garage. (3) You need knee replacement surgery but are concerned about the out-of-pocket cost. (4) Your employee slipped and fell in the office and is at the emergency room with a possible concussion. Who are you going to call?