Charleston Style & Design Fall 2023

gssupplyco.com

Celebrating

16 Years

Designing Outstanding Kitchens & Baths

Photo by Holger Obenaus

Photo by Leigh Webber

Private Residence - I’On

Allied ASID

A division of Spartina Cabinetry & Design Consultants, LLC

Melissa Koger Watson President

SPECIALIZING IN FULL SCALE KITCHEN AND BATH REMODELS AND NEW CONSTRUCTION. I’On Square · 152-C Civitas, Mount Pleasant, SC · Showroom: 843.971.4882 Appointment Only · www.spartinacabinetry.com

lauraashleyusa.com

Photo by Holger Obenaus

C harleston ’ s C omplete ource for S hades S and S hutters

Photo by Holger Obenaus

Interior Window Coverings Motorized Shades Exterior Shutters Custom Plantation Shutters etractable Canopies and Awnings R Pergolas

Visit our showroom off Clements Ferry Road · 490 Deanna Lane · Charleston, SC 29492 · Designers & Contractors Welcome 843-216-5677 (Charleston) · 843-768-6942 (Kiawah/Seabrook)

www.allaboutwindowssc.com

Photo by Holger Obenaus

Fonts: Futura PT Book Futura PT Light

L u x u r y S t e e l & A l u m i n u m W i n d o ws & D o o r s Folding

|

Pivot

|

Sliding

|

C u r t a i n W all

490 Deanna Lane · Charleston, SC 29492

843-425-6099 · atlanticarchitecturalwindowsdoors.com Photo by Katie Charlotte

Hardwood Flooring Reclaimed Flooring, Lumber & Millwork Engineered Flooring Historic Restoration Installation & Refinishing Antique Barn Wood

EBWoodWorks.com Showroom | 1717 North Hwy. 17 Mt. Pleasant | 843.814.4536 | 843.367.5253 | Sunday Charm Photography

Matt Aufderheide

Ella W. Richardson Fine Art 58 Broad Street | Charleston, SC | 843.819.6111 Mobile | 843.722.3660 Gallery Charleston’s Premiere Fine Art Destination in Since 2001 Representing American & International Artists

w w w . e l l a r i c h a r d s o n . c o m

(8 43) 7 2 2 -2 6 4 0 • M A R G A R E T D O N A L D S O N I N T E R I O R S .C O M • i n f o @ m d i c h a r l e s t o n . c o m

305 King Street • Charleston, SC • 843.804.6710 www.JordanLash.com

“Silk Hope on the Cooper”, Oil on Linen, 10" x 12"

“On the Stono”, Oil on Linen, 18" x 24"

“Amen Evening”, Oil on Linen, 24" x 30"

J UDY W ALTERS judywaltersfineart.com | (606) 477-0877 CHARLESTON ARTIST | GUILD GALLERY | 160 E. BAY | SUITE 102 | CHARLESTON, SC PERSPECTIVE GALLERY | 1055 JOHNNIE DODDS BLVD | SUITE 50 | MT PLEASANT, SC

Photo by Holger Obenaus

YOUR DREAM HOME.

Coastal Real Estate Photography

Photo by Holger Obenaus

Photo by Holger Obenaus

Coastal Real Estate Photography

Photo by Holger Obenaus

DESIGNED AND DELIVERED. Throughout the Charleston area, the Custom Home division of our real estate company is changing the game on design-build. We’ve assembled, and manage for you, an elite team of architects, builders, interior designers, and landscapers with deep experience and expertise. Together, we take your ideas, needs, and style and bring your vision to life, delivering a home that is personalized to you. And if you don’t have one, we can find you the perfect homesite. Our streamlined process means you are in your home faster, with less stress, and more for your money.

Are you ready?

DISCOVER MORE

Michelle Almeyda-Wiedemuth Custom Home Program Director Realtor® 2021 & 2022 Realtor of Distinction 843.818.3628 mwiedemuth@seabrookisland.com

Simpatico GALLERY Boston, MA

Charleston, SC

by Josh Jensen

by Michel Calvet

by Sholeh Janati

by Bridgette Martin

Where Energy Meets Creativity.

63 Broad Street, Charleston SC 29401 843-478-4537

by Bridgette Martin

Lowcountry Blues by Ann Schwartz 84”h x 72”w, 0il with mixed media on canvas

www.simpaticogalleries.com

We create the most exceptional concrete elements in the world

Residential Commercial Custom Hardscapes Architectural Features

hartstonetile.com

Reputation Matters.

Greenville's Choice for Luxury Real Estate From the mountains and lakes, to downtown living, golf communities and more…

We're Everywhere™

WILSON ASSOCIATES REAL ESTATE

Sharon Pearce Wilson President/Broker-In-Charge

213 E Broad St, Greenville, SC 29601 | wilsonassociates.net | 864-918-1140

FRENCH OAK

ARTIFICIAL TURF

888 - 735 - 3370

WWW.EUROPEANCO.COM

LVP

CARPET

Bespoke design for the most important rooms in your home. deliciouskitchens.com |

@deliciouskitchens | 843.901.1270

Dee Beard Dean fine art

“Marsh en Coleur” 60"x48" Oil

REPRESENTED BY: Pinkney Simons Fine Art Gallery | Anderson Fine Art Gallery | Santa Fe Trails Fine Art Gallery

Charleston, S.C. | 843-609-7523 | www.deebearddean.com

2214 Middle Street, Sullivan’s Island, SC 29482 (843) 883-9190 herlongarchitects.com

since 1986

Studio and Shop

Full Service Interior Design, Fine Furnishings, Gifts and Accessories

125 Pitt Street Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464 843-388-5431

www.katemilesdesign.com @katemilesdesign

Photos by Burton Photography

“Their Heart is Home” 16 x 20

“Return to the Dream” 12 x 16

“Morning Glory” 16 x 12

“Time to Remember” 24 x 18

“ T H E

A R T

O F

I N S P I R A T I O N ”

T E R B U S H “Come into the light” Masterlight Fine Art Publishing

For gallery locations and representation please call Dale Terbush at 602-740-9977.

daleterbush@cox.net • 602-740-9977 • www.daleterbushart.com

STUDIO

rspitz.studio@gmail.com | 864-616-4986 | rickspitzstudio.com

Rana Jordahl Fine Art ranajordahl.com Lowcountry Artists Gallery | 148 East Bay Street Charleston, SC | 843-577-9295 | ranajordahl_fineart

Spirited home furnishings grounded in the fundamentals of Italian design Discover More At CavallettoHome.com

Italian Heart, American Soul Discover More At CasaIspirata.com

Modern Elegance Meets Historic Charm

I

1395 Madison Court Renovation in Mount Pleasant

magine the perfect home that offers ample space for both large family get togethers and intimate gatherings, surrounded by sophisticated and unmatched luxury and comfort. Insert: 1395 Madison Court in the highly desirable Mount Pleasant neighborhood of Brickyard Plantation. The owner, a renowned interior designer, seamlessly combined Lowcountry sophistication with French modernity, and created a welcoming atmosphere for today’s families. This home offers almost 3,700 square feet of flexible living space including four bedrooms and three- and one-half bathrooms. Boasting high-end finishes and meticulous attention to detail, this home features imported marble with remarkable veining throughout the home, custom cabinetry and trim detailing, imported lighting fixtures, and an impressive primary bedroom with enviable ensuite and its own private balcony overlooking the pool and pond.

Upon entering, you’ll be greeted by a commissioned mural in the dining room, combining Southern marshes and Central Park scenery, setting the tone for elegant entertaining.

The foyer’s wood floors mimic marble, reminiscent of historic homes South of Broad. The living room is equally impressive with a marble bar, custom-

built features, and hidden tambour paneled jib doors leading to the primary retreat. A four-season sunroom offers pool views, ideal for family activities or relaxation. The gourmet chef’s kitchen showcases a marble floating shelf, high-end appliances and ample prep and eating space.

Entertaining is bountiful with two upper level decks and an expansive first floor patio area with five total outdoor living spaces including the full front porch. 1395 Madison Court is a home designed with the modern family in mind, offering contemporary amenities and versatile spaces. It’s a testament to exquisite craftsmanship and luxury, showcasing the finest materials and finishes throughout.

This home is exclusively listed, staged and marketed by Broker-inCharge, Jen McConnell. Jen is a Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist with the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing and has received their Million Dollar Guild Award for her home sales over $1,000,000. Jen received the prestigious South Carolina Women in Business Award in 2022 and has been featured on HGTV, Southern Living, and is a Top 40 Under 40 through Charleston Real Producers.

She also runs a non-profit, The McConnell Foundation, which raises funds for pediatric cancer research.

Concierge Real Estate Services | www.chsestates.com | (843) 300-7585

Jen McConnell

Photo by Holger Obenaus

Home Photos by Keen Eye Marketing

To Learn More Visit 1395madisoncourt.com

Timeless Style • Extraordinary Design

Photo by Leigh Webber

Photo by Holger Obenaus

Godley Residence

Jennifer Patterson

NEW HOME CONSTRUCTION · RENOVATION · RESORT DESIGN · HISTORIC PRESERVATION 630 A Johnnie Dodds Boulevard | Mount Pleasant, SC | 843-856-3991 | Terradesignsinteriors.com

Join us Saturdays 3-6PM for Cava, Conversation, and New Styles

I ONCE WA S AN HERMÈS SCARF

I ONCE WA S A GUCCI SCARF

377 king street, charleston @respokeofficial | respoke.com martha’s vineyard | nantucket | provincetown | southampton

COM E FO R A COFFEE. STAY F O R T H E CO NV ERS ATIO N.

Find Us Stop by Iola Modern for a tour of the showroom and enjoy an espresso on us, and if you love modern design as much as we do, welcome home y’all.

Tel 843.225.5460

@iolamodern

iolamodern.com

M O D E RN D ESI G N F U RNI TURE L IG H TI NG O U TDO O RS

3169 W. Montague Ave.

BEST OF THE SEASON + YEAR ROUND RESORT

44a Spring Street Charleston, SC 29403 IG @harperhartfordboutique www.harperandhartford.com

64b Boat House Street Bluffton, SC 29910 IG: simonepalmettobluff www.simoneatpalmettobluff.com

Photographer: Mira Adwell, @miraadwell_photo | Creative Direction: Lisa Jean Walsh, @whowhatoui

Our goal is to help you pursue yours. It’s that simple.

At Merrill, we’ll help you get ready for the future with a financial approach that’s designed for you.

Saad Vannatta & Associates Merrill Lynch Wealth Management 75 Port City Landing Suite 500 Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 843.800.6800 fa.ml.com/svgroup

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (also referred to as “MLPF&S” or “Merrill”) makes available certain investment products sponsored, managed, distributed or provided by companies that are affiliates of Bank of America Corporation (“BofA Corp.”). MLPF&S is a registered broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, Member SIPC and a wholly owned subsidiary of BofA Corp.

Investment products: Are Not FDIC Insured Are Not Bank Guaranteed May Lose Value © 2023 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved.

MAP5514095 | AD-08-23-0780 | 470948PM-0223 | 09/2023

CELEBRATING

our

29th

year

Photo by Ellis Creek Photography

Creating Exceptional Architecture

www.hueyarchitect.com | ph. 843.805.6700 | Charleston

CELINA VOELKER Senior Designer

Photos by Jonathan Boncek

LET’S GET CREATIVE!

UP CYCLING AND REPURPOSING FOR A SPACE THAT INSPIRES YOU organicloveinterior@gmail.com • 843-209-2368 • organicloveinteriordesign.com @organicloveinterior

Organic Love Interior Design

organicloveinterior

Attention to detail... only a family builder can provide.

rmbuck.com

Custom Luxury Homes Renovation Property Management

843.559.1155

MAKE EVERY DAY A VACATION AT HOME!

Photo by Holger Obenaus

AQUATICAPOOLSANDSPAS.COM • (843) 212-0014 RESIDENTIAL | COMMERCIAL | DESIGN | BUILD | REMODEL | SERVICE | LANDSCAPE

7389 Industry Drive | North Charleston, SC 29418

INTERIOR DESIGN SHOWROOM OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

VISIT OUR SHOWROOM TODAY.

100s of Wallpaper and Fabric Samples, Always Designers on the Floor

843.971.1491 629 Johnnie Dodds Blvd.

Unit 100 | Mt. Pleasant

Mon-Sat | 10-6pm deGuiseInteriors.com @deguiseinteriors

STRICKLAND FINE ART

Shimmering Marsh 36 x 48

stricklandfineart.com 843-224-3868

art_danielstrickland | stricklandfineart@gmail.com Represented by Perspective Gallery 1055 Johnnie Dodds Blvd, Suite 50 Mount Pleasant, SC

Art Harbor 914 Front Street Georgetown, SC

Backyard Resort

• Easy & Automated

• Water- & Energy-Efficient • Saltwater Purification

# 1 - R a n ke d P o o l Buildeearr in Americ a !

—9 y

s i n a ro

10 0 % Financing oac

DESIGN CENTER & 3 DISPLAY POOLS

843.552.6000

Free brochure, complete estimate & 3-D design concept

Lic. #G116057

w—

M .P. DEMETRE JEWELERS HISTORIC DOWNTOWN CHARLESTON | 253 KING STREE T

sheltercustombuiltliving.com • 843.471.1833

Multi-PRISM Award Winner GuildQuality Guildmaster Named one of the 50 Best Modern Home Builders in the United States Named the Top 10 Custom Home Builder in South Carolina Named one of the Best Construction Companies in South Carolina

photography by: Newport653

Designing beautifully innovative, high-performance landscapes that engage people with the ecology of the place.

Landscape Architecture

PHONE 843.952.7817 WEB REMARKSTUDIOLLC.COM

DEWEES ISLAND

153 Dewees Inlet Drive, Dewees Island, SC

A deep water home on a private island.

Dewees Island is a unique private, 1200 acre barrier island located just a few miles north of historic Charleston, South Carolina.

At the end of 60 miles of protected parkland, Dewees is a community within a conservation easement, protected in perpetuity. It offers sanctuary in miles of private beaches and marsh with unparalleled opportunities to enjoy wildlife, and immerse yourself in the peace and tranquility of the natural beauty of the Lowcountry. oceanfront beaches to wander alone • environmentally committed community • open spaces to grace your days

Deweesislandsc.com

An oasis of privacy

Your private dockage

Designer appliances for the chefs

Photos by Holger Obenaus Drone photos by Hayne Rawls with HomeToursSC

Luxury baths throughout

Welcoming family comfort

Andrew Robertson, MBA, MS

Broker In Charge | Robertson Team Real Estate 843-513-7309 | andrew@robertsonteamrealestate.com

www.robertsonteamrealestate.com

Photos by Patrick Brickman

INTERIOR DESIGN | QUICK SHIP & CUSTOM UPHOLSTERY

Alex Fleuren

Owner, Lead Designer

Instagram @designafi

FINE RUGS | WINDOW & WALL COVERINGS

ALEXANDRE FLEUREN INTERIORS

Charleston’s Established Master Design Studio 2447 N Hwy 17, Suite 100 | Mt. Pleasant, SC 843.284.6104 | DESIGNAFI.COM

Douglas & Montaldo’s Furs A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE

Couture Furs and Luxury Outerwear

DOUGLASFURS.COM

3400 Latrobe Dr. Charlotte, NC 28211 (704) 333-5161 | douglasmontaldos@gmail.com

STORAGE | APPRAISALS | CLEANING | CONSIGNMENT | REPAIRS | RESTYLING

145 KING STREET · CHARLESTON 803.553.4555 WWW.ROBYNBRANCHDESIGN.COM

PHOTOS BY: ZEKE RUELAS

AMELIA ISLAND · CHARLESTON · CHARLOT TE

Featuring Dr. Matthew Baker SERVICES PROVIDED Breast Surgery • Facial Surgery Body Surgery • Injectables Dr. Baker’s guiding principles of anatomical restoration and aesthetic rejuvenation have allowed him to reveal the underlying natural beauty of each patient with a customized, patient-specific surgical strategy.

“I truly enjoy the process of getting to know my patient’s goals and desires, and then creating an individualized operative plan with them. It has always been a privilege and an honor to participate in the patient’s journey and to restore a sense of confidence in my patients.”

THE H/K/B WAY

A UNIQUE PATIENT EXPERIENCE The H/K/B Way is a collaborative effort between all of our physicians and staff.

Together, we are committed to providing our patients with state-of-the-art procedures, best-in-class surgical technology, and the most advanced methods for ensuring not just optimal results, but also optimal recovery periods. The mission of H/K/B? To provide the best possible experience of cosmetic surgery to each of our patients, whether they’re seeking a tummy tuck, a facelift, a breast augmentation, or simply an injectable filler.

H/K/B Huntersville, NC 11208 Statesville Rd. Huntersville, NC 28078 H/K/B Charlotte, NC – Dilworth 220 East Blvd. Suite 200A Charlotte, NC 28203 H/K/B Chapel Hill, NC 55 Vilcom Center Dr., Suite 310 Chapel Hill, NC 27514

H/K/B Charlotte, NC – South Park 4625 Piedmont Row Dr. Suites 135B Charlotte, NC 28210 H/K/B Concord, NC 398 Copperfield Blvd. NE Concord, NC 28025

H/K/B Greensboro, NC 1591 Yanceyville St., Suite 100 Greensboro, NC H/K/B Knoxville, TN 109 S. Northshore Dr., Suite 101 Knoxville, TN 37929

H/K/B Mt. Pleasant, SC – Charleston 1205 Two Island Ct. #203 Mount Pleasant, SC 29466 H/K/B Dallas, TX 10743 Preston Rd. Dallas, TX 75230

Explore your options today at hkbsurgery.com

hkbsurgery.com

An elevated look for modern living

Photo by Tori Lancaster

CLEOD Glass+Works specializes in custom lighting and architectural glass for every environment. Founder and Designer James McLeod offers a full service design package where clients can realize their ideas from conception to completion.

3 Broad Street | Charleston SC 29401 | 843-789-4031

@cleodglassworks | cleodglassworks.com

Deep in the Forest Julia Gallagher

Angel in the Garden Belle Anderson

Firefly Forest DebbieGrogenFineArt.org

BEACH GIRL

by Gwen Marcus –Bronze –12 ¾"x 4 ½" x 5"

Preening #6 Yvonne L. Rousseau

Once Upon an Eclipse Kay Biliosy

Scratch Scores Beverly Brunswig

Turtles Two Batik Jan Dalton

Up Close and Personal LauraCodyArtStudio.com

Congested Sally Accetta

Misty Lake William Newby

Red Rock River Sheila Roush

Let’s Dance Sonnet Olsen

BEACH GIRL

by Gwen Marcus –Bronze –12 ¾"x 4 ½" x 5"

Off We Go Renee Bruce

Alexandra II www.maniscalcogallery.com

Fishin’ Larry Alexis

Starry Night Chris Kinon

Colors in the Wind Judy Jacobs

Open: Sun-Thurs 10-5 | Friday-Saturday 12-8 843-871-0297 | 420 Nexton Square Drive | Summerville, SC 29486 | artists@artonthesquare.gallery

HOLGER OBENAUS PHOTOGRAPHY

Listen to Your Dreams

8 4 3 -76 8 - 3 8 0 0 E S TA B L I S H E D 1 9 8 2

K I A W A H

and We’ll Listen to You

W W W. C A M E N S A R C H I T E C T U R A L G R O U P. C O M 4 0 Y E A R S O F S PA C I O U S D E TA I L E D A R C H I T E C T U R E

I S L A N D

V A I L

L A K E

P L A C I D

Photo by Holger Obenaus

Photo by Holger Obenaus

Photo by Holger Obenaus

Photo by Caitlin Antje

Photo by Caitlin Antje

BUILDING OUR CHARLESTON TOGETHER

@kingandsocietyconstruction | www.kingandsocietyconstruction.com

Photo by Holger Obenaus

1012 Ewall St Unit B, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464 | (843) 388-4674

“The Roaring Finish” 36 x 36 Oil on Canvas by Pakan Penn

Mary Martin Gallery of Fine Art 103 Broad Street Charleston, SC 29401 (843) 723-0303

143 East Bay Street Charleston, SC 29401 (843) 818-3545

“Bartenders Guide” 36 x 36 Mixed media on canvas by Ash Almonte

“Twilight Cove” 48 x 36 Oil on Canvas by Mario Jung

“Pacific Parrotlets” 30 x 30 Oil on Canvas by Ron Di Scenza

“Kiawah Sunset” 24 x 36 Oil on Canvas by John White

“Anticipating Autumn” 24 x 24 Oil on Aluminum by Trish Weeks

“Friends In June” 40 x 30 Acrylic on Canvas

by Hessam Abrishami

www.marymartinart.com

Design

IS OUR LANGUAGE

RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL

Photos by Timeless Memories Studio

C H A R L E S TO N

SUMTER

M T. P L E A S A N T

Hours by appointment

SA N M I G U E L D E A L L E N D E , M X

Photo by Sean Reagan Photography

803.773.8083 nndsincsc@gmail.com

nicolenorrisdesign.com

Photo by Aleece Sophia

Bringing out your best, both inside and out.

At Koniver Aesthetics we believe that great health and great skin work in tandem and our goal is to bring out your best both inside and out.

This philosophy underlies everything we do at Koniver Aesthetics. Whether you are a client at our Charleston, SC, med spa, joining us for a virtual consultation, or perusing our online boutique— we are committed to delivering world-class skincare advice, innovative treatments, and clinically proven products hand-picked by our team of top clinical providers and aestheticians.

Book a consultation today to start your own journey to great skin.

Now we have two locations to serve you! Come visit us at our new downtown location at The Jasper, conveniently located within the Ashley Artisan Suites, 110, 121, and 123.

320 BROAD STREET SUITE 110, 121 & 123, CHARLESTON, SC

1470 TOBIAS GADSON SUITE 100A CHARLESTON, SC

koniveraesthetics.com 843-405-5906 @KONIVERAESTHETICS

(843) 856-3430 @ S3h e p p a r5 d c6 o n-s t3 ruction ( 8 (4 8 4 3) ) 88 56-3 430 4 3 0 S H E P PA R D B U I LT. C O M

n sc t ro u cn t is on @@SShh eeppp apr dacrod truc S H E P PA R D B U I LT. C O M S H E P PA R D B U I LT. C

ction COM

ST R U CT UR E S | A L AIR

Photos by Holger Obenaus

Photos by Holger Obenaus

Bridging the outside world to the intimate life of home

Photo by Holger Obenaus

info@charlestonbedswing.com • 843.323.7004 www.originalcharlestonbedswing.com Showings By Appointment Only

Corcoran has the key to South Carolina’s first city.

Corcoran HM Properties has arrived in Charleston.

CHAR L E S T O N, S C | 8 4 3 . 998. 7 6 8 6 | C O R C O R A N . C O M / C O R C O R A N -H M - P R O P E RTI E S ©2022 Corcoran Group LLC. All rights reserved. Corcoran® and the Corcoran Logo are registered service marks owned by Corcoran Group LLC. Corcoran Group LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each franchise is independently owned and operated.

Patricia R. Huff patriciarhuff.com patriciarhuff.gallery

404-245-5766 patbillhuff@earthlink.net

“Glorious Sunset” 24" X 30" Oil on Canvas

Pioneer and Friend A Lowcountry Artist’s Gallery Exhibit

Patsy Tidwell

pattitidwell@aol.com | patsytidwellpainton.com Lowcountry Artist’s Gallery 148 East Bay St., Charleston, SC

November 1-30, 2023

Work by Patsy Tidwell Painton and Carolyn Epperly

“Wicker Thrones” watercolor 25" x 20" Won 1st place in 2022 South Carolina Watermedia National Exhibition

Carolyn Epperly

carolynepperly@gmail.com | carolynepperly.com Lowcountry Artist’s Gallery 148 East Bay St., Charleston, SC

Uprising

Glory Song

Alice Dobbin Fine Art

Habersham Sunset Represented by Lowcountry Artists Gallery 148 East Bay Street Charleston, SC 843-577-9295 lowcountryartists.com

Thibault Gallery 815 Bay Street Beaufort, SC 843-379-4278 thibaultgallery.com

Seaside Art Gallery

2716 S. Virginia Dare Trail Nags Head, NC 800-828-2444 seasideart.com

www.alicedobbin.com

MOKE Low Speed Vehicles

The Lowcountry’s Dealer for Electric Recreational Vehicles SIPA Powered Paddle Boards

KAASpeed Scooters

RADINN Jetboards

Paddle with friends, explore your town or surf without waves. Call Carolina Rides today and learn more about the most exciting lineup of electric vehicles in the Lowcountry. ®

c a ro l i n a r i d e s . c o m | (8 4 4) 3 7 8 -6 6 5 3

Photos by Holger Obenaus

THE MEGGETT BED COMPANY Come hang with us Give us a shout 843-323-8851 or email rik@themeggettbedcompany.com.

WE WANT YOU IN OUR BEDS! Custom orders are always welcome as are designers, contractors, and developers.

WWW.THEMEGGETTBEDCOMPANY.COM

Jenan McClain |

Jenan

McClain Poetic Painter

jenanmcclain.com

ARLENE

Salmon FINE ART

ARLENE

Salmon FINE ART

Represented by: Perspective Gallery | 1055 Johnnie Dodds Blvd, Suite 50, Mt Pleasant, SC | 843-800-5025

arlene@arlenesalmon.com | arlenesalmon.com |

ArleneSalmonFine.Art

W hile visiting, bring home a memory that lasts forever.

Above: "Kiawah Wave" (Detail), pastel on paper 20 x 60 inches | Opposite: "Ocean Rhythm", pastel on paper, 16 x12 inches

Amy Rogers

OWNER BROKER IN CHARGE

REALTOR OF DISTINCTION amy@iop-residential.com 843-824-4892

Living and Selling the Lowcountry Lifestyle As Seen on

IOP RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE www.iop-residential.com

iop-residential.com | 843-242-8883 | amy@iop-residential.com

Luxury Living on Isle of Palms, Breathtaking Ocean View 4 51st Avenue, Isle of Palms – $7,150,000 6 BEDROOMS, 7 BATHS, 6,313 SQUARE FEET LISTED BY AMY ROGERS 843-824-4892

1100 Palm Blvd. 2C | Isle of Palms, SC 29451

THE LOWCOUNTRY’S BEST PRE-OWNED RVS

We purchase RVs from the public

6475 N Hwy 17 Awendaw, SC 29429

843-478-4919

Photo by Holger Obenaus

Locally owned and operated Minutes from Charleston

PREOWNED RV SALES | RV SERVICE | RV EDUCATION

READY FOR YOUR NEXT ADVENTURE

bestpreownedrvsofsc.com

Photo by Galina Juliana

Relaunching Spring 2024 Contact Quentin Senise, Publisher, today at

404-430-0888 asdmag@icloud.com

We Purchase Estate Jewelry Our specialties include:

Photos by Holger Obenaus

Conveniently located beside the Mount Pleasant Towne Center and between Lowes and Aspen Dental.

Luxury pre-owned watches Expert jewelry repair Watch services Appraisals Custom design Silver, gold and platinum bullion

Luxury at It’s Finest THINK OUTSIDE THE JEWELRY BOX!

1799 N Hwy 17 Unit A | Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464 (843) 216-5788 | luxeje.com

PHOTOGRAPHY

Represented by

Christopher Martin Gallery Aspen | Dallas | Houston | Vail MitalPatelPhoto.com

Where Love, Hope &

Two Locations to Serve You Heavens Marketplace Mount Pleasant 2521 N Highway 17 Mount Pleasant, SC 29466 (854) 854-0486 Heavens Marketplace Barefoot Landing 4848 Highway 17 S North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582 (843) 712-2067

@heavensmarketplacesc

Décor • Furniture • Candles • Jewelry • Clothing & Accessories

Dreams are Made!

Photo by Holger Obenaus

heavensmarketplace.com

Faith Inspired & Locally Made Products • Food • So Much More!

334 on the cover

>>>

Camens Architectural Group PHOTOGRAPH BY HOLGER OBENAUS

F E AT U R E S

334 Human Nature Marc Camens blends classical and contemporary architecture for a fresh take on traditional Kiawah Island design

350 Creekside Delight A new home on Nowell Creek maximizes the indoor-outdoor connection

366 Collective Soul Interior designer Beverly Bohan incorporates a lifetime of treasures into a new, contemporary Daniel Island home

380 Forever and a Day A coastal cottage reinvigorated with timeless Southern furnishings is fitting quarters for a multigenerational meetup

394 350

126 C H A R L E STO N ST Y L E & D E S I G N

Arts Top artists and galleries

294 KING STREET (CORNER OF KING & SOCIETY) | 843-723-8603 | MDUMASANDSONS.COM | PARKING VALIDATED

192 Turning the Designer Scarf Industry on Its Heels Respoke reimagines designer scarves into espadrilles, clothing and more

192

198 More Than Skin Deep Charleston Aesthetics helps clients get to the root of skincare issues with science-based products and treatments

202 Comfort and Style Dear Lucy offers on-trend women’s shoes that are the perfect mix of cute

186

LIFESTYLE

160 Fabulous Fur Douglas Furs has been storing, cleaning and restyling fur and

and comfortable

176 A Signature Act Charleston has been waiting for someone exactly like Ken Festa

180

208 The Art of Anticipation Marjorie Stephenson is expert at helping clients attain their real estate goals

212 One Treatment

cashmere since 1946

It Takes Two

166

A collaboration between

at a Time

McConnell Real Estate

A power couple brings a wealth of health care

An Artist’s Perspective

Partners and Artalia Interiors reimagines a Mount Pleasant

knowledge to their clientele

Vision, intuition and creative

home, ready for a new family

218

problem-solving in real estate

170

186

This Is Albariño

Forever Florals

Country

Laura Ashley introduces

The best examples of

Inside and Out

new and refreshed prints

this varietal reflect their

It’s not just what you

for the home as it celebrates

Atlantic origins in

wear but what you do

70 years in business

Spain’s Rías Baixas

Feeling Beautiful

128 C H A R L E STO N ST Y L E & D E S I G N

Coastal Copper

Custom Handcrafted Lighting... Inspired by Nature, Created by Artisans www.coastalcopper.com | lighting@coastalcopper.com | 843-696-7560

256 At Home in Charleston Vignette settles in on Broad Street

262 The Wonders of Nature Artist Alice Dobbin wields a lifetime of creative exploration to share a love of animals and nature with viewers

268

170

For the Beauty of the Earth Artist Dale Terbush paints vivid, romanticized skyscapes anchored

by dramatic landscapes

274 Capturing the Mood of the Moment Impressionist painter Helli Luck immerses herself en plein air to reveal the poetics of place

280

238

One Company, Two

238 DESIGN

The Big Picture Specializing in large paintings by contemporary artists from

Distinctive Brands This furniture company is grounded in the fundamentals of Italianinfluenced design and craftsmanship

146

around the globe, Simpatico

286

Gallery is making a sizeable

Design Trends

impact with local art lovers

An Art Lover’s Paradise

Fabulous finds

226

Island Art Gallery celebrates

244

10 years as an artist-owned gallery

The Backyard Resort

in the heart of Pawleys Island

Aquatica Pools & Spas

292

Iola Modern brings furniture

helps homeowners create a customized luxury oasis

Inspired Design

from around the world to Charleston’s doorstep

250

Modern Mecca

232

Safeguarding

From the Big Apple to the Holy City, Chez Lissette offers classic design with a modern, edgy twist

298

From the Wings

Against Stains

From art lover to gallerist,

Fiber-Seal of The Lowcountry

Design Stories

Mary Martin’s art empire

protects fabrics and removes

Organic Love weaves tales through

continues to grow

stains in the area’s finest homes

sustainable design practices

130 C H A R L E STO N ST Y L E & D E S I G N

visit our new boutique at the charleston place hotel

a new ike behar experience coming in 2024

322

DESIGN

304 Blooming Beauties Liliana Maya’s nature-inspired paintings showcase the best of Lowcountry landscapes

310

292

A Sense of Place Embedded in the Charleston arts scene, artist and gallerist Rana Jordahl has found her piece of the puzzle

316 A Relationship With Water Arlene Salmon creates intimate portraits of waves and water

322 A Reputation Written in

226

Stone and Porcelain Universal Marble & Granite believes in the power of marble and granite to transform every space

328 Vibrant Views Rebecca Croft brings her

310

brand of brightness to Lowcountry landscapes

132 C H A R L E STO N ST Y L E & D E S I G N

Complete Outdoor Living and Design for the Lifestyle of Your Dreams

Photo by Holger Obenaus

843-216-0006 Mt. Pleasant • 843-815-3663 Bluffton 497 La Mesa Rd, Suite H, Mt. Pleasant, SC

• 70 Pennington Drive Suite #15, Bluffton, SC

FREE SIDE BURNER WITH KITCHEN INSTALL

palmettooutdoorkitchens.com

publisher’s letter

PHOTOGRAPH BY EVAN LAETTNER

T

his issue is all about blending styles . Our four Homes features are a great example: Architect Marc Camens blends classical and contemporary architecture for a fresh take on a 5,000-square-foot, coastal shingle-style home on Kiawah Island. Interior designer Beverly Bohan incorporates a lifetime of treasures into a new, contemporary Daniel Island home. Custom builder Steven Kendrick of Structures | Alair blends outdoor and indoor living on a new build in the gated community of Beresford Hall on Nowell Creek, and the folks at Southeastern Galleries reinvigorated a coastal

cottage with timeless Southern furnishings.

The results are absolutely stunning.

Also inside the magazine, you will find a variety of local businesses to discover.

Though there is not enough space to mention them all here, you will find everything from fashion and skincare to real estate, entertainment, art, interior design, retail furnishings, home design and so much more.

Speaking of blending … though this is our Fall issue, it is also our holiday issue, as this magazine will be on newsstands through the New Year. With the holidays around the corner, the amazing businesses highlighted in this issue, along with our Design Trends section, make for great holiday gift ideas.

For those on your list who love antiaging or beauty, be sure to read about Charleston Aesthetics and Koniver Aesthetics. For the fashion lovers in your life, you are certain to find something at Respoke, Dear Lucy, Douglas Furs, Finicky Filly, Vignette and Laura Ashley. Or, for a romantic night in, pop open a bottle of Albariño (see the suggestions in our Wine column) and listen to the soothing sounds of local resident Ken Festa, leader of Singer 77 Productions. Another great holiday gift is artwork. Inside the magazine, you will discover artists and galleries such as Mary Martin Galleries, Helli Luck, Rana Jordhal, Liliana Maya, Alice Dobbin, Island Art Gallery, Arlene Salmon, Dale Terbush, Simpatico Gallery and Rebecca Croft. Be sure to let these businesses know you found them in the magazine.

The Charleston Style & Design team wishes you a wonderful holiday season!

—Quentin Senise Publisher

134 C H A R L E STO N ST Y L E & D E S I G N

Be ready No Bars. No Springs. No Sagging. when life unfolds.

COMFORT SLEEPER BY AMERICAN LEATHER

Danco

CHARLESTON STYLE & DESIGN PUBLISHER Quentin Senise EDITOR Debra Kronowitz COPY EDITOR Jessica Manley ART DIRECTOR Lili Picou PRODUCTION EDITOR Kellie Frissell PHOTOGRAPHER Holger Obenaus

W W W. DA N C O H O M E . C O M 1035 Johnnie Dodds Blvd., Mt. Pleasant Open M-Sat.10am-5pm ph: 843.884.2256 e: sales@dancohome.com

Fashion Fabrics A Showplace for Everything Sewing

Over 30 Years of Keeping Charleston in Stitches

ADVERTISING SALES Quentin Senise CONTRIBUTORS Christina Andrews Helen Gregory Robin Howard Christiana Lilly Liesel Schmidt Bill Thompson Leslie J. Thompson Dana W. Todd Ellen Uribe PRESIDENT Quentin Senise ADVERTISING SALES publisher7@bellsouth.net 843.754.1211

Address: Charleston Style & Design P.O. Box 20098 Charleston, SC 29413

Assorted Fabrics | Sewing Notions | Quilting Supplies | Sewing Machines & Repair Sewing Cabinets | Designer Software | Embroidery Supplies | Classes Berinina Authorized Service

280 W. Coleman Blvd. Suite C | Mt Pleasant, SC | Mon - Sat, 10am - 5pm | 843-884-5266

136 C H A R L E STO N ST Y L E & D E S I G N

Charleston Style & Design reserves the right to refuse advertisements for any reason. Acceptance of advertising does not mean or imply the services or product is endorsed or recommended

by Charleston Style & Design. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from Charleston Style & Design, LLC. Manuscripts, artwork, photographs, inquiries and submitted materials are welcome.

Visit us online at charlestonstyleanddesign.com

You create a lifetime full of moments. we craft your celebration Let’s start planning.

426 West Coleman Blvd. Ste A, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 | hello@yojevents.com | (843) 614-3413

Meghan Baskin Photo

@yojevents

Meghan Baskin Photo

Yoj Events

Meghan Baskin Photo

426 West Coleman Blvd., Suite A, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 info@charlestontuxedo.com 843.974.5938 www.charlestontuxedo.com

137 C H A R L E STO N ST Y L E & D E S I G N

E YO T WO SERV NOW IONS TO T LO C A

U!

CHARLESTON STYLE & DESIGN Reader Services CONTACT US You may contact us by mail, phone or email at: MAIL Charleston Style & Design P.O. Box 20098 Charleston, SC 29413

DISTINCTIVE GIFTS | BRIDAL REGISTRY · INVITATIONS · STATIONERY | FINE TABLEWARE | UNIQUE HOME ACCESSORIES

EVERYTHING FOR THE BRIDE EXCEPT THE DRESS 1055 Johnnie Dodds Blvd.

Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 (843) 352-2531

28 Windermere Blvd.

Charleston, SC 29407 (843) 414-7170 INTERNATIONAL QUALITY AND STYLE RIGHT HERE IN CHARLESTON

Mon-Sat 10AM to 6PM Closed Sundays | www.jeffreybannon.com

PHONE 843.754.1211 EMAIL publisher7@bellsouth.net PICK UP A COPY On newsstands in more than 250 Barnes & Noble stores nationwide and grocery chains from Florida to Maryland across the country to California.

SUBSCRIBE To subscribe to Charleston Style & Design, or if you have a question about your subscription, contact us by phone, mail, email or online. To change your address, please send both your old address and new address. The U.S. Post Office does not forward magazines.

TO ORDER BACK ISSUES If available, back issues may be purchased for $6 plus postage per copy. Contact us by phone or email.

EXPLORE OUR PAGES To learn more about our magazine, take a virtual tour and share links from current and past issues. Then join the conversation on Facebook.

INQUIRE AND SHARE IDEAS Would you like to write for us? Do you know of an individual, institution or business we should feature in our pages? Please contact the editor at editor@charlestonstyleanddesign.com.

138 C H A R L E STO N ST Y L E & D E S I G N

“

Jackie and Matt are an all-star team in every way.

Their deep relationships in the area helped us successfully navigate some complex challenges and their professionalism is top notch.

Matt and Jackie Scarafile: A Business Based on Referrals

”

Matt: 843.452.4050 Jackie: 843.327.4557 mattandjackie@carolinaone.com www.mattandjackiescarafile.com

Photo by Holger Obenaus

“A Taste of Fine Art” by David Richardson

“Eagle Fishing South Carolina Waters” 18 x 24 Acrylic

“Egret At Edisto Beach” 21.75 x 17.75 Acrylic

a-taste-of-fine-art-by-david-richardson.business.site | atasteoffinearts01@gmail.com | 843-609-0464

139 C H A R L E STO N ST Y L E & D E S I G N

Mindset - Movement - Connection Connect with our community via monthly events and quarterly retreats.

Katie Heatley Photography

Aleece Sophia Photography

We curate personal wellness experiences that blend science and data based health and wellness approaches with the mindset and emotional tools needed to support one’s overall health. This process creates a clear path that allows you to overcome limited belief systems and step into your potential.

140 C H A R L E STO N ST Y L E & D E S I G N

843.640.9111 MeganLund.com

The Exchange Company | 49 Calhoun Street | Charleston, SC 29401 C: 843-607-4330 | sarahellen@theexchangeco.com | sarahellenlacke.com

Sarah Ellen Lacke

141 C H A R L E STO N ST Y L E & D E S I G N

Marie Pohlman | Your Charleston Area Real Estate Specialist Charleston Realtor of Distinction | www.TheLowcountryRealtor.com Marie.Pohlman@CBCarolinas.com | 843-819-4101 @MarieSellsTheLowcountry.com @Marie_TheLowcountryRealtor

What is a “Southern Surcee”?

An unexpected and thoughtful gift.

Photo by Aleece Sophia

Check out our new gift collections — Microfiber/ Notepad sets, Tea Towel/ Notepad sets — we have the perfect $30 or $40 hostess gift, holiday gift, or Surcee.

PLEASE VISIT OUR ONLINE BOUTIQUE www.painterlyhome.com 571-220-8678

Luxurious Pillows | Table Linens | Hand Towels | Home Accessories and Gifts painterlyhome

142 C H A R L E STO N ST Y L E & D E S I G N

www.painterlyhome.com

painterlyhomedecor

The Perfect One Stop Shop

976 Houston Northcutt Blvd, Suite B, Mount Pleasant | 843-388-5306 | @nellieandlo

Laurie knows theCharlestonMarket and the lifestyle you seek...

Successfully connecting people and property in the Tri-County since 2004

LAURIE LOPARO | 843-442-1290 laurieloparo@gmail.com | lauriesellscharleston.com | Palmetto Home Team

Gold Level Realtor of Distinction • Top 5% of MLS Agents • Carolina One Diamond Circle of Excellence

143 C H A R L E STO N ST Y L E & D E S I G N

BUYERS ONLY Charlotte is a great team player, good on her feet and very knowledgeable about the real estate market. She stuck with us and helped us find and purchase our dream of a deepwater lot with beautiful views in our price range. We couldn’t have done it without her expertise. Thank you Charlotte!

— Seabrook landbuyers

843.900.1322 Charlotte Lemon Exclusive Buyer’s Agent, The Real Buyer’s Agent www.CharlotteLemon.net | Charlotte@BuyersAgent.net

Proudly celebrating more than 20 years assisting Buyer-clients with their home & property purchases in greater Charleston.

Auctions, Appraisals, Art Conservation, and more.

We are here to help you with all of your estate needs!

843-327-0651 | charlestonestateservicesltd.com 498 Wando Park Boulevard, Suite 1100 Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

144 C H A R L E STO N ST Y L E & D E S I G N

Open the doors to your dream home

Molly holds the key to successful luxury home sales!

Carolina One Real Estate | REALTOR®

843-224-6294 | mramey@carolinaone.com | www.MollyRamey.com

for all your fresh... sandwiches salads gourmet brands grab & go frozen treats weekly meals

716 S Shelmore Boulevard #100 Mount Pleasant, SC 843.800.2311 @maddexmercantile

www.maddexmercantile.com

145 C H A R L E STO N ST Y L E & D E S I G N

D DESIGN TRENDS

FABULOUS FINDS M.P. DEMETRE JEWELERS

Classic “X” motif styles designed in two-tone with high-polished 18K gold, diamonds and full gold.

843.722.2073 demetrejewelers.com

IOLA MODERN

The Melt portable LED lamp, with its mesmerizing, melted orb shade and diffused light source, boasts a rechargeable battery for up to 10 hours of light.

Available in a wide range of finishes.

843.225.5460 iolamodern.com

TERRA DESIGNS

Using a traditional Turkish motif, this carnation design wallpaper is inspired by the beautiful needleworks of Central Asia.

843.856.3991 terradesignsinteriors.com

RHODES BOUTIQUE

The Tara occasional chair with cushions by Dovetail is made of bent bamboo and rattan in a natural finish; cotton-covered cushions included.

843.225.5244 rhodesboutique.com

146 C H A R L E STO N ST Y L E & D E S I G N

REINERT FINE ART & SCULPTURE GARDEN GALLERY

Laura Teste’s Sea of Sun is one of the three Sea Sisters.

Each figure engages with the seashore through a unique point of view. The seashore’s trinity of elements—waves, wind and sun— manifest as stamina, muse and brilliance in this series.

843.694.2445 reinertfineart.com

RESPOKE

Respoke antique piano stool upholstered with a Gucci silk scarf.

Respoke repurposes iconic designer silk scarves into one-of-a-kind products.

843.642.8833 respoke.com

LAURA ASHLEY

Relish every relaxing moment with these vintage-inspired Laura Ashley gin glasses.

Featuring an elegant shell shape, the set of four green glasses will make a stunning addition to the kitchen, bar or dining room.

855.396.6100 lauraashleyusa.com

CAVALLETTO HOME

Sawhorse is an homage to the centuriesold techniques and traditions of Italian Alpine cabinetmakers.

Featuring oak veneers and standing proudly on the collection’s hallmark oversize dovetail base, the Sawhorse sideboard is a study in symmetry and purposeful elegance.

407.917.7753 cavallettohome.com

>>>

147 C H A R L E STO N ST Y L E & D E S I G N

LUXE JEWEL EXCHANGE

Designer 18K yellow-gold bezel multi-stone 30-inch necklace.

843.216.5788 luxeje.com

COASTAL COPPER

The Wood Dale steel wall-mounted lantern has a wall bracket and top curl in matte black powder coat, with lantern body in medium patina finish. Available in gas or electric application, and in the size and finish of your choice.

843.696.7560 coastalcopper.com

DEGUISE INTERIORS

The Robbie pendant is a refined take on rattan lighting.

Accented with skylight agate, it is available in two sizes and is a beautiful piece in any living space.

843.971.1491 deguiseinteriors.com

>>> 148 C H A R L E STO N ST Y L E & D E S I G N

CASA ISPIRATA

Understated yet commanding bent plywood shelter headboards define the beds of the Continental collection.

Available in three finishes: brunette, argento and lino bianco. The brunette and argento versions of the Continental bed feature a starburst primavera veneer.

407.917.7753 casaispirata.com

ORIGINAL CHARLESTON BEDSWING

Original Charleston Bedswing offers the ideal cozy retreat for a porch or living area—a place to relax and enjoy the comfort of your home.

843.323.7004 originalcharlestonbedswing.com

LUXE JEWEL EXCHANGE

Vintage Hidalgo 18K yellow-gold ruby and green enamel frog earrings are unique and whimsical.

843.216.5788 luxeje.com

DOUGLAS FURS

Cashmere cape with crystal fox made with Loro Piana fabric.

704.333.5161 dhmfurs.com

SOUTHERN STRING SUPPLY

This Jean-Pierre Lupot cello from Eastman Strings has a discreetly embedded pickup and output jack.

Perfect for the advanced acoustic musician who wants the versatility of an electric instrument as well.

843.276.9239 southernstringsupply.com

149 C H A R L E STO N ST Y L E & D E S I G N

CAROLINA RIDES

Self-inflating, lightweight and designed to travel, SipaBoards are equipped with a SipaDrive jet motor to help you go further, tackle currents and return safely.

844.378.6653 carolinarides.com

DANCO HOME

From innovative connected headboards with built-in charging stations to unique nightstands that perform in magical ways, the LINQ collection from BDI has reimagined what bedroom furniture can be.

843.884.2256 dancohome.com

FLOYD FINE ARTS

The limited-edition bronze sculpture Green Heron by Sandy Scott measures 11" x 13" x 10".

843.979.0149 floydfinearts.com

PAINTERLY HOME

Sweetgrass Baskets pillow from the Gallery Pillow Collection by artist Jennifer Black comes with down insert.

571.220.8678 painterlyhome.com

150 C H A R L E STO N ST Y L E & D E S I G N

CLEOD GLASSWORKS

Inspired by playful themes, the Bubble Bouquet chandelier is handblown with fine, layered ropes of glass to achieve uniqueness on each shade.

843.789.4031 cleodglassworks.com

RESPOKE

Respoke antique piano stool upholstered with an Hermès silk scarf.

Respoke repurposes iconic designer silk scarves into one-of-a-kind products.

843.642.8833 respoke.com

LAURA ASHLEY

Discover vintage charm with Laura Ashley’s Dandelion print.

Elegant Seaspray blue flowers on an off-white backdrop make a captivating statement. Effortlessly apply with a “Paste the Wall” application.

855.396.6100 lauraashleyusa.com

TERRA DESIGNS

With tightly woven faux wicker and modern updates on a Roman frame, this outdoor daybed is sure to be a favorite for lounging.

Measures 82"W x 36"D x 33"H. 843.856.3991 terradesignsinteriors.com

151 C H A R L E STO N ST Y L E & D E S I G N

EMBLER’S JEWELERS

14K yellow-gold opal necklace with a diamond halo.

843.216.7349 emblersjewelers.com

COASTAL COPPER

The Quebec copper wallmounted lantern has a top football finial, bottom ball and spinning, and water glass.

Available in gas or electric application, and in the size and finish of your choice.

843.696.7560 coastalcopper.com

DEGUISE INTERIORS

The Sorin vanity is completely customizable. The faux shagreen base comes in several sizes and finishes. The countertop is also available in several materials. All drawers are functional.

843.971.1491 deguiseinteriors.com

CASA ISPIRATA

The Cradle collection’s fluid wraparound silhouette is complemented by a curved seat that brings comfort to its contemporary aesthetic. Available in three finishes: brunette, argento and lino bianco, all upholstered with performance-treated fabrics.

407.917.7753 casaispirata.com

152 C H A R L E STO N ST Y L E & D E S I G N

LAURA ASHLEY

These artisan scalloped plates feature a unique glaze, organic shapes and handmade finishes. Laura Ashley’s classic prints meet modern style in this one-of-a-kind collection.

855.396.6100 lauraashleyusa.com

REINERT FINE ART & SCULPTURE GARDEN GALLERY

Sculptor Lorri Acott’s new Ode to Childhood is in bronze with patina.

Measures 32.5" x 21" x 9.5".

843.694.2445 reinertfineart.com

M.P. DEMETRE JEWELERS

Created exclusively for your Apple Watch, this watch bracelet is crafted from 18K-gold superfine caviar beading, diamonds and smooth sterling silver.

843.722.2073 demetrejewelers.com

SOUTHEASTERN GALLERIES

Inspired by an 18th-century Hickory original, this rustic, painted hoop back bench features a triple arched back with turned slats and arms with turned uprights; the shaped seat above has turned splayed legs.

843.556.4663 southeasterngalleries.com

153 C H A R L E STO N ST Y L E & D E S I G N

SOUTHEASTERN GALLERIES

This lamp features aged emerald green glazed porcelain with antique brass parts.

843.556.4663 southeasterngalleries.com

RHODES BOUTIQUE

The Milford chest by Chelsea House is a beautiful neutral gray and features a white bone inlay. This piece combines a fun pattern with a sophisticated color palette to make it the perfect addition to any space.

843.225.5244 rhodesboutique.com

ZINNIA

Fossilized shark teeth from Charleston Harbor are transformed into bracelets, earrings, rings and necklaces.

843.388.9433 shopzinnia.com

ZINN RUGS

This antique Nebati Kayseri was woven in Kayseri, Türkiye, using all hand-spun and vegetable-dyed wool. Measures 3'7" x 5'3".

843.834.2425 zinnruggallery.com

154 C H A R L E STO N ST Y L E & D E S I G N

RHODES BOUTIQUE

The sheaf of feathers ornamenting the classic shape of the Bette chandelier is a special design note, as is the brilliance of the Grecian gold-leaf finish on the wrought-iron frame.

This beautiful gold chandelier is cinched in the middle to make it a classic form.

843.225.5244 rhodesboutique.com

DOUGLAS FURS

Denim mink parka.

704.333.5161 dhmfurs.com

LUXE JEWEL EXCHANGE

This 18K yellow-gold ruby and diamond wide cigar band lets you be bold with jewelry that gets you noticed.

843.216.5788 luxeje.com

IOLA MODERN

The Grappa swivel chair by American Leather is truly a show-stopping lounge chair with its oversize boucle yarns that add softness and pop against its white background.

843.225.5460 iolamodern.com

155 C H A R L E STO N ST Y L E & D E S I G N

TERRA DESIGNS

Inspired by paper cutouts, Backdrop’s ‘White Lotus’ wallpaper in soft green offers a fresh take on a traditional botanical, featuring painterly, abstracted lotus forms silhouetted against a solid background for a graphic stripe effect.

843.856.3991 terradesignsinteriors.com

EMBLER’S JEWELERS

18K yellow-gold dangle earrings with a satin finish and diamonds set in the connecting pieces.

843.216.7349 emblersjewelers.com

DOUGLAS FURS

White mink cape jacket with sheared mink.

704.333.5161 dhmfurs.com

BACKYARD RETREATS

The Van Buren double glider is designed to withstand some of the harshest elements of nature. The gliding motion provides additional relaxation and comfort. Custom color combinations are available, including 26 poly colors and more than 100 fabric colors.

843.856.0049 backyardretreatssc.com

156 C H A R L E STO N ST Y L E & D E S I G N

THE MEGGETT BED COMPANY

Using only the finest hardwoods and hardware, these swing beds are built to last a lifetime. All sizes available.

843.323.8851 themeggettbedcompany.com

SOUTHERN STRING SUPPLY

An enchantingly rich sound is brought to life in this Galiano violin.

843.276.9239 southernstringsupply.com

M.P. DEMETRE JEWELERS

The OMEGA Seamaster Aqua Terra 34mm 18K Sedna gold and stainless steel ladies wristwatch is presented on a stainless steel bracelet with 18K Sedna gold links.

843.722.2073 demetrejewelers.com

ENCORE LUMBER

Harvested from the French Alps region, authentic French oak floors are available in multiple prefinished options.

843.974.5895 encorelumber.com

157 C H A R L E STO N ST Y L E & D E S I G N

DESIGN ON TAP

Line and curve. Plane and arc. The Allaria™ bath collection begins with simple forms. Alone each is unassuming, but combine the elements and a transformation occurs, creating an alluring force.

843.329.0661 creggercompany.com EMBLER’S JEWELERS

Green amethyst stone set in an 18K yellow-gold bezel frame and attached to a paperclip-style chain that measures 18 inches long.

843.216.7349 emblersjewelers.com

PAINTERLY HOME

This extensive table linen collection includes table runners, placemats and no-iron napkins in a wide variety of patterns and colors. Pattern shown is Fragment Key. 571.220.8678 painterlyhome.com

CAROLINA RIDES

Inspired by its British legacy, the electric Moke has become the definition of fun in the sun, with features and styling that set the standard for coastal vehicles.

844.378.6653 carolinarides.com

158 C H A R L E STO N ST Y L E & D E S I G N

ISLAND ART GALLERY

Hand-painted porcelain ornaments by artist Lisa Blayton.

843.314.0298 pawleysislandart.com

IOLA MODERN

FINICKY FILLY DESIGNS

This locally made red velvet clutch features an Hermès silk scarf. No two bags are alike. This one-of-a-kind bag is a work of art.

843.534.0203 thefinickyfilly.com

Due to the Beetle chair’s appealing design, outstanding comfort and unique customization possibilities, the dining chair can be seen in many of the finest homes and most renowned restaurants around the world.

843.225.5460 iolamodern.com

ZINN RUGS

The “hook” pattern, symbolizing harmony and togetherness, was woven as the main pattern of this antique rug from Kırşehir, Türkiye. Measures 3'10" x 6'5".

843.834.2425 zinnruggallery.com

159 C H A R L E STO N ST Y L E & D E S I G N

L LIFESTYLE

FURRIER

FABULOUS FUR

Douglas Furs has been storing, cleaning and restyling fur and cashmere since 1946

by DANA W. TODD

160 C H A R L E STO N ST Y L E & D E S I G N

“YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE. BUT IF YOU DO IT RIGHT, ONCE IS ENOUGH.” Mae West

Greenville’s finest metropolitan townhome community.

t he m c daniel. com

EXCLUSIVE AGENTS TO THE McDANIEL

W

“We always make time for helping our customers protect their fur investments and serve as a go-to resource for all things fur-related.”

162 C H A R L E STO N ST Y L E & D E S I G N

earing a fur jacket

or carrying a furtrimmed handbag is pure luxury. While fur is one of the warmest materials available, it’s also a stylish wardrobe addition. Fur clothing is an investment piece and a legacy item that can be passed down from generation to generation if it is properly cared for. Douglas Furs is the partner Charleston fur owners rely on to take care of their off-season storage, repair and reconditioning needs.

As a fifth-generation furrier, Gregory Albert of family-owned Douglas Furs works with customers throughout the Southeast to ensure their prized fur clothing is always in top shape. Since 1946, the company has provided the highest quality products and furrier services to its customers. Six times per year, Albert travels to luxury department store Gwynn’s of Mount Pleasant for several days at a time, serving Lowcountry fur owners from this base of operations. At this venue, he and his team sponsor a cold storage drop-off event, where they accept furs and cashmere clothing from customers that are transported back to a UL-certified, professional cold storage vault located on-site in Douglas Furs’ Charlotte store for repair, reconditioning, restyling and storage—whatever the customer needs.

Since furs must be stored in cold conditions, Douglas Furs’ vault is a valuable resource for Charleston fur owners, as the Lowcountry off-season produces high heat and humidity that is detrimental to keeping fur clothing in its best shape. “It’s important to store fur in a climate- and humiditycontrolled environment. Humidity dries out furs and ruins them, and moths and other insects love fur and cashmere,” says Albert.

“Our vaults maintain a temperature of 45 to 52 degrees Fahrenheit with low humidity, which is inhospitable to insects.”

Storing fur items improperly may cause irreversible damage when the leather under the hide cracks. Douglas Furs can prevent this problem by cleaning, glazing and reconditioning garments. This annual cleaning and conditioning process removes loose hair and odors and brings out the natural oils in the hide, redistributing it onto the fur so it remains pliable and lustrous.

During this process, a furrier can repair

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For customers who don’t yet own fur apparel or accessories, Douglas Furs has the largest inventory of new and pre-owned furs in North Carolina and South Carolina. This year, customers are in for a special treat when Douglas Furs makes one of its regular appearances at Gwynn’s of Mount Pleasant, October 24–26. For the first time in its history, the company will take orders to create custom-made garments using designer Loro Piana cashmere imported from Italy. It’s a chance for customers to get exactly the luxury coat, cape, vest, scarf, hat or accessory they want that is uniquely styled for them, with delivery within 30 days.

Fall is the time of year when Douglas Furs brings its customers’ furs out of storage and delivers them back to their owners, in perfect shape and ready for wearing throughout the winter season. It’s also the time of year the company works with many men (hint, hint) who wish to order a fur for their spouse or girlfriend for holiday gifting.

“Between storage, inspections, restyling, repairing and cleaning fur clothing, we stay very busy year-round,” Albert says. “We always make time for helping our customers protect their fur investments and serve as a go-to resource for all things furrelated.”

*

Dana W. Todd is a professional writer specializing in interior design, real estate, luxury homebuilding, landscape design, architecture and art. anything that needs attention, such as a loose seam or a detached collar. They can also provide a routine inspection, with appropriate recommendations on what actions, if any, need to be taken to keep the fur in pristine condition.

Douglas Furs provides other notable services besides storage and repair. Its furriers restyle vintage pieces to make them more fashion-forward. Perhaps a grandmother left a fur to her granddaughter that is an awkward length or has a large collar. It can be reworked into more modern apparel such as a vest, bolero or cashmere cape with fur trim. Through the company’s “trade-in, trade-up” program, customers can trade in an older garment and get an allowance that goes toward the purchase of a new one from the wide range of products sold through Douglas Furs’ four stores and its website. The company also appraises furs for its customers, providing them with the documentation needed to insure their items.

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» DOUGLAS FURS

3400 LATROBE DR. CHARLOTTE, NC 28211 704.333.5161 DHMFURS.COM

THE LOWCOUNTRY’S BOUTIQUE BUILDER TWELVE TIME PRISM AWARD WINNER

220 C O L E M A N B O U L E VA R D • M O U N T P L E ASA N T, S C 29464 843.388.5550 • R E N A I S SA N C E S O U T H.C O M Look for us on Houzz, Facebook, and Instagram

L LIFESTYLE

Sarah Marion

R E A LTO R

AN ARTIST’S PERSPECTIVE Vision, intuition and creative problem-solving in real estate

by CHRISTINA ANDREWS / photography by HOLGER OBENAUS

S

arah marion , of reid properties group , is nothing if not creative. As a Realtor, Charleston is her canvas, the homes her palette, her talents the brush. Of her work, Marion says: “My goal is to help clients see potential, whether it’s in a home or a community, and to envision the beauty in a property. After the sale, I can assist them in bringing that space to life in a way that will enhance their well-being and daily living.”

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Reclaimed Floors • Solid & Engineered Floors • Beams • Accent Boards • Mantels 1928 E Montague Ave, #101 | North Charleston, SC 29405 | www.encorelumber.com • 843.974.5895

Marion’s real estate business name, REID, is an acronym for “real estate” and “interior design,” and that’s exactly what she does. It’s a thorough process she has established, taking sellers through properties she has artfully staged, then comparing other options in the tri-county area, and recapping the experience by homing in on the ideal property’s style and location. Oftentimes post-sale, these same clients request Marion’s assistance with decorating or crafting a remodeling design. Of course, she is pleased to take this on!

Marion grew up in Columbia, South Carolina, and attended the prestigious Hammond School. She went on to study business, fashion merchandising, art and design at the University of South Carolina, doing a study-abroad program in textiles in Florence, Italy. In the early part of her career, she accepted a position with Vera Wang in New York, which ignited her passion for fashion and design. But eventually, Marion felt drawn to return to Columbia and her family.

Once back in South Carolina, Marion and a business partner opened a boutique in Columbia’s trendy neighborhood, The Vista, and it was there that she fully applied her creative skills and business savvy. Marion went on to do additional work with designer Cynthia Rowley, after transitioning her work to Charleston.

Marion continued working with Rowley as she started her family with husband David Francis Marion. During this time her brother, Harper Krantz, of S2K Construction, took her on a foray into the world of real estate. At one point, when Krantz was in the midst of building a home, he started coming to Marion to field design ideas, finding her help invaluable. He felt his sister had a rare ability to see the potential in a property while also grasping what went into the building process. At the encouragement of all of Marion’s brothers (Walter, Harper and Cole) and the rest of the Krantz family, Marion started to apply her innate talent and professional skills in interior design. These transferrable skills moved her toward real estate; in 2015, she became a licensed Realtor in Charleston.

Client reviews say it all—Marion genuinely cares. Before setting out to look at properties and explore communities, she enjoys meeting clients for coffee or lunch, taking time to get to know them and understand their needs. The goal is to ensure the search begins in areas that will resonate with their personalities and to find a place they will thrive.

“Asking the right questions is key to our success,” Marion says. She then offers clients a list of preferred lenders for their financing, and once the client is approved, she helps them arrive at a comfortable price point for the purchase. This is when the search can begin in earnest.

Sellers enjoy a similarly well-thought-out process. When putting a home on the market, Marion notes that details are paramount, regardless of the size of the property. Her process begins with a careful walk-through with the homeowner’s input, then a realistic timeline and to-do list are created. Marion recommends that sellers be proactive by having a pre-listing inspection to learn of potential problems.

When it’s time to set a listing price, Marion reviews all technical aspects of the property with the client, and together

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they create a list of assets. From there, the optimal price is arrived at and the process for putting the home on the market begins. At this juncture, Marion puts her skills into high gear, professionally staging the spaces, arranging for any necessary repairs and painting, and sprucing up the home with plants and flowers.

“For me, Charleston ignites all five senses, and I hope to guide my clients toward fully experiencing life in this vital community, my home.”

And finally, Marion always has an exciting rollout plan for new listings, which she loves sharing with her clients. You’ll feel good you’ve put the sale of your property into her capable hands.

Marion also notes an above-and-beyond service she offers to clients: assistance in finding short-term or long-term properties to live in as they make their real estate journey. “It is becoming rare for the selling and buying of properties to dovetail perfectly,” she explains. “I don’t want buyers or sellers to rush the process.” REID Properties Group has a designated property manager to assist with this process.

Marion’s enthusiasm for the region is heartfelt. “Charleston has so much to offer,” she says. “We are a tight-knit community where relationships matter. Our town is a mix of music, delicious cuisine, art, nature, events and constant activity. For me, Charleston ignites all five senses, and I hope to guide my clients toward fully experiencing life in this vital community, my home. My goal is to land my clients the perfect home.”

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Christina Andrews is a freelance writer from the Napa Valley who specializes in personal and business bios, food and wine, visual arts, music, hospitality, the event industry, community interest stories, obituaries and political satire.

» REID PROPERTIES GROUP

803.917.5655 REIDPROPERTIESGROUP.COM

Photo by Holger Obenaus

a full service interior design firm, our aesthetic is as unique as our clients

237 King Street Suite D Charleston SC 29401 www.ameliainteriors.com 843.764.7058 @amelia.interiors

L LIFESTYLE

FASHION BOUTIQU E

FEELING BEAUTIFUL INSIDE AND OUT

It’s not just what you wear but what you do

by CHRISTINA ANDREWS / photography by HOLGER OBENAUS

J

ennifer and kilby bronstein , mother and daughter , are a

formidable team who have recently brought their enthusiasm for retail fashion to Charleston and, more specifically, to the Finicky Filly, the long-established women’s clothing boutique at 303 King St. Previous owner Judy Casey has been friends with the Bronsteins since 2015, well before their purchase of her business. The three of them first connected when the Bronsteins were on one of many trips to visit sister Ryan, who was attending the College of Charleston. The first encounter between

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Kilby and Jennifer Bronstein

these friends transpired the day after Hurricane Joaquin made its devastating path through town. Once the sun came out the Sunday following, the Bronsteins set out from their hotel to explore and in the process found only one shop on King Street to be open, the Finicky Filly. They decided to drop in. As luck would have it, Casey was the only one in the shop that day, and as the Bronsteins were the only customers, they struck up a long conversation and became fast friends.

“We are not just a boutique or a business— we are a family.”

At that same time, the Bronsteins were getting ready to open their own clothing boutique in Buffalo, New York, which would be named Half & Half, reflecting their concept to provide clothing both for younger women, like Kilby, and for older women, like mother Jennifer. This family-owned, women’s lifestyle clothing store would not only promote quality apparel for women but

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would also be committed to reinvesting in the community.

During the early conversations between the Bronsteins and Casey, it became clear the trio shared many common interests, in particular their passions for community activism and their respective businesses.

In the years that followed, these friends traveled together, attending apparel and clothing events in New York City and Los Angeles. On these excursions, they explored new styles and labels and encouraged one another to expand the fashion lines at their boutiques. When the time came in early 2023 for Casey to sell her long-running Finicky Filly, it seemed a natural progression for the Bronsteins to carry on with her work. In addition to loving Casey’s store and knowing it well, the time was also right for the Bronsteins to put down roots in Charleston, a place they had enjoyed visiting for years. And so began the transfer in ownership.

Loyal customers of the Finicky Filly can rest assured that the Bronsteins intend to carry on the personalized shopping experience and couture collections they have come to expect.

The store carries ETRO, Peserico, Cinq à Sept, Anna Maria Paletti, Fabiana Filippi Collection, L’Agence and Pierre-Louis Mascia.

“We are always seeking out unique items—pieces that will be showstoppers—in beautiful, distinctive fabrics. And as we buy, we are putting together an entire ‘collection,’ items that will connect all the necessary components for creating the perfect outfit or wardrobe,” says Kilby Bronstein about the buying process, which now includes traveling to Paris and Milan. And to Finicky Filly’s

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benefit, Casey and the Bronsteins maintain their close friendship, a part of which includes Casey’s continued involvement with the shop and being part of their European buying excursions.

In addition to bringing sophisticated clothing lines to Charleston, the Finicky Filly offers five-star customer service. As patrons arrive at the shop, they are greeted by sales staff and offered a glass of champagne, and should they desire, are given a tour of the boutique’s current collections. From there, staff take notes on sizes and wardrobe needs, then assist customers in gathering items to try on, remaining at the client’s beck and call throughout the process.

The Bronsteins want every visitor to feel as though they have a personal shopper at their disposal, a knowledgeable associate who can help put all the pieces together, be it for a single outfit or a seasonal wardrobe. In some cases, tailoring may also be desired, and the Finicky Filly partners with a seamstress at a shop adjacent to the boutique. “We want this to be like a cocktail hour—come in, relax and enjoy a bit of bubbly (or a nice beer for the men who are patiently tagging along) and leave with just the right ensemble,” says Bronstein. “And we’d like to have the opportunity to get to know you, to give you a tour of our latest and greatest, and to understand which items pique your interest.”

A major attraction at the Finicky Filly is the extensive dress collection, which Bronstein describes as classic and cosmopolitan in styles that are feminine and pretty. Customers will also find pants, blouses, jackets and other outwear, jewelry, scarves and

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assorted accessories; it’s an exciting collection that changes seasonally.

Bronstein describes their good intentions for Finicky Filly and their desire to connect with Charleston, their new community.

“It is my goal to begin working with charities local to this area, just as I have in my previous community in Buffalo,” she says.

“It is vitally important to us to be a supporting neighbor. We are not just a boutique or a business—we are a family. I want my customers to feel well taken care of, to enjoy purchasing something lovely to wear but to also be connected to something beyond, to a cause that is also beautiful. In my estimation, it is not just what you wear that makes you beautiful but what you do.”

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Christina Andrews is a freelance writer from the Napa Valley who specializes in personal and business bios, food and wine, visual arts, music, hospitality, the event industry, community interest stories, obituaries and political satire.

» FINICKY FILLY

303 KING ST. CHARLESTON, SC 29401 843.534.0203 THEFINICKYFILLY.COM

CLASSIC | LIVEABLE | INSPIRING REBEKAH D. CARTER, ASID, NCIDQ Principal Designer (843) 768-0951 www.redelementdesign.com Photo by Michael Blevins / MB Productions NC

L LIFESTYLE

Ken Festa

E N T E R TA I N E R

A SIGNATURE ACT Charleston has been waiting for someone exactly like Ken Festa

by CHRISTINA ANDREWS / photography by HOLGER OBENAUS

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ew york , chicago , los angeles , new orleans , nashville —

these are cities whose legendary venues for years were overflowing with talent, artistry and creative grist. While devotees continue the pilgrimage to these musical meccas to fill their spiritual reservoirs, classic jazz is

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in Love

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becoming a more and more rarified artform. Traditions in style, improvisational technique, tempo and the arc of phrase— these are components shared and elaborated upon whenever musicians gather and perform together.

Here in Charleston, though far from the bustle of a large city, one is close to all that arouses the senses and attracts those who appreciate the finer things in life: an inviting ocean breeze, a refreshing cocktail on a hot summer evening, a swanky lounge setting, the sound of a well-turned musical phrase. With more than 160 bars, the city enjoys a vibrant nightlife, and Charlestonians have socializing down to a fine art. Classic jazz is right there, tucked in between a glass of Gentry Bourbon served neat and a beautiful woman. Perfection.

Though now a permanent fixture in Charleston, Festa worked for years in New York City, honing his artistry as he worked alongside the city’s jazz elite.

Ken Festa, leader of Singer 77 Productions, offers his authentic New York jazz vibe to the full gamut of Charleston social settings, from nightclubs and hotels to fine dining establishments to major life events and corporate gatherings.

Consider making a holiday party or birthday extra special with live music or hire Festa’s trio for a private dinner party. The trio could also be a romantic gift for a wedding anniversary, a private performance that could include dancing on the balcony under the stars with classic melodies guiding your steps and caressing the ears.

What can one expect from Singer 77 Productions in addition to experiencing Charleston’s best jazz musicians and vocalists?

As demonstrated on Festa’s latest CD, Once Again, you’ll enjoy his butterscotch vocals set against the velvety backdrop of a classic jazz trio and setlists drawn from a vast repertoire of American popular standards, jazz and melodies from the Great American Songbook. Coupled with this is stylish attire and a gentile decorum; the trio is ready to enhance the most sophisticated of events. And good luck staying off the dance floor. Sexy renditions of “Fly Me to the Moon” and “It Had to Be You” will have the ladies coaxing the gentlemen out there for a bit of cheek to cheek.

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Though now a permanent fixture in Charleston, Festa worked for years in New York City, honing his artistry as he worked alongside the city’s jazz elite. Gigs included performances at The Iridium, the United Nations, the Eugene O’Neill Theater, Danny’s off Broadway, Windows on the World at the World Trade Center, the Waldorf Astoria, The Plaza Hotel and The Pierre, to name but a few. Ongoing engagements that spanned over a decade included a residency with World Yacht Enterprises, as well as other dinner cruise ships traversing the Hudson River off of Manhattan. Festa and his combos also performed throughout Europe, most notably at Jazz aux Champs-Elysées.

You may be wondering which of Festa’s combos will best meet your entertainment needs. The formulas for instrumentation are simple: If you are looking for a subtle yet sophisticated jazz backdrop that will enhance a culinary experience and won’t disrupt conversation, Festa and his trio (piano, drums, bass) is ideal. For those who want a bit more depth and color and the budget allows, Festa’s quartet with guitar or horn will do the trick. For larger events and occasions, where up-tempo dance tunes are desirable, Singer 77 Productions offers eight- and nine-piece ensembles that transform the group to a big band feel. A female singer is also available for interspersing with Festa’s vocals.

For those seeking a signature act to grace their establishment weekly, Festa’s trio is ideal. Customers will want to return week after week to hear favorite melodies, make requests and do a bit of dancing. Offering live music speaks to your good taste and generosity and is sure to bolster sales.

Bring the sounds of the Great American Songbook and jazz to your next event, with songs immortalized by the likes of Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, Joe Williams, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Prima, Duke Ellington, Count Basie and more. And as part of the experience, anticipate that the crème de la crème of Charleston’s flourishing music scene will be part of each Singer 77 Productions ensemble, with Ken Festa at the helm.

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Christina Andrews is a freelance writer from the Napa Valley who specializes in personal and business bios, food and wine, visual arts, music, hospitality, the event industry, community interest stories, obituaries and political satire.

» KEN FESTA

914.980.7520 KENFESTAMUSICANDART.WEEBLY.COM

ANGELA MILLER License: LLR 88498

Discover the Angela Miller difference and let your real estate journey become seamless and successful.

(843) 990-8963 angelamillerteam@gmail.com angelamillerteam.net

L LIFESTYLE

Jen McConnell and Natalia Roca

R E A LT O R

IT TAKES TWO

A collaboration between McConnell Real Estate Partners and Artalia Interiors reimagines a Mount Pleasant home, ready for a new family

by DANA W. TODD / photography by HOLGER OBENAUS

J

en mcconnell knows how to uncover the beauty and

value in a home. That’s the secret behind her success helping buyers, sellers and investors achieve their real estate goals through McConnell Real Estate Partners, a boutique brokerage firm that provides concierge-level real estate services to its clients. She blends her storytelling-style of marketing with in-depth construction knowledge, personalized home staging and client collaboration to make certain her listings are distinctive.

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Photo by Brett Lemmo

CLASSIC HOMES DESIGNED FOR MODERN LIVING 15 X PRISM AWARD WINNER

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NOVELLAHOMES.COM | STEPHEN GUAGLIANONE | STEVEG@NOVELLAHOMES.COM | 843.709.2505 234 SEVEN FARMS DRIVE, UNIT 113 | DANIEL ISLAND, SC 29492

Jen McConnell and Natalia Roca

Case in point: 1395 Madison Court in Mount Pleasant’s Brickyard Plantation. Due to a change in circumstances, the homeowners, Natalia and Art Roca of Artalia Interiors, realized they would not be able to stay in what they thought was their forever home. They insisted on making it just as special for a new family. “I envisioned the antebellum home as a blending of modern influences from my home state of New York, French modern style and coastal flavor,” says Natalia Roca of the to-the-studs renovation. “Jen understood where I was heading with the design aesthetic and helped make this a unique, approachable home.”

The home is an example of one built with love and collaboration, with a focus on fine finishes, local craftsmanship of custom builtins and attention to detail. Acclaimed designer Roca, working in tandem with McConnell’s staging services and design advice, reimagined the four-bedroom, three-and-a-half bathroom home for a new family. “I chose Jen because I fell in love with how she presents design ideas on her Instagram feed,” says Roca. “I liked her approach, and the process was easy and collaborative. She added a coastal feel through furniture and natural materials, like jute, that complement the high-end finishes, such as marble. I felt we worked well as a team.”

The public spaces in the home are awe-inspiring. A full chef’s kitchen provides effortless meal prep under the glow of imported pendant lighting. The Italian marble countertops and backsplash with their eye-catching veining and expressive

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movement highlight the space. The nearby dining room features a commissioned mural painted to capture a mixture of Southern marshland, up-country mountains and the greenery of New York’s Central Park, a nod to the designer’s background.

“All of our clients deserve the same caliber of service no matter their price point.”

Marble features continue in the living room with a custom bar and imported fireplace. Handcrafted built-ins add a level of family-friendly functionality and craftsmanship. McConnell and Roca collaborated in the living area where a doorway was removed. McConnell suggested adding a storage closet, and Roca came up with the idea to hide that closet behind a jib door that

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Jen McConnell and Natalia Roca

blends seamlessly into the tambour paneled wall. Another jib door leads to the primary suite, where luxury abounds.

McConnell’s background in construction helps her work with clients to ensure their renovations are high-quality and ontarget with market demands. She spent the first 11 years of her real estate career in high-end new construction, handling all the details, from drawing plans to designing home interiors, so she understands the building and renovation processes and the high level of customer service necessary to bring big projects to completion. “My construction experience helps me see features and possibilities in renovation and staging endeavors that others may not,” she says. “With a degree in marketing, I go so much further than just listing a home. I take pride in each listing with a passion to look at homes differently than just bedrooms, bathrooms and square footage. My job is to uniquely position each listing to tell the story of the home.”

In 2021, she opened McConnell Real Estate Partners with her husband, Josh, who is also an agent, where they provide high-end services including professional photography and videography, staging and a complimentary moving truck. “We never skimp on the details,” she says. “All of our clients deserve the same caliber of service no matter their price point.”

Through staging, McConnell helps potential homebuyers see how their respective families can live in the space. For this Madison Court home, the chosen furnishings can be purchased with the home if the buyer wants a seamless move-in experience.

“On listing day, we hosted a large event for the area’s top real

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estate agents at this home. So many agents came up to me and said they could feel the warmth and love of the interior designer in this renovated home. That feat is incredibly hard to achieve when no one lives in the home. That is a true testament to the talents of Natalia and Art combined with impeccable staging.”

The buyer of this house will be contributing to a greater cause. McConnell Real Estate Partners donates a portion of each commission to one of the only pediatric cancer labs in the state, which is hosted at the Medical University of South Carolina. The brokerage’s donation, coupled with its nonprofit, The McConnell Foundation, aims to advance pediatric cancer research as a testament to their young son’s successful cure from cancer when he was an infant.

The new homeowner also will enjoy a home with meticulous detailing, ready for Lowcountry living. “This was a labor of love,” says Roca. “I hope this becomes some family’s forever home.”

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Dana W. Todd is a professional writer specializing in interior design, real estate, luxury homebuilding, landscape design, architecture and art.

» MCCONNELL REAL ESTATE PARTNERS 1100 PALM BLVD., SUITE 2B ISLE OF PALMS, SC 29451 843.300.7585 CHSESTATES.COM

L

LIFESTYLE

TEXTILES

FOREVER FLORALS

Laura Ashley introduces new and refreshed prints for the home as it celebrates 70 years in business

S

by DANA W. TODD

outherners embrace laura ashley ’ s bright botanical prints

as their own, but many may be surprised to learn the iconic brand originated in Wales, UK. As the heritage brand celebrates its 70th anniversary this year, Laura Ashley unveils its most popular prints across its decades-long history alongside a new design that showcases the evolution of the brand’s story.

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MADISON MATHEWS 178 King Street, Charleston, SC 843-952-7739 madison-mathews.com @madison_mathews_

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Summer Palace really is a true icon to our heritage brand,” says Ashmore.

Josette, an ornate damask featuring elegant chandeliers and romantic rose bouquets, is reintroduced in new finishes and textures. “This timeless design, which combines simplicity with natural glamour, has established its position as a signature pattern since first being introduced in 2003,” Ashmore says. “It was originally inspired by a sample of an antique printed silk in our archives and is styled by designers to evoke a sense of classicism with a modern edge.”

Inspired by an antique painting in the

Laura Ashley | PHOTO BY NICK BARLOW

The shoppable limited-edition anniversary collection, Prints Through the Decades, is available online exclusively in the curated Anniversary Shop, which features several nostalgic prints reimagined for today’s fashion and homes. This deep dive into the archive brings new vision to traditional Laura Ashley prints that pair nicely alongside the latest designs from the brand.

Laura Ashley’s designers have resized and recolored the 1990s-era Tulips print in a fresh palette. “Its loose, painterly style of tulips and daffodils sparks joy and brings a wonderful play on nostalgia,” says Helen Ashmore, head of design at Laura Ashley. For this collection, Tulips is available in wallpaper, bed linens and fabric.

Signature print Summer Palace has appeared in more than 20 different colorways since its introduction in 1988, inspired by an antique Edwardian chintz chair. Five other designs in the Laura Ashley archive evolved from this pattern.

“The design is instantly recognizable as Laura Ashley; it is the perfect way to celebrate our anniversary year. We created two new colorways for our collection, as well as bringing back the classic Eau de Nil version in wallpaper.

Laura Ashley archive, Gosford’s bold parrot tulip blooms create a lively print recolored in two new versions—purple Grape and calming Seaspray Blue.

The quintessential and charming Country Roses print debuted in 1985 as wallpaper and other home furnishings, featuring cabbage roses with blooming buds and leaves. It is reimagined this year for commemorative fine bone china mugs, tea towels and aprons. “This design has been updated for the anniversary collection to incorporate another print from the archive, Wexboard trellis, to give a modern twist to the traditional rose print,” Ashmore says.

“In the spirit of this milestone year, the Bramble print reemerges in the spotlight, capturing hearts anew with its delicate blossoms and berries elegantly sprawled across a luxurious backdrop of fresh green. This enchanting ensemble, tinted with hints of crisp white and pale blue, has swiftly become one of the most sought-after bedding sets of 2023,” says Ashmore. The Bramble duvet cover and pillow shams reverse to plaid, evoking a timeless British sense of style and tradition. “The reintroduction of this 1990s print not only pays homage to Laura Ashley’s renowned floral legacy but also showcases the brand’s finesse for artful combinations of patterns and delicate details.

From Wickerwork to Wood Violet, we’ve reintroduced some of the icons of the past to evoke nostalgia but also to show how timeless these designs truly are,” Ashmore adds.

A new print, Tregaron, is a forward-looking hero print that shows the company’s focus on the future as well as its history.

Inspired by classical French tonal designs, Tregaron features cranes on decorative damask with a romantic, elegant look

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captured via beaded swags and scrolling leaves and flowers.

“Our 70th anniversary is an important time to look back on the heritage of the brand, but today’s decade and the future are equally important to us. We introduced this new print to show how the story continues to develop and evolve,” Ashmore says.

The anniversary collection carries Laura Ashley’s collectible anniversary stamp, featuring the recognizable bramble from the early logo inspired by the entrepreneur Laura Ashley’s love for wildflowers and British hedgerows. “Laura Ashley remains synonymous with beauty and design. She was a trailblazer and icon, and we are thrilled to continue her legacy through this year and beyond,” says Ashmore. “As our story reaches its seventh decade, the extensive heritage and rich archive of almost 100,000 pieces continue to inspire collections that celebrate nostalgia.”

Shop the full Anniversary Collection of fashion, fabric, wallcoverings, bedding and accessories online as long as supplies last.

*

Dana W. Todd is a professional writer specializing in interior design, real estate, luxury homebuilding, landscape design, architecture and art.

» LAURA ASHLEY

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L LIFESTYLE

PHOTO BY HOLGER OBENAUS

FASHION

TURNING THE DESIGNER SCARF INDUSTRY ON ITS HEELS Respoke reimagines designer scarves into espadrilles, clothing and more

T

by ELLEN URIBE

he retail business can be a tough slog with its escalating rents ,

licensing requirements, online competition, seasonal population cycles and business interruptions due to anything from hurricanes to pandemics, but every so often a new merchant comes along who grabs the public’s attention immediately.

Such was the case with Respoke, a brand that reimagines iconic designer silk scarves into handmade espadrilles, sneakers, hats, ready-to-wear clothing, fine art and even furniture.

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Cofounders Michael Tonello and Chris Bartick had their first conversation about starting Respoke in 2015, and now there are stores in Provincetown, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, Massachusetts; Southampton, New York; and Charleston.

Bartick, an artist, graphic designer and branding expert whose career flourished in New York City, met author and scarf aficionado Tonello in Provincetown.

“We are still ever developing each of our markets, but I would consider Respoke a hit,” Bartick says.

The original store in Provincetown quickly took off and has been well received due to its location and high foot traffic that allows for discovery of the brand. The store is also located in a community that highly appreciates the artistic value of the Respoke product.

The Provincetown model has been and will continue to be the model that will be used going forward.

The notion for Respoke was inspired by Tonello’s years of designer scarf collecting. “I came up with the idea to repurpose my iconic scarves into beautiful espadrilles,” he says.

“Having achieved a level of success as a reseller of all things Hermès (a rather unusual career that is detailed in my memoir Bringing Home the Birkin), I began my quest for the ultimate espadrille. And after partnering with Chris Bartick, we managed to find the very best team of multigenerational craftspeople in Spain, also known as the birthplace of espadrilles.”

Tonello’s depth of experience with high fashion and the resale market and Bartick’s artistic and branding ability make this an ideal partnership.

When it comes to scoring a vintage scarf for repurposing, Hermès is still number one, Gucci is number two, and Emilio Pucci and Louis Vuitton are tied for three, according to Tonello. Bartick and Tonello purchase scarves from a number of places, including Sotheby’s and Christie’s auction houses, as well as estate sales and directly from the manufacturers.

Respoke Charleston, which opened in May 2023, is their first year-round store, allowing it to also serve as the backbone for their e-commerce business. The well-designed and userfriendly Respoke website allows for 24-hour shopping from any location. Respoke regularly releases new styles and products, each with a unique design.

Respoke now employs more than 20 people and serves a diverse clientele. While it carries a full line of men’s and women’s footwear and apparel, approximately 70% of sales come from women.

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“Our customers really like to touch and feel these shoes and products before buying. Our boutiques deliver an entire Respoke experience defined by sustainable, luxury repurposing. So, instore is the place most of our clientele feel inspired,” Bartick says.

After customers have learned their fit and preferences, they are more comfortable shopping the wide selection of products offered online. Products are sold with European whole sizing, from 35 to 42 for women and from 39 to 47 for men. All employees are educated how to convert from European to U.S. sizes.

Footwear pricing begins in the low $400s and goes up to the $500s, with additional products spanning a wider range. Both Bartick and Tonello agree the products offer real value because they are hand constructed with luxurious materials.

“To ensure the most cohesive designs and maximize the use of each scarf, every panel of every shoe is hand selected before cutting each section,” Bartick explains.

“Next, our craftsmen sew the edging onto the upper—then all of the fabric pieces of the upper are sewn together. Finally, the craftsmen connect the upper part of the espadrilles to the lower part by hand sewing them together,” Tonello adds.

Clearly, another selling point is the uniqueness of each product—they are all different because they are handmade from different sections of a scarf.

Bartick and Tonello, who both have outgoing and gracious personalities, revel in the retail business and the opportunity to meet their customers, making it all look effortless in the process.

But despite appearances, there have been challenges along the way—most notably COVID-19.

Tonello, who lives in Barcelona for eight months of the year, was unable to travel to the United States during that period. “COVID

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was a big challenge,” Bartick recalls. “We were opening our second store in Nantucket, and Michael was stuck in Spain, so we made the decision to donate the space to the Artist Association of Nantucket and continue to pay the rent. We decided it would be the safer bet, but it was a financial burden.”

Respoke and its owners are embedded in the communities where there are stores. “We try to have as much community outreach as possible,” Bartick says.

The duo also takes great pride in the sustainability of their products—and sometimes more than once: The remnant scarf offcuts collected from production, as well as retired footwear, are opportunistically sent on for a final artistic reinvention by Bartick.

His collage works are comprised of layers of scarves, acrylic paint, decoupage and gloss fixative. The works depict iconic scenes— perfectly aligned with the spirit and cachet of the iconic scarves from which they are created.

*

Ellen Uribe is an award-winning journalist and a communications expert. She is a sought-after speaker, participating as a moderator and panelist at numerous industry events, conferences and broadcast outlets. She has contributed to Vanity Fair, Palm Beach Life, The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Women’s Wear Daily and Time Magazine.

» RESPOKE CHARLESTON

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L LIFESTYLE

MEDICAL SPA

MORE THAN SKIN DEEP

Charleston Aesthetics helps clients get to the root of skincare issues with science-based products and treatments

S

by ROBIN HOWARD kincare issues concern all of us at some point in our lives .

Whether it’s protection from sun damage and skin cancer, eliminating acne or minimizing the signs of aging, if you have skin, you have to take care of it. However, because skincare products are not regulated by the FDA, anyone from celebrities to amateur chemists can launch a so-called skincare line. Throw enough marketing dollars behind it, and you’ve got success for the entrepreneur and frustration for the consumer. If you’ve got a skin concern, how do you know who you can trust?

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“Being an aesthetics company, we’re focused on improving appearance, but what we care about specifically is skin wellness and skin health.”

The practice offers services such as custom facials, facial fillers, laser treatments, neurotoxins that reduce the appearance of fine lines and science-based skincare products. Typical client concerns vary depending on the season. “Just before summer, we see many people interested in laser hair removal or body concerns, because everyone’s going to the beach or out on the boat,” Parker says. “In winter, people are covered up, but they start to see the sun damage they got earlier in the year. Dryness exacerbates the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and makes them appear deeper. You may start to notice texture, wrinkles or pore size concerns more in the winter.”

For the last 16 years, Charleston Aesthetics has been housed in the Charleston Oral and Facial Surgery practice on Johns Island. Recently, the business moved to a new location in Ladson.

“We’ve always been focused on medical-grade skincare and service, but we want it to feel like self-care,” Parker says. “We’ve got four treatment rooms, a beautiful, spacious waiting room and a softer look and feel for the practice. Our provider team is young, they’re engaging, and they’re part of the demographic that’s participating in these products and services. They’re suited to connect with the concerns of the clients we see every day.”

Parker says that people are sometimes hesitant to seek guidance or help for skincare issues for a variety of reasons

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Julia Miller and Estelle Lowery

Charleston Aesthetics, a science-based skincare provider, operates on the philosophy that clients should know what a product or treatment will do for them and how and why it works at a molecular level. “Being an aesthetics company, we’re focused on improving appearance, but what we care about specifically is skin wellness and skin health,” says Eli Parker, the practice’s longtime marketing director. “If you don’t have healthy skin, all the other things you do to change it are just stopgap measures.

You’re not getting to the root of the issue.”

Parker says that all of Charleston Aesthetics’ products and services are medical-grade and founded in science-backed research. “Our providers educate our clients about why things work; they don’t just tell you they can fix an issue,” she says.

During a complimentary consultation, the Charleston Aesthetics team will explain their recommendations and the expected outcome. “It’s a conversation; it’s not a science lecture.

We want people to come to us and tell us what’s bothering them.

We’ll start with the root of the problem and find the best solution for you,” Parker says.

but assures that the practice understands and is committed to helping clients look and feel their best. “I would tell a friend that if it’s bothering you now, it will keep bothering you. Instead of worrying about it, fix it,” she says. “This team makes people feel at ease. We know you’re bringing a personal concern to a stranger, and you’ll have some anxiety, but our staff takes all that away. We understand what’s bothering you, and we’re going to recommend a solution that reasonably fits into your life.”

Charleston Aesthetics offers an annual membership plan called The Club for those already on board with skincare as self-care. Club members get discounts on products and most services, complimentary treatment add-ons and bring-a-friend discounts during their birthday week.

*

Robin Howard is a freelance writer in Charleston. See more of her work at robinhowardwrites.com.

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L LIFESTYLE

SHOE BOUTIQUE

COMFORT AND STYLE

Dear Lucy offers on-trend women’s shoes that are the perfect mix of cute and comfortable

by ROBIN HOWARD / photography by HOLGER OBENAUS

“I

f you go to a wedding or a special event , you shouldn’t be focused on how badly your shoes hurt.

You should be having fun,” says Melissa Desautels, owner of Mount Pleasant’s newest shoe store, Dear Lucy. If having fun and refusing to suffer sound like good addendums to your life manifesto, you’ll love this store.

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Dear Lucy began 40 years ago in Vermont, and Desautels is the third owner. When she was little, her grandfather had a suit shop, and her grandmother ran a dress shop in the basement.

“My grandmother would take me on crazy shopping sprees to New York and Boston, so I got the bug,” Desautels says. “I worked retail all through college, then moved to New York City and worked for a chain of boutiques. I opened my own boutique in Burlington, Vermont, then eight years ago, the opportunity came to buy this business. I’m always looking for a challenge. I loved the store and was one of their biggest customers.”

In 2022, Desautels and her family visited Charleston on Spring Break and fell in love. The couple bought a historic home in Mount Pleasant’s Old Village without knowing how they would make it all work, including keeping the Dear Lucy store going in Vermont. “It’s been the best thing. My kids are so happy to be able to go outside 12 months out of the year,” she says. “It was definitely a bold move, but it’s been so positive.” After settling in, Desautels felt there was room in the Charleston market for shoes, and the brands she represents were excited to come along for the ride.

Desautels says clients have been excited about having easy access to well-known brands that are hard to come by locally.

In March of this year, Dear Lucy opened its doors in the firstfloor retail section of the new Oyster Park apartments at the corner of Ben Sawyer Boulevard and Riffle Range Road. This quaint little area is packed full of boutiques offering women’s clothing and accessories, as well as Pilates and massage. A few steps away are a handful of Mount Pleasant’s most popular restaurants, including Bon Bahn Mi, Kid Cashew and Spread Bagel Shop. “A lot is happening here, and parking is easy,” Desautels says. “You can shop for dresses next door or across the street, then come here for shoes and accessories.”

Desautels says clients have been excited about having easy access to well-known brands that are hard to come by locally.

“People have been psyched on the brands,” she says. “They know most of our brands already, so they can shop online and do on-site pickup. If we don’t have their size, I can ship it from my Vermont store.”

Dear Lucy specializes in on-trend shoes that can be worn for multiple occasions. Desautels predicts the return of the penny loafer and the Mary Jane for fall but with a chunkier base.

“Clogs and mules, that kind of vintage look, and sneakers with dresses are everywhere,” she says. “We’ve seen a huge uptick

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in cowboy boots, which Charleston women have been wearing forever. But a lot of brands are jumping on the trend with fun colors, metallics and textures, like crackled leather; they look great with dresses.”

Some popular brands include Sorel, known for its athleisure sneakers, boots and booties. Desautels is particularly excited about their fall collection. If you love Birkenstocks, you’ll be glad to know that this shoe maven gives her blessing to ’stocks and socks in fall and winter. “Birkenstock is a year-round shoe,” she says. “We have the Arizona, of course, but for fall, we also have shearling styles and the coveted Boston clog. It’s easy, and it’s cute, and we have lots of colors. If you want a pair, get them early because they fly off the shelves, and when they’re gone, they’re gone.”

The store also carries all styles of Uggs, including the popular Ultra Mini. “People were buying this shoe on the black market last year,” Desautels says. “The platform styles are cute, and the slippers are great for around the house or coffee runs.”

Dear Lucy also has a range of accessories, including a remarkable organic, minimal jewelry line by Chan Luu. “All of

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the pieces are handmade, and the stones are handpicked. The designer uses a lot of pearls and turquoise, which translates well in Charleston,” she says. Other accessories include sun hats, fedoras and handbags.

“People’s mindsets have shifted. We’re all looking for more comfort, and we’ll fit you in a cute, stylish, comfortable shoe,” she says. “Something else I’m proud of is three generations can shop my store at once, and everyone can have fun and find something they love.”

*

Robin Howard is a freelance writer in Charleston. See more of her work at robinhowardwrites.com.

» DEAR LUCY

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L LIFESTYLE

Marjorie Stephenson

R E A LTO R

THE ART OF ANTICIPATION Marjorie Stephenson is expert at helping clients attain their real estate goals

by CHRISTINA ANDREWS / photography by HOLGER OBENAUS

T

he “ why ” of buying property in the charleston area is easily

answered, according to Marjorie Stephenson, the newest team member at Daniel Ravenel Sotheby’s International Realty. “All you have to do is drive the area, take in the gorgeous scenery and the stylish and inviting communities, or spend a day on the ocean,” she says. “And for those wanting culture, the region is awash in the arts and music, great food and all manner of entertainment. Charleston checks all the boxes.”

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Photos by Franziska Lewis Photography

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Stephenson specializes in the art of anticipation: anticipating what home and community will be a satisfying fit for her buyers, the ideal listing price for a property and what is needed to effectuate a successful sale or the purchase of a lifetime.

Stephenson says this: “Throughout my career, I’ve been in roles where I’m the problem-solver, the communicator, the gatherer of details and the person who saw a task through to the finish. No matter what I was doing, my goal has always been to provide the highest level of customer service.” These values reside at the core of every sale she takes on, large or small.

Charleston enjoys sophisticated sellers and buyers, and for these clients, Stephenson is the ideal agent.

With family roots in the region predating the Revolutionary War, Stephenson has a deep appreciation for Charleston and the Lowcountry—its rich and varied history, as well as what it offers in the present. It is Charleston’s diverse cultural heritage and innate physical attributes that she feels make it a place worthy of settling into for the long-term or as a second or third home.

Though born in Charleston, Stephenson spent a considerable number of years outside the area, moving first to Atlanta when her father’s career dictated, then raising her family with husband Chris in both Atlanta and Nashville. Daughters Emily and Ashley thrived in Nashville (they are a family of musicians, as luck would have it), but Stephenson’s fond memories of Charleston had her frequently taking the family back to that region for vacations.

Stephenson’s husband eventually sold his accounting business in Atlanta to take a position at a Nashville firm, and from there started his own consulting practice. Once established, it became clear that working remotely was an option. The Stephensons considered how much they enjoyed the Charleston area and soon a decision was made to invest in a property in the Lowcountry. In 2016, the family found their dream home, and a few months later moved to Seabrook Island. They’ve not looked back. “Despite being greeted by a major tropical storm and then a hurricane within the first few months of being in our new house, we found so much to love about the region that we quickly put down roots and established ourselves in the community,” says Stephenson.

Her emergence into the Charleston real estate scene came about after she worked for a fundraising event for the Alan Fleming Tournament, an endeavor that helped her firmly cement connections in her community. An avid tennis player, Stephenson enthusiastically assisted with the tournament’s fundraising and in the process got to know the people and businesses on Seabrook Island.

Securing her real estate license in 2018, Stephenson quickly established herself at a firm specializing in Seabrook properties.

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Utilizing her marketing talents and expert communication skills, she went on to earn the title of Top-Producing Realtor on the island. These achievements did not go unnoticed by the nearby firm Daniel Ravenel Sotheby’s International Realty. Ruthie Ravenel immediately saw a kindred spirit in Stephenson and was drawn to her above-and-beyond marketing approach and the level of research she did on behalf of her clients. In 2023, at the end of June, Stephenson joined the Ravenel team, and in the process greatly expanded her audience of potential clients and widened sales to the larger international footprint represented by the agency.

Charleston enjoys sophisticated sellers and buyers, and for these clients, Stephenson is the ideal agent. Her 25 years in property management, marketing and sales mean clients enjoy the advantage of a well-rounded skill set and service-first mentality, as well as an impressive problem-solving arsenal.

“Sellers deserve the assurance that their agent understands the value of their home and can provide comps that properly represent the competition on all levels,” she notes. “My focus is to always represent my clients’ best interests. I want clients to arrive at a fair listing price that will draw the most qualified buyers to the property and result in a timely sale.”

On the buying side, Stephenson takes time to assess her client’s style and communication preferences from the onset, then sets to work mapping out financials and a realistic timeline for the purchase. She believes that having these details in place keeps expectations realistic and results in her clients finding not only the right home but the right community.

Stephenson is expert at helping clients attain their real estate goals. Deals are often time sensitive, and Stephenson wouldn’t want to see a client miss out on a property she senses is the right one. In one scenario, the client had yearned for an oceanfront property, which can be difficult to come by, but as Stephenson recalls: “There it was, a beautiful oceanfront home, though not exactly what the client had been looking for. It was a difficult decision that needed to be made quickly or this rare opportunity would be lost. I emphasized that ‘Homes can be modified, but they’re not going to be building any more oceans.’ The final decision came easily and with the peace of mind that their choice to move forward was sound. Subsequently, the couple did a full renovation that made the home uniquely theirs.”

Stephenson takes great pride in providing an exceptional experience to every client. Buyers and sellers alike can rest assured that, in her, they have an advocate who will prioritize what they aspire to, respect their privacy and need for discretion, and be willing to get in the trenches to make their sale or purchase successful.

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Christina Andrews is a freelance writer from the Napa Valley who specializes in personal and business bios, food and wine, visual arts, music, hospitality, the event industry, community interest stories, obituaries and political satire.

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L LIFESTYLE

MEDICAL SPA

ONE TREATMENT AT A TIME A power couple brings a wealth of health care knowledge to their clientele

F

by ELLEN URIBE

or keli koniver , the opening of koniver aesthetics in 2015 , and

most recently a satellite office at The Jasper in Downtown Charleston, was not only a labor of love but also very much a passion project.

Together with her husband, Craig Koniver, a medical doctor and the founder of Koniver Wellness, it was the chance to work together.

Both highly accomplished individuals, the power couple is dedicated to aesthetics and antiaging, health and well-being, longevity and performance.

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“When people feel good on the inside, they are more prone to take care of the outside,” notes Keli Koniver, who has a doctorate in health administration from the Medical University of South Carolina and was formerly a health care consultant for Deloitte & Touche, LLP. Craig Koniver is a health and human performance expert with nearly 25 years of experience and groundbreaking innovation in nutrient and science-driven protocols to help people reach their goals. He has overseen more NAD+ and peptide therapies than any other physician in the world, and he counts Fortune 100 CEOs, professional athletes, A-list Hollywood actors and Special Forces personnel among his many clients.

“My husband had been in business for almost 20 years when I decided to open Koniver Aesthetics. Thus, when I was taking a leap of faith to open a medical aesthetics practice, having him as a medical director and business partner made complete sense. When we were first opening, I did literally everything,” says Keli Koniver, who also notes there were a myriad of challenges such as purchasing the best and most appropriate equipment, as well as keeping up with the voluminous workload that a new business demands. “There was a lot of stress, a lot of moving parts and the industry can change very rapidly. But today I have to admit—it was a wonderful accomplishment.”

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Despite opening with modest expectations, Koniver Aesthetics took off. “Within the first few years, we had to ask ourselves if we wanted to keep things the way they were or really take the plunge and scale the business,” she says. Opting for the latter, Koniver found herself even busier than she could have imagined. In an ever-changing industry, she has kept her focus on the goal. “We want people to feel great in their own skin,” she says. “Realistically, if we can help our patients rewind the clock five to 10 years—that is a huge change. Our aim is to help everyone look and feel like a healthier, more refreshed version of themselves.”

The medical spa’s primary focus, as stated on the company’s website, is direct and to the point: “At Koniver Aesthetics we believe that great health and great skin work in tandem, and our goal is to bring out your best both inside and out.”

Koniver is thrilled to be working with her husband for many reasons, not least of which is getting to spend more time with him. The wellness side of the practice, with a bustling clinic in London, requires traveling, which also is a bonus for the couple.

“The greatest gift we have been given is the opportunity to work together. We are both entrepreneurs, so it would have been difficult to come home and have a partner who didn’t understand,” says Koniver, whose father was a farmer and

Keli and Craig Koniver, Photo by Aleece Sophia

mother was a postmaster; both helped inspire her rock-solid work ethic.

The most popular procedures at the spa are injectables, laser skin resurfacing, which is often the starting point for a majority of clients, and Ultherapy, which lifts and tightens the skin. “We have a very natural approach, and I tell our clients to start early and treat as often as their schedule and budget allows, within reason of course” says Koniver. “As we age, skin quality is the first thing that starts to decline. The easiest way for me to build trust with a new client, who is either new to aesthetics as a whole or just new to our practice, is to do a laser resurfacing treatment. That is typically where I recommend that people start.”

Koniver especially revels in the interactions she has with the clientele and her staff, which numbers about 30. “I definitely enjoy the people. I like mentoring the next generation of women, and I love imparting wisdom. It is a true calling that I derive a lot of joy from,” she says.

For Koniver, looking at the business that she and her husband have built is a source of pride. “Koniver Aesthetics has had multiple evolutions in these eight years—from the size and location of the office to the size of the staff to the name of the

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business (previously Coastal Skin Solutions) and now to our new satellite location down at The Jasper. We have evolved multiple times. If you’re not moving with the tide, you’re moving against it,” she concludes.

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Ellen Uribe is an award-winning journalist and a communications expert. She is a sought-after speaker, participating as a moderator and panelist at numerous industry events, conferences and broadcast outlets. She has contributed to Vanity Fair, Palm Beach Life, The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Women’s Wear Daily and Time Magazine.

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218 C H A R L E STO N ST Y L E & D E S I G N

THIS IS ALBARIÑO COUNTRY

The best examples of this varietal reflect their Atlantic origins in Spain’s Rías Baixas

by HELEN GREGORY

S

pain ’ s rías baixas wine region in galicia

has long been influenced by its Atlantic coastline. Forget what you know of flamenco, paella and the scorched plains of La Mancha. This lush green corridor of northwest Spain has a Celtic vibe, a 2,000-year legacy handed down from seafaring tribes who settled in the rocky, verdant landscape. To this day, the kilt-wearing, bagpipe-playing locals speak their own Gallegan language and look to the sea for industry and inspiration. This is the homeland of Albariño, an elegant white grape variety as original as the place it comes from.

Flying into the coastal town of Vigo, just 30 minutes from the vineyards of Rías Baixas, your first view of the Atlantic is likely to be obscured by cloud cover, hanging over the region like a soft duvet. Ample rainfall and chill temperatures make it tough to ripen reds (less than 1% of total production in this region), but this hardly matters to local Albariño growers. The grape has been in Galicia for a very long time, dating back to the Roman era and possibly earlier. Thick-skinned and adapted to the cool, wet conditions, Albariño over delivers on bright aromatics and naturally high acidity. The wines are crisp, light and fresh, tasting of sea spray and minerality, a perfect match for the renowned seafood of the region.

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PHOTO BY XURXO LOBATO

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TASTINGS

BURGÁNS 2022 ($20) 100% ALBARIÑO. CITRUSY, WITH GREEN APPLE NOTES AND BRIGHT NECTARINE FLAVORS.

PAZO SEÑORANS 2022 ($26) AN AGE-WORTHY 100% ALBARIÑO WITH IMPECCABLE BALANCE. LEES AGING LENDS VOLUME AND STRUCTURE.

AS LAXAS SENSUM NV ($33) A RARE, 100% SPARKLING ALBARIÑO. CLEAR AND FINE BUBBLES.

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If you’re looking at a map of Galicia, the capital city of Santiago de Compostela lies north of Rías Baixas. Santiago is the grand finale of the Camino de Santiago, the pilgrimage across northern Spain that has drawn visitors to Galicia since medieval times. Further south, coastal waters carve jagged paths to the interior that become rivers and inlets. These are the five Rías Baixas, or lower estuaries, that lend their names and personalities to the wine country. Each Ría has a distinct character and all are rich in maritime charm.

The Ría de Pontevedra is named for a picturesque Roman town that houses boutiques, tapas bars and the local wine council. The southernmost Ría de Miño serves as the natural border between Spain and Portugal, a wide one-mile stretch of water that shelters ancient Celtic sites and the fishing village of A Guarda. The Ría de Vigo harbors the enchanting Cíes Islands, with the most beautiful beaches in Spain that you’ve never heard of. Savvy travelers know to bypass the crowds of Ibiza in favor of summer getaways to Rías Baixas.

Albariño is grown in five distinct subzones that collectively comprise the Denomination of Origin, or DO, Rías Baixas, the official wine designation on the label. Val do Salnés, the self-

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proclaimed birthplace of Albariño, surrounds the town of Cambados, with the highest concentration of vineyards and wineries. The cool coastal location on granitic soils infuses Albariño with salty minerality and citrusy character.

The southernmost O Rosal subzone borders Portugal; the climate is slightly warmer, resulting in generous peach and nectarine flavors. Here, Albariño might be bottled as a single varietal or blended with other heirloom grapes, like Loureiro, Treixadura, Caíño Blanco and Godello. More inland, Condado de Tea is named for a tributary of the Miño River, where Albariño thrives. The softer, round wines reflect the warmer, drier conditions of the vineyard sites. Further north, cool breezes build brisk character into the tiny Soutomaior district and Ribeira do Ulla, the northernmost subzone.

Traditional practices are prevalent throughout Rías Baixas, with many small family holdings. Some larger estates are called pazos, the regional term for manor house, which can refer to a modest farmhouse or a more aristocratic palacio. Local growers of all sizes elevate the

grapes on parras, large granite canopies that allow air to circulate around the fruit and keep it from rot (a hazard of the humid conditions).

Harvest is mostly by hand, a laborintensive step to ensure that the grapes are of the highest quality.

And in an interesting footnote to Atlantic culture, more than 50% of the winemakers are female, a holdover from the days when women managed affairs on land while the men of Galicia were at sea.

Of the 12 grape varieties permitted

by DO Rías Baixas, the Albariño white varietal is the benchmark, representing more than 95% of plantings and at least 75% of blends.

Innovators in the region focus on developing the personality of their subregion, and some offer small quantities of sparkling Albariño made in the Champagne method.

And while many wineries make entry-level wines to consume within two to three years of release, extended lees aging (where the wine remains in contact with the spent yeast) allows winemakers to enhance roundness and complexity, a key to extended ageing.

Very few white grapes have seen as much recent success as Albariño.

So often we demand more of our reds and settle for less remarkable whites. Wine lovers know authentic character when they taste it. The best examples of Albariño reflect their Atlantic origins, making it easy to understand why the people of Rías Baixas are so committed to sustaining and cultivating their longheld traditions.

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*

Helen Gregory is the founder and president of Gregory + Vine. She has worked in strategic brand management and communications for beverage industry leaders such as Moët Hennessy USA, Rémy Cointreau and STOLI, and has led award-winning hospitality, beverage and lifestyle campaigns for prestige clients from the European Union to Argentina, Australia, Chile, Israel, South Africa and across the United States.

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D

DESIGN

PHOTO BY HOLGER OBENAUS

HOME FURNISHINGS

MODERN MECCA

Iola Modern brings furniture from around the world to Charleston’s doorstep

S

by DANA W. TODD

teven ortego is no stranger to charleston , but he is celebrating

a new chapter in the Lowcountry. He and his team have launched a 4,000-square-foot showroom on West Montague Avenue full of modern furniture sourced from American-made and European brands.

At Iola Modern, shoppers can choose from a wide assortment of highend modern furniture for every room inside and outside the home.

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PHOTO BY MARGARET WRIGHT

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PHOTO BY HOLGER OBENAUS

Iola Modern previously lived in a much smaller, 800-square-foot shop on the opposite end of Montague Avenue. With the new, much larger space, Iola stocks a full range of indoor and outdoor furniture for customers to try out in real time. “We served more as a design shop in our smaller store but grew the business and the space as our customers’ needs grew,” Ortego says. “In such a large showroom, it’s easier to see and touch a lot more products and not rely on the internet, catalogs and samples.”

Iola Modern serves customers in three ways: as a showroom selling globally sourced modern furniture brands, as a trade resource for interior designers and architects, and as a full-service design firm for homeowners and businesses.

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While Charleston historically leans traditional because of its rich historic heritage, in recent years, buyer tastes have shifted to a more clean-lined aesthetic. Iola meets the increased interest in modern design home furnishings with an expansive resource to shop, touch, try and experience its livability.

Iola Modern changes the furniture landscape in the Lowcountry with its extensive showroom. While there are plenty of pieces ready to go to a new home straight off the showroom floor, Iola Modern also offers custom and semi-custom options. Customers choose the fabric or leather, wood species, finish and color to customize the piece for their homes.

The ability to customize furniture is particularly exciting

for interior designers. The showroom’s to-the-trade program provides invitation-only learning events promoted to those registered with the store’s trade program; sign-up is on its website. A recent event, for example, brought in the CEO of Italian furniture manufacturer Kartell.

Ortego’s background plays an instrumental role in Iola Modern’s success. His great-grandmother, Iola, who is the store’s namesake, introduced him to the mid-century modern aesthetic with her home. Future generations of the family produced interior designers and an architect. Ortego studied interior design in New Orleans and managed showrooms for modern retailer Design Within Reach and managed sales for Italian housewares brand Alessi before opening Iola Modern. At Iola, he assembled a team of experts who specialize in design for multifamily developments; hospitality businesses, such as restaurants; offices; custom cabinetry and closets; and single-family homes. “Together we make a well-rounded team, representing a range of ages, specializations and design ideas,” Ortego says.

Ortego establishes and cultivates relationships with modern furniture manufacturers to ensure the showroom is well stocked. His vetted suppliers each have a unique story to tell through their furniture creations. American Leather, headquartered in Dallas, provides a lifetime warranty on the frames and suspensions of its custom-built furniture, which it makes to order in just 30 days. This speedy process (most custom orders take about three months to make) differentiates the brand from other makers.

Copeland Furniture manufactures heirloom-quality wooden furniture from its factory in Vermont. It crafts transitional furniture from sustainable Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified wood that can be traced back to its original source.

Minnesota-based Loll Designs manufactures allweather outdoor furniture built from partially recycled milk cartons. Its furniture is laser-cut from large sheets, with every piece numbered so parts can be replaced without purchasing an entirely new piece of furniture.

“We send staff to these facilities to spend time on the manufacturing floor making furniture. It’s an education that makes us better designers,” says Ortego. “We travel the world visiting international furniture fairs and trade shows to stay current in design, and we have forged relationships with the best design manufacturers globally to bring their products and knowledge back to the Lowcountry.”

In addition to American manufacturers, Iola Modern carries modern furniture from Italy, the United Kingdom, Spain and Denmark. The showroom features shops within a shop, one of which showcases Kartell, an Italian brand with a long heritage in original furniture design that uses advanced technology. Homeowners may equate the high-end brand with its most famous acrylic chair, the Louis Ghost chair, which Iola Modern stocks in

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FURNITURE BY BLU DOT

the showroom. “We hang our hat on the quality and originality of our manufacturing partners,” says Ortego.

A second shop within a shop highlights Blu Dot, a designmanufacturer of accessibly priced modern furniture typically sold through Blu Dot retail stores in larger metropolitan areas. As a “Dot Spot,” Iola Modern introduces an array of furniture options to Charleston, the only location in South Carolina where shoppers can find Blu Dot’s products.

Authentic Danish modern design pulls together the best of both worlds in form and functionality. Iola Modern includes two Scandinavian brands that are particularly exciting: Gubi and Normann Copenhagen. Gubi is a global design house that pulls from historical archives to bring authentic, original and iconic designs back into production by purchasing rights to those designs from family foundations and institutions. It then charges its designers with producing new and original designs fitting for today’s homes. Normann Copenhagen works in the “resimercial” space, building products durable enough to stand up to hightraffic commercial spaces, such as hotel lobbies and airport lounges, but designed with a residential aesthetic.

Walking through the showroom, shoppers can visualize the furniture in their homes by seeing vignettes and themes set up to make the shopping experience easier and more interesting.

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Whether a homeowner’s taste is urban modern or coastal contemporary, Iola Modern’s user-friendly showroom brings design concepts to life.

Although the showroom specializes in carrying modern furniture, Iola Modern’s designers are well versed in blending traditional and modern styles for a more transitional look. “It’s easy for us to add a modern piece or two into a traditionally styled home,” says Ortego. “A well-balanced home doesn’t have to go in one design direction. We help our customers shape their homes to reflect their own personalities.”

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Dana W. Todd is a professional writer specializing in interior design, real estate, luxury homebuilding, landscape design, architecture and art.

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D

ART

DES IGN

GALLERY

FROM THE WINGS

From art lover to gallerist, Mary Martin’s art empire continues to grow

by CHRISTIANA LILLY / photography by HOLGER OBENAUS

A

s customers step into the mary martin galleries , the

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owner and namesake loves to people watch. Will it be a painting or a sculpture that this person will be drawn to?

Even as they step from one piece to another, Mary Martin can tell when they’ve found something they adore.

“It’s interesting to watch the body language,” she says. “You absolutely know without them saying a word which pieces are speaking out to them.”

For Martin, the painting that first captured her attention was at an officer’s club in Germany, where she was living with her husband, who was in the Air Force and stationed there, while she worked as a schoolteacher. At just 21, she was enamored by the piece by Diego, and it was the first piece of art she ever bought.

“It is still one of my lifetime favorites,” she says. “Throughout my life, I’ve continued to be attracted to cities with a lot of art galleries. I love art. I love museum shows. I love anything to do with any kind of art.”

More than 50 years later, Martin is the one creating the art scene. She owns two eponymous art galleries in Charleston and has partnered with a number of area hotels to exhibit art. She represents artists from around the world, including Jean-Claude Gaugy and Hessam Abrishami, and her roster includes both skilled artists and emerging talent.

“I was a buyer of art for 50 years,” she says. “I like to look for originality. … I’m looking for somebody who does something totally unique, totally different.”

Before she became Mary Martin the gallerist, she was a schoolteacher and then a real estate entrepreneur. While living in Colorado Springs, she opened a business that worked with tech companies moving into the area. She first pitched that she could lead tours of the city to newcomers. Then, she expanded her reach and her staff to also sell homes, get spouses set up with jobs, and help their kids get acclimated to their new schools.

Ultimately, she worked with 500 companies. In 2001, she sold the business to spend more time with her new husband as well as devote herself to painting.

“Throughout my whole life I had wanted to paint, so I sold all those companies and I painted for two years, and I absolutely loved it,” she says. “However, I did not love being in my studio all day not talking to people, not being with people. So, I decided that the next best thing for me was to open an art gallery.”

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With her husband, she traveled the country in search of a home for her art gallery. Spots like Carmel in California were in the running, but she says, “I had something whispering in my mind, and that was the ocean in Charleston.” In the ’70s, she was a teacher at Wando High School in Mount Pleasant, and the South was calling her back home. She fell back in love with her home state and, in 2004, opened the doors to the first Mary Martin Gallery.

Her vision for the gallery, which has stayed true, is to not pigeonhole herself into any particular genre. She noticed that

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when she visited a gallery, she was less likely to return if they always carried similar works.

“You’ve got to understand the buyer and why people buy art and what people buy,” she explains. “My taste is all over the board. My least favorite art is ultrarealism, but I have some.

Abstract is beautiful, but I wouldn’t call it my favorite, but I have some.”

Of course, once Martin reaches a goal, she makes a new one.

Her travels had her checking into one hotel after another, giving her the idea to partner with area hotels. The plan: She would

provide the art, elevating the cultural offerings for the hotel, and it would send visitors to her galleries. Her first partnership was with The Vendue in Downtown Charleston when it was purchased by Jonathan Weitz of the Avocet Hospitality Group.

“We monitored the rates on his rooms and his occupancy rate, and within a few months all of that had doubled because of the art,” she recalls.

Next came the Andell Inn in Kiawah, and today her reach has extended to Hotel Bella Grace, The Harbour Club (by invitation), and the newest addition, the residences at Morrison Yard. She

teases that there are also new partnerships in the works. The gallery has won Best Gallery in South Carolina by the American Art Awards nine times since 2013 and has ranked in the top 25 in the nation.

Martin also hosts art workshops for young artists, and one of her favorite memories as a gallerist was watching a family walk in and tell their young daughter to not touch anything. She saw her clam up, nervous to get too close to the precious artworks, so Martin walked over and asked if she could take the little girl on a gallery tour and allow her to touch the sculptures. Once

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stiff and cautious, the child’s eyes lit up as she had a chance to really experience the art in front of her. The girl’s birthday wish the next year, Martin says, was to return to Charleston to see what was new at the gallery; when she did, she was able to work alongside oil painter John Hoffman.

Hopefully, that child will start a lifetime love of fine art, just as Martin did when she found that painting in Germany all those years ago.

“As I walk through my house, my entire life is displayed there, from 21 all the way to now,” she says. “Any time you look at a painting you purchase, you remember where you were, who you were with and how happy you were when you bought it. I can walk through my whole life by just walking through my house and remembering every single thing.”

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Christiana Lilly is a freelance journalist in Pompano Beach, Florida. See more of her work spanning the arts, community news and social justice at christianalilly.com.

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Josh Jensen, Rituals of Care, mixed media on canvas, 49" x 49"

ART

THE BIG PICTURE

Specializing in large paintings by contemporary artists from around the globe, Simpatico Gallery is making a sizeable impact with local art lovers

by LESLIE J. THOMPSON / photography by HOLGER OBENAUS

238 C H A R L E STO N ST Y L E & D E S I G N

debrapaysinger.com dtpart@sc.rr.com

Ann Schwartz surrounded by Lupri paintings

W

hen gallery owner john di giovanni first

saw the work of artist Matthias Lupri, he knew the paintings were exceptional. They were expressive. They were dynamic. They were ... big.

“He had a very unique, heavy style—a heavy palette knife and very textured paintings,” says Di Giovanni, coowner of Simpatico Gallery at 63 Broad St. in Charleston. With the art world moving toward larger canvases, Di Giovanni wanted to showcase Lupri’s work, but skeptics questioned whether the Charleston market was ready for paintings as big as 6 feet tall and 10 feet wide.

“A lot of people are moving to Charleston from areas that are used to this style,” he says, including metropolitan cities like New York, Chicago, Miami and Los Angeles. He decided to take a chance on the German-born artist and promptly hit a home run. Over the next several months, the new gallery expanded its selection to feature more artists known for working on a grand scale, including Michel Calvet, whose vibrant oil paintings adorn the homes of collectors across the United States and Canada, Norway, England, Germany, Japan, China and the artist’s native France.

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Other artists represented by Simpatico include abstract painter Josh Jensen, landscape artist Bridgette Martin and PersianAmerican painter Sholeh Janati, who grew up in Tehran, Iran. Most recently, Di Giovanni added local artist Ann Schwartz, whose colorful abstracts and impressionistic works add a softer style to the gallery walls.

Since opening its doors in February 2022, Simpatico’s organic compilation and roster of artists has mirrored the gallery’s informal and welcoming ethos. “The word Simpatico in Italian means easy, simple, friendly,” notes Di Giovanni. “We have a very laid-back feel to the gallery. People feel comfortable coming in here.”

Di Giovanni originally was looking for a modest building with large windows in which to display paintings by only two or three artists when he stumbled across the property kitty-corner to Charleston City Hall. But after moving into the former accounting law practice space, he and his business partner discovered a hidden gem. In addition to two offices, the back of the gallery featured an overgrown courtyard that had been neglected for some time. As their creative vision began to take shape, the duo renovated the section into a cozy event space that opens into an

Photo by Holger Obenaus

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Michel Calvet, Shipping Port in Charleston, acrylic on canvas, 48" x 36"

Giovanni also arranges for artists to paint in the gallery, often for weeks at a time, using the spacious meeting room and courtyard in the back to set up a temporary studio.

“It’s good for the gallery and good for the artist, but it’s really good for the person purchasing the art,” Di Giovanni notes.

The artists welcome questions from onlookers, he says, and freely share insights about the inspiration behind the subject matter or color palette they chose for a particular piece.

The gallery already is anticipating visits from several of its artists in the months ahead, including a brief residency by Calvet, who plans to take two months away from his studio in Saint-Rémy-deProvence, France. “Matthias Lupri usually comes after Christmas and stays 10 or 12 days into January,” says Di Giovanni, and Josh Jensen will be at the gallery in February to host a workshop and paint one of the largest works he has ever created.

“I couldn’t be happier with the people we have painting for us,” Di Giovanni states proudly.

He finds a strong sense of purpose connecting artists to the community and showcasing their work to an appreciative audience. “The gallery is not about me; it’s about them,” he says.

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outdoor oasis perfect for small gatherings. The main gallery, meanwhile, is unique in that it has the wall space to feature paintings as long as 10 feet.

The oversize artwork is ideal for contemporary homes with high ceilings and open floor plans, helping to create a focal point and often serving as a conversation piece, says Di Giovanni. “We have all different size paintings here, but there’s an opportunity to sell large works,” he says.

Today’s art buyers also are less focused on whether a painting will appreciate in value and more concerned with whether a particular piece brings them joy.

“They want to put something on their wall they’re going to be looking at every day,” Di Giovanni notes. “It’s an investment, but they want to invest in something they like.”

In addition to participating in the First Friday art walks sponsored by the Charleston Gallery Association, Simpatico now hosts frequent public and private events for art enthusiasts. Di

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Leslie J. Thompson is a Dallasbased freelance writer with a passion for interior design and international travel. Read more of her work at lesliejthompson.com.

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POOLS

THE BACKYARD RESORT Aquatica Pools & Spas helps homeowners create a customized luxury oasis

by LESLIE J. THOMPSON / photography by HOLGER OBENAUS

S

ummer may be over , but for many people, vacation travels and outdoor gatherings under sunny skies inspired dreams of adding a pool at home. A custom pool not only offers a ready-made solution for recreation with family and friends but can turn an otherwise boring backyard into a private resort.

Autumn is the perfect time to start planning a pool installation, says Ben Prillaman, director of sales for Aquatica Pools & Spas, which offers bespoke pool design services for homeowners throughout the tri-county area.

244 C H A R L E STO N ST Y L E & D E S I G N

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Although the company generally completes construction on a custom pool in only eight to 12 weeks after breaking ground, the timing for permitting, neighborhood approvals and design decisions can vary, he notes. By starting the process in the fall, customers can have a new pool in place by the first part of the year and enjoy every minute of warm weather when summer rolls around.

Founded by Thiago Silva, who learned to install custom gunite pools while working with his father and uncle after emigrating from Brazil, Aquatica Pools prides itself on offering turnkey service and exceeding client expectations. The staff guides customers step by step through design and construction to make the entire process easy and enjoyable.

After a design consultant reviews the property survey and schedules a site visit with the homeowner, Aquatica’s designers create a 3-D rendering to show where the pool will be in relation to the house, as well as hardscape design and potential landscaping, Prillaman explains. This way, clients can see exactly how their backyard oasis will look before signing the construction contract.

“Every pool is custom,” says Prillaman, who has been with Aquatica since the company started in 2016. “We can tailor every single item to the homeowner’s space and to their preferences.”

A key design consideration is the homeowner’s lifestyle and

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how the new pool fits with the way they like to relax at home or engage in recreation.

“We train all our designers to ask really good questions,” says Prillaman, since a pool can change how someone uses their house or spends time with their family. For example, a couple that does not have children and likes to entertain friends is going to have a very different pool than a couple with two or three kids. “We want to make sure clients are getting something that will actually meet their needs, not just something that looks good,” Prillaman adds.

All of Aquatica’s pools and spas are equipped with smart technology that lets owners adjust the lights, water temperature and other features from their smartphone or other digital devices.

Many newer installations also include Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP) systems, a secondary sanitizer that reduces the need for chemicals in the water. Prillaman says they use ultraviolet light and ozone, which are harmless but effective at keeping the water clean.

Pools with built-in seats and benches or tanning ledges also are increasingly popular, and Aquatica has even crafted custom pools with underwater tables and barstools for entertaining. Similarly, many customers now want shallower pools so they can stand in any part of the water. “We’re finding owners are wanting to hang out and entertain in their pool. It’s not as popular for exercise with big, deep ends,” Prillaman notes.

One of gunite’s benefits is that Aquatica can customize the shape of the pool to the client’s preferences. The familyowned business has built everything from free-form pools with curved lines and low waterfalls to sleek infinity edge pools and rectangular lap pools for avid swimmers.

Geometric shapes are trending at the moment, often accented by pops of color to lighten up a tile line or coping along the pool wall. Along with pool and spa design services, Aquatica offers hardscaping design and construction with options to suit every taste, from natural stonework, like travertine and marble, to concrete pavers.

“We also have brought landscaping into our scope,” says Prillaman, “so that our clients don’t have to go hunting for someone that may or may not even call them back or show up.

Landscaping is the finishing touch and the part that really ties an entire project together. It is the ‘make-or-break’ point between a project that just looks OK and one that really has a wow factor.”

Aquatica is on track to build about 300 pools this year, which is a testament to the team’s commitment to excellence. As the company has grown, owners Thiago and Jacyelly Silva have gone

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to great lengths to maintain crews in-house instead of relying on subcontractors. They even opened a gunite company two years ago so Aquatica would not have to rely on other vendors to supply the special concrete for pool builds.

The company’s continued success and dozens of five-star online reviews attest to the staff’s unwavering commitment to going the extra mile for customers. Prillaman says that the team is all in to do whatever it takes to give clients the custom pool of their dreams.

*

Leslie J. Thompson is a Dallas-based freelance writer with a passion for interior design and international travel. Read more of her work at lesliejthompson.com.

» AQUATICA POOLS & SPAS

7389 INDUSTRY DR. NORTH CHARLESTON, SC 29418 843.212.0014 AQUATICAPOOLSANDSPAS.COM

Helli Luck “Golden Hour” 30"x40" oil on canvas, 33"x43" framed

Crickentree Village Plaza 1055 Hwy. 17 North Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464 Mon. - Sat. 11 until 5

perspectiveartgallery.com

843-800-5025

D DES IGN

FABRIC PROTEC TION

SAFEGUARDING AGAINST STAINS Fiber-Seal of The Lowcountry protects fabrics and removes stains in the area’s finest homes

R

by DANA W. TODD emember when you tried to remove that spot on the rug

or the stain on the couch cushion and it wouldn’t budge? Or perhaps you were able to fade the stain but it left an ugly brown ring behind? Sometimes DIY is not the best way to go.

“We don’t spray and pray,” says John Cobb, co-owner of Fiber-Seal of The Lowcountry. The company’s technicians use specialized technology developed by a chemist more than 50 years ago to protect all types of upholstery, rugs and drapery in coastal homes, from Charleston to Savannah.

“We are very good at cleaning fabrics, and we are expert spot removers,” he adds.

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Kathryn Parker Fine Art @kathylparker | 970-371-3363 | kathrynparkerart.com

Represented by Perspective Gallery | 1055 Johnnie Dodds Blvd | Mt Pleasant SC 29464

Fiber-Seal has a 94% success rate in stain removal. Still, the company continuously explores new ways to improve its processes and services for customers. Its use of black light technology shows promise as an enhanced remover of upholstery stains. “In the event there is an accidental spill, we want our clients to live worry-free about their investment pieces,” Cobb says.

“In the event there is an accidental spill, we want our clients to live worry-free about their investment pieces.”

Fiber-Seal’s two-pronged approach to protecting and maintaining fabrics sets the company apart from other service providers. Technicians apply a proprietary protective treatment designed to repel liquids that does not change the texture, color, feel or look of the fabric. A 12-month service agreement

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ensures complimentary stain removal if any issue arises after treatment. For secondary residences, the complimentary aftercare agreement extends to 18 months. Technicians leave behind an after-care fabric kit stocked with four solutions and a guide book explaining how to use the items in the kit to remove minor stains. If a homeowner is unsuccessful, however, Fiber-Seal stands behind its treatments and resolves the issue for the homeowner free of charge during the maintenance agreement period, which is renewable year after year for continuous upholstery protection.

It’s a myth that performance fabrics, which are designed to resist spills, don’t stain. Fiber-Seal’s fabric protector works just as well to lengthen the life of performance fabrics. An additional layer of protection helps these types of fabrics work even harder at maintaining their good looks for a longer period of time.

Fabric protection is most important in high-traffic areas. “Any protective treatment is use-based,” Cobb says. “It eventually wears off with repeated use, so we recommend treating hightraffic areas, such as entrance and hallway rugs and everyday couches, annually. It is also important to protect high-end investment furniture and rugs that would give you heartburn if they were soiled. It doesn’t make sense to pinch the wrong pennies and leave your furniture unprotected.”

Fiber-Seal protects furnishings in the finest homes in the Lowcountry. Its products are so successful at protecting and treating furniture that the biggest source of business referrals is

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from interior designers, who recommend it for their clients’ homes.

Designers also leverage Fiber-Seal’s textiles expertise to help them choose the fabrics that will work best for their clients’ lifestyles. “I don’t recommend services or products to my clients unless I have tried them personally in my own home,” says Caroline deVlaming Farrior of deVlaming Design, who has used Fiber-Seal for more than 15 years. “Fiber-Seal’s product is effective, and its customer service response time is very fast. With fabrics trending toward light and bright, Fiber-Seal is an essential part of design.”

Fiber-Seal’s eco-friendly protectants are safe for use around children and pets and are Greenguard Gold-certified so they have passed stringent standards for low-VOC emissions. The fabric protectors used are also Woolsafe approved, having passed annual testing for effectiveness and safety. Since Fiber-Seal of The Lowcountry is part of a wider, nationwide network of FiberSeal service centers, it shares collective wisdom gleaned through ongoing research on upholstery and carpet cleaning technology and techniques.

While fabric protection is a no-brainer for new furniture and rugs, it also is surprisingly effective on older pieces, even those with existing stains. Fiber-Seal’s cleaning agents and treatments work hand in hand, removing stains before they protect the upholstery from future mishaps. And furniture can be treated immediately after it is cleaned, so there is convenient, quick turnaround on projects.

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Although the team behind Fiber-Seal of The Lowcountry works hard all week taking care of homeowners’ emergencies and protecting their furniture investments, the family-owned company takes time every Friday afternoon to support a local Charlestonarea restaurant. Dubbed “Fiber-Seal Fridays,” Cobb and coowners Chappelle Manning and Michael Carter invite the tight-knit employee team to enjoy lunch together. The brothers, cousins and in-laws celebrate the successful completion of another week’s work while breaking bread together and supporting a different local business each week. “There’s a lot of trust between us,” says Cobb. “That’s why our results are impeccable; we’re all on the same page to provide the absolute best service in the Lowcountry.”

*

Dana W. Todd is a professional writer specializing in interior design, real estate, luxury homebuilding, landscape design, architecture and art.

» FIBER-SEAL OF THE LOWCOUNTRY 875 WALT MILLER ST., SUITE A2 MOUNT PLEASANT, SC 29464 843.696.4758 LOWCOUNTRYFIBERSEAL.COM

www.NicoleRobinsonPhotography.com NicRobinsonPhotography@gmail.com | 843-737-3830 |

@NicoleClicks

D HOME

&

DES IGN

LIFEST YLE

ACCESSORIES

AT HOME IN CHARLESTON Vignette settles in on Broad Street

by CHRISTINA ANDREWS / photography by HOLGER OBENAUS

L

ast november , laura cottrill opened the doors of vignette ,

settling into her pretty new storefront at 43 Broad St. and enjoying the warm Southern hospitality she has received from all who visit.

Vignette is a welcoming space, full of character and intriguing merchandise, where visitors can take pleasure in a shopping experience for the senses. Passersby will be drawn into the store by the delicious scent of candles, music, a dramatic floor-to-ceiling tropical wall mural, urns spilling over with dried branches and palm leaves, and moody chandeliers. Add to that

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shelves and tabletops romantically layered with colorful glassware and dishes, olive wood boards and utensils, and a myriad of linens and napkins. Gentle lighting illuminates vignettes of distinctive accent furniture, pillows and zebra-pattern rugs.

One of Vignette’s signature pieces is an oversize bust of David that whimsically graces the main pantry table amid wooden serving boards, glass cloches, bundles of dried flowers in woven bags and other specialty items du jour. Chandeliers are another highlight of the store, varying in style and scale. Moroccan fixtures lend a more contemporary look with clean geometric lines done in leaded glass, while New Orleans-style chandeliers drip generously with strands of rustic wood beads. Also distinctive are traditional French chandeliers whose similarly styled candelabra are perfect for tabletops and sideboards.

Other collectibles in the store are equally satiating, namely Vignette’s pantry items and one-of-a-kind personal effects.

Vignette offers out-of-the-ordinary dresses and tunics in natural linen with block print designs, assorted handcrafted Navajo glassbeaded cuffs lined in soft leather, simple bracelets with beads of natural stone and crystal, and rhinestone jewelry strung on vintage chains.

Cottrill is all about entertaining, and the store’s “pantry” has perfect products for this. Vignette’s coffers are replete with flavorful sauces, squid ink pasta, artisan crackers, condiments and

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preserves, fancy tinned seafood, craft cocktail mixes, premium olive oils and jarred olives, honeycomb, seasoned nuts and dried fruit, and, most importantly, gourmet chocolates. After stocking up on Vignette provisions, Cottrill recommends customers make their way to Goat, Sheep, Cow, a nearby shop that carries artisan cheeses and charcuterie, plus wines that pour ever so nicely into Vignette’s pretty wine glasses. And upon returning home, all of these treats can be generously laid out on one of Vignette’s exquisite wood cutting boards.

Consider pairing your new pantry items with tabletop items designed for properly serving these delectables: hand-painted plates, antiqued wooden bowls, oven-safe ceramic oyster shells, cheese knives and shell caviar spoons. Additional functional beauty is found in the way of vintage silver-plated forks and spreaders, wicker chargers, olive wood utensils and roughhewn or stained wood cutting boards. And don’t forget to pick up a couple of block print table linens and a stack of Cottrill’s humorous (or what some might call outright rude) cocktail napkins.

Throughout the showroom, antiqued wood and upholstered seating is suggestively nestled up to rustic tables of various size and purpose, and sprinkled about are accent furniture pieces, some with hand-painted designs, others in soothing faux antique patinas. Tactile experiences abound in the way of Turkish and

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Moroccan wool shag rugs and pillows, zebra faux hide floorcloths, bold print throws and plush footstools.

Let Vignette’s colorful Instagram page provide inspiration for gift giving. Favorites include decoupage oyster shells, scented candles, wine glasses, stationery and smudges. And of course, pantry items, such as a bottle of premium olive oil or a box of chocolates, will be a hit with almost any recipient. Vignette’s ever-changing inventory makes it the perfect go-to for gifts.

Prior to Vignette’s opening in Charleston, the store had its home in Annapolis, Maryland. The original Vignette opened in March of 2020, just three days before the COVID-19 lockdown. This false start might have deterred a less ambitious person, but Cottrill was not one to let go of her life’s dream. Four months later, when restrictions lessened, Vignette reopened and Cottrill settled into the work she loves.

Enjoying the retail life and hoping to open a second store, Cottrill and her husband began making excursions down to Charleston. “We loved these trips,” she says. “The weather was always beautiful, there were gorgeous beaches nearby, and there was just something special about Charleston. It has big-city style with a small-town feel.” For Cottrill, a career art consultant and interior designer, the draw to Charleston was magnetic. She describes an “eclectic aesthetic” that drew her in and captured her imagination. She found it everywhere—in the architecture, the food and wine, in antiques stores and art galleries.

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In this connection with Charleston, the pieces of the puzzle were coming together, and a move soon followed, with Cottrill and her husband buying a second home in the area. As they spent more time in Charleston and their connections grew, a decision was made to reverse their living situation, whereby Charleston became their primary residence. Moving Vignette to the region seemed the logical next step.

Finally, in finding the quintessential Charleston storefront in the heart of Cottrill’s favorite South of Broad neighborhood, the picture was complete. Cottrill and Vignette had found their home.

*

Christina Andrews is a freelance writer from the Napa Valley who specializes in personal and business bios, food and wine, visual arts, music, hospitality, the event industry, community interest stories, obituaries and political satire.

» VIGNETTE

43 BROAD ST., SUITE 100 CHARLESTON, SC 29401 410.353.5987 VIGNETTEHOMETABLEGARDEN.COM

D DES IGN

Fly Away Home, oil on canvas, 30" x 30"

ARTIST

THE WONDERS OF NATURE

Artist Alice Dobbin wields a lifetime of creative exploration to share a love of animals and nature with viewers

G

by ROBIN HOWARD

rowing up in inner - city pittsburgh , Alice Dobbin dreamed of having a horse, a dream that eventually came true. As an only child, she spent her days drawing horses and designing dresses, a practice her family encouraged.

Though she describes her family as poor, they were rich in creativity. “My family were all self-taught craftsmen. My grandfather made violins and carved little doll cradles for me out of wood,” she

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top: Windswept, oil on canvas, 20" x 30"; Photo by Holger Obenaus bottom: Afternoon Repose, oil on canvas, 16" x 12"

says. Dobbin’s mother and grandmother were of Ukrainian descent, and they taught her to make traditional pysanky, intricately painted eggs with mesmerizing designs, delicate linework and miniature nature motifs. “I wasn’t as good at pysanky as my mother and grandmother, but I found my own venue of expression,” she adds. “Everyone encouraged my drawing and painting; my uncle brought me all sorts of tools and supplies.”

In elementary school, her skills landed her in a gifted program that allowed her to take art classes at Carnegie Mellon University, which helped her continue to develop as an artist through high school. When it was time for college, Dobbin realized art school would be too expensive for her family and had little confidence in the ability to make a living as an artist.

Instead, she pursued journalism, her other talent, and worked as a writer in a PR firm after graduation.

As life progressed, Dobbin became a stay-at-home mom, and her painting skills flourished. When her children entered elementary school, she discovered there was no art teacher, so she volunteered to teach. “My husband suggested I return to college for an art degree,” she says. “Being an older student was strange, but I was very serious about it.”

After graduating magna cum laude from Washington & Jefferson College in Pennsylvania, she taught art in public schools before serving as an adjunct art professor. Then, after vacationing in Charleston for years, she and her husband made the move, and Dobbin became a full-time artist.

After decades of development, today the artist’s style combines realism and abstraction. For example, if she’s painting a bird, she uses tools and techniques that capture a more realistic image and a unique personality.

“The eyes are the window to the soul, so I use fine brushes to paint the eyes,” she says. “But the background I’ll leave to the viewer to interpret.”

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Majestic, oil on canvas, 20" x 30"

Dobbin’s backgrounds are often painted with a palette knife and are highly textural. The heron in the foreground may be detailed, but the Spanish moss in the background is a wash of purples and golds. “I try to connect with the natural environment I’m in when I’m painting, almost like a communion with nature,” she says. “You just feel God’s beauty around you. I want to share that with people.”

The life of an artist is often circuitous, and Dobbin’s rich history is apparent in her work. For example, in her fine brushwork, she flexes the skills she learned while painting pysanky eggs and her early work as a printmaker in the etching process. The soulful emotions on the faces of the animals she paints come from her deep love of animals and early influence by Romantic realist Eugene Delacroix. Like Delacroix, Dobbin experiences and portrays the beauty and wonder of nature as a source of spiritual consolation in a troubled world.

Dobbin is also influenced by Monet, but his style isn’t so much seen in her work as in her subject matter. Monet said he never wanted to leave his corner of paradise in Giverny, and Dobbin feels the same about her home in the Lowcountry. The artist dislikes flying and prefers to be near her family and rescue dog; she will not be jetting off to Africa or Tuscany for inspiration.

“Monet painted the simple things around him, and I do too. If you’re expressing the passion within you, you don’t have to travel.

It’s the passion that goes into the canvas, not the subject matter.

The work is an expression of how you feel,” she says.

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A lifelong animal lover who is passionate about animal rescue, Dobbin most enjoys painting all sorts of creatures. “After studying with the renowned British wildlife artist John Seerey-Lester, I really felt I had an understanding of wildlife art,” she says. “He emphasized knowing the structure of an animal. Even if you’re going to simplify the bird, you have to know where its feathers are.”

Dobbin rarely works en plein air unless conditions are just right. Instead, she uses a long lens to take photos near her home on the marsh and analyze them for the best color, composition, lighting and expression. Then, she’ll interpret it her own way on the canvas. “Sometimes, I’ll put a wash of warm color as a base, then work from there,” she explains. “I’ll draw the image, but the background usually evolves itself. I know what the subject matter will be with wildlife, but I don’t know where the background is going until it goes.”

Though she’s been an artist for nearly 40 years, the artist paints for the sake of painting. “I like the fact it brings joy to others,” Dobbin says. “Talent is a blessing, and you need to share it.”

*

Robin Howard is a freelance writer in Charleston.

See more of her work at robinhowardwrites.com.

» ALICE DOBBIN

ALICEDOBBIN.COM

D DES IGN

Blessed Serenade, acrylic on canvas, 16" x 12"

ARTIST

FOR THE BEAUTY OF THE EARTH Artist Dale Terbush paints vivid, romanticized skyscapes anchored by dramatic landscapes

by ROBIN HOWARD

268 C H A R L E STO N ST Y L E & D E S I G N

843.936.6997 280 West Coleman Blvd.

Mount Pleasant, SC interiormotivesmp@gmail.com (Located between Copper Penny and Southern Belles)

Photo by Holger Obenaus

Color My Heart, Color My Home, acrylic on canvas, 18" x 24"

L

ook at any of dale terbush’s vibrant landscapes

and your brain will automatically start searching for an anthem or a hymn as background music. In his work—almost always skyscapes—dramatic white clouds roil against colorful skies. The landscape beneath—mountains, canyons, marshes, oceans and river glens— are majestic in their own right but serve as visual anchors to the glorious turmoil above.

Terbush is among an increasingly rare breed of artist: Hudson River School-style, romantic landscape painters whose detailed, realistic works portray landscapes that are both rugged and peaceful, idealized and sublime. What’s even more rare is that Terbush has never had an art lesson. Growing up poor by American standards, the artist had a small metal watercolor set with just eight colors. His extended family would save their Christmas cards for him, which back in the day were printed on high-quality paper that folded out into perfect 8-by-10-inch sheets.

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As a child, he would sketch a cartoon on the reclaimed paper, then fill in the lines with color. The paint and paper were all he needed. “I was obsessed with it,” Terbush says. “I have always had a very unusual brain; I just see things differently. I can close my eyes and see things finished that don’t exist yet. I’ve never had an education beyond high school, but if no one tells you that you can’t do something, then you don’t know you can’t do it.”

As an adult, Terbush painted in oils for years but was frustrated with how long it took to dry. “I had two kids, no studio and I couldn’t live with the smell of turpentine and linseed oil twentyfour seven,” he says. “So, I switched to acrylic. You have to lay the paint down fast, but that’s not a problem for me. I actually use a hairdryer to speed it up.”

Though Terbush says it took him 40 years to be an overnight success, he understands that his process is unorthodox and embraces it. For example, he doesn’t paint plein air, and not only does he not use photographs as an aide-mémoire, he frequently paints landscapes he’s never seen in places he’s never been.

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top: Take Me Home, acrylic on canvas, 16" x 12" bottom: Once in My Lifetime, acrylic on canvas, 12" x 16"

272 C H A R L E STO N ST Y L E & D E S I G N

“There are too many constraints painting from photographs; it would slow me down,” he says. “How many times do you have to paint a tree before you know what a tree looks like?

I don’t think people give their minds enough credit. I take visual pictures all the time. I note key elements, and they’re locked in my mind.

I would love to teach classes because I could change how people paint landscapes.”

A critical element that sets Terbush’s work apart from other landscapes is his ultra highcontrast palette, à la Maxfield Parrish. “When I started doing super high-contrast landscapes, people got really excited about them,” he says. “I paint under bright light because if I get the urge to paint at 2 in the morning, I don’t have that nice north light. I love how light changes pictures and how the whites grab onto whatever light is left in the room as it gets darker outside. This is the glory of God right in front of you. I’m an emotional person, and I want somebody to feel something when they’re looking at my paintings.”

Though he lives in Arizona, Terbush recently completed a Charleston series. “I fell in love with Pat Conroy’s books; they take me away,” he says. The series features dramatic ocean and marsh scenes with electric orange and red sunrises above crashing waves and meandering, watery paths through the marsh.

“I feel so lucky that every day when I go to my studio, I get to travel,” Terbush says.

“When I’m down, I can pick up a canvas and go anywhere I want in the world because I can create images in my head. My best friend my whole life is my ability to paint pictures.

I’ve done more than 10,000 paintings, and with each one, that little boy that painted with watercolors still gets excited.”

Terbush is represented by several galleries in Wyoming, New Mexico and his home state of Arizona.

*

Robin Howard is a freelance writer in Charleston. See more of her work at robinhowardwrites.com.

» DALE TERBUSH

602.740.9977 DALETERBUSHART.COM

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D DES IGN

Champagne and Oysters, oil on canvas, 36" x 36"

ARTIST

CAPTURING THE MOOD OF THE MOMENT

Impressionist painter Helli Luck immerses herself en plein air to reveal the poetics of place

274 C H A R L E STO N ST Y L E & D E S I G N

I

by BILL THOMPSON

f the artist ’ s task is not so much to reflect the

visible as to make visible, then impressionist painter Helli Luck achieves precisely that, revealing every nuance of what she sees and feels when immersed in a landscape, features that may be hidden from the casual eye.

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left: Heavy Load, oil on canvas, 16" x 12" right: I’m so Pretty, oil on canvas, 40" x 30"

Born in London, the Pawleys Island resident works principally en plein air.

“It’s mostly because, outdoors, I know I will find more ‘information’ and do better work,” she says. “It’s important to be quiet for a moment and observe colors, tones, shapes. Some things can only be grasped by being in the environment. My work captures what I saw and the emotion I felt at the time. I want to render the most beautiful impression of what I experienced in that moment. My design background plays into it as well, but it’s mostly a poetic impression.”

Luck is a former graphic designer and professional chef who returned to art after years in the culinary field, having earned diplomas from La Petite Cuisine in London, Roger Vergé’s fabled Le Moulin de Mougins in the French Riviera town of Mougins, and Le Chateau de Montreuil in Normandy. She worked part time as a cook in London and full time as a private chef after moving to Nashville in 1985.

She did not put oil to canvas until 15 years ago.

Luck, who moved to South Carolina in 2015, is inspired by the great Impressionists, without regarding any one as a singular influence. It’s the style that speaks to her and to her clients.

“Impressionism is a dreamworld that invites you in,” she says.

“You are transported there. It’s as if you can feel the sunshine, smell the melons and the peaches. I have always loved the South

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of France—its light, its colors and fragrances. It’s also just about being there, a combination of experiences. But what I loved about France I can love here, too.”

While attending Central Saint Martins, a college of the University of the Arts, London, Luck began working part time with the advertising firm of Saatchi & Saatchi, doing a lot of freelance graphic art and learning the ropes while still a student.

After establishing her own company, D&H Advertising, at age 24, she worked simultaneously with Saatchi & Saatchi as an art director, responsible for numerous major accounts.

But Luck’s baptism in art began much earlier. At 14, her combination pen-and-ink and watercolor piece was exhibited in the Mall Galleries near Buckingham Palace. It later traveled with the exhibit as it toured abroad.

“It was lovely to be recognized, but it was just a beginning, really,” says Luck. “I was madly in love with art and knew I was going to be an artist. It was just the first step on the road to exciting things.”

The seed was planted early. As a child, Luck traveled throughout Europe with her parents. It was during one such trip that she was galvanized by a first brush with art.

“The biggest emotional response I ever had to a painting was to a Monet in the Musée de l’Orangerie in the Tuileries Garden in Paris,” says Luck, for whom travel remains a passion. “It was

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so massive and overwhelming. I was in absolute awe.”

One assumes that anyone named Luck has enjoyed her share of good fortune. And the artist says moving to South Carolina was a stroke of serendipity.

“I do believe I’ve been extremely lucky and done some amazing things,” she says.

“It’s not all luck. Hard work does come into play. But I think that at the moment I’m lucky to love being where I am because of what it means to my painting. A lot of people are wanting to buy large art of this subject matter for the beautiful houses that have been built in this area.”

Luck, a member of the American Impressionist Society, says she wants buyers to experience joy in having and observing her work in their homes. She often goes to a client’s home to hear their stories and relate her own.

“Many of them will give me indications of what they want in the painting, so every day when they do look at the painting, it is a part of their lifestyle and sensibility as well as their home,” she says.

Currently, her work is on exhibit at Wynsum Antiques & Interiors and the Lowcountry Artists Gallery in Charleston, Perspective Gallery in Mount Pleasant, Brookgreen Gardens in Murrels Inlet and Stellers Gallery in Jacksonville, Florida.

In formal art training as in food, certain concepts are stressed. Many are instructed to have a finished idea of what a work will be before they even begin. Luck prefers flexibility.

“Sometimes this is my approach, but I might also change directions,” she says. “A mood can change. Or I can make a mistake that is a happy mistake and just decide to go with it.”

top: Splendor in the Marsh, oil on canvas, 48" x 48" bottom: Helli Luck

*

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Bill Thompson writes about the arts, travel and film. His latest book is Lightwaves: A Film Critic’s Odyssey.

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DES IGN

CASA ISPIRATA

FURNITURE

ONE COMPANY, TWO DISTINCTIVE BRANDS

This furniture company is grounded in the fundamentals of Italian-influenced design and craftsmanship

C

by ELLEN URIBE asa ispirata and cavalletto home are two wholesale, to-

the-trade-only furniture brands launched in the United States at the June 2021 High Point Furniture Market. Owned by an Italian furniture designer and manufacturer that has been in business since 1984, the fledgling brands are attracting new clientele as they expand distribution throughout North America.

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“Protected Beauty” 8x10 Oil on canvas panel

jeanneoneal.faso.com jeanneoneal_art Represented by Perspective Gallery 1055 Johnnie Dodds Blvd.

Mount Pleasant, SC 843-800-5025

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is imbued with a graceful sense of refinement that references both the beauty of Italian minimalism and the scale and comfort of American architecture and design.

Cavalletto Home is pure California-modern, a fusion of a wide variety of styles, from mid-century and brutalist to Japanese and Scandinavian and, of course, a healthy dose of 1970s Italian modernism. Here, you will find sleek, modern forms clad in opengrain oak and complemented by a variety of artisan metals, stone, concrete and leather, placing a high priority on luxuriant colors and textures.

“The genesis of our designs lies in the transformation of raw materials—leather, marble, wood, metal—into beautiful bedroom, dining room and living room furnishings of high artistic value and quality,” says Heffern.

Distributed through better retailers and designers in the United States and Canada, each brand features three distinct finishes—a light finish, a mid-tone finish and a dark finish. “The beach communities—the hotter climates—love the light finishes,” says Heffern. “But, in general, everyone is an individual with their own decorative style and finish preferences. We do our best to address them all.”

The furniture, manufactured in Vietnam, features high-end details such as custom, solid brass hardware, English dovetail drawer construction, undermount soft-close drawer glides, and

CAVALLETTO HOME

“The driving force behind our brands is our passion for design, love of the creative process, and the pride we take in building furniture of remarkable beauty and enduring style,” says the company’s U.S. president, Bill Heffern.

The brands were created in collaboration with a small group of home furnishings industry veterans and are supported by a worldwide team of more than 100 employees. The organization includes designers, engineers, finishing specialists, and product testing and quality assurance teams.

Heffern, who has made his career in the furniture industry since the mid-1980s, explains: “We are a compact and focused company with a process grounded in the fundamentals of Italian-influenced design and craftsmanship. Our direct connection to Italy and the ‘Italian eye’ for luxury brands gives our Casa Ispirata and Cavalletto Home collections each its own unique yet timeless and iconic style.”

Each brand has a distinct design language. Casa Ispirata is clean, upscale American-modern. The look is informed by a combination of the brash confidence and energy of American design and the restrained elegance and austerity of Italian design.

In particular, the aesthetic is centered around the romantic era of Italian-American alliances and partnerships in the automotive, film and fashion industries between 1965 and 1995. Each design

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full slat-rolls with adjustable height options on beds. Chairs are built using traditional wood joinery and ship fully assembled.

These features coupled with outstanding design, craftsmanship and pricing elevate Casa Ispirata and Cavalletto Home above the competition.

The June 2021 launch presented several hurdles. While business boomed for many existing companies in the industry during the first years of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was enormously challenging for this new venture due to worldwide travel restrictions combined with factory and transportation disruptions. High Point Expo attendance suffered, and retailers were working remotely, making introductory visits impossible.

“Unable to get out into the field to call on potential customers made for a frustrating first two years,” says Heffern. “Still, during that period, we developed good relationships with the design trade and various retailers that found us online or attended, COVID notwithstanding, the High Point shows.”

To make up for the lost time, Heffern and his team are now crisscrossing the United States, personally meeting scores of furniture retailers. “I began my career as a salesman, then transitioned into sourcing, product development and quality systems. Getting back into ‘the field’ and meeting new people, is a real pleasure,” says Heffern.

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Casa Ispirata and Cavalletto Home showcase their designs at the High Point Furniture Market twice a year. The company has websites for each brand with full product details, allowing consumers, retailers and the trade to get a realistic and detailed idea of the fine elements and workmanship in the products.

“We are grateful for the privilege of building furniture that becomes a part of the fabric of family life,” says Heffern.

*

Ellen Uribe is an award-winning journalist and a communications expert. She is a sought-after speaker, participating as a moderator and panelist at numerous industry events, conferences and broadcast outlets. She has contributed to Vanity Fair, Palm Beach Life, The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Women’s Wear Daily and Time Magazine.

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D DES IGN

Melinda Allen, On the Rocks, oil on canvas, 16" x 16"

ART GALLERY

AN ART LOVER’S PARADISE

Island Art Gallery celebrates 10 years as an artist-owned gallery in the heart of Pawleys Island

by ROBIN HOWARD / photography by HOLGER OBENAUS

A

s one of the first resorts on the east coast ,

Pawleys Island has long been where Charlestonian families escape when the languid pace of life in the Holy City starts feeling hectic. Just four miles long and “one house wide,” according to the town’s official description of itself, Pawleys is a place where time seems to stand still.

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Catherine Vaccarino, Evening Prelude, acrylic on canvas, 24" x 36"

At the center of this small vacation resort are the Village Shops, and at the heart of the Village Shops is a cozy, 1,100-square-foot historic cottage that has been home to a Pawleys Island icon, Island Art Gallery, for nearly 15 years.

The gallery, which is a TripAdvisor Top 10 for the Grand Strand and was voted a Best of the Beach Art Gallery for the second year in a row by the Myrtle Beach Sun News readership, has been a goto stop for visitors and locals for more than a decade. Though it’s been in the same location since 2009, in 2014, the gallery became artist owned. Today, there are 26 artists working in various mediums, including oil, watercolor, acrylic, mixed media, porcelain and glass, as well as printmaking and handcrafted furniture.

“As the gallery has grown over the years, we’ve brought on different artists that appeal to a broader range of tastes,” says Kelly Atkinson, one of the eight owners. “Since we have so many different mediums, we can provide art that appeals to everyone.

Many of our visitors are interested in mementos of their time on the island, but we also work with interior designers and people building or furnishing new homes. We have small works, but we also have artists who do large-scale paintings and commissions.”

The gallery is hung salon style, where paintings of different sizes and themes are placed in groupings next to each other. Each artist has their own wall space, so if you find work you like, you can see the rest of the artist’s current selections.

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While marsh and ocean scenes are popular and plentiful, Island Art Gallery has a wide range of other interesting works. For example, Maura Kenny works in watercolor and mixed media, including ink, colored pencil, stitchery and beading. Her vivid pieces are colorful and full of symbolism. While they have many Southern motifs, they’re also a little bit mysterious.

Martha Manco’s light-drenched oil paintings capture people and landscapes at graceful moments in time. Catherine Vaccarino shares her love of the Carolina coast through vivid works in acrylic that portray allées of ancient oaks draped in moss, blooming water lilies floating in water that reflects blue sky, and sandy paths through scrubby dunes.

Painter Melinda Allen is driven by a desire to trigger a happy memory for her viewers. Whether her subject is a furry friend, a beach scene or a still life of flowers and shells, Allen’s understated palette and refined brushstrokes convey peace and warmth.

Multitalented artist Lisa Blayton creates delicate works from porcelain in the form of Christmas ornaments with ocean themes.

The gallery’s most recent addition, printmaker Treelee MacAnn, creates linocuts and multilayered prints called serigraphs with Southern motifs.

If you want to start or enrich your own art practice, there’s a light-filled studio space in the back where the gallery’s artists can work and teach classes and workshops. Twice a year, Atkinson

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top: Maura Kenny, Chicora Wood Plantation, watercolor, 30" x 37" bottom: Julie Williford, textured porcelain platter

teaches a Back-to-Basics class for newbies or rusty artists, and other artists teach in mediums such as watercolor, pastel, textile dying and more.

Island Art Gallery puts on two special events a year, a spring show and its popular Miniature Masterpieces, which draw submissions from talented artists outside the region. The gallery is celebrating its 10th anniversary in February 2024, and the owners are planning multiple events.

“Pawleys Island is such a nice trip up from Charleston,” Atkinson says. “You can browse the gallery and other shops, and there are fantastic restaurants surrounding us.” The gallery is open year-round from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays.

*

Robin Howard is a freelance writer in Charleston. See more of her work at robinhowardwrites.com.

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DES IGN

INTERIOR

DESIGN

INSPIRED DESIGN

From the Big Apple to the Holy City, Chez Lissette offers classic design with a modern, edgy twist

by CHRISTIANA LILLY / photography by KYLE J. CALDWELL

T

he curves of a wooden art nouveau staircase , the

purple and deep blue feathers of a bird or the textures of a haute couture handbag—inspiration can strike anywhere for interior designer Lissette DelVecchio.

“I love to look in my clients’ wardrobes and understand how they dress because I believe fashion and interiors share a lot of commonalities,” she explains.

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The one-woman show behind Chez Lissette, the New York City transplant has 20 years of experience in the design world, working with some of the top luxury design firms. She’s harnessed the know-how to guide clients through a highly refined design process, whether it’s reimagining a single room, taking the lead on a brand-new build project or maintaining historic features in a renovation.

“To have an interior designer come in and alleviate the stress that comes with a design project is so invaluable,” she says about taking on major projects. “I’m going through every detail and process with a fine-tooth comb; I don’t want you to have any regrets in the end.”

After leaving Long Island and having lived in the Charleston area for a year now, DelVecchio is offering a new clientele her unique brand of marrying classic and modern design elements. While New York and South Carolina may seem worlds away, the designer has found threads uniting the two regions: beaches and waterfront experiences, and both cities are teeming with the arts and historic architecture.

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DelVecchio and her family came upon Summerville during a road trip in 2022—her husband insisted they make a stop in the Charleston area, and she fell in love with the city.

“One of the things I love about Charleston so much is the history,” she explains. “I really have an interest in preserving that. I love the old homes and the old architecture and the historic details.”

She studied interior design at Cornell University and worked with luxury residential and commercial design firms—it was these experiences that taught her how to work on a project from soup to nuts, reading blueprints and working alongside building contractors and architects, and refining details like millwork design and lighting plans. She also worked in the retail and home furnishing industry for some time. However, once she had her first son, seven years ago, trekking back and forth from Long Island to Manhattan became all-consuming. DelVecchio took a leap and opened her own design firm, Chez Lissette, where she could focus on the most rewarding projects for her: residential.

“There’s something so fulfilling about connecting with a family on a personal level and creating a beautiful home for them,” she says.

No matter the scope of the project, clients are expertly guided through the interior design process with DelVecchio’s refined yet personalized system. First, clients provide background information on the project and meet with DelVecchio in what she calls the lifestyle audit. Here, she gets to know the clients, their day-to-day lifestyle, aesthetic preferences and their design dreams.

What’s most helpful, she says, is browsing their closet—it reveals a lot about a person, including their style and colors they’re attracted to.

“Sometimes that’s really indicative of a style that they like,” she explains. “A lot of times clients have trouble verbalizing this.”

Next comes the architectural review, where instead of getting to know the client, she gets to know the house and its nuances, measurements and architectural plans. She also takes photos to help with the next step, the concept design. DelVecchio works to create a first draft of the design vision, proposing floor plans and initial material selections. Here, she can make sure that she and the clients are on the same page and make edits as necessary. Then, a detailed design plan is formulated, pulling the entire

design together, down to the very last finish, accessories and artwork.

“Nothing is left on the table,” DelVecchio says.

From here, the procurement and implementation take place. DelVecchio leads the project with placing orders and coordinating deliveries, and in new-build or renovation projects, she works alongside the construction and architecture teams to ensure that everything is on track for the best part of the whole process: the final reveal.

“The pure joy, the excitement on their faces. That’s everything; that’s why we do this,” she says about being an interior designer. “We’re helping clients create their dream life, the lifestyle they dream of through exceptional design. It allows them to live the way that they want to live in their home. Function is so important, just as much as the aesthetic.”

*

Christiana Lilly is a freelance journalist in Pompano Beach, Florida.

See more of her work spanning the arts, community news and social justice at christianalilly.com.

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D DES IGN

INTERIOR DESIGN

DESIGN STORIES

Organic Love weaves tales through sustainable design practices

by CHRISTIANA LILLY / photography by HOLGER OBENAUS

W

alking through the front door of a home is like cracking

open the cover of a book. Chapters flow from each framed photograph and piece of art purchased on a trip, the indoor herb garden in the kitchen, a cozy throw blanket knit by a grandmother, or a gallery wall chronicling a growing family.

With each step taken into the home, the story of its owners unfolds.

This is how interior designer Celina Voelker approaches the projects she takes on—the home is a canvas, but she’s not starting from scratch. Instead, she sees

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her role as walking into an incomplete space and helping bring it to where the clients want it to be. What they envisioned their home to look like but didn’t know how to do it themselves.

“We wanted to give clients an opportunity to tell their story and say what’s important to them,” says Voelker, owner of Organic Love Interior Design. “You should look around and your walls should represent you.”

She has always been design-minded, but for years she practiced as a clinical pharmacist and studied interior design on the side, taking on projects for family and friends. Pleased with the results of her work and eye for storytelling through design, they encouraged her to make her passion a full-time profession. In January, she took a leap and introduced her design firm, Organic Love Interior Design, to Charleston with her husband, Chuck.

Having “organic” in the name stretches beyond simply creating a natural flow to a home she’s reworking. Voelker strives to utilize furniture from sustainable companies and purchase items made from organic materials; think organic mattresses or textiles woven from organic fibers. In her personal life, she and her family also made the switch to organic foods about a decade ago.

“Most of the time, when you buy something that’s organic, it holds up a lot better than something that is not,” she says.

The interior designer also brings sustainability to the community

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by supporting locally owned consignment and vintage stores in the Charleston area. Hunting through gently used items to place in clients’ homes, she is able to forgo the flimsy MDF furniture from big-box stores in favor of vintage pieces made by hand with higher-quality materials. It removes items from possibly ending up in landfills and provides her clients with items that are teeming with personality.

“There’s a lot more character to things,” she says of her consignment and thrift store finds.

Another tenet of Organic Love is providing her services at attainable prices. Voelker says she doesn’t want clients to be left behind due to the cost of beautiful design.

“Our clients walk into their home and see things they don’t like; they see things they want to change, but they don’t know how to,” she explains. “Your home should be where you want to go at the end of the day and where you feel comfortable being. It should be a reflection of who you are and who your family is.”

When working on a new project, Voelker meets with clients in their homes to learn about them and their space, including items of sentimental value. It’s important, she says, to not bulldoze into a project and get rid of the owners’ memories. With what she’s learned, Voelker then presents a “design narrative,” with color schemes, materials and the overall aesthetic of her proposal,

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for feedback. With the clients’ approval, the designer then implements the plan with furnishings, accessories, decorative elements and finishing touches; if necessary, she can also work alongside contractors. When she does the walk through to showcase the finished project, clients find her signature style: bringing the outside in, natural fibers, pieces with personality and items that tell the homeowners’ story.

“It’s been very rewarding, the type of clients that we’ve been blessed to work with,” Voelker says of her first year in business. “We love to hear our clients say that they’re happy.”

*

Christiana Lilly is a freelance journalist in Pompano Beach, Florida. See more of her work spanning the arts, community news and social justice at christianalilly.com.

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302 C H A R L E STO N ST Y L E & D E S I G N

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D DES IGN

A Sunset Trail, acrylic on canvas, 31" x 37.5"

ARTIST

BLOOMING BEAUTIES

Liliana Maya’s nature-inspired paintings showcase the best of Lowcountry landscapes

by DANA W. TODD / photography by HOLGER OBENAUS

I

t ’ s obvious that artist liliana maya loves nature . Her oil and acrylic paintings of vibrant, colorful flowers captivate with their joyful energy. It is in nature that Maya derives inspiration.

“I find that I discover the best landscapes while driving back and forth from my home in Summerville to James Island, as that is my most common route throughout the week,” she says. Maya finds it tough to choose just one landscape as her favorite, however, because outdoor beauty is everywhere in the Lowcountry.

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That'll do.

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Bosque Rosa, acrylic on canvas, 31" x 37.5"

“I feel so lucky to live in a place that has done a wonderful job of preserving and conserving the beauty of nature throughout the state,” she says. “The sunsets, marshes, flowers, birds and colors that are found in many of my paintings are reflections of what I see in my day-to-day activities while going for a walk, taking a drive or simply looking for inspiration.”

Originally from Colombia, Maya did not begin painting professionally until she moved to the United States in the early 2000s. Before then, painting was a hobby she enjoyed while raising her three daughters. Since then, she says her art has changed significantly; today’s paintings are reflections of what she sees in nature with her own interpretation added, not simply copies of existing images. She found that painting was a way to escape loneliness in a foreign country, far from everything she grew up with and knew.

Once her children were grown, she dedicated more time toward her professional development as an artist. Beginning as

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an oil painter, she progressed to painting in acrylics. “Oil is a great medium to work in because it gives colors a malleability not found in other mediums, but I found the drying process was too slow,” she says. “Acrylics provide me with the creative opportunity to draft and develop my ideas on canvas more quickly. It’s like following a recipe: add the water to the brownie ingredients and see how the texture changes. With acrylics, I add a little bit of color here, some texture there, and they come together to create something wonderful.”

Each artist has their own creative process, and Maya focuses on being present in the moment. “Since I create paintings solely from my imagination and experiences, each one is incredibly unique to the moment, mood and place that I am in,” she explains, adding that she often works on three paintings at once—just enough to fill the walls of her studio. “Over time, I layer different textures and colors on each piece based on their specific needs.”

top: Para Camila, acrylic on canvas, 20" x 18" bottom: Reflections in Blue, acrylic on canvas, 30" x 36"

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Maya’s paintings are filled with thick brushstrokes and splatters to represent the colorful world she sees. Since Impressionist painter Claude Monet inspires her work, she is evolving her style into more abstract representations of blooms. “I’d like each flower, for example, to be further removed from reality so that when someone looks at my art, they are tempted to rely more on their own imagination than what I have created for them,” she says. In the same vein of self-interpretation, Maya does not try to convey a single message through her paintings but paints to express herself and give viewers a chance to understand the artwork in their own ways.

Maya’s life changed dramatically when she moved from South America to the United States and had to adjust to a new language and new customs, but she is grateful for the new direction. “Living in Charleston has provided me and my family so many new opportunities,” she says. “Those opportunities have been placed by God, and I am thankful for the many people who believed in me and my gift and have supported me.”

Today, Maya is working on five fallinspired paintings in her attic studio with her two schnauzers, Oliver and Lucy, by her side. “They have always been supportive onlookers!” she says. Art lovers can find these works, as well as many of her other paintings, at Revealed Art Gallery in Charleston and Accent on Wine on East Montague Avenue in North Charleston.

“I am inspired by the confidence buyers have in me and my paintings,” Maya says.

“They hang my art in the intimate spaces of their homes and businesses. It gives me the assurance to continue my passion and share it as a gift to others.”

*

Dana W. Todd is a professional writer specializing in interior design, real estate, luxury homebuilding, landscape design, architecture and art.

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ARTIST

A SENSE OF PLACE

Embedded in the Charleston arts scene, artist and gallerist Rana Jordahl has found her piece of the puzzle

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Ripples, oil on birch wood panel, 48" x 36"

C

Jordahl grew up in a family of creators—someone was always painting, writing, drawing or crafting, and creativity trickled down to her.

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harleston is a city with

plenty of transplants, but when you’ve been living here for as long as Rana Jordahl, it’s safe to say you’re a welcome local.

An artist and co-owner of the Lowcountry Artists Gallery, the Iowa native traded in the Midwest for the Lowcountry 20 years ago and has fully immersed herself in the booming art scene. Art shows, festivals, workshops, commissions and supporting artists through the gallery, Jordahl has found her place in the puzzle that is Charleston.

“It’s amazing to me how it’s changed over the years because now we have so many more galleries in town that are featuring nationally known artists,” she says of her walks through Charleston’s galleries. “People are just very giving in the artist community here, and it’s a great thing to be a part of.”

Jordahl grew up in a family of creators—someone was always painting, writing, drawing or crafting, and creativity trickled down to her. She enjoyed drawing too, but like many a young artist, she was encouraged not to pursue art as a career and instead earned a degree in advertising from Iowa State University.

She worked in advertising for years, including a position at J. Walter Thompson in Atlanta, but shortly before moving to Charleston, she quit her job to start a family and explore a future in art. Jordahl had painted baby growth charts and other keepsakes for boutiques in the Atlanta area, and once she arrived in Charleston, she sought out classes and workshops to refine her skills.

Working in the back of a frame store in Mount Pleasant, the late Martin Ahrens guided Jordahl through her journey in oil painting. She also was taught by Elizabeth “Emmy” Bronson in McClellanville, South Carolina. To this day, Jordahl makes her way to the town every week for a group class to keep expanding her palette. “I credit her a lot for getting me where I am,” she says.

Growing up in the Midwest, Jordahl’s

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Pretty in Pink, oil on birch wood panel, 24" x 18"

III on display in a Birmingham, Alabama, art gallery. This February, Jordahl will be a part of the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition for the second year in a row.

With this exposure and as she’s explored social media more in recent years, Jordahl has started to take on more commissions. Popular requests include marsh wildlife and landscapes.

Jordahl is not just an artist but also the co-owner of the Lowcountry Artists Gallery in Charleston. She joined as an owner in 2007 alongside eight others—an honor, she says, as she was “pretty green at the time.”

For almost 20 years, the gallery has survived good times and bad, supporting artists from a wide array of genres while providing art at an affordable price to visitors.

“It’s very eclectic, and I think that’s been the key to part of our success as a gallery, offering a lot of different styles and mediums and subject matters,” she explains. “We have everything from colored pencil to watercolor to acrylic to oil—you name it. We’ve got glass, ceramics, sweetgrass baskets, sculptures.”

All of these elements—original artwork, commissions and running the gallery—are reminders to Jordahl of why she moved to Charleston two decades ago.

“You have your shows, you have the gallery and then you’ve got commission work, and I’m thankful for all of them,” she says. “Really, they’re all little pieces of a puzzle.”

*

subject matter was cows, chickens and other farm animals. In her time in the Lowcountry, she’s shifted to the ponds and egret colonies on Daniel Island; quiet walks through Magnolia Cemetery to photograph herons, egrets, spoonbills, kingfishers and alligators; or the Pitt Street Bridge and Old Village in Mount Pleasant. At home, she tweaks the images in Photoshop and creates a more abstract backdrop so the animal is the primary focus of her composition.

“That helps me play around a little bit before I actually put paint on the canvas,” she says.

“There are a lot of happy accidents that happen. And I don’t mean to say that I don’t plan things out, but I really do allow for a lot of experimentation when it comes to the backgrounds.”

Each of her pieces is rich with texture, a collection of brushstrokes and the marks of her palette knife coming together in shades to create the feathers of a heron tending to her nest or a cloud-covered sky over the Ravenel Bridge. Her work has been shown at the Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Exhibition, the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition and the Oil Painters of America’s Eastern Show; this fall, her work was accepted a third time, with her painting White Tie Affair

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Christiana Lilly is a freelance journalist in Pompano Beach, Florida.

See more of her work spanning the arts, community news and social justice at christianalilly.com.

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Morning in Folly Beach, pastel on paper, 16" x 20"

ARTIST

A RELATIONSHIP WITH WATER Arlene Salmon creates intimate portraits of waves and water

s s A

by CHRISTINA ANDREWS

rlene S almon ha alway had a deep spiritual connection to water .

She describes this feeling, saying, “Water is soothing to me, and when I visit an ocean, the experience grounds me.” During times when her personal life moved toward dissonance, her spiritual center guided her back to the waves and water, where she experienced resonance and release, like the tonic chord at the end of a symphony.

Salmon’s long fascination with water inspires all she creates. She has studied every aspect of waves, the effects of wind direction, weather, time of day and year, undercurrents, their skirmishes with precipitation, and their pull and release with the cycles of the moon.

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Blue Shadow, pastel on paper, 6" x 6"

And then there are the life dramas expressed within the water, of which one catches only a fleeting glimpse, sometimes through a color churning to the surface or a frothy texture. The inner workings of the waves reveal themselves in varying degrees based on the intensity of the sun, cloud formations and the shadows cast, and that which undercurrents bring to the water’s surface. Add to that yet another layer: the artist’s disposition and perspective on any given day.

What seems simple has, in fact, great complexity, worthy of study and reverence. And it is through Salmon’s paintings that one has the opportunity to experience these important moments in the life of an ocean.

Capturing waves and putting them to paper is not an easy task. Salmon journeys to a number of beach locations regularly, capturing hundreds of photos as she goes. Some images are taken from a distance, the waves ethereal and harmless. Often Salmon is at the water’s edge, capturing the spray, the arc of the waves and their disruption by objects on the shore. Other times she wades well into the water, connecting intimately with the waves, feeling their power and experiencing the rhythm of the living things just below the surface.

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It is from these photos and Salmon’s three-dimensional memories that the painting process begins.

What exactly is Salmon expressing through her portraits of waves and water? “Waves are like all of life,” she explains. “They are constantly moving, regardless of what is going on around them. Their rhythm is soothing, as is their constancy. Though I work to capture that, I also capture the intuitive understanding that the ocean is to be feared and respected.” Capturing these contradictions is what makes her paintings so compelling.

Though at first glance Salmon’s paintings appear to be done in oils, all are actually done with pastels. It is a rare end result she is able to achieve with this medium and speaks to the complex process by which she produces her work. Salmon begins with a sanded surface on heavy, acid-free paper and from there creates the underpainting. The thick paper not only has the tooth to hold the many layers applied but also the power to hold the color.

Once Salmon has applied what she calls “local color” to the underpainting, subsequent layers are added, starting with the hardest pastels, then as blending is needed, softer pastels are introduced before the work is finished off by brush. The “local color” of the underpainting represents the actual color of the

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Walking Kiawah Beach, pastel on paper, 12" x 16"

landscape or seascape and provides a luminosity that will shine through other layers, which are in essence glazes in lighter shades.

When asked how she arrives at the variations in color one finds across the spectrum of her work, Salmon says: “The colors are a combination of what is actually there in the picture from which I’m painting, and what I actually want to see and express. I look at the pastels in front of me and the colors just know where to go on the paper. It is an intuitive process.”

In addition to using archival-quality papers, Salmon works with exceptional pastel brands, namely Terry Ludwig Pastels, Pastels Girault and Sennelier Pastels. Paintings range in size from 6-by12 inches to 20-by-54 inches and are custom framed and under museum-quality Plexiglas to prevent UV damage.

Some customers request commissions, and Salmon is happy to oblige. Often the client will have an idea of what they’d like based on works of hers they’ve seen. They might be looking for a beachscape from a location close to their home or to have Salmon create a piece to stand out in a particular space in their home. Salmon is happy to take on commissions in any capacity.

Describing what inspires her, the artist says: “Artists that I have admired and emulated throughout my many years of painting are Claude Monet, John Singer Sargent and Maxfield Parrish, as

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well as the French Impressionists. I am also deeply inspired by the works of Jeanne Rosier Smith, with whom I had the good fortune of studying through her workshops.” As far as inspiring natural imagery, Salmon points to locales near Charleston, namely Kiawah Island, Isle of Palms and Folly Beach, as well as Assateague Island in Maryland.

Salmon and her husband, Michael, have a home in Summerville, South Carolina, from which they venture out, taking in all that Charleston has to offer. Salmon is affiliated with the Mount Pleasant and Charleston artist guilds and is a member of the Pastel Society of America.

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Christina Andrews is a freelance writer from the Napa Valley who specializes in personal and business bios, food and wine, visual arts, music, hospitality, the event industry, community interest stories, obituaries and political satire.

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by BILL THOMPSON / photography by HOLGER OBENAUS

T

oday ’ s homeowners are seeking custom options for

their renovation and construction plans. Universal Marble & Granite is their one-stop shop to find contemporary materials in a galaxy of applications, colors and designs.

“Universal” is an apt name, with owner Greg Hoffman sourcing his stone from around the world, importing direct from the quarry. The fabricating and customizing, however, is all done in-house by a team of artisans.

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“I bought the company six years ago, but we’ve been a staple of the Lowcountry for more than 30 years,” says Hoffman, an Essex, Connecticut, transplant who wasted little time giving the business his stamp. “Our focus is high-end residential: kitchen counters and islands, bathroom vanities. But fireplaces and outdoor kitchens are huge as well. We are a small, custom, very high-quality shop that’s all about customer service.”

Universal carries quartz, dolomites (very hard marbles), porcelain and quartzites, in addition to granite and marble, with quartz having overtaken the other materials as the company’s biggest seller, especially for countertops. Product lines include Silestone, Vicostone, Caesarstone, Cosentino, MSI and Viatera.

Hoffman is especially proud of a new product line added this year, Cambria quartz.

“These Cambria quartz products give us state-of-the-art colors, textures and patterns,” he says. “They are manufactured in the USA and offer the best warranty in the industry.”

Universal’s team of 10 craftsmen also has been fabricating and installing porcelain for six years. Porcelain is a white china clay that is heated to 1,400 degrees F, after which a pigmented glaze pattern is added, then fired again for either a matte or high-gloss finish. The result is a marriage of extraordinary

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beauty that is exceptionally durable, and a fraction of the cost of high-quality marbles.

It is also a lighter and thinner product that excels at going into spaces that would be prohibitive with heavier materials. It is resistant to heat, scratching and harsh chemicals, and can be applied to walls, floors, fireplaces, vent hoods, countertops and shower stalls.

“Because it is UV-resistant, it’s also ideal for outdoor applications,” says Hoffman. “Hardly anyone in this area is doing this now, and no one does it as well. We’ve been fabricating and installing porcelain for some time now, with a hundred projects under our belt. There is no porcelain job we can’t handle.”

Customers appear to agree. Universal has won the Charleston Choice Award in its category for the last eight years in a row and recently earned its 148th five-star Google rating.

“The reason is superior customer service,” Hoffman says.

“When people come in, they are treated properly. The caliber of our work is obvious. My aunt, Kay Hoffman, also works with me. She has a great eye for design and helps customers understand the advantages of our various products and the wide range of choices. She is respected and admired

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by our customers. Jose Morales is my right hand, doing all our templating and helping customers grasp the nuances of installation.”

Commercial clients represent a small but growing percentage of its business in Charleston’s increasingly competitive market.

But Hoffman says Universal has no problem standing out, with the fabrication and installation of its products held to a high standard. Twenty-five percent of his business comes from referrals, with the clients, builders, contractors and designers with whom the company works all spreading the word.

Large projects don’t daunt Hoffman in the least.

“We just finished a huge job on Sullivan’s Island, where we installed 765 square feet of countertops in one house. It was a very complex project, using marble, quartz and granite with nine waterfall edges, where the material goes from the counter all the way to the floor. There were 41 mitered edges that give the stone the appearance of being 3 inches thick.”

Similarly, Universal was hired by its friends at Maintain USA to work with them on a total makeover of a large, custom waterfront home on Isle of Palms that includes a 15-foot kitchen island.

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Hoffman doesn’t think in terms of “typical” customers, but rather of individuals and their specific needs. Personal service is Universal’s hallmark.

“Every project is custom, and all customers are different,” he says. “They range from someone trying to renovate a small condo or townhouse up to owners of high-end homes. They come to us for the quality and craftsmanship Universal can provide. We have 130 different bundles of materials for them to look at. We are here to work with our customers to help them understand the advantages and disadvantages of each product and how it can be utilized to bring their vision to life.”

*

Bill Thompson covers the arts, film, books and design.

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Sullivan's Sunset, oil on canvas, 24" x 36"

ARTIST

VIBRANT VIEWS

Rebecca Croft brings her brand of brightness to Lowcountry landscapes

L

by CHRISTIANA LILLY

ooking out from her home studio on daniel island , painter Rebecca Croft has a pristine view of the marshes.

It’s here that she tracks the sunrise over the horizon, watching the changes in the position of the sun and the colors it splashes over the grasses.

“They say we don’t have seasons here, but we do. I think it’s much prettier in the winter,” she notes. “You get more vibrant colors in the sky.”

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Abstract Palms, oil on canvas, 11" x 14"

That’s how you’d describe the oil painter’s work. From landscapes and downtown architecture to lighthouses, Croft’s quick brushstrokes bring to life the Lowcountry with a blossom of vibrant peaches, pinks and purples. In just a few years of living in the area, she’s made a name for herself for those looking for an impressionistic take on greater Charleston.

Growing up as an Army brat and most recently making the Washington, D.C., area her home, it was 25 years ago when Croft and her husband first visited Charleston and fell in love. They planned to move to the area upon retirement, so in 2019, the couple purchased a lot on Daniel Island and built their dream home. Their plans changed, though, when the pandemic changed the working landscape to a more remote-friendly one. The couple decided to take a leap and moved to South Carolina in 2021.

Croft was welcomed into the booming art scene of Charleston, joining the Mount Pleasant and Charleston artist guilds. Part of her participation means she works at Perspective Gallery in Mount Pleasant once a month, and that’s where her experience in a past life, working in sales, marketing and event planning, comes in handy.

“It’s fun to be painting here and have people come in and

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chat with you,” she says of her monthly stint at the gallery. “I like selling; that’s always been fun for me. I’m an extrovert.”

Being able to talk to potential buyers and other artists has been a nice change for Croft. In the D.C. area she focused on capturing the monuments and cherry blossoms, but buyers weren’t particularly interested in supporting her as a local artist.

Here, locals and visitors are drawn to her living on Daniel Island when looking at her local canvases and picking the next piece to hang in their homes, especially those looking for artwork that brings a smile to your face—“happy” paintings, as Croft says.

“That’s the kind of person I am. Always happy and positive and it comes through that way,” she says. “You start out very realistic and everybody evolves into your own style, just like your handwriting.”

It wasn’t until her adult years that Croft took her first art classes. When her children started preschool, she signed up for adult drawing and painting classes while she was living in Arlington, Virginia.

“You’re at home with two little kids; you’ve got to do something,” she explains. But she had an affinity for art before that. In fact, she had wanted to study art in college, but her

Perfect Day on the Marsh, oil on canvas board, 8" x 8"

parents wouldn’t allow it, so she studied international business instead. As a child, her father’s job in the Army led to the family being uprooted every two or three years across the country and to a posting in Germany. During their travels, Croft’s mother would make sure to take her to art museums and national parks, which she cites as her early exposure to the arts and nature’s color palette.

Even though she had a later start, Croft was a natural when it came to oil painting. Soon, her work was on display in art galleries, she joined art groups, and she sold her artwork on eBay and then Etsy. It was a fun way to make some extra money, she says. Now living in Charleston, her online store focuses on the Lowcountry, and her work is on display at Perspective Gallery, the Charleston Artist Guild and by appointment in her home studio.

When Croft isn’t painting at her studio, she heads outside to meet with other artists. She sets her sights on a subject of interest—a heron, clouds pinned to the sky or Spanish moss framing a water fountain—and gets to work.

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“When I’m painting, I can’t think about anything else. I’m not thinking about what I’m cooking for dinner, what lists I have to do, taking laundry out. You’re just focused on mixing the paint and creating what you’re doing,” she says. “It takes you into another world, like a really good book.”

*

Christiana Lilly is a freelance journalist in Pompano Beach, Florida. See more of her work spanning the arts, community news and social justice at christianalilly.com.

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ARCHITECT

HUMAN NATURE

Marc Camens blends classical and contemporary architecture for a fresh take on traditional Kiawah Island design 334

by ROBIN HOWARD / photography by HOLGER OBENAUS

C H A R L E STO N ST Y L E & D E S I G N

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In the kitchen and dining area, a walk-in, temperature-controlled wine cellar keeps the homeowner’s extensive wine collection close at hand. previous: The billiard room features a barrel-vaulted ceiling and is wrapped in horizontal slats that are narrow at the ceiling and get wider as they approach the baseboard.

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here ’ s a contemporary notion going on in american

architecture. It resurges every few years, and the movement is afoot right now,” architect Marc Camens says.

When Camens is inclined to expound on the intersection of history, philosophy, psychology and architecture, we’re going to learn something, and one of those magic moments is about to happen.

“My theory is the contemporary world is always in our sight; it’s always on our computers, so it’s appealing now.

But you have to be careful with it; though it’s current and fresh, it’s also a moment in time,” Camens says.

“Contemporary design can feel cold and sterile if you leave out elements that humans are hardwired to love.

For example, if you draw your hand classically, you’d draw all the lines and creases. If you draw your hand in a contemporary way, you’d only draw the outline. Our psyches need the lines and creases, we need the texture, but contemporary design takes that out.”

Camens is giving us this lesson because we’re visiting his latest project, a 5,000-square-foot coastal shinglestyle home on Kiawah Island with some prominent contemporary elements. This is a bit of a surprise.

Almost from its inception, Kiawah Island had stringent ARB regulations about architectural style; in the past, contemporary elements were not allowed. Recently, the ARB relaxed its position, and more and more islanders are asking for contemporary design when they build.

Contemporary design, by definition, “belongs to the present.” It doesn’t refer to a specific period; instead, it’s constantly evolving to incorporate what’s popular at the moment. In its current iteration, it’s primarily informed by simplicity, function, nature and sustainability—sometimes with a bit of bling. However, simplicity and functionality have also been interpreted as “only the bare essentials,” which is when a home feels sterile or institutional.

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As an architect, Camens has a wide range but is best known for his graceful Adirondack or camp-style estate homes that embrace family, friends and nature. His signature elements, such as symmetry, elegant wood beams and refined woodwork, are decidedly classical. To Camens, simplicity—even the barest of essentials—means the mind and the eye are pleased with every detail.

For this project, his clients wanted a contemporary spin on the traditional Kiawah home. Embracing nature was a must, and they liked the clean lines of contemporary style, but they also wanted comfort and charm. “We wanted to figure out how to get the contemporary aesthetic but have it feel warm and inviting at the same time,” the homeowner says.

For this project, the clients wanted a contemporary spin on the traditional Kiawah home. Embracing nature was a must, and they liked the clean lines of contemporary style, but they also wanted comfort and charm.

With a limited color palette, shiplap walls add visual movement and texture. The cool white walls contrast nicely with the warm wood beams overhead. Black steel-framed windows lend a contemporary edge to the minimal design.

Camens understood the request and was able to translate it. “Everyone loves classical buildings because they share symmetry with nature,” he says. “It’s emotional, it comes from the heart, and it’s passed down through generations. It has a heart and soul that people identify with, even if they don’t know why. We all love Downtown Charleston architecture because it’s classical; it hits your soul and will continue to stand the test of time. If a building is too contemporary, it won’t matter in a few years, and you won’t be able to relate to it. You can have a balance, though.”

To say that Camens takes his design seriously is an understatement. He’s been known to camp out on empty plots to see how it feels at different times of the day or spend the weekend with clients in their current homes so he can see how they live in a house. Going the extra mile

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The homeowner’s office is built into the home’s turret. A custom semicircular desk sits under a dramatic cupola, a nod to classical design.

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With floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the marsh, the white-onwhite primary bedroom is a cozy haven with a frontrow seat to the scenery.

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pays off because his finished projects have the classical heart and soul that we’re hardwired to feel good around, regardless of architectural style or materiality.

Besides contemporary elements, the clients like to entertain and wanted a home with the right scale for two people but that could grow into many visitors. A quiet office away from more public areas was essential, as was a billiard room. They also wanted to maximize the view and have lots of natural light. The dilemma of the house is it sits on a very narrow lot that comes to a point, providing a few design challenges for the architect to solve.

With all this in mind, Camens designed a traditional Kiawah shingle-style home with internal and external transitional elements, four bedrooms and five baths, a wine cellar, an outdoor living room, a billiard room and a magnificent home office. Though the lot is narrow, there’s a sparkling pool tucked in the back. Built by Jedd McLuen of Bennett-McLuen Homes with interior design by Katy Massam of Katy Massam Design Consulting, this home is different but will stand the test of time.

The interior and exterior architecture lands somewhere between classical and contemporary, with transitional elements that gently blur the lines. Many rooms have floorto-ceiling panes of glass, and throughout the home, texture comes from horizontal lines and layers of trim—though they aren’t as curvy as that of classical design. “Buildings need texture,” Camens says. “We cleaned up the lines but added texture back in clean layers. There are glass panes that provide a view of the marsh, and there is the ceiling.

We blurred the two by cleaning up the detail with simple shapes and less movement. You end up transitioning to contemporary, but when you’re in the building, it feels like you’re sitting in the marsh.”

Outside, Camens used synthetic shingles made from ceramic with a PVC backing. “Synthetic shingles are really environmentally appropriate,” he says. “They’re the best I’ve ever seen. They look like cedar shakes with variegation in color, and the way the light reflects off them, they’re identical.” Other exterior considerations for the environment include impact-rated glass and a metal roof, all of which can withstand the salt and humidity of a coastal environment. The organic, neutral material palette inside and out is indigenous to the island.

To enter the home, we climb a set of stairs up the side, bringing us to a glass wall and a wide glass door framed in black steel. From the foyer, we’re welcomed with a view of a crisp white-on-white living room, the pool and the verdant marsh beyond. Interiors throughout the home are consistently designed with chalky whites, grays and beige with pops of black. The effect is calming and a little bit glamorous, sophisticated and comfortable. The homeowners have a dog and like to invite friends for annual outings, so interior designer Katy Massam ensured everything in the home was elevated but not too precious.

In the bright living room, a horizontal shiplap on the fireplace wall adds movement and texture to the limited palette. Overhead, warm wood beams are layered in

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Floor-to-ceiling steel windows meet at angles in the stairway, flooding the area with natural light. right: A soaking tub takes center stage in the primary bath.

The glass shower adds to the expansive feeling of the room.

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Caption

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The screened porch off the billiard room and kitchen is a main gathering space for the homeowners and their guests. A semicircular banquette provides built-in seating with the best view in the house.

front of a white coffered ceiling. Floor-to-ceiling windows framed in black steel admit views of the pool and the marsh, which is so close that the marsh view transforms to oceanfront during king tides. To the left of the living room, the streamlined white kitchen is anchored by wood tones with accents of brass and black. In the dining area, an artful brass and glass pendant is suspended over a dark wood table with seating for 10.

Beyond the dining area, the marble-topped kitchen island has seating for five, with plenty of space left for prep work.

To the left of the island, an inviting sofa is tucked into a nook in front of another wide set of glass windows. Behind the kitchen, a doorway leads to a beautiful, enclosed scullery, which corrals small appliances and staples and is a handy place for a caterer to set up shop. To the left of the dining area, an expansive, temperature-controlled wine cellar displays a robust collection and keeps bottles nearby for serving.

Behind the kitchen and scullery, a staircase framed by a wall of glass to the left and a black steel railing to the right makes a dramatic entrance from the garage. At the top of the stairs, an open room with wooded views is home to a seating area and a billiard table. This room is wrapped in honey-toned horizontal slats that are narrow at the ceiling and get wider as they approach the baseboard. To the left, a contemporary bar with gold accents, a marble backsplash and an arched opening is home to a beverage cooler, ice maker and storage for glassware.

Overhead, a dramatic barrel-vaulted ceiling with recessed LED lighting makes this room one of the homeowners’ favorites. “My husband wanted that room because he loves to play billiards, and we wanted a casual place to hang out with friends and family,” the homeowner says. “We joke that you can’t come to our house for a meal without playing a round of billiards, whether you want to or not.

But we do always end up in that room, and then it spills out onto the porch.”

The screened porch, accessed from doors off the billiard room and kitchen, is a proper outdoor living space and a favorite hangout for the couple and guests. Camens took advantage of the narrow lot to create a dramatic turret at the smallest point. In the turret, the architect designed a semicircular banquet with a custom table to mirror the shape of the exterior.

A long bar runs the length of the back wall, providing seating and a place to put your drink while you take in the views of the pool and marsh. A large stone fireplace and a comfortable seating area anchor this room. Overhead, Camens’ signature beams give the space a cozy mountain vibe. Beyond the curved screened porch is an outdoor patio with endless views and an open seating area hovering over the marsh.

If you can tear yourself away from the scenery, let’s go back inside and check out the primary bedroom and bathroom suite. The white-on-white bedroom is right-sized, so it’s cozy, but it has a dramatic wall of windows that frame the view. “They didn’t want a big space,” Camens

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The architect designed a rounded turret to add a classical element to the contemporary design. The turret fits into the smallest point of the narrow lot.

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says. “Just enough room for a king bed and floor-to-ceiling glass windows so they can wake up to the marsh.”

The marsh plays such a vital role in this home that there are moments that feel like we’re in a grand open-air safari lodge. The primary bathroom suite is one of those moments. Through a sliding barn door, we find a glass shower, double vanities, a soaking tub and a laundry.

From the doorway, we can look through the glass shower enclosure to the soaking tub in front of a glass wall that frames a floor-to-ceiling marsh view. Double vanities are settled to the left side of the room so there’s nothing to obstruct the view of the birds and marsh grass. Camens promised the homeowners an outdoor shower and delivered with a design that’s wide open to the marsh.

Upstairs, the homeowner’s office is a masterpiece of architecture and design. Situated in the turret at the narrow end of the house, a custom semicircular desk in front of 180-degree windows provides endless views of the ever-changing marsh. Overhead, a grand cupola is a nod to all of the classical architecture we love, while the streamlined white walls and furnishings provide visual peace. The second floor also has a cozy bunk room with two built-in bunk beds and a barrel-vaulted ceiling.

“This is just an incredible house,” Camens says. “Jedd and I have done more than 20 houses together, and every one of them has been a success. He’s very talented in design and understands trim just as well as we do, if not better.

He did a phenomenal job. Sid Mullins was the lead project architect and did a fantastic job, as did my whole staff. It’s called a group on purpose, and this was a team project. I start with the lead design, and my team enables it.”

“It’s exactly what I thought and hoped it would be,” the homeowner says. “Marc really listened to us, and it was a real collaboration. We loved working with Marc and his team, Jedd and Katy. There were no big surprises, and we had so much fun together.”

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Robin Howard is a freelance writer in Charleston. See more of her work at robinhowardwrites.com.

» CAMENS ARCHITECTURAL GROUP

3461 MAYBANK HIGHWAY JOHNS ISLAND, SC 29455 843.768.3800 CAMENSARCHITECTURALGROUP.COM

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H HOM E S

HOMEBUILDER

CREEKSIDE DELIGHT A new home on Nowell Creek maximizes the indoor-outdoor connection

by DANA W. TODD / photography by HOLGER OBENAUS

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Good things come in threes. The main kitchen, a working scullery and an outdoor kitchen are all steps from each other and ease the work of entertaining a crowd. previous: A standing seam metal roof and deep bracketed overhangs peg this as a “Coastal Modern” home.

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C

lose your eyes for a moment and imagine this serene scene :

a rural-like landscape with moss-draped live oaks swaying in the slight breeze, the salt marsh croaking with tree frogs, the calm rustling of spartina growing on the edges of the tidal creek. Now open your eyes and experience the peace of wading egrets; the gliding V-formation of brown pelicans overhead in the blue sky, making their way to a regular fishing hole to dive for lunch; or catch a glimpse of a rail bird weaving among the grasses and tending to its young. Surrounded by such a coastal wetland environment is a heavenly place to call home.

For one South Carolina couple, the private, gated community of Beresford Hall on Nowell Creek provides the oasis they imagined for an idyllic home. Although there are about 200 homesites in the community, they are spread over more than 600 acres on large estate-sized lots. Hundreds of grand oaks and the accompanying sounds, smells and sights of Lowcountry creeks and marshes are a counterpoint to Beresford Hall’s long list of modern amenities: a community boat ramp, deep-water dock, parks, sport courts, a dog park, picnic areas, and eight miles of walking trails and sidewalks.

Modeled after a coastal fishing village, Beresford Hall has a storied past. The land’s original owner, Richard Beresford, was a South Carolina lieutenant governor in 1783 who actively participated in the American Revolutionary War and was an elected member of the Continental Congress.

With such captivating scenery nearby, custom builder Steven Kendrick of Structures | Alair built this coastal modern home to take full advantage of the setting. Architect Phil Clarke of Clarke Design Group angled the home’s footprint to face the sweeping exterior views while maintaining an approachable, although not straight on, position toward the street front.

Outdoor living is as important as the interiors in this fivebedroom, six-bathroom home on the banks of deep-water Nowell Creek. With more than 5,100 heated square feet, this home lives large due to expansive outdoor living spaces that bump up the size to a total of 13,000 square feet of living and entertaining accommodations. The outdoor space includes

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In the spirit of entertainment that this home embodies, the design team created a wine and lounge nook as a cozy conversation spot; it features a custom-designed brass and glass shelving unit.

“It wasn’t in the original plan but evolved as the project progressed,” says designer Kathryn Elliott.

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Bright, light interiors are a hallmark of coastal modern style.

In the living room, Euro-Wall glass doors open onto the outdoor living amenities, which double the home’s usable square footage.

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multiple porches and patios, a pool and a fireplace. The lower level under the elevated home provides plenty of storage and a garage to park six vehicles, with an adjacent loggia under an upstairs porch as a bonus recreational space.

The in-out connection is one of the defining features of the house and falls in line with the homeowners’ wish to have abundant space for entertaining, according to Kendrick. When they slide back the Euro-Wall glass doors connecting the family room to the deep ipe-decked porch, the view continues to the infinity-edge pool and the creek and marsh beyond. Cable railing on nearby elevated porches allows uninterrupted views and adds a modern vibe. A second set of Euro-Wall sliders in the dining room connects to the outdoor kitchen. “Constructing an elevated outdoor living experience is a structural feat,” says Kendrick. “There is plenty of room for furniture but still good circulation for people to move around.”

The focus on entertainment continues in the interior of the home, with light-filled spaces and a freeflowing, open layout.

Landscape architect Heyward Townsend of Living Designs Landscaping ensured the landscaping flowed with the exterior living for an easy, relaxed feel.

“It was important to the homeowners that we create an indoor-outdoor space that gracefully connects the two,” says designer Kathryn Elliott. “They love to entertain and knew they would have lots of family and friends visiting. A spacious, open floor plan with large slider doors and floor-to-ceiling windows allows them to feel as if they are outside even when inside.

When they walk in the front door, they are immediately greeted with peaceful views through the house and out to the landscape beyond.”

Elliott works for Structures | Alair as a designer and in that role helped the homeowners choose the building finishes, such as fixtures, cabinetry, hardware and appliances. Since she also owns her own firm, Kathryn Elliott Interiors, she helped them furnish the home inside and out with fabrics and furniture that fit their lifestyle, advising them how to work in furniture they already owned. By taking advantage of Elliott’s position as an in-house designer with Structures | Alair and combining that

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The indoor and outdoor dining rooms mirror each other on opposite sides of a Euro-Wall glass door. The designer sourced modern light fixtures throughout the home from Visual Comfort and Lowcountry Lighting Studio.

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with her expertise as an independent designer, they enjoyed a continuity of services throughout the construction and installation processes. “Having an in-house designer in a custom homebuilding company is a unique setup that benefits our clients. Kathryn was able to provide so much more than just helping them choose finishes from a showroom. The process was easier because they had one less person to coordinate with on design decisions,” Kendrick says. With Elliott’s integration into the construction process, she also was able to help the homeowners make choices that were mindful of the budget.

The focus on entertainment continues in the interior of the home, with light-filled spaces and a free-flowing, open layout.

The kitchen overlooks the main living and dining areas so the chef feels part of ongoing conversations during a party or family gathering. The kitchen’s large Calacatta Venice Jumbo quartz-topped island incorporates a sink so prep and cleanup can be conducted while facing the family room. Its workhorse design includes extra storage and also incorporates custom molding details. The quartz continues as a solid slab backsplash behind the Wolf range and into the adjacent scullery. It replicates the look of Italian marble with increased durability to withstand the wear and tear of time.

With a kitchen full of commercial appliances and a scullery and pantry located behind the main kitchen, the home is well equipped to feed large groups of people. Painted inset cabinetry doors, which also cover the Sub-Zero built-in refrigerator, feature solid brass hardware in both the main kitchen and the working scullery. The functional scullery is strategically positioned to serve both the indoor and outdoor kitchens and is accessible to any form of entertaining the hosts want to do.

Custom details epitomize Structures | Alair homes and give this home its joie de vivre. The kitchen’s lighting and range hood move out of the realm of pure function and are personalized to match the homeowners’ unique perspective. Jewelry, such as the eye-catching bar pendants from Visual Comfort and customized vent hood, ensure the home is wholly dedicated to the homeowners’ design aesthetic.

Another defining feature is the wine room and lounge area tucked beside the stairway in a nook off the main family room.

“We created custom brass hanging shelves above an elegant Calacatta Namibia marble waterfall countertop bar that has so much character,” says Elliott. The homeowners display colorful glassware on the brass shelves, while around the corner is a more substantial wall wine rack and open cabinetry to hold plenty of extra stock. Solid brass fixtures and a brass Visual Comfort sputnik-style chandelier accent the space. “They can sit here in four comfortable chairs and have a conversation away from the main living area. It is a quaint space that grabs attention,” Elliott adds.

Yet another memorable feature is the stair tower in the center of the house. A three-story architectural element, its open rails, black spindles, huge chandelier and vaulted, planked ceiling immediately draw attention. Shiplap walls and black aluminum-clad windows add a modern touch. Clerestory windows surrounding the stairwell flood it with light.

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White oak flooring, sculptural chandeliers and a unified color palette tie both levels of the home together to send a cohesive design message. Calming neutrals interspersed with hues of blue and pink appear in specific rooms personalized for the occupants. Since the homeowners run a business, they each need a home office. In one office, Elliott employed fun pink wallpaper, while in another she used Farrow & Ball’s ‘Inchyra Blue’ paint to make a bold and mysterious statement. A pink bedroom—complete with a pink chandelier—and bathroom contrast with another bathroom painted a soothing shade of marineinspired blue for variety and interest.

“As recent empty nesters, the couple wanted the home to be both comfortable for two people as well as serve as the ultimate retreat when the kids come back to visit,” Clarke says. “It is a generational home, where there is plenty of comfort for sleeping a crowd and having them hang out.”

The homeowners carefully planned the home’s functionality, even anticipating tomorrow’s needs. They added a bunk room for future grandchildren. It, like every other room, has creek and marsh views. With the primary and guest suites on the main floor and two additional bedrooms and the bunk room on the upper floor, the home is organized to achieve an enjoyable environment no matter the crowd size. When only the homeowners are home, they can completely live on the first level, but when children and grandchildren visit, the footprint becomes much more livable with the extra sleeping accommodations on the upper floor.

While hosting and entertaining are important to the couple, so too is their comfort. In the primary bathroom, Italian marble look-alike Venato polished porcelain tile is sophisticated yet low maintenance. Large format 24-by48-inch tiles on the shower walls coordinate with a matte version of the same porcelain in a different size on the floor. Brass hardware and fixtures—a theme of the home— continue in the primary suite. A freestanding tub for soaking is a place for winding down.

Clarke says it’s vital for a Lowcountry home’s design to feel like it belongs in the landscape but also responds well to the climate. Coastal climates can be harsh, so the design and construction team took steps to ensure the homeowners have minimal maintenance to keep the home’s exterior looking its best. High-quality Hardie Artisan horizontal fiber cement siding and Boral vertical siding, made of poly-ash, look like traditional wooden lap siding while providing more resilience and imperviousness to the elements. NuCedar shakes are made of PVC and provide an aged look. A standing seam metal roof and powder-coated aluminum stairs resist the effects of saltwater for continuous good looks. In addition to these materials, deep bracketed overhangs on the exterior contribute to a coastal-friendly aesthetic.

Structures | Alair built the house during COVID, a time of turmoil and transition. Fear was rampant, and the

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Four bedrooms plus a bunk room ensure there is plenty of space for hosting a bevy of family and friends.

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Brass hardware and fixtures continue in the primary suite. A freestanding tub for soaking is a place for winding down.

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Deep, elevated porches spill down toward an infinity pool overlooking the creek and marsh. Cable railings offer clear views in all directions.

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supply chain became unreliable. Structures | Alair found creative ways around the issues, all brainstormed and communicated regularly to the homeowners via Zoom.

Unable to see houses previously built by Structures | Alair in-person, the couple relied on advice from their architect and the builder’s 25-year track record of taking good care of their clients to select the company. “We have honed our process over the years,” Kendrick says. “We are known for our attention to detail and weekly verbal and written communication with clients.”

The couple wanted to stay within their budgeted amount, which meant there were design changes. The team rolled with the punches, creatively making changes to meet budget requirements while still achieving most of the homeowners’ wish list. “We redesigned the foundation so they could park more cars under the house when they had to eliminate a detached garage,” Kendrick says.

“Having in-house design services also provided more budget certainty for these homeowners because Kathryn had participated in setting the design budget up front.

This helped her to be more mindful of it every step of the way.”

“I love so much about this project,” Elliott says. “I love how we were able to create individual spaces for the homeowners to enjoy and that we accomplished giving them a beautiful home with an equally stunning outdoor space to entertain.”

The family had an opportunity to take advantage of the builder’s enhanced industry relationships through a new partnership with Alair™. Structures | Alair was formerly known as Structures Building Company. It became affiliated with Alair in 2020, a company founded in British Columbia, Canada, with a focus on bringing top-tier custom homebuilders and remodelers together to build more rewarding businesses. This partnership brings even more resources and opportunities to Kendrick’s clients who are building new homes in the Lowcountry through a wider network of available industry experts.

For this family, quality materials and innovative building techniques delivered a timeless, modern coastal residence that is as relevant today as it will be in 20 years.

*

Dana W. Todd is a professional writer specializing in interior design, real estate, luxury homebuilding, landscape design, architecture and art.

» STRUCTURES | ALAIR

875 COLEMAN BLVD. MOUNT PLEASANT, SC 29464 843.856.6901 STRUCTURES.NET

CLARKE DESIGN GROUP 1100 PALM BLVD., SUITE 1-A ISLE OF PALMS, SC 29451 843.329.0667 CLARKEDESIGNGROUP.COM

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COLLECTIVE SOUL Interior designer Beverly Bohan incorporates a lifetime of treasures into a new, contemporary Daniel Island home

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by ROBIN HOWARD / photography by HOLGER OBENAUS

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H HOM E S

INTERIOR DESIGN

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The living room cabinets were designed without hardware, so nothing stops the eye. Overhead, an elegant, organic chandelier echoes the live oak branches outside the window. previous: With an expansive quartzite island that seats six and comfortable barstools, the kitchen is ready for entertaining. Open shelving displays some of the homeowner’s many treasures.

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W

hen your design clients are world travelers with a trove of art, collections, antiques and exotic treasures to incorporate into a new construction home, you have to bring your A game. As the designer for hundreds of high-end residential projects and high-profile commercial projects, such as The Restoration on King, Charleston Harbor Resort and Marina and the Elan Midtown apartments, interior designer Beverly Bohan was ready for the challenge. This 5,000-square-foot home on Daniel Island has four bedrooms, four and a half baths, a theater room, a home office, an art studio, a suite for grandchildren, two laundries, an outdoor living area with pool and a specialty workout area.

Bohan, founder of Haute Design Inc., was involved in the process just before the plans were finalized so that she could tweak essential details. “You have to be pliable to take on a project at any given stage,” Bohan says. “A good designer can start at any stage of the process, but in new construction, you want the designer to be involved immediately as part of the architect, design and build team.

That’s my forte; it’s what I’ve done for 37 years, working from plans, on construction sites, designing the interiors of a home and layering the furnishings.”

Interior architecture differs and complements interior design because it focuses on the technical aspects of planning and building a home or a room. The Haute Design team is highly qualified, not just in interior design but also in historic preservation, renovations and interior architecture.

Having an interior designer on the team early means they can integrate their client’s lifestyle, special needs and aesthetic preferences that don’t always translate into architectural drawings. “For example, there are so many electrical and other functional details that can get lost when the house is being built,” she says. “It’s less expensive to have an experienced designer determining spatial needs, lighting, how many lumens are required in a room for specific tasks, highlighting art, ensuring there are egress

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Designer Beverly Bohan blended contemporary and traditional European design elements to reflect her well-traveled client’s history and personality.

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pathways around furniture, and making sure a room feels comfortable instead of overcrowded or under-furnished, which is typical when someone is just trying to upsell a design project to move from one to another. My approach is more about specifically creating the vision, sourcing the design materials and furnishings, then pricing and selecting for the client to suit their lifestyle, preferences and budget.”

Bohan worked with the clients to create a “European Contemporary” home with a mix of classic Charleston elements. Before starting the project, she visited the couple in their current home to see what furnishings, art, antiques, heirlooms and collections they wanted to keep. The clients were building a different home than their previous. Bohan was able to see what they wanted done differently, and how she was going to display all their collected furnishings in their new home.

Bohan worked with the clients to create a “European Contemporary” home with a mix of classic Charleston elements.

“It was inspirational for me to see the things that were important to them,” she says. “It was really a gift because it helped me formulate the design aspect. We kept things that were important to them and layered new furnishings into the new home. I wanted to support the main actors, so we just added more one-of-a-kind pieces that were good companions for what they already loved.”

The couple came to Bohan’s office to look at materials, and then she made several trips to design centers to find fabrics that had unique color palettes and were specific to the client’s color scheme. “The house is on the marsh, so we built on that color scheme with variations of blues that remind me of the sky and marsh, how it is constantly changing in colors of the days and seasons,” she says.

“Then I used creams and neutrals to support the blues, yellows and soft greens.”

Bohan added texture and interest with custom pieces that aligned and contrasted, such as leathers, bouclé and velvets with pops of color. One crucial design element throughout the home is her use of painted fabrics. “Many fabrics, such as the draperies, throws, pillows and luxurious velvets, are painterly printed florals that draw inspiration

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A handblown glass bubble light in the entry greets visitors and adds contemporary flair to classical design. right: The dining room has an elegant round table, an ornate beamed ceiling and a stunning crystal chandelier.

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The primary bedroom is a soothing mix of coastal contemporary textures and color palette anchored by European elements and pops of color.

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from France and all parts of Europe,” she says. Some embroidered fabrics in the living room and the velvet printed pattern were derived from a museum painting, and many were handmade in Thailand.

“I approach each design with the client in mind, their needs, and specifically the location of the property versus approaching it from a designer catalog with a repetitious format as often happens in trendy design projects,” she says. “I design classic, one-of-a-kind projects that give them a nurturing experience when they live in the house.”

The entry is an excellent example of Bohan’s one-ofa-kind foresight. As we enter, niches lit by soft LEDs are home to the couple’s incredible collection of geodes and a unique piece and important piece of artwork. Overhead, a contemporary and slightly whimsical light fixture made of handblown glass bubbles floats above an Oriental rug.

From the entry, we see straight through the living area to the verdant marsh, and then the eye is drawn back inside to interesting vignettes of the collections of art, objects and sculpture.

A hallway leads to the left of the entry, and the dining room is to the right. In the dining room, an elegant, round dining table complements an ornate crystal chandelier.

This room also has an art niche to house a painting that is important to the couple.

Warm wood beams frame the entry to the kitchen, where we start to see the play between contemporary furnishings, such as the Urban Electric fixtures that echo the brass detail on the hood; the use of wood, such as the overhead beams; and European style elements, such as glass and accessories. Instead of tile or stone slabs, Bohan chose white brick for the backsplash wall and a white hood with brass details.

The couple loves to cook and entertain, so durable, opulent quartzite was a perfect choice for countertops atop warm wood cabinets. A generous rectangular island provides casual seating for five and is surrounded on two sides by comfortable barstools upholstered in soft blue with stainless steel bases.

The English pub-style table in the kitchen has cream leather chairs that provide a pleasant contrast of old and new. Look up, or anywhere really, and you’ll see Bohan’s liberal use of crystal chandeliers and lighting. “The crystal chandeliers are significant because of my client’s love of crystals and geodes,” she explains.

In the living room, Madagascar rosewood cabinets and lighted floating shelves hold treasured objects. The cabinets have touchless latches, so there’s no hardware to stop the eye. Rugs are a new design for the manufacturer, designed by an artist whose rugs are in celebrity homes.

“The rugs appealed to the client because it’s an artist’s pattern rather than abstract,” Bohan says.

In this room, the European contemporary style also comes into play. The modern Madagascar rosewood shelving contrasts nicely with an antique highboy nestled into a niche. The sofa is a cream bouclé, chairs are customselected Italian leather and the ottoman is cowhide, chosen to be cohesive with the rugs.

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In the elegant primary bath, a dramatic brass soaking tub and antique brass and mirror table were rescued from an estate sale in New York.

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Fabric plays an essential role in this project. The living room is home to some of the most delightful examples, such as the sofa pillows, which feature custom-selected fabrics made in Thailand and created by a fabric designer who is world-renowned for luxury and craftsmanship.

Also in the living room, crystal lamps correspond with dangling crystal pendant lights, and marble accents, such as the bowl on the library table behind the sofa, provide a harmonious accompaniment to the other elements in the room. “Overall, this room uses marble, agate and crystals to transition the more traditional Charleston style of the dining room into the living room,” Bohan says.

Looking through the living room and kitchen back wall, the patio has an infinity pool with a sunken fireplace lounge. “This space was designed to be inviting, so the clients could enjoy the marsh views,” Bohan says. The designer chose beautiful root tables surrounded by California rattan chairs.

Back inside, down the hall, we find the primary bedroom and bath with an inviting entry vignette. Just outside the primary bedroom is a rustic cabinet with a wrought-iron base from a company in Mexico. It was made by another artist who devotes his life to fine handcrafted furnishings.

The clients wanted their bedroom to be functional, timeless and contemporary with a transitional feel. The bed and nightstands were made to order with a mix of wood and metal. The European-inspired fabrics in this room are in blues and yellows with green accents.

In the primary bath, the dramatic brass soaking tub, with an accompanying antique brass and mirror table, was purchased from an estate in New York. A drapery privacy panel adds an organic note and brings in elements of the outside. On the floor, inset marble tiles in a graphic border pattern create the illusion of a rug. The backsplash is marble and accented by custom mirrors and reeded cabinets.

Up the stairs, we find a theater room with a dark marble fireplace surrounded by a warm sapele slat wall with horizontal steel strips in between. The rug was made in New York to echo the living room, and its use of hides complements the hide on the ottoman. Throughout the space, abstract art carries out the client’s aesthetic vision.

Next to the theater room is a handsome wet bar clad in bold aqua blue tiles. The clients selected the tiles in Bozeman, Montana, and liked the color and indigenous stone pattern. Floating glass shelves hung by wires add a more contemporary feel to the rustic style, while dark wood cabinets provide storage for glassware. The sky blue sofa picks up the color of the tile, echoing the natural motif.

Guest rooms are furnished more whimsically, with a mix of elements that include heirlooms, including a carved bed and dresser. “This furniture was important because she’d had it for decades,” Bohan says. “We took something from the past and rebirthed the room to incorporate generational furniture to modern-day use.” Fabrics are the same painted artistic fabrics used in the primary bedroom.

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The upstairs theater room has a dark fireplace surrounded by a sapele slat wall with horizontal steel strips as accents. Turquoise tiles in the wet bar reflect the couple’s interest in geology.

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Another guest bedroom is home to a classically ornamental bed with a duvet custom-made by a French painter. “We gave this room more Charlestonian style by integrating the pineapple lamp, light coastal blue walls, a coastal-inspired painting that matches the custom duvet, a classical ornamental bed and marble-topped side tables,” Bohan says.

Next, a bright, expansive art studio is attached to the upstairs porch that overlooks the marsh. Natural lighting pours into the room, and the view is pure inspiration. The studio has a bit of French style with white-painted brick walls and raw wood shelving. The floor-to-ceiling shelving can be accessed with a ladder and is decorated to be artistically busy with all of the client’s collections. Flooring is Redondo in an artistic color and pattern similar to traditional European flooring.

The office adjacent to the theater room is a cozy, functional room with a red leather chair Bohan used to add warmth to the cool palette—and inspire productivity.

Shelves with side lights hold the client’s extensive collection of books.

The children’s suite is designed specifically for the couple’s grandchildren, with two sets of bunk beds and nature-inspired furnishings and fabrics. An attached bath with a contemporary floral motif and a neutral palette will grow with the children. A double vanity with four drawers and a bottom shelf provides enough storage for young overnight guests.

At the end of the project, Bohan recalls what her clients first said to her: “We know what we love, we know the colors we love, and we have so many things we love. We just need someone to help put it together and make it beautiful.”

“We were up to the task because our expertise is envisioning a space, whether it’s in an office, home or hotel, and working to enhance the client’s vision for the project,” Bohan says. “The best interior design isn’t just a reflection of a client’s taste but a blend of form and function, color and texture that is warm, timeless and utterly original. This project is so breathtaking because it’s so balanced and well collected. God gives us the palette, and He also gives us the talent. It’s our job as designers to use both of those things to paint something beautiful for the client.”

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Robin Howard is a freelance writer in Charleston. See more of her work at robinhowardwrites.com.

» HAUTE DESIGN INC.

1049 MORRISON DR. CHARLESTON, SC 29403 843.577.9886 HAUTEDESIGN.COM

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H HOM E S

FU R N IT U R E S TO R E

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FOREVER AND A DAY

A coastal cottage reinvigorated with timeless Southern furnishings is fitting quarters for a multigenerational meetup

by DANA W. TODD / photography by HOLGER OBENAUS

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The dining room is the bridge between the casual den and formal living room. Traditional furniture mingles with casual, natural materials, such as the chandelier and woven rug. previous: A Stanton custom wool rug in an exotic animal print mixes with a bamboo Visual Comfort chandelier in the living room to hint at British West Indies style in this coastal Kiawah cottage.

esigner randolph cooper ’ s familiarity with resort - style

design aligned with the needs of homeowners Kim and David Siddons. The couple purchased their vacation home overlooking a pond on one of Kiawah Island’s golf courses, where they planned to build a base camp for extended family, including their grown children and their first grandchild. They visited Southeastern Galleries’ showroom in West Ashley, intending to furnish one or two rooms of their newly purchased home. After connecting with Cooper, a designer with his family’s 68-year-old Charleston furniture store, they saw the potential to increase the livability by refreshing every room in their 1980s-era cottage, inside and out.

“This is the home that represents their next chapter, as relaxation with the family comes to the forefront and work transitions to the periphery,” says Cooper. “It’s a coastal cottage that needed appropriate furnishings and design to make it more comfortable and resilient for a growing family, while paying homage to traditional Southern style. Since the homeowners sourced their furniture from a large selection of manufacturers in our 35,000-square-foot showroom, they appreciated the complimentary design services Southeastern Galleries offers.”

“It was important to me that our house be transformed into our home—a place that welcomes our guests while at the same time balancing as a cozy retreat for our family,” says Kim Siddons.

“I was new to this process; I had always relied on myself with redesigns because I was under the impression that one designer and one store would limit my approach. Was I ever wrong about that! I was afforded the opportunity to enter the world of design and exposed to the process and discussions with the utmost respect and regard, which I really admire about the philosophy of Southeastern Galleries. And I found the process truly fun.”

To create light and airy spaces reminiscent of coastal resort living, Cooper introduced a palette of greens, blues and creams on furniture and furnishings. “They were happy with the bones of the house, opting to retain existing wall colors and architectural elements. We just needed to add new life through appropriate fixtures, fabric, wallpaper and furnishings. The goal was to make

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“Ralph’s Rule says that every room must have an animal print,” says Randolph Cooper, who started his design career at Ralph Lauren. In the den, this rule translates as a custom safari-inspired rug tucked underneath a pair of bespoke Chaddock Furniture ottomans. right: A chest of drawers with raised detailing from Port Eliot Furniture is enhanced by a neighboring Aerin floor lamp by Visual Comfort.

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The guest bedroom features a wide range of Theodore Alexander products, including the bed, nightstands and lamps. All are anchored by a Samad rug.

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it coastal without the kitsch. Since the home is designed with an open floor plan, modifications to any one room are seen from all the other rooms in the main living space, so we needed a cohesive concept,” he says.

“It was extremely important to me that we maintain the integrity of the house while transforming it in a way to make it ours,” Siddons says. “We are the third owners of this home, and it mattered that we respect that.”

Cooper first set about removing the anxiety of sorting through the plethora of choices in furniture manufacturers, fabrics and furnishings, leading the homeowners through a curated selection that fit their desired lifestyle and design aesthetic. His background in the design industry— including an assignment at Ralph Lauren—prepared him well to help the couple. He started the process by meeting them at Southeastern Galleries’ showroom, encouraging them to experience firsthand the widely varying options of custom upholstery. “It’s an amazing tool at our disposal to be able to bring clients to the showroom to interact with custom goods,” Cooper says. “It takes the guesswork out of what’s comfortable for them.”

To create light and airy spaces reminiscent of coastal resort living, designer Randolph Cooper introduced a palette of greens, blues and creams on furniture and furnishings.

From there, he helped them choose performance fabrics in the right colorways that would not only fit the coastal style they were after but also hold up to the wear and tear of a multigenerational family that includes grandchildren. Many of the furnishings are upholstered in performance fabrics by the brand InsideOut; they are easy to care for whether used on interior or exterior furniture. The couple took advantage of the latest generation of performance fabrics, which provide longevity and durability yet still have gorgeous patterns and luxurious textures, unlike the stiff outdoor fabrics of yesteryear.

Outdoor living is plentiful in this home, which is less than two blocks from the ocean. Multiple seating and dining areas indoors and out easily accommodate a large number of family members congregating for eating and lounging. “On a spring or fall night when the weather is agreeable, they can host the entire evening outside,” Cooper says about the home’s screened porch, which is staged with a settee and occasional chairs, as

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The blush and blue color palette of the primary bedroom includes a Samad rug and custom European bed linens that highlight a whitewashed Theodore Alexander bed. right: A powder bathroom dazzles with ‘Mystic Garden’ wallcovering from Thibaut and eyecatching Alberto sconces

by Visual Comfort.

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well as the sunroom and a wraparound deck with chaise lounges and a dining table. There are no sight line boundaries between indoor and outdoor living, so Cooper chose furnishings and fabrics that seamlessly integrate the spaces and ensure a unified design.

While performance fabrics are essential on outdoor pieces, the homeowners also enjoy their robustness on interior upholstered furniture. The large den with plentiful seating for visiting family members and guests is the perfect place to put hardworking fabrics to use. “The den is all about comfort—a place where the couple can put up their feet and enjoy a glass of wine and the panoramic views of the waterfront,” says Cooper. “It is the heart of the home and an extension of the kitchen where all the family members gather while Kim cooks a few feet away.”

Since they are covered in performance fabric, it’s surprisingly practical to place an upholstered cocktail ottoman and sofa in this room. In front of the fireplace, a set of Mary McDonald performance velvet-covered ottomans in citron green, made-toorder from Chaddock Furniture Workroom, provide additional pull-up seating. The upholstery holds up to grandchildren and ultraviolet light exposure from the surrounding picture windows.

A customized rug was templated and cut around the existing fireplace by a specialist on-site for a perfect fit. “Everything will survive the test of time, including the furniture quality and design style,” Cooper says.

A deliberate focus on fabrics and furniture in the kitchen and breakfast room accentuates natural stone countertops and highlights existing architectural elements without a total overhaul. Accessories and décor in these and other rooms are courtesy of Cooper, who sourced from local suppliers and arranged his finds to artful effect.

While the den sports a casual vibe, the adjacent dining room serves as a style bridge between it and the connecting formal living room. “To walk the tightrope between formality and livability, we used rustic finishes and natural woven materials along with fine pieces in the dining room, such as Mottahedeh china and Italian stoneware from Vietri,” Cooper says. A Theodore Alexander dining table from the Althorp Victory Oak collection is made from reclaimed wood so no two pieces are the same. Its old-world finish mixes well with a woven Visual Comfort chandelier and whitewashed chairs that add a splash of coastal energy.

Luxury is prevalent in the primary suite. The main bedroom is outfitted with blush curtains and custom demilune bedside tables from Chaddock that tuck into the space and are accented with sconce lighting. A custom-painted finish and handcarved cabriole legs speak to traditional design. Luxury handembroidered bedding from a London-based manufacturer tops a Theodore Alexander Georgian-style bed for a touch of Southern decadence. A strategically placed, gray-washed secretary performs dual duty as a dressing and work station while visually anchoring a perimeter wall of the bedroom. “Custom whitewash finishes paired with historical silhouettes evoke the feeling of an elevated coastal home,” Cooper says.

Similarly, the primary bathroom is customized with a historical archival wallpaper, featuring a floral and bird motif. Its vertical orientation serves to bring the eye up the wall to add height to

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A Mr. & Mrs. Howard bed from Sherrill Furniture, featuring fine bed linens from the Alexa Hampton Collections by Eastern Accents, is the star of the guest bedroom.

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Summer Classics furniture covered in outdoor performance fabric on the screened porch provides a secluded spot for the homeowners to relax and enjoy water views.

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the room. Accessories, artwork and custom linens from the en suite bedroom complement the subtle coloration in the hand-stenciled wallcovering.

Southeastern Galleries sourced everything for this home, down to the potted plants and greenery arrangements. For the company’s entire history, it has focused as much on design as selling furniture.

By employing designers in-house, the store is able to serve its clientele with full-service, turnkey products and services to renovate one room or an entire home.

Designers provide recommendations for wallpaper, paint colors, accessories, lighting and window coverings, in addition to customized furniture. Its longevity in the industry positions Southeastern Galleries to persevere during unexpected supply chain turmoil.

“During COVID, our industry witnessed unprecedented production delays. I am proud to say that through my family’s resolve to focus on American-made furniture, our manufacturers were impacted less than those overseas,” Cooper says. “It was and remains our goal to keep the showroom constantly filled with the latest offerings. Throughout the pandemic, we put blood, sweat and tears and major ingenuity into guaranteeing our inventory remained at a high level to serve our customers. We are first and foremost a working showroom.”

Due to full collaboration on this project, the Siddonses and Cooper remain close friends. “I see Kim and David almost weekly. They have become like a second family.

From weddings to the blessed birth of their first grandchild, I have been able to share in their joy,” says Cooper. “We had a meeting of the minds, and it was a true collaboration. You can see the homeowner present in every room. It was a marriage of their taste and vision with my design and execution. It’s hard to see where one ends and another begins.”

“I absolutely love that each room tells a story on its own yet flows beautifully with the rest of our home,” Siddons says. “Each room has its own character while seamlessly fitting with the other spaces. It’s akin to working a puzzle, where each piece is unique. When putting it all together, it makes a cohesive and elegant picture.”

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Dana W. Todd is a professional writer specializing in interior design, real estate, luxury homebuilding, landscape design, architecture and art.

SOUTHEASTERN GALLERIES 1885 ASHLEY RIVER ROAD CHARLESTON, SC 29407 843.556.4663 SOUTHEASTERNGALLERIES.COM

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ARLENE SALMON LIKE many talented artists, Arlene Salmon has been creative since childhood, when, according to her mother’s accounts, she would only ask for crayons at Christmas. Crayons, it seems, were the gateway into a deep passion for art that led to summer art camps at the Worcester Museum of Art, and Salmon eventually went on to Moore College of Art and majored in interior design, graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. During her evenings, Salmon took oil painting classes. She started a family, and when her son was 18 months old, his curiosity became the undoing of his mother’s pursuit of painting. “He was standing beside me at the easel and grabbed a paintbrush full of paint and proceeded to put it in his mouth,” she says. “I packed my paints away and didn’t paint again until years later.”

Despite her long absence from painting, Salmon’s talents never left her. Nor did her desire to create. Still, she did not pick up a brush again until 2016, when her youngest was diagnosed with stage 4 Hodgkin lymphoma.

“It was recommended that I, as a caretaker, needed to find something I loved,” she recalls.

“I started taking painting classes at the Art League in Alexandria, Virginia, and somehow ended

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ARLENE SALMON up in a pastel class. My heart ignited, seeing the colorful sticks of medium. It was like being a kid again with a new box of crayons. I struggled at first but signed up for an ocean wave painting workshop and found a way to incorporate catching the light spilling through the rolling waves.”

Salmon continued to paint, and she now uses her work to raise money for lymphoma and leukemia fundraisers and donate to research for new clinicals trials. Over the past seven years, she has used the inspiration of the Lowcountry salt marshes and the intense beauty of the ocean to drive her pieces, conveying what she sees through her pastels. “When people look at my paintings, a relaxed, peaceful feeling comes over them that ends in a smile,” she says. “Seeing that makes me feel that I have done my job well interpreting what I see onto paper.”

Salmon is a member of the Pastel Society of America, and her work can be purchased through her website. A donation for every painting will be made to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

» ARLENE SALMON 703.439.0621 ARLENESALMON.COM

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JUDY WALTERS FINE ART JUDY

Walters’ impressionistic oil paintings illuminate her highly developed sense of place, light and scale. With a tendency to think big, her paintings of majestic skies, endless marshes and sparkling beaches speak to her creative sensibilities. As demand for her works have grown, so have her canvases.

Her recent large-scale paintings range from 4-by-6 feet to 8-by-9 feet.

With a home studio on Daniel Island, Walters often paints en plein air from her open-air studio situated aboard her boat.

She and her husband, Jack, spend much time cruising the Atlantic seaboard and the Gulf of Mexico. She takes inspiration and reference photos from the coastlines and marshes she explores along the way.

Although her expansive ambitions in art and life sprang from childhood, her upbringing occurred in a much more intimate scale—as a coal miner’s daughter from Pikeville, Kentucky. Walters and her siblings were raised on a working farm with loving parents. There she learned the value of family togetherness and appreciation for every small blessing and beautiful treasure from the land.

Today, Walters applies her fond memories to her artistic achievement. “In my art career, I am reminded about what I learned from my mother, that something lovely can always be created simply and with humble hands. As an artist, all I need

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JUDY WALTERS FINE ART is paint and my deep love of a subject,” she says.

The common thread between her childhood and her career is a deep love of art making.

Walters studied at the Florence Academy of Art and refined her skills through workshops with national and international artists.

Her travels through countries in Asia, Europe and Africa honed her eye for picturesque landscapes. Those travels— specifically in Greece, France and Italy—remain her favorite art adventures. She is particularly drawn to impressionism, capturing everyday rural life and landscapes, such as those found in the works of Millet and Corot.

Walters’ artistic style is characterized by vibrant hues applied with loose, expressive brushstrokes. Her paintings mostly tell stories about nature’s ever-changing light patterns and the lovely ways atmospheric light gives form to land and water.

Her paintings also celebrate the Lowcountry, where she captures subjects whose lives are shaped by both nature and historic roots.

Walters is a sought-after gallery and commissions artist. Viewing art making as a collaborative process, she works with collectors on subject, palette colors and eventual placement of the artwork. Walters shows her work at the Charleston Artist Guild Gallery in Charleston and Perspective Gallery in Mount Pleasant.

» JUDY WALTERS FINE ART 606.477.0877 JUDYWALTERSFINEART.COM

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DALE TERBUSH WHETHER in the abstraction of his contemporary landscapes or the realism he captures in Charleston’s breathtaking marshlands, Dale Terbush’s paintings have a vibrancy that makes them both captivating and dynamic. His bold use of color and distinctive perspective make the artist a storyteller whose words are spoken through his brush, and each painting is filled with an energy that seems almost too large to contain.

Clearly, Terbush’s passion for art is deeply rooted in his soul and has been for as long as he can remember. As a young man living in Orange County, California, he first began selling his work after he was given the opportunity to paint a mural at the grocery store where he worked. “They gave me a blank wall over the meat counter,” Terbush recalls. “It was a well-todo neighborhood, and I ended up selling some paintings. Then a well-known interior designer who shopped at the store saw it and liked my work, so she connected me with the biggest furniture design company in Orange County. Once I was introduced, they started carrying my artwork.”

Eventually, he and his then wife began an antiques business, which allowed him greater freedom to explore his love of painting. As the years went on, Terbush became a commercial designer for a restaurant whose locations spanned from the West

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DALE TERBUSH Coast to the East Coast—putting painting on the back burner.

“My art became my buildings,” he says. “But painting never stopped calling my name, and finally I gave up everything else and jumped back in, brush first.”

As prolific and talented as he is, the Arizona-based artist has never had any formal art education and is entirely selftaught. “I have created most of my techniques out of the need to create a specific look, and I’ve always thought of myself as a romantic landscape or skyscape painter,” notes Terbush, who prefers acrylics to oils for their drying time and the creativity they allow him.

“A little Hudson River, a little Maxfield Parrish, put them in the jar and add some Terbush and shake it up. I like to take the viewer on a journey, and though they are imaginary scenes done with color on canvas, they will ring true to the viewer in some way. The grand vistas of the Arizona deserts, the saltmarshes and the dunes of Charleston.

The beautiful skies over the ocean. The magic that has always been and always will be.”

» DALE TERBUSH 602.740.9977 DALETERBUSHART.COM

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JENAN MCCLAIN THERE’S

a poetry to the paintings that Jenan McClain creates, a fluidity and abstraction akin to the lines of a poem.

She lets her emotions and soul guide the brush and follows the dictates of the words on her heart, both written and unwritten. And that is why her work speaks as powerfully as it does to the viewer, drawing out emotions and stories that create a personal connection to the work on the canvas.

“I realized that there is some emotional undertone in my paintings that resonates on another level with people,” says McClain. “It became apparent that my purpose is to translate healing, joy, light and hope, and that emotion has been felt by people—especially women— across the country who see my work.”

Knowing McClain’s back story and how her art evolved as the result of a period of grief and struggle during her daughter’s health crisis as a child, one can understand how her work would hold such force. Her art comes from that place of pain and fear over the unknown, that place where struggle gives way to surrender and spirituality. Having come through that dark time, there is a depth in her work that conveys so much—all without words.

Words are important to McClain, however, as she expresses herself through poetry just as she does through paint.

And the two frequently go hand in hand. “Poetry is a big part of

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JENAN MCCLAIN my life and my work,” she says.

Oftentimes, her paintings are named from the poetry she has written, as one inspires the other.

A relatively new artist to the professional scene, McClain studied art in school at the Fine Art Center in Greenville, South Carolina, but did not pursue it professionally. Rather, she followed a path that led her first to banking and then to luxury real estate in the Caribbean.

It wasn’t until 2020 that she decided to finish her work in the Caribbean and focus her efforts completely on painting.

A self-described “intuitive” painter, McClain’s style is abstract impressionism, focused on subjects in nature that she views as abstractly maternal: florals, waterscapes and landscapes. Painting from her home studio in Mount Pleasant, she paints her poetry in both large and small scale and accepts commissions. Her work can be found at The Vendue and the Miller Gallery in Charleston, as well as at the Grand Bohemian in Greenville, South Carolina, and AnArte Gallery in San Antonio, Texas.

» JENAN MCCLAIN 864.320.5526 JENANMCCLAIN.COM

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ART ON THE SQUARE FINE ART GALLERY OPEN since November 2019, Art on the Square Fine Art Gallery is the Charleston area’s newest art hub, representing more than 40 award-winning local artists to offer a wide variety of paintings, photography, sculpture, pottery, jewelry, artisanal woodwork and stained glass.

Located in Nexton Square in Summerville, South Carolina, the 2,000-square-foot gallery holds a rich abundance of pieces—all of which are incredibly unique displays of local talent.

With a collection of artists whose work offers great appeal to clients with a wide variety of interests, the pieces represent various painting styles and explore different mediums, offering the best of realism, impressionism and contemporary abstraction. The gallery’s vast assortment of art is inspiring to behold, and it’s the perfect place to find a piece that will become a cherished treasure.

Current artists include Kay Bilisoly, whose painting Azaleas depicts a lively spring landscape featuring the Lowcountry’s most beautiful flower. William Newby’s painting takes us across the Atlantic to London,

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ART ON THE SQUARE FINE ART GALLERY where Big Ben is displayed in a cool, misty fog. Sun Setting on the Marsh by Laura Cody is a beautiful rendering of a marsh as the last rays of the sun disappear for the day. Lastly, Jan Dalton’s The Calm captures serenity and peacefulness at its best.

Artists represented at Art on the Square are brought in through a juried process that the artist participates in after applying to join the gallery as an art associate.

» ART ON THE SQUARE FINE ART GALLERY 843.871.0297 ARTONTHESQUARE.GALLERY

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ANN SCHWARTZ CHARLESTON

native Ann Schwartz knew from the time she was in kindergarten that she was destined to be an artist.

As she grew older, her love of art was always there, waiting to be explored more fully. Prior to becoming a professional painter in 2013, Schwartz taught child development at Midland Park Elementary in North Charleston.

Having fully embraced her talent, there is a freedom in creating that resonates with Schwartz. “The thing I love most about art is experimenting and not always knowing the outcome,” she says. “I love the process and seeing the way a painting changes with each layer.”

Schwartz tends toward an impressionistic style as well as self-described “abstracted” landscapes and still life, working mainly in oil paint. “I love to paint what I see in my surroundings,” the artist explains. “Charleston has an endless supply of inspiration, from the ocean and marshes to the gardens downtown.”

Working from her home studio, Schwartz paints when inspiration strikes. “Working from home allows me to pick up a paintbrush anytime throughout the day or night,” she says.

Her work is represented by Simpatico Gallery in Charleston.

» SIMPATICO GALLERY 843.478.4537 SIMPATICOGALLERIES.COM

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JOSH JENSEN ART JOSH

Jensen’s body of work over the past 10 years, since he became a professional artist, while often undefinable in terms of exact time or place or even form, has always been characteristically colorful, vibrant and energetic. Painting in the tradition of abstract expressionism, his work gravitates toward brushstrokes and application of paint that hint at something, a fluid impression that strikes a chord in the imagination of his viewer.

“When my work is most successful, it evokes feelings or evokes an idea of objects, figures and places without certainty,” Jensen says. “In some ways, it can be a projective experience, where the viewer sees things in the piece that I did not intend for them to see, but I am nonetheless grateful for. In this way, it’s a collaboration between what I create and what the viewer imagines. I love the mystery of art and the ability to nonverbally express ideas and emotions with color, movements and shape.”

Jensen divides his time between painting and his practice as a licensed, private-practice psychotherapist. He paints from his basement studio in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he lives with his wife and three sons.

Jensen’s work is represented at Simpatico Gallery in Charleston.

» SIMPATICO GALLERY 843.478.4537 SIMPATICOGALLERIES.COM

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RICK SPITZ STUDIO GROWING up on a working cattle ranch in Oklahoma, Rick Spitz spent a lot of time in nature, seeing both its wonder and its fury. It inspired him and influenced a deep passion—a passion that is evident in his photography and his oil paintings.

Spitz obtained an architectural degree in 1981 from the University of Oklahoma. Over the next decade, he was contracted to create architectural renderings for architects and developers, providing them with conceptual illustrations and paintings of their finished projects in watercolor.

His prolific work led to employment with an architectural and engineering firm based in Greenville, South Carolina, and so Spitz moved his family from Oklahoma in 1988 and later received his architectural license.

Now, the retired architect devotes his time to one of his greatest loves: painting. Naturally, Spitz’s passion for nature and its beauty comes out in high relief on the canvas, with a perspective that paints a dynamic, vibrant and captivating view. “People see a painting of a beautiful sunset and don’t feel the same wonder as they do when they see a photograph, because something is lost,” Spitz says. “I try to paint in a way that shows

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RICK SPITZ STUDIO how stunning a thunderstorm can be, the energy in a waterfall, the unrelenting magnificence of a tornado. I absolutely love nature and capturing a beautiful landscape or beautiful cloud formation on canvas.”

Clouds, in fact, are a particular point of interest for Spitz, who studied meteorology in school.

“Clouds are incredible—the way that they form, the unique shapes that they take and the ways that they offer a prelude to what is to come.”

Spitz works mainly in oils, watercolors and colored pencils, though he is also known to step away from the canvas and pick up a camera. Above all, he has an eye for detail and a dedication to showing as much as possible.

“It takes several months to complete a painting, because something that takes someone else a few days to paint in a landscape will take me so much longer,” Spitz says. “I want to get every detail I can.”

The well-traveled artist loves being in nature and exploring other countries to see different sights and capture them on canvas, from the waterfalls of Croatia to the Mesa Verde in New Mexico and Arizona. He is a member of the Metropolitan Arts Council in Greenville, South Carolina.

» RICK SPITZ STUDIO 864.616.4986 RICKSPITZSTUDIO.COM

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MARLOWE IN

his past life as a creative director of advertising, Rick Schneider’s artistic vision was a strength that he constantly played to, but he knew that he wanted to create work of his own—something that would bear his style and his name.

In 2016, he began working on pieces of art that, to his great pleasure, seemed to resonate with people and capture their interest.

It took some experimentation, but Schneider eventually found his niche, using handmade papers and ephemera images from the 1920s, ’30s and ’40s to create dimensional art that literally pops from the canvas, “assembling” his work with the assistance of an X-Acto knife and superglue. “They can be anything, from trees, textures and rocks to people, just anything from that period that gives me an idea for a piece,” he says. “I love unusual, colorful items, so my work is not subtle—I’ve been told that it’s the kind of art that grabs you by the lapels, it’s so colorful and bold. Additionally, a new technique I’m experimenting with is using a base of heavily saturated dye inks and then swirling soft pastels over the image—it adds yet another level of texture, tone and depth."

What results is something that, besides being extremely colorful, is also very dynamic in its imagery. Having developed a signature style, Schneider adopted his pseudonym, Marlowe, both because it is his middle name and it is greatly referential to the pulp fiction character Philip Marlowe. “I started out doing what I call pulp fiction art, so it seemed fitting,” says the artist.

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MARLOWE Much like his pieces, Marlowe has more than one dimension—a fact that can be seen in the softer pieces he creates, works whose subject matter runs toward the natural rather than the fictional. And while the dichotomy of the two may be striking, they are still fully Marlowe, drenched in color and full of dimension.

“I’ve noticed that I’ve gotten farther away from fantasy artwork in the past year or so, closer to nature scenery,” he says. “Where I live in North Carolina is so scenic, and local clients gravitate more toward natural settings. The dye ink and pastel enhancements I mentioned earlier have gotten a noticeably visceral response when art buyers view my newer work.”

Marlowe is represented at New Elements Gallery in Wilmington, North Carolina, and Artistic Transfer in Dallas.

» MARLOWE 203.913.3395 MARLOWEART.WEEBLY.COM

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RANA JORDAHL FINE ART GROWING up in a family of women where creativity was always encouraged, Rana Jordahl’s path to becoming a professional artist seemed almost laid out from childhood.

After beginning her career in advertising and graphic design, she transitioned to fine art upon moving to Charleston in 2002 and has built on her inherent talent using the principles she learned in graphic design.

“Graphic design has aided me well in terms of conception, design, composition, drawing and color harmony,” she says, noting that she has honed her painting skills by taking many painting workshops and studying locally under the tutelage of Elizabeth Bronson in McClellanville for years.

Jordahl became part owner of Lowcountry Artists Gallery in 2007 and has since been a full-time professional painter.

She describes her style as contemporary impressionism and loves to capture her subjects in a mixture of abstraction and representative form, using thick, expressive brushstrokes. She keeps a multitude of tools in her kit, from brushes and palette knives to paint shapers and brayers.

“I have a love for painting the animals that I grew up around from my Midwest upbringing as well as from the Lowcountry, including herons, egrets, pelicans and other shorebirds, cows and chickens,” she says. “I also enjoy the creative process and flexibility of setting up still

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RANA JORDAHL FINE ART life arrangements. Throw in a pinch of landscape, and those are my favorite muses.

“I love art for its infinite possibilities and how many ways I can choose to express a subject and its form. A bird’s wings in flight, the cast light of an object onto another in a still life, the motion of water and the sparkling light on its surface.

There is so much inspiration to be found in the world around us, from natural beauty in our landscape to ordinary, everyday objects that are suddenly elevated when arranged perfectly together in still life.

Whatever I want to convey about those subjects—softness, drama, light and shadow, energy, color—it is endless, and it inspires me to paint every day.”

The artist keeps a dedicated studio space at her home on Daniel Island and is a member of Oil Painters of America, American Impressionist Society, National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society and the Charleston Artist Guild.

Her work is represented at Lowcountry Artists Gallery, and Jordahl shows annually at the Southeastern Wildlife Expo (SEWE) and the Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Exhibition.

You can see more of Jordahl's work on her Instagram page @ranajordahl_fineart.

» RANA JORDAHL FINE ART 843.270.4896 RANAJORDAHL.COM

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MARY MARTIN GALLERIES AFTER a 30-year career in real estate and running a relocation company in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Mary Martin decided to hit the reset button and do something with her life that was stress-free and purely about pleasure. Enamored of Charleston’s beauty and history, the art lover relocated in 2004 and opened her own art gallery, surrounding herself with other patrons of the arts as well as artists themselves—something that has brought Martin immense joy in this new phase of her life and career.

Mary Martin Galleries represents more than 100 artists who have been selected for their unique styles of work in a variety of media. “We exhibit art of all genres but desire to feature painters and sculptors who forge new ground using their formidable talent,” says Martin. “Because of that, we are an eclectic gallery. We really look for originality as well as beauty when we vet artists to bring in and represent.”

Because of the range and quality of work by the artists represented, Mary Martin Galleries has attracted and maintained collectors for years, working directly with individual collectors as well as designers, architects and trade professionals to establish longterm relationships. In fact, the gallery works with architects as part of a team, looking to create the perfect home or commercial building for a client. “Many times, architects, designers and

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MARY MARTIN GALLERIES owners will work together on the design aspect to select the right artwork for their project. Having that symbiosis is key because beautiful art looks wonderful in a beautiful space, and all of us work together to achieve that,” says Martin.

The client experience is paramount at Mary Martin Galleries. “We work to ensure that the experience of purchasing from our galleries is a memorable and enjoyable one for all of our clients,” says Martin. “To that end, Mary Martin Galleries hosts several ongoing exhibitions each month, during which collectors have the opportunity to meet and get to know top artists. We often hold private receptions for our collectors, as well, so they are given the chance to meet their artists again and again.”

Mary Martin Galleries represents top contemporary artists in addition to identifying and mentoring little-known artists to become nationally recognized for their talents.

Upcoming exhibitions include artwork by Pakan Penn, Oleg Trofimov, Kevin McNamara, Charles Nkomo and Hessam Abrishami.

» MARY MARTIN GALLERIES 843.723.0303 MARYMARTINART.COM

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PATRICIA RENO HUFF GALLERY & ART STUDIO UTILIZING

the strengths she gained teaching high school, Patricia Huff has created a name for herself as an art teacher in Kiawah Island, and her gallery has become a showroom for the burgeoning talents of her students.

A painter herself, Huff was artistic as a child and was encouraged by her mother, who made sure to keep her well equipped with art supplies. As creative as she was, however, Huff lost confidence in herself during her teenaged years until she met a fellow student at Georgia State University who, despite his severe cerebral palsy, was pursuing painting. After that, Huff’s desire to paint was reignited, and she began taking workshops and even studied abroad in Italy. Inspired by the Greek and Roman art and architecture that surrounded her, Huff’s passion for painting intensified even more, and she began a tireless quest to learn and refine her techniques.

“You never stop learning as an artist,” says Huff. “It’s a constant process of learning new things, growing and changing.”

Professionally, Huff did not pursue art as a career until later in life, after seven years of teaching economics, history and political science to high school students and working in the real estate industry. The Atlanta native was also highly active with volunteering, serving on the board of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Designer Showhouse for a number of years in addition to filling the role of chairman for

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PATRICIA RENO HUFF GALLERY & ART STUDIO one year, as well as working with many other organizations and earning the Leadership Sandy Springs award. After retiring, she established her own gallery in 2015, where she began offering art classes. Moving to Freshfield Village in Kiawah Island in 2020, Patricia Reno Huff Gallery & Art Studio continued to be a learning center for those who aspired to become artists, giving them both a place to hone their abilities as well as an entry into the public arena. “It’s intimidating to expose yourself to the public eye,” Huff says.

“The work my students create and then choose to display is a very personal thing for them.

I love being part of that and seeing them learn and find their style as painters.”

As an art instructor, Huff has had to become adept at many different styles and techniques, as her students all have individual styles and very unique personalities. “I need to be adaptive to their needs so that I can give them the tools they need to develop—including the fundamental background in drawing and composition,” says Huff. “I love exploring different styles in my own work, as well.”

» PATRICIA RENO HUFF GALLERY & ART STUDIO 404.245.5766 PATRICIARHUFF.GALLERY

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ALICE DOBBIN FINE ART ALICE Dobbin has dedicated her life to art. Before she became a professional artist 35 years ago, she was an adjunct professor of art at Washington & Jefferson College and instilled a passion for art in her young students as an art teacher for public schools in grades K through 12.

Artistically gifted since childhood, Dobbin believes that the creation of art and study of art history serve as a conduit for developing a greater perception of the world and a deeper sense of clarity. “This concept is why, as a teacher, I pioneered the integration of art history into practical art class,” she says. “The study of art, I believe, is core to the curriculum and develops cognitive abilities that help individuals become more creative in their individual pursuits.”

In her own work, Dobbin pursues the expression of an almost spiritual connection to nature that she hopes will resonate with her viewers. Her loose, intensely textural pieces are the result of her skilled brushwork and deft hand with a palette knife, bringing to life ethereal interpretations of what she sees with a focal point emphasized by the finer details. Largely impressionistic in her style, Dobbin’s work has been likened to that of Mary Cassatt.

As calming and peaceful as her paintings are, there is a passion for nature and an energy that layers the canvas along with the oils. “For me, there is an inherent creative need,” says the Beaufort,

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ALICE DOBBIN FINE ART South Carolina-based artist.

“The love of nature inspires me to share my vision. When I encounter a scene that stirs my soul, I become energized to convey these emotions.

The canvas challenges me to ignore the world’s negativity and to focus on higher things in life: beauty and simplicity and the wonder of God’s creation.

Painting is my personal quest for peace and embodies my desire to accomplish something good. As I work, I’m conscious of colors, lines and composition that emphasize tranquility. Each work becomes an emotional release. Energy, passion and a connection to a sense of place are intermingled with the oils.”

Dobbin is a member of the American Impressionist Society and Oil Painters of America.

Her work is represented by the Lowcountry Artists Gallery in Charleston, Thibault Gallery in Beaufort and Seaside Gallery in Nags Head, North Carolina.

She also holds the distinction of being a juried artist in the annual Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Exhibition and will be the featured artist for the Lowcountry Artists Gallery in May of 2024.

» ALICE DOBBIN FINE ART ALICEDOBBIN.COM

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DEE BEARD DEAN DESPITE growing up in a rural Indiana Amish community, where there were no art galleries or even art classes, Dee Beard Dean’s inherent talent, passion, boundless creative energy and some very impactful influences at different stages of her life propelled her to become a master painter. Dean studied at Kendall College (Michigan), New York Academy of Art and with many renowned artists.

As her art career matured, her greatest inspirations came from painting en plein air, creating paintings filled with a dramatic juxtaposition of light and shadow. Her highly collectible work now hangs in corporate and private collections throughout the United States.

Dean is a founder of Plein Air Painters of the Southeast (PAP-SE), a signature member of the American Impressionist Society and the American Society of Marine Artists, an honorary signature member of International Plein Air Painters (IPAP) and a member of the NY Salmagundi Club, as well as the Oil Painters of America. She is also published in many regional and national journals. Her life and artwork are recorded in A Painter

by Providence by Michelle Morton. She is represented

by Pinckney Simons Gallery in Beaufort, South Carolina; Anderson Fine Art Gallery in St. Simons Island, Georgia; and Mountain Trails Gallery in Santa Fe, as well as Dee Beard Dean Studio and Gallery.

» DEE BEARD DEAN 843.609.7523 DEEBEARDDEAN.COM

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DEBRA PAYSINGER DEBRA Paysinger’s master’s degree in biology has informed her subject matter, as she primarily paints birds, lures, sea life and rabbits—or the raddits, as she endearingly refers to them. She owns the registered trademark for the term “the raddit” and each whimsical creation is uniquely numbered within the painting.

Paysinger assigns a not-to-berepeated human name to each expressive bird she paints. These names are found on the back of each work. These striking animal portraits stand on their own yet have a grounded familiarity with the others. It’s as if Paysinger knows the personality of every raddit and bird and finds a way to let that personality shine through.

You can find Paysinger’s art in Studio 151 Fine Arts Gallery on Church Street in Charleston.

» DEBRA PAYSINGER DEBRAPAYSINGER.COM

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ELLA WALTON RICHARDSON FINE ART ELLA Walton Richardson Fine Art offers exceptional artwork from American and international artists. The range in its catalogue includes a variety of art, from impressionist oil paintings and contemporary abstracts to blackand-white photography, as well as bronzes by the late American sculptor Glenna Goodacre.

Visitors will also find fascinating works in porcelain by Anna Kasabian, etchings and paintings from renowned Charleston Renaissance artists and jewelry by Julie Vos. Featured here are new works

by Asheville, North Carolinabased artist Richard Oversmith.

The natural beauty of Western North Carolina has proven to offer infinite inspiration for Oversmith’s impressionistic landscapes. He also loves visiting Charleston, where he creates lush and vibrant scenes of the marshes and beaches for the Ella Walton Richardson Fine Art gallery.

Oversmith has found inspiration in his many travels. Over the years, he has painted all over the United States, Europe, Central America and Iceland. Whether at home or abroad, Oversmith surrounds himself in the elements of the scene while painting in true plein air fashion. In the studio, his sense of vision and mood guide him to produce still life compositions ranging from the classic to the imaginative.

» ELLA WALTON RICHARDSON FINE ART 843.722.3660 ELLARICHARDSON.COM

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ISLAND ART GALLERY ISLAND

Art Gallery is an artist-owned gallery whose focus is to advocate for artists and adapt to the ever-changing world of art—in all its forms. Located on Pawleys Island, South Carolina, the charming gallery is managed by eight owner-artists and represents 26 artists of varied focus and medium.

Notable local watercolor artists include Maura Kenny, Paula Robertson, Gail Joley, Sharon Bogan and Tina Proctor. Among the gallery’s acrylic artists are Barnie Slice, Catherine Vaccarino and Donna Littleton. Oil painters include John Witzel, Sharon Lampke, Martha Manco and Carol Carstarphen, all of whom bring their unique styles. Lucia Jones, Cynthia Hoppin Shuler and Melinda Allen are known for their Lowcountry and ocean paintings.

Gallery artists Jane Woodward, Janelle Feeney, Cathy Turner and Kelly Atkinson show the breadth of their talent in oils and other mediums. Representing mixed media are Cindy Silvers and Ellen Williams. Furniture maker Pete Rock specializes in beautiful inlaid tables, while gallery newcomer Treelee MacAnn brings her incredible monoprints, relief prints and multicolor screen prints to the mix. Julie Williford’s beautiful porcelain plates and vessels make another great new addition, and the gallery’s windows currently serve as a display for beautiful blown glass ornaments by Foundry Glass and Lisa Blayton’s hand-painted porcelain ornaments.

» ISLAND ART GALLERY 843.314.0298 PAWLEYSISLANDART.COM

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WILFRED SPOON WHEN Wilfred Spoon puts hand to brush, the result is often a fanciful interpretation of truth, a whimsical illustration of what he sees in his mind’s eye—a flouting of the “rules” that is a form of self-expression for the North Carolinian transplant to Mount Pleasant.

“While I paint representational subject matter, I’ve always enjoyed expressing my own version of reality,” he says. “It’s fun to break the rules of what your eye sees and try to find something more universal in the subject matter that one might not see on the surface.”

Leaning into his influences of early American art and primitivism, Spoon creates deeply pigmented, almost fantastical works that one might describe as primitive realism.

“I love all kinds of primitivism, from children’s art to early American art, religious and ancient iconography,” says the artist, who also has a passion for picture framing and owns Carolina Fine Art Framing in Charleston’s historic Faber House. “I believe that there is a positive, optimistic nature in my paintings that people respond to.”

Spoon’s work is represented by the Charleston Artist Collective and is on view at Wynsum Antiques & Interiors in Charleston.

» WILFRED SPOON 843.442.4865 WILFREDSPOON.COM

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BETSY JONES MCDONALD CHARLESTON

artist Betsy Jones McDonald began her artistic training as a teen with watercolorist Geri Davis of Columbus, Georgia. She went on to study fine art at Columbus State University, and her eye for design was later put to work as a design manager during her years working in visual merchandising.

After moving to Columbia, South Carolina, McDonald began doing murals, which is when she realized her true love lay in largeformat painting. She’s pursued oil on canvas ever since and paints using her own custom-mixed hues. McDonald also co-owned Island Art Gallery in Pawleys Island for four years, where she continues to regularly teach color theory workshops.

These days, McDonald’s art is inspired by the marsh surrounding her Daniel Island studio. “I love the colors of the marsh and the way they change with the seasons and the tides,” she says. “Every time you look at the marsh, you see something different, and I’m fascinated by that.”

You can find her paintings exhibited at Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet and Perspective Gallery in Mount Pleasant.

» BETSY JONES MCDONALD 207.320.5884 BETSYJONESMCDONALD.COM

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KATHRYN PARKER FINE ART WHILE Kathryn Parker has been an artist all of her life, she did not begin a serious quest to pursue her talent professionally until heartache and loss drove her to painting, using it as an outlet to process her emotions and as a way to cope. “Painting soothed my soul,” says Parker, who moved to the Charleston area from Colorado.

Soon, she had amassed a large body of work—a fact which presented Parker with the opportunity to realize her dream of becoming a professional artist. Parker works primarily in oil paint and cold wax, though she often explores the combination of oil, acrylic and mixed media. “I love to use impasto applications of paint with expressive brushstrokes,” says the impressionistic artist, who loves to paint the lush landscapes and waterways of the South Carolina Lowcountry, where she now lives. “I believe most people respond to my love of using saturated colors and the movement and energy my paintings have.”

Parker has been featured in the Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Exhibition and the Mount Pleasant Town Hall Art Program, Park Circle Gallery and Gage Hall. She is an exhibiting member of the Charleston Artist Guild and the Mount Pleasant Artists Guild, and she is currently represented by Perspective Gallery in Mount Pleasant.

» KATHRYN PARKER FINE ART 970.371.3363 KATHRYNPARKERART.COM

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SUSAN KLAVOHN BRYANT THOUGH Susan Klavohn Bryant has been an artist in some respect for all of her life and majored in art education in college, it wasn’t until 2017 that she became one professionally.

Previously, she had been capturing homes, landscapes, wildlife and other subjects through photography, with hopes of eventually returning to painting. Now, she balances a career in real estate with her pursuit of art, creating paintings that capture the scenery and people of the Charleston area with energy, color and emotional qualities that make her work unique.

Through the use of acrylics, oil and mixed media, Bryant paints a variety of subjects, including landscapes, still life, expressive portraiture and abstracts.

Though she is still relatively new to the artist community, her undeniable talent has made her stand out, placing her in a position to help others learn to paint and inspire established artists to try new techniques or subjects. She has served as past president of the Mount Pleasant Artists Guild and is involved with the Charleston Artist Guild Pet Helpers project. She also assisted in the development of other area galleries. Her work is represented by the Charleston Artist Guild Gallery.

Bryant has a solo abstract show at Serendipity Labs located in Nexton Square. Serendipity Labs is open weekdays.

» SUSAN KLAVOHN BRYANT 843.224.0804 SUSANBRYANTART.COM

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CHARLESTON ARTIST GUILD THE Charleston Artist Guild (CAG) was founded in 1953 by a small group of local artists, including Anne Worsham Richardson, Alfred Heber Hutty and Elizabeth O’Neill Verner—all of whom sought a way to display their works, network with other artists and become more involved in the community.

More than 70 years later, CAG has approximately 700 members and operates the CAG Gallery, where more than 70 of the Lowcountry’s most well-respected artists display and sell their work.

In 2022, the gallery was again voted the Lowcountry’s Best Art Gallery, boosting its reputation as Charleston’s premier gallery for high-quality, diverse local art that represents a wide range of mediums and styles.

A nonprofit organization, CAG fulfills the vision of its founders and members by hosting annual community outreach programs for youth, residents of area Alzheimer’s care facilities and other partner organizations. It has also become a family to its members, giving them a place of support and learning.

New artists are juried into the gallery twice annually, and educational programs, critiques and other artistic development opportunities are held throughout the year. The gallery is open daily at 160 East Bay St., from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

» CHARLESTON ARTIST GUILD 843.722.2425 CHARLESTONARTISTGUILD.COM

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HELLI LUCK FINE ART WHEN

Londoner Helli Luck picked up her first paintbrush at 5 years old, she knew that she wanted to be an artist—and that dream carried her through to making it a reality. Winning her first award at 12, she went on to have her work displayed in the Mall Galleries in London and did a campaign with Pall Mall before traveling to Europe.

Luck went on to work as an art director with Saatchi and Saatchi, a job that took her all over the world, giving her a unique opportunity to see new cultures and artistic expression in a more global way.

Luck’s travels have provided her with a range of captivating subjects, inspiring her to paint her surroundings. She also has the desire to capture the passage of light through a scene and conjure the feeling it created in that moment. “I love to try and evoke an impression, leaving room for the viewer to feel the emotion,” Luck says.

The artist is drawn to the rich texture of oils, starting with a loose, thin sketch that resembles watercolor before building up to thicker paint. Now living in Pawleys Island, she paints the local scenery and wildlife.

Luck’s work is represented at Perspective Gallery in Mount Pleasant, Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet, Wynsum Antiques & Interiors in Charleston, Lowcountry Artists Gallery in Charleston and Stellers Gallery in Jacksonville, Florida.

» HELLI LUCK FINE ART 615.300.3092 HELLILUCKFINEART.COM

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CAROLYN EPPERLY THERE’S

an absolute fascination with people that comes through in Carolyn Epperly’s paintings: their expressions of joy, of anticipation, of reflection. She studies movement and body language and captures them masterfully within the strokes of her brush and the watercolor pigments that seem to bend to her will. Likewise, she applies that same study and adept skill in painting landscapes and seascapes, translating their depth, energy and movement into paintings that capture the eye and hold its focus.

“The colors created by transparent watercolor are like faceted jewels in sunlight,” says Epperly. “This medium allows a layering of tones like veils, one over the other, without disturbing each color underneath. The effect creates memorable, haunting depth and atmosphere.”

Epperly enjoys signature status in such prestigious societies as the National Watercolor Society and the Watercolor USA Honor Society.

She was awarded second place in an international online show by the International Society of Experimental Artists and is an Artist of Excellence in the South Carolina Watermedia Society, having been awarded first place in its 2022 national show. She also enjoys Nautilus Fellow status.

» CAROLYN EPPERLY 843.343.5520 CAROLYNEPPERLY.COM

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DENNIS FULBRIGHT WHILE

he may have followed a more traditional path with his career as a landscape architect, Dennis Fulbright never abandoned his love of art or his desire to paint. In his professional life, he used his artistic skill to bring vivacity and color to the renderings of his projects, painting landscapes and architecture with technique and attention to detail. After retiring in 2015, he turned a greater focus to transparent watercolor and entered many juried shows in South Carolina and Georgia for which he won awards. He has been featured at the Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Exhibition three times thus far and will be at the 2024 event.

With a style that seems to blur the line between impressionism and realism, Fulbright depicts landscapes and seascapes with manmade objects incorporated to “help develop scale and mood.” His medium of choice, transparent watercolor, is one that creates a much different effect than oils or acrylics.

“Transparent watercolor is the application of layers or glazes of watercolor pigments onto paper in a manner that allows light to penetrate through these layers and reflect back through the pigments, giving the color brilliance and luminosity.”

Fulbright works from his home studios in Charleston and Cleveland, South Carolina, and his work may be found online on his website.

» DENNIS FULBRIGHT 864.616.0596 DENNISFULBRIGHT.COM

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JEANNE MOORE O'NEAL FINE ART AS someone who has always been creative and passionate about art, Jeanne O’Neal’s career naturally followed a path that would allow her to explore creativity. During her time as a teacher, she taught art and early childhood education while taking oil classes and workshops herself. Now she has completely owned the role of professional artist, creating what she pictures in her mind.

The former Navy brat lives in Georgetown, South Carolina, with her husband and two teenage daughters. She loves painting the different landscapes of the Lowcountry, from the Southern oaks and Spanish moss to the stunning sunsets over the marshes and the incredible clouds. “It’s in my soul,” says O’Neal, who has recently begun painting en plein air with a group of professional artists. “It is so much fun. The wind, sun and sand make it more challenging, and your paintings reflect your heightened senses while being outdoors.”

Her smaller works can be purchased at various boutiques in Greenville and Pawleys Island, South Carolina. She has also moved into painting in a much larger format—48 by 60 inches. These larger works are represented at the following South Carolina galleries: Perspective Gallery in Mount Pleasant, Art Harbor and Georgetown Art Gallery in Georgetown and Gray Man Gallery in Pawleys Island.

» JEANNE MOORE O’NEAL FINE ART 864.421.3504 JEANNEONEAL.FASO.COM

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WILLIAM R. BEEBE FOR more than 30 years, William R. Beebe has painted professionally. He and his wife moved to Mount Pleasant six years ago because of their love for Charleston and the inspiration it offered the artist.

With camera in hand, Beebe can be spotted around town photographing churches, historic homes and horsedrawn carriages. You may also have seen him at Shem Creek photographing Brown Pelicans or at the Audubon Swamp photographing Great Blue Herons and Great Egrets.

His lifelike but painterly portraits of wading birds and shorebirds are all created from magical moments Beebe’s had in the field birding, working from his own photographs and enhanced by the strong impressions each moment created.

Beebe calls the colorful, charming, historic architecture of Charleston and the abundant birdlife of the Lowcountry his two muses. “Inspiration is what all artists seek, and I’ve found it here in the Lowcountry,” he says.

Beebe accepts a limited number of commissions per year painting a variety of subjects.

» WILLIAM R. BEEBE 757.897.2990 WILLIAMRBEEBE.COM

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NICOLE ROBINSON PHOTOGRAPHY WHEN

Nicole Robinson picks up a camera, her ability to capture an energy and evoke an emotion through the landscapes and nature she photographs makes her not simply a photographer but a true artist.

Robinson grew up watching her father make sketches on paper developed from client conversations and build beautiful dream homes. She followed suit for more than 20 years, interpreting dreams and crafting forever homes. She found a different kind of creative outlet in photography. “It allowed to me to see differently,” she says.

“Perhaps I even hid behind the beauty in the lens.”

In 2008, Robinson dove into professional photography with a style that, over the past decade and a half, has evolved into more abstract work. “Photography gives me the ability to dig into a feeling, a moment, and convey it through the lens onto canvas,” she says. “As a photographer, I hope to create expressive images of the enduring beauty in ordinary places. The changing landscape provides the opportunity to create an elegant image from a less than perfect circumstance. My technique is a dreamlike vision, a moment to be whisked away by the sea that leaves her impression forever on your soul.”

Robinson’s work is represented by the Lowcountry Artists Gallery in Charleston and CatchLight Gallery in West Jefferson, North Carolina.

» NICOLE ROBINSON PHOTOGRAPHY 843.737.3830 NICOLEROBINSONPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

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STRICKLAND FINE ART THERE’S

an intimate familiarity that shines through Daniel Strickland’s paintings of the Lowcountry landscape, a glimpse into the love affair he’s had with Charleston for years.

Prior to becoming a professional artist in 2019, the Georgetown, South Carolina, resident and former Charlestonian was a private tour guide in historic Charleston for eight years and a martial arts instructor, teaching classes in an art gallery space. It was during his time instructing that he was exposed to fine art, and that deep exposure reawakened his childhood creativity and instilled in him a desire to paint.

“In my younger years, I was always drawing,” Strickland says.

“Later, my wife joked about my fascination with spray paint prior to my picking up a paintbrush.

Once I had a brush in my hand, it all clicked.”

Strickland’s acrylics tend toward contemporary impressionism, using loose, atmospheric strokes to depict the Lowcountry surroundings that he became so familiar with as a private tour guide: the landscapes, historic Charleston architecture and shorebirds.

Strickland belongs to the Mount Pleasant Artists Guild, Charleston Artist Guild and Waccamaw Neck Arts Alliance.

His work is represented by Perspective Gallery in Mount Pleasant and Art Harbor in Georgetown.

» STRICKLAND FINE ART 843.224.3868 STRICKLANDFINEART.COM

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GD WHALEN PHOTOGRAPHY AS a child, Gary Whalen fell in love with photography, taking photos with his Kodak Instamatic camera and finding magic through the lens. In college, he took photography classes and had a darkroom in his bathroom.

Despite his passion for the craft, he did not pursue it professionally but instead followed his athletic acumen onto the professional tennis circuit and owned a tennis club in Florida. It was not until his later years that Whalen turned his focus to photography, working in various formats, including largeformat film, medium-format film, 35mm film, medium-format digital and FF digital.

Utilizing light and shadow much the way Rembrandt did in his paintings, Whalen tends to be very classical in his style, capturing sharp images and employing little, if any, Photoshop work with his animals and landscapes. “I used to do a lot of portrait and fashion work,” he says.

Whalen utilizes the lighting skills he learned as a fashion and portrait photographer in his landscape and animal work. His work leaves viewers with a sense that they are seeing something unfold, candidly part of a moment that they might not otherwise experience. “I shoot my nature work as if I am taking a portrait of whatever the subject is,” he says.

Whalen is a member of NANPA and PPA as well as a Nikon NPS member. He is presently participating in art festivals all over the South and has a complete online store on his website.

»

GD WHALEN PHOTOGRAPHY 828.301.3844 GDWHALENPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

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PERSPECTIVE GALLERY ART is a wonderful escape from everyday life, and as East Cooper’s largest and most diverse gallery, Perspective Gallery is a wonderland of beauty and color.

Open from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m., the gallery is a popular place to discover new finds or add to a collection. The works displayed are a feast for the senses and depict a wide variety of subjects all created by Lowcountry locals.

As the gallery exhibition venue for the Mount Pleasant Artists Guild, Perspective requires potential exhibiting artists to go through a jurying process in order to maintain a diverse selection of work from the most skilled Guild members—many of whom have received awards and accolades for their work.

Displaying the works of more than 35 artists, the gallery supports locals, and a portion of every sale is given to the Mount Pleasant Artists Guild annual college scholarship fund.

Perspective also offers a variety of open workshops taught by exhibiting artists as well as regionally and nationally known instructors.

» PERSPECTIVE GALLERY 843.800.5025 PERSPECTIVEARTGALLERY.COM

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GINNY VERSTEEGEN FINE ART GINNY Versteegen has the soul of a wanderer and an artist’s eye to appreciate the beauty of the changing scenery in the places she has traveled, which she brings to life on canvas. The award-winning artist specializes in oil painting and experiments in mixed media. Being the nature lover that she is, she gravitates toward plein air painting.

“I have taken my paints and canvases on location to discover the changing light and color of the Lowcountry marshes and gardens and the unique landscapes of Europe, searching out the places where the master Impressionists painted,” Versteegen explains.

Sun-dappled paths have recently become a focus of Versteegen’s work. “I have always been curious as to what lies beyond,” she says. “That is probably why I have this recurring theme of paths and marshes meandering in a way that leads to a question of ‘What is around the corner?’”

Versteegen is a member of the Oil Painters of America, American Impressionist Society and the Plein Air Painters of America. Her work is represented by the Charleston Artist Guild Gallery and can also be viewed on her website. She also takes commissioned work.

During the month of November, she will exhibit a one-woman show, Light and Color, at the Saul Alexander Gallery in the Charleston County Public Library.

» GINNY VERSTEEGEN FINE ART 843.209.2435 GINNYVERSTEEGEN.COM

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REBECCA CROFT STUDIOS FINE ART AS a lifelong creative, Rebecca Croft might always have been fated to become an artist, but she didn’t find her way to becoming a full-time painter until retiring from a 30-year career in event planning. Her love affair with a paintbrush, however, began long ago.

The Daniel Island resident loves to paint landscapes— especially the marshes of the Lowcountry but also those seen in her travels throughout the United States and Europe.

Impressionistic in her work, Croft arrived at her style after initially beginning with more realistic paintings that were strict in their use of color and technique. “As I’ve grown, I’ve moved to a much looser style with more vibrant colors,” she notes.

Those colors are something of a signature in Croft’s work, as is the passion that spills out onto the canvas. “Painting allows me to escape the real world and imagine something new, and I think of nothing else as I paint,” she says.

Croft is a member of the Mount Pleasant Artists Guild and the Charleston Artist Guild.

Her work is represented at Perspective Gallery in Mount Pleasant, the Charleston Artist Guild in Charleston and on her online Etsy store. Her work can also be seen by appointment at her home studio.

» REBECCA CROFT STUDIOS FINE ART 703.967.8386 REBECCACROFTSTUDIOS.COM

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PATSY TIDWELL-PAINTON FROM her earliest memories, Patsy Tidwell-Painton wanted to create beauty with her hands.

As she grew older, her creative drive was not lost but sidelined for a career in education and business administration. Those two facets of expertise became an even greater asset when, after becoming an art student at the College of Charleston, she opened a full-service art supply store to meet a glaring need.

The shop also offered framing and served as an art gallery, and it eventually hosted workshops taught by nationally known painting instructors. As TidwellPainton’s own talents developed, so did those of other artists who came into her circle—and so she fed into the local arts community.

In 2007, a brain aneurysm required several surgeries over two months of hospitalization.

During her recovery, TidwellPainton used sudoku puzzles to foster improvements in memory and focus. Now, her body of work reflects the sudoku puzzles that represent recovery to her. “Life is a puzzle,” she says. “You’re the master to learn what is your puzzle’s meaning.”

Tidwell-Painton’s pieces are vibrant, expressive paintings, often depicting an abstraction of the marshlands, architecture, landscapes and seascapes that convey a deep appreciation for the beauty she sees every day.

Her work is represented by Lowcountry Artists Gallery.

» PATSY TIDWELL-PAINTON 843.813.0045 PATSYTIDWELLPAINTON.COM

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SANDRA W. ROPER SOUTH Carolina artist Sandra W. Roper was an art major at the University of South Carolina before her path led her to a career in advertising.

But nearly 20 years ago, the Greenville native left the corporate world to stay at home with her two boys. “I wanted to go to all of their ball games,” she says. “Then I started painting again, and things just evolved from there—and I never missed any ball games.”

Painting in watercolors, Roper finds inspiration in the creativity and brilliance of Charleston’s eclectic styles of architecture and from the passion, perseverance and dedication people have for their work and traditions. The artist is currently working on a series of paintings that seek to preserve Lowcountry ways of life and the traditions that trace back several generations. Finding the ordinary to be extraordinary, Roper believes that sharing stories through her paintings is a way to honor the shrimpers, oyster shuckers, Gullah basket makers and other craftspeople and tradespeople that give the South such richness.

Roper is part owner of Lowcountry Artists Gallery in Charleston. New releases and giclée prints can be found on her website.

» SANDRA W. ROPER 843.577.9295 SANDRAROPER.COM

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HUYLER HOUSE GALLERY AS small as the private barrier island of Dewees Island may be, it is massively supportive of art and boasts an incredible gallery at the Huyler House community center, which first debuted a Featured Artist Series in October 1998. Over athe past 25 years, the series has featured various artists whose work ranges from photography to performance art.

During the summer of 2023, the Huyler House Gallery presented exhibits from featured artists including Adam D. Cohen, Jim Darlington and Rebecca Herold.

Cohen, a Raleigh, North Carolina-based visual artist, primarily creates figurative work. “I paint interiors,” he says, “human interiors. I turn figures inside out, revealing their spirit as well as mine, and—hopefully, when you look at them—yours.”

Darlington lives on Sullivan’s Island, where he paints landscapes as well as portraits.

“The faces of the Lowcountry have a special character, even more fascinating than the landscapes,” he says.

Herold is both an artist and the founder of Green Door Studio, known for her oil paintings of landscapes and botanical drawings. “I use art as a means of maintaining a balance between the peace found in nature and a naturally chaotic world,” she says.

» HUYLER HOUSE GALLERYT 701.641.1405

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MADELINE DUKES WHILE many crave order, Madeline Dukes finds her greatest inspiration in chaos.

“My favorite subjects to paint are disordered, chaotic patterns found in nature,” she says. “I also enjoy painting the atmospheric conditions and the light particular to the South Carolina Lowcountry.”

The North Charleston resident works from her home studio to create works in a variety of mediums, incorporating graphite, paper, acrylics and oils to create mixed-media artwork that could most accurately be described as contemporary abstract expressionism.

“Inspiration comes from the actual process of exploring juxtapositions on the canvas via various color combinations, values, textures and marks,” says Dukes, who is self-represented.

“I love the discovery phases of creating a piece.”

Dukes became a professional artist in 2004 and has a background in design and marketing. “I was born creating,” she says. That lifelong creativity shows in her work, whether she is exploring the play of a sunset over the water or reinterpreting an abstract feeling onto the canvas. “People respond to the color stories of my work as well as the energy of each piece,” she says. “I often find people in front of my work with their hands in the air, trying to ‘air trace’ my marks and strokes.”

» MADELINE DUKES 843.754.2238 MADELINEDUKES.COM

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LOWCOUNTRY ARTISTS GALLERY LOCATED

in the heart of the historic French Quarter, Lowcountry Artists Gallery is the oldest artist-owned and -operated gallery in Charleston.

One of the nine artist-owners is always on hand to answer questions, consult and discuss commissions with clients.

The gallery represents more than 30 guest artists in a wide variety of mediums and styles, including painting, photography, sculpture, mixed-media, pottery, glass, wood and custom jewelry.

The award-winning work has a long history of attracting local, national and international collectors. Probably the most popular and most photographed sculptures in the French Quarter are the life-size copper frogs, fish and turtles created by sculptors Charles and Zan Smith. One can usually be found on the bench outside the gallery.

“We’re really proud of the artists we represent and the high quality of the work our gallery offers,” says artist-owner Rana Jordahl. “The art we exhibit epitomizes the lifestyle and beauty of the Lowcountry in an amazing variety of styles, offering contemporary, representational and threedimensional choices for our clients around the country.”

Jordahl shares ownership of the gallery with artists Norma Morris Cable, Lisa Willits, Lynne Hardwick, Kellie Jacobs, Ivo Kerssemakers, Gaston Locklear, Nicole Robinson and Sandra Roper.

» LOWCOUNTRY ARTISTS GALLERY 843.577.9295 LOWCOUNTRYARTISTS.COM

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FLOYD FINE ARTS FLOYD

Fine Arts is the Grand Strand’s premier fine art gallery, representing renowned artists from around the country.

The gallery has maintained its reputation for the highest quality fine art. Located in Pawleys Island, South Carolina, the gallery currently represents professional painters and sculptors whose works vary in style and range from purely abstract to representational.

One-person and group exhibitions are presented each quarter, with smaller “pop-up” shows throughout the year.

Among the well-known artists represented are the late Ray Ellis, Mike Williams, Laura Edwards, Lisa Gleim, Paula Holtzclaw, Martha dePoo, the late Quita Brodhead, Ellen Negley, Cathryne Trachok and international artist, Brittney Tough. Six nationally known sculptors, Sandy Scott, FNSS; Gwen Marcus, FNSS; Amy Kann, FNSS; Catherine K. Ferrell; Susan Wakeen; and Jeremiah Welsh also show their work in the gallery, as does ceramics artists, Glenda Taylor and Elizabeth Borowski.

While the gallery has acquired many loyal patrons, both private and corporate, the knowledgeable team continuously makes welcome and enjoys assisting the novice collector. Follow on Instagram and Facebook @floydfinearts.

» FLOYD FINE ARTS 843.979.0149 FLOYDFINEARTS.COM

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VICKI P. MAGUIRE DURING her childhood in rural Massachusetts, Vicki Maguire discovered her first art classroom where the woods ran deep and ponds of fish were abundant. Nature was an inherent passion explored in her poetry, drawings and songs, and all of God’s creation was her inspiration.

After graduating from New Mexico State University, her career in technical writing took her to the Bay Area— and yet another classroom with an abundance of coastal landscapes. During an exploration of the beauty of Carmel, she realized her desire to paint. Her many and farreaching travels, including plein air painting in rural France, as well as her 23 years residing in Charleston, add to her depth as a coastal artist.

Painting largely in an impressionistic style, Maguire prefers oil on linen applied with a palette knife for a thicker look and multidimensional feel.

“Painting is a diary of the beauty seen and felt on canvas,” she says.

Maguire’s work can be found online and in the Hollings Cancer Center at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston and Atrium Health’s Breast Cancer Lobby in Pineville, North Carolina, in addition to fine art galleries and private collections around the country.

» VICKI P. MAGUIRE 843.425.2889 VICKIPMAGUIRE.COM

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GAYE SANDERS FISHER FINE ART GALLERY GAYE

Sanders Fisher grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina, but her passion clearly lies in the Lowcountry, where she opened her gallery in Charleston, South Carolina, more than 20 years ago.

Situated amongst the picturesque pastel homes on Church Street, the pale yellow house is where Fisher displays all of her watercolors and prints of Lowcountry scenery.

From spring flowers and Holy City steeples to firehouse fronts and marshland fowl, Fisher finds plenty of inspiration from her immediate surroundings. She’s even painted and penned a bit of prose about the gallery’s neighborhood cat.

The book Daily, the Gallery Cat is about a feline that gets into all kinds of adventures behind the walls and down the alleyways of beautiful downtown Charleston.

Published in 2003, the 30page illustrated book remains a charming way to remember Daily, a special old friend. Fisher has also illustrated a book about bullying, entitled You Are Special, Too, using African animals to tell the story.

The gallery regularly participates in the French Quarter Art Walks and is open to the public. Fisher is now painting a series of South Carolina churches that are waiting restoration by the South Carolina Restoration Committee. Six paintings donated by Fisher will help raise money for this project.

Fisher's latest book, Maggie, was released in October 2021.

The book is the story of her grandmother.

» GAYE SANDERS FISHER FINE ART GALLERY 843.958.0010 GAYESANDERSFISHER.COM

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CHARLESTON STYLE & DESIGN Accucom Integrations Group............................ 321

Charlotte Lemon, The Real Buyer’s Agent...144

Alexandre Fleuren Interiors............................60-61

chez Lissette, LLC................................................... 193

Harper & Hartford.....................................................43

Alice Dobbin Fine Art.................................. 104-105

Chris Kinon, Artist.............................................. 70-71

Hartstone Tile.......................................................20-21

All About Windows.................................................... 6

Classic Kitchens of Charleston......................... 329

Heavens Marketplace.................................... 124-125

Amelia Interiors....................................................... 169

Cleod Glass+Works................................. 68-69, 140

Helena Fox Fine Art...............................................140

American Realty, Angela Miller......................... 179

Coast Bar & Grill...................................................... 319

Helli Luck Bransford, Artist....................... 183, 249

Anita Law Beaty, Artist........................................ 297

Coastal Copper Lighting..................................... 129

Herlong Architecture+Interiors...........................26

Ann Schwartz, Artist.......................................... 18-19

Corcoran HM Properties.................................98-99

Hessam Abrishami, Artist...............................82-83

Angela Trotta Thomas, Artist........................... 325

Corrigan Gallery......................................................140

H/K/B Cosmetic Surgery...............................66-67

Anglin Smith Fine Art...........................................140

Dale Terbush, Artist..........................................28-29

Holy City Hospitality............................................. 319

Aquatica Pools...........................................................48

Danco Home............................................................. 136

Horton Hayes Fine Art..........................................140

Arlene Salmon Fine Art.................................. 112-113

Daniel Ambrose, Artist......................................... 231

Hutson Alley............................................................. 319

Ash Almonte, Artist..........................................82-83

Daniel Strickland Fine Art.................................... 50

Ike Behar......................................................................131

Art on the Square............................................... 70-71

Dare Gallery..............................................................140

Interior Motives...................................................... 269

Atlanta Style & Design.................................... 118-119

Daud Akhriev (OPA Master).............................. 325

IOLA Modern..............................................................42

Atlantic Architectural Windows & Doors...........7

David Richardson “A Taste of Fine Art”......... 139

IOP Residential Realty, Amy Rogers......... 114-115

Atlantic Properties of the Lowcountry...............2

De La Gallery............................................................140

Island Art Gallery................................................... 259

Atlantic Stone......................................................... 287

Dear Lucy................................................................... 163

Island Shade Shoppe............................................ 213

Atrium Art Gallery..................................................140

Debra Paysinger, Artist........................................ 239

Jacquie Dinsmore, Southern Yankee Homes,

Backyard Retreats.................................................. 315

Debbie Grogen Fine Art.................................. 70-71

Carolina One Real Estate.......................... 90-91

Barnie Slice, Artist................................................. 259

Dee Beard Dean, Artist...........................................25

Jeffrey Bannon........................................................ 138

Beeple Studios.........................................................140

deGuise Interiors.......................................................49

James Swanson, Artist........................................ 325

Belle Anderson, Artist....................................... 70-71

Delicious Kitchens & Interiors..............................24

Jan Dalton, Artist................................................ 70-71

Best Preowned RVs of South Carolina..... 116-117

Design on Tap......................................................... 267

Jane Woodward, Artist....................................... 259

Betsy Jones McDonald, Artist........................... 199

Dewees Island.....................................................58-59

Janelle Feeney, Artist........................................... 259

Beverly Brunswig, Artist.................................. 70-71

Dog & Horse Fine Art............................................140

Jean’s Custom Workroom................................. 323

Bill Huey + Associates.............................................45

Douglas & Montaldo’s Furs............................62-63

Jeanne Moore O’Neal Art.................................... 281

Blue Haven Pools.......................................................51

Eleanor Pitts — Roberto Coin............................ 189

Jenan McClain Art............................................. 110-111

Bridgette Martin, Artist..................................... 18-19

Eleven81...................................................................... 331

Jennifer Black, Artist............................................. 138

Burwells Stone Fire Grill...................................... 223

Elizabeth H. Agresta, Artist............................... 297

Jennifer McGrath Studio Fine Art Gallery....140

Camens Architectural Group.........................72-73

Ella Walton Richardson Fine Art.................9, 140

John White, Artist.............................................82-83

Carmella’s Cafe & Dessert Bar........................... 317

Elliott Brothers Woodworks................................... 8

Jordan Lash Charleston........................................... 11

Carolina Fine Art Framing.................................. 247

Embler’s Jewelers..................................................205

Josh Jensen, Artist.............................................. 18-19

Carolina Rides................................................. 106-107

Emily G. Johnston Family Law........................... 191

Judy Jacobs, Artist............................................ 70-71

Carolyn Epperly, Artist.................................102-103

Encore Reclaimed Lumber & Millwork........... 167

Casa Ispirata........................................................ 36-37

European Co...............................................................23

Judy Walters Art.................................................. 14-15 Julia Gallagher, Artist........................................ 70-71

Cathy Turner, Artist............................................... 259

Fashion Fabrics....................................................... 136

Julie Williford, Artist............................................. 259

Cavaletto Home................................................. 36-37

Fiber-Seal.................................................................. 197

Julep.............................................................................177

Cellars South.............................................................217

Finicky Filly.........................185, Inside Back Cover

Kate Miles Design..................................................... 27

Charleston Aesthetics...........................................277

Floyd Fine Arts........................................................ 231

Kathryn Parker Fine Art....................................... 251

Charleston Artist Collective...............................140

Fran J. Davies, Artist............................................. 297

Kathy Clark, Artist................................................. 207

Charleston Artist Guild Gallery............... 140, 297

Fred Holland Realty............................................... 291

Kay Biliosy, Artist................................................ 70-71

Charleston Estate Services.................................144

G&S Home Remodeling........ Inside Front Cover

King & Society Construction..........................80-81

Hagan Fine Art........................................................140

Charleston Gallery Association.........................140

Gaye Sanders Fisher Gallery.................... 140, 327

Koniver Aesthetics............................................86-87

Charleston Heart Pine.......................................... 224

Gerardo Leccese Art Gallery..............................140

Larry Alexis, Artist.............................................. 70-71

Charleston Oral and Facial Surgery................ 313

Ginny Versteegen, Artist..................................... 285

Laura Ashley................................................................. 3

Charleston Style & Design................................. 333

Gordon Wheeler Gallery......................................140

Laura Cody Art Studio...................................... 70-71

Charleston Tuxedo..................................................137

Grand Bohemian Gallery.....................................140

Laurie Loparo, Carolina One Real Estate...... 143

Charleston’s Smallest Bar.................................... 319

Gwynn’s of Mt. Pleasant.......................................4-5

LePrince Fine Art....................................................140

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INDEX OF ADVERTISERS Linda Greenberg Landscape & Design, LLC..............................171 Lisa Willits, Artist................................................... 293 Lowcountry Artists Gallery.......................140, 293 Lowcountry Hurricane Protection and Shutters.........................................................271 Luxe Jewel Exchange....................................120-121 Lynne Hardwick, Artist........................................ 293 M. Dumas & Sons.....................................................127 M.P. Demetre Jewelers — Tudor.................. 32-33 M.P. Demetre Jewelers — Lagos.................. 52-53 M.P. Demetre Jewelers — Marco Bicego....... 135 M.P. Demetre Jewelers — Mikimoto........... 76-77 M.P. Demetre Jewelers — Rolex........Back Cover Maddex Mercantile................................................. 145 Madeline Dukes, Artist..........................................257 Madison Mathews................................................... 187 Maniscalco Gallery............................................. 70-71 Marcia Mathias, Artist.......................................... 297 Margaret Donaldson Interiors...............................10 Marie Pohlman Realty........................................... 142 Mario Jung, Artist..............................................82-83 Marjorie Stephenson, Daniel Ravenel SIR..... 215 MARLOWE............................................................... 295 Martha Manco, Artist............................................ 259 Mary Martin Gallery..................................82-83, 140 Mary Sayasın, Artist.............................................. 297 Matt & Jackie Scarafile, Carolina One Real Estate............................... 139 Matt Aufderheide, Artist.......................................... 9 McConnell Real Estate.....................................38-39 Megan Lund Initiative...........................................140 Meggett Bed Company............................... 108-109 Merrill Lynch.............................................................. 44 Meyer Vogl Gallery.................................................140 Michelle Almeyda-Wiedemuth, Seabrook Island Real Estate...................... 16-17 Michel Calvet, Artist............................................ 18-19 Mital Patel, Photographer........................... 122-123 Mitchell Hill................................................................140 Molly Ramey Ratchford, Carolina One Real Estate............................. 145 Mount Pleasant Kitchen and Bath...................237 Muse Restaurant & Wine Bar.............................301 Naramore Construction Co........................... 78-79 Nellie & Lo.................................................................. 143 Next to New............................................................. 289 Nicole Norris Design Studio, Inc..................84-85 Nicole Robinson Photography................255, 293

Norma Morris Cable, Artist................................ 293 Novella Homes.......................................................... 181 One of a Find Charleston................................... 265 Olga Krimon, Artist............................................... 325 Organic Love Interior Design...............................46 Original Charleston Bedswing......................96-97 Oscar + Cornelius, a collective.........................209 Outside is In..........................................................74-75 Paige Rhodes, Carolina One Real Estate..... 243 Painterly Home........................................................ 142 Pakan Penn, Artist.............................................82-83 Palm Casual..............................................................309 Palmetto Moon Synthetic Turf.........................448 Palmetto Outdoor Kitchens......................133, 273 Patricia Reno Huff Gallery........................... 100-101 Patsy Tidwell, Artist.......................................102-103 Perspective Gallery......................................140, 249 Plastic Surgery of the Carolinas...................... 283 Principle Gallery......................................................140 Rana Jordahl Fine Art......................................34-35 Rebecca Croft, Artist.............................................173 Red’s Icehouse........................................................303 Red Element Design Studio................................175 Reinert Fine Art............................................. 140, 325 Remark Landscape........................................... 56-57 Renaissance South................................................. 165 Renee Bruce, Artist............................................ 70-71 Respoke.........................................................................41 Revealed Art Gallery.............................................140 Rhodes Boutique...............................................94-95 Rhodes Home & Gift.........................................94-95 Richart, James J., DMD – Northbridge Dental.......................................... 299 Rick Reinert, Artist................................................ 325 Rick Spitz, Artist.................................................30-31 RM Buck Builders......................................................47 Robert Lange Studios...........................................140 Robyn Branch Design......................................64-65 Ron Di Scenza, Artist.......................................82-83 Rue de Jean.............................................................. 319 Sally Accetta, Artist........................................... 70-71 Sandpiper Gallery...................................................140 Sandra Roper, Artist.............................................. 261 Sandy Scott, Sculptor........................................... 231 Sarah Ellen Lacke, The Exchange Co............... 141 Schirmer Insurance Group.................................. 201 Sculpture Garden Gallery at Reinert Fine Art........................................ 140, 325 Sharon Lampke, Artist......................................... 259 Sheila Roush, Artist............................................ 70-71

Shelter Builders..................................................54-55 Sheppard Construction...................................88-89 Shine Medical Spa.................................................. 195 Sholeh Jonati, Artist........................................... 18-19 Simone..........................................................................43 Simpatico Gallery.......................................18-19, 140 Smile Carolina Dental Group................................211 Studio 151 Fine Art Gallery..................................140 SOL Southwest Kitchen & Tequila Bar.............311 Sonnet Olsen, Artist.......................................... 70-71 Southeastern Galleries...................................... 12-13 Southern Shades Design.................................... 279 Southern Strings Supply....................................... 141 Spartina Kitchens & Baths........................................1 Stephanie Marzella, Artist.................................. 325 Stono Construction...............................................275 Structures | Alair................................................92-93 Susan Klavohn Bryant, Artist............................203 Susan Rhodes, Artist............................................ 297 Susanne Frenzel, Artist....................................... 297 Sweatman’s Heating & Air................................. 307 Tavern & Table.........................................................305 Terra Designs............................................................. 40 The Fire Place.......................................................... 225 The Gallery at Sweetgrass..................................140 The Miller Gallery....................................................140 The Sportsman’s Gallery......................................140 The Teak Hut.........................................................74-75 The Vendue...............................................................140 The Webb Gallery...................................................140 Trish Weeks, Artist............................................82-83 Universal Marble & Granite................................ 245 Vanessa Grebe, Artist.......................................... 297 Victor’s Seafood & Steak..................................... 319 Vincent Chiccos....................................................... 319 Virginia’s on King.................................................... 319 Vignette Home Table Garden............................ 241 Well Furnished........................................................ 263 Wells Gallery.............................................................140 Wilfred Spoon, Artist........................................... 247 William R. Beebe, Artist...................................... 253 William Newby, Artist....................................... 70-71 Wilson Associates Real Estate, Sharon Pearce Wilson.......................................22 Wilson Associates Real Estate, The McDaniel....................................................... 161 YOJ Events.................................................................137 Yvonne L. Rousseau, Artist............................. 70-71 Zinn Rug Gallery.................................................... 224 Zinnia.......................................................................... 225

447 C H A R L E STO N ST Y L E & D E S I G N

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