Real EstateKiawah Island Living: A Home Like No Other

Kiawah Island, a stunningly beautiful barrier island just outside of Charleston SC, is home to breathtaking views, stunning homes, and country club living. One extraordinary home could bring more joy to a homeowner than could possibly be imagined. Discover the Kiawah difference… 

Imagine building your dream home on a piece of property that was beyond perfection. Maybe it’s in a 31-lot area developed on three small islands in the eastern section of Kiawah, just south of the Kiawah River. The three islands are connected by wooden bridges, and ringed by Bass Creek, so there’s plenty of deep water for boating and fishing. Watch dolphins cavorting up and down the creek and tantalizing squadrons of bass, plus spectacular views of the marsh, with sunsets to die for. Along with all this natural grandeur, the is be plenty of privacy.

One particular property on Summer Islands Lane stands out for its exceptional views and location. The architect for the home that now sits on the lot was given the daunting task of creating a home that would do the lot justice. The house provides a view of Bass Creek from every angle. The result is the ingeniously thoughtful home we have been living in since 2005.  The creek – and the surrounding marsh – can be viewed from every room in the house, save one.

On the first floor, the great room, the dining room, the kitchen, eating area and a guest bedroom all provide a look at the creek. On the second floor, the master bedroom, the library, the 60-foot-long gallery, the office and another bedroom all share that glorious, water view.  Kiawah Island, known for its unspoiled maritime forest, is home to a variety of coastal bird species that include egrets, blue heron, and wood storks, and the marsh never disappoints to deliver glimpses of these majestic creatures throughout the day.

With Mother Nature providing so much beauty, we knew that the house would find itself in stiff competition for attention, so we indulged it, with natural materials throughout.  Vermont-slate roof.  Standing-seam, copper dormers. Red-cedar, shingle-siding, primed and stained for long durability; Ipe decking on all porches.  Antique, wide-board, white-oak flooring in the main areas; heart-pine flooring in other spaces. Slate hearth at the fireplace; granite and marble countertops throughout.

For those with an eye for architectural detail:  a two-story dining room, with banks of six-foot-high windows, 24 windows in all, overlooking the water.  Plus a 4-sided, custom-designed “kiosk,” with bar and refrigerator on one side, HD TV on another, Miele coffeemaker on a third, and an extra dishwasher and microwave on the fourth side. And for art lovers, the second-floor gallery has 60 feet of display area, to go along with the aforementioned views of the creek and marsh.

Your approach to the house begins across a 2-lane wooden bridge, blended seamlessly into the surrounding marsh, onto a serene cul-de-sac thick with Carolina Jasmine, palm trees and crepe myrtles, then the house comes into view, on a circular driveway, which surrounds a mature, live oak. (At night, there are landscape lights and custom, carriage lamps to guide you.)  

And finally, if you’re a boater, you and your neighbor share a short, wooden walkway to a large dock, where you have your own private, JetDock, for drive-on, drive-off boating.  Bass Creek and then the Kiawah River beckon beyond.

NOTE: Discover for yourself the Kiawah Island lifestyle and find the home that suits you