Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Rustic and Traditional in South Carolina
Lowcountry design and materials inspire farmhouse-style home on old rice field
The rural landscape and local history inspired the design of this true-blue Southern home in Colleton County, South Carolina. The home itself sits on a former rice field on the banks of the Combahee River, inspiring architects Frederick + Frederick to use many of the area's vernacular forms and materials in their design — from the clapboard siding and big screened-in porch to the brick rice-mill-style chimney.
The clients are a retired couple the architects had worked with before. They love being outdoors, hunting and fishing, and though they were downsizing a bit, room to store their outdoor gear and display their mementos was a must.
The clients are a retired couple the architects had worked with before. They love being outdoors, hunting and fishing, and though they were downsizing a bit, room to store their outdoor gear and display their mementos was a must.
The chimney dominating the great room was designed to be shaped like those used in rice mills.
The landscape around the home is rural farmland, so Frederick decided to include many of the details from the area's old farmhouses. Traditional materials were used, including old brick for the foundation, hand-formed terne metal roofing and clapboard siding.
The house is laid out around a central square great room. There's a front porch, a screened-in porch, and two wings on either side of the great room — one wing is completely private from the rest of the home, and one is semi-private.
The screened-in porch on the back of the house is made of Ipe, a sustainable exotic wood that's naturally water and decay resistant. Double-hung Weathershield windows allow light from the spacious porch to seep into the great room. The exposed rafter tails at the edge of the porch add to the authentic Southern farmland vibe.
The front porch, entry, and screened-in back porch are all on the same level as the great room. These outdoor areas include a view of a now-impounded rice pond, once a working part of a mill on this property.
The great room — which includes a living, dining, and cooking area — focuses on the home's massive four-sided fireplace. "Everything radiates off of this chimney," Jane Frederick says.
Simple iron pendants hang above the kitchen island. A table and stools belonging to the clients blend beautifully with the antique heart pine flooring and ceiling rafters.
Pendants: Hubbardton Forge
Pendants: Hubbardton Forge
A blue soapstone sink from Green Mountain was installed into the 2-inch-thick cherry countertop on the island. The kitchen cabinetry was custom made from reclaimed heart pine (like the flooring), and is outfitted with rustic hardware.
Sink: Green Mountain Soapstone
Hardware: Rocky Mountain Hardware
Sink: Green Mountain Soapstone
Hardware: Rocky Mountain Hardware
A large pantry and a pine-paneled wine closet are located near the central kitchen in the great room. Some of the couple's trophies from past hunting expeditions litter the great room.
This hallway leads to the second wing of the house with the guest bedroom. The guest wing has its on back entrance, so Frederick added a built in bench for boot removal and plenty of hidden storage for coats and outdoor gear.
Cypress siding was used throughout the interior and exterior. The interior siding was roughed up with a whitewash finish to give it a Southern country look. A freestanding vintage Kohler tub sits near the window by an eye-opening hyena-hide rug, a memento from one of the clients' hunting trips.
Simple greenery and classic white fencing round out the home's traditional Lowcountry look. The terne metal roofing makes a surprising statement against the home's whitewashed cypress exterior.
More:
Houzz Tour: A Sweet Southern Makeover
Southern Style: Lowcountry Luxe
Cozy Cabin Style
More:
Houzz Tour: A Sweet Southern Makeover
Southern Style: Lowcountry Luxe
Cozy Cabin Style