Ocean front, Luxury home in Miami Beach Projects by J Design Group, Your friendly Interior designers firm in Miami, FL. at your service. AVENTURA MAGAZINE selected our client’s luxury 5000 Sf ocean front apartment in Miami Beach, to publish it in their issue and they Said: Story by Linda Marx, Photography by Daniel Newcomb Light & Bright New York snowbirds redesigned their Miami Beach apartment to take advantage of the tropical lifestyle. New York snowbirds redesigned their Miami Beach apartment to take advantage of the tropical lifestyle. WHEN INTERIOR DESIGNER JENNIFER CORREDOR was asked to recreate a four-bedroom, six-bath condominium at The Bath Club in Miami Beach, she seized the opportunity to open the rooms and better utilize the vast ocean views. In five months last year, the designer transformed a dark and closed 5,000-square-foot unit located on a high floor into a series of sweeping waterfront spaces and updated the well located apartment into a light and airy retreat for a sports-loving family of five. “They come down from New York every other weekend and wanted to make their waterfront home a series of grand open spaces,” says Jennifer Corrredor, of the J. Design Group in Miami, a firm specializing in modern and contemporary interiors. “Since many of the rooms face the ocean, it made sense to open and lighten up the home, taking advantage of the awesome views of the sea and the bay.” The designer used 40 x 40 all white tile throughout the apartment as a clean base. This way, her sophisticated use of color would stand out and bring the outdoors in. The close-knit family members—two parents and three boys in college—like to do things together. But there were situations to overcome in the process of modernizing and opening the space. When Jennifer Corredor was briefed on their desires, nothing seemed too daunting. The confident designer was ready to delve in. For example, she fixed an area at the front door that was curved. “The wood was concave so I straightened it out,” she explains of a request from the clients. “It was an obstacle that I overcame as part of what I do in a redesign. I don’t consider it a difficult challenge. Improving what I see is part of the process.” She also tackled the kitchen with gusto by demolishing a wall. The kitchen had formerly been enclosed, which was a waste of space and poor use of available waterfront ambience. To create a grand space linking the kitchen to the living room and dining room area, something had to go. Once the wall was yesterday’s news, she relocated the refrigerator and freezer (two separate appliances) to the other side of the room. This change was a natural functionality in the new open space. “By tearing out the wall, the family has a better view of the kitchen from the living and dining rooms,” says Jennifer Corredor, who also made it easier to walk in and out of one area and into the other. “The views of the larger public space and the surrounding water are breathtaking. Opening it up changed everything.” They clients can now see the kitchen from the living and dining areas, and at the same time, dwell in an airy and open space instead of feeling stuck in a dark enclosed series of rooms. In fact, the high-top bar stools that Jennifer Corredor selected for the kitchen can be twirled around to use for watching TV in the living room. In keeping with the theme of moving seamlessly from one room to the other, Corredor designed a subtle wall of glass in the living room along with lots of comfortable seating. This way, all family members feel at ease while relaxing, talking, or watching sporting events on the large flat screen television. “For this room, I wanted more open space, light and a supreme airy feeling,” she says. “With the glass design making a statement, it quickly became the star of the show.”……. ….. To add texture and depth, Jennifer Corredor custom created wood doors here, and in other areas of the home. They provide a nice contrast to the open Florida tropical feel. “I added character to the openness by using exotic cherry wood,” she says. “I repeated this throughout the home and it works well.” Known for capturing the client’s vision while adding her own innovative twists, Jennifer Corredor lightened the family room, giving it a contemporary and modern edge with colorful art and matching throw pillows on the sofas. She added a large beige leather ottoman as the center coffee table in the room. This round piece was punctuated with a bold-toned flowering plant atop. It effortlessly matches the pillows and colors of the contemporary canvas. Jennifer Corredor also gutted all of the bathrooms, resulting in a major redesign of the master. She jettisoned the whirlpool and created the dazzling illusion of a floating tub. From an area where there were two toilets, she eliminated one to make a grand rectangular shower, which became an overall showpiece. The master bath went from being just a functional water closet to a sophisticated spa-like space. “The client said I was ‘delicious’ after seeing the change,” laughed Jennifer Corredor, who emphasized that her clients love their part-time life in South Florida more each time they come down. Even when the husband has to work from their Miami Beach digs, he is surrounded by tropical beauty. For instance, there are times when the master bedroom must double as the husband’s home office. The room had to be large enough to accommodate a working space for this purpose. So Jennifer Corredor placed an appropriate table near the window and across from the king-size bed. “No blocking of the amazing water view was necessary,” she says. “I kept an open space with a lot of white so It functions well and the work space fits right in.” She repeated the bold modern art in the room as well as in the guest bedroom, which also has a workspace for the sons when they are home from school and need to study. The designer is still happy and glowing with the results of her toil in this apartment. She gets a “spiritual feeling” when she walks inside. “It is so peaceful and serene, with subtle hints of explosive statements,” she says. “The entire space is open, yet anchored by the warmth of the exotic woods.” The client wrote Jennifer Corredor a letter at the end of the project congratulating her on a job well done. She revealed that owning a Miami Beach home was her husband’s dream 30 years ago. “Now we have a quality perfect yet practical home,” she wrote to the designer. “You solved the challenges, and the end result far exceeds our expectations. We love it.” Thanks for your interest in our Contemporary Interior Design projects and if you have any question please do not hesitate to ask us. http://www.JDesignGroup.com 305.444.4611 Modern Interior designer Miami. Contemporary Miami Miami Interior Designers Miami Interior Designer Interior Designers Miami Interior Designer Miami Modern Interior Designers Modern Interior Designer Modern interior decorators Modern interior decorator Contemporary Interior Designers Contemporary Interior Designer Interior design decorators Interior design decorator Interior Decoration and Design Black Interior Designers Black Interior Designer Interior designer Interior designers Interior design decorators Interior design decorator Home interior designers Home interior designer Interior design companies Interior decorators Interior decorator Decorators Decorator Miami Decorators Miami Decorator Decorators Miami Decorator Miami Interior Design Firm Interior Design Firms Interior Designer Firm Interior Designer Firms Interior design Interior designs home decorators Interior decorating Miami Best Interior Designers. 225 Malaga Ave. Coral Gable, FL 33134 http://www.JDesignGroup.com 305.444.4611

J Design Group The Interior Design of your Living and Family room is a very important part of your home dream project. There are many ways to bring a small or large Living and Family room space to one of the most pleasant and beautiful important areas in your daily life. You can go over some of our award winner Living and Family room pictures and see all different projects created with most exclusive products available today. Your friendly Interior design firm in Miami at your service. Contemporary - Modern Interior designs. Top Interior Design Firm in Miami – Coral Gables. Bathroom, Bathrooms, House Interior Designer, House Interior Designers, Home Interior Designer, Home Interior Designers, Residential Interior Designer, Residential Interior Designers, Modern Interior Designers, Miami Beach Designers, Best Miami Interior Designers, Miami Beach Interiors, Luxurious Design in Miami, Top designers, Deco Miami, Luxury interiors, Miami modern, Interior Designer Miami, Contemporary Interior Designers, Coco Plum Interior Designers, Miami Interior Designer, Sunny Isles Interior Designers, Pinecrest Interior Designers, Interior Designers Miami, J Design Group interiors, South Florida designers, Best Miami Designers, Miami interiors, Miami décor, Miami Beach Luxury Interiors, Miami Interior Design, Miami Interior Design Firms, Beach front, Top Interior Designers, top décor, Top Miami Decorators, Miami luxury condos, Top Miami Interior Decorators, Top Miami Interior Designers, Modern Designers in Miami, modern interiors, Modern, Pent house design, white interiors, Miami, South Miami, Miami Beach, South Beach, Williams Island, Sunny Isles, Surfside, Fisher Island, Aventura, Brickell, Brickell Key, Key Biscayne, Coral Gables, CocoPlum, Coconut Grove, Pinecrest, Miami Design District, Golden Beach, Downtown Miami, Miami Interior Designers, Miami Interior Designer, Interior Designers Miami, Modern Interior Designers, Modern Interior Designer, Modern interior decorators, Contemporary Interior Designers, Interior decorators, Interior decorator, Interior designer, Interior designers, Luxury, modern, best, unique, real estate, decor J Design Group – Miami Interior Design Firm – Modern – Contemporary Interior Designer Miami - Interior Designers in Miami Contact us: (305) 444-4611

Ocean front, Luxury home in Miami Beach. Projects by J Design Group, Your friendly Interior designers firm in Miami, FL. at your service. AVENTURA MAGAZINE selected our client’s luxury 5000 Sf ocean front apartment in Miami Beach, to publish it in their issue and they Said: Story by Linda Marx, Photography by Daniel Newcomb Light & Bright New York snowbirds redesigned their Miami Beach apartment to take advantage of the tropical lifestyle. New York snowbirds redesigned their Miami Beach apartment to take advantage of the tropical lifestyle. WHEN INTERIOR DESIGNER JENNIFER CORREDOR was asked to recreate a four-bedroom, six-bath condominium at The Bath Club in Miami Beach, she seized the opportunity to open the rooms and better utilize the vast ocean views. In five months last year, the designer transformed a dark and closed 5,000-square-foot unit located on a high floor into a series of sweeping waterfront spaces and updated the well located apartment into a light and airy retreat for a sports-loving family of five. “They come down from New York every other weekend and wanted to make their waterfront home a series of grand open spaces,” says Jennifer Corrredor, of the J. Design Group in Miami, a firm specializing in modern and contemporary interiors. “Since many of the rooms face the ocean, it made sense to open and lighten up the home, taking advantage of the awesome views of the sea and the bay.” The designer used 40 x 40 all white tile throughout the apartment as a clean base. This way, her sophisticated use of color would stand out and bring the outdoors in. The close-knit family members—two parents and three boys in college—like to do things together. But there were situations to overcome in the process of modernizing and opening the space. When Jennifer Corredor was briefed on their desires, nothing seemed too daunting. The confident designer was ready to delve in. For example, she fixed an area at the front door that was curved. “The wood was concave so I straightened it out,” she explains of a request from the clients. “It was an obstacle that I overcame as part of what I do in a redesign. I don’t consider it a difficult challenge. Improving what I see is part of the process.” She also tackled the kitchen with gusto by demolishing a wall. The kitchen had formerly been enclosed, which was a waste of space and poor use of available waterfront ambience. To create a grand space linking the kitchen to the living room and dining room area, something had to go. Once the wall was yesterday’s news, she relocated the refrigerator and freezer (two separate appliances) to the other side of the room. This change was a natural functionality in the new open space. “By tearing out the wall, the family has a better view of the kitchen from the living and dining rooms,” says Jennifer Corredor, who also made it easier to walk in and out of one area and into the other. “The views of the larger public space and the surrounding water are breathtaking. Opening it up changed everything.” They clients can now see the kitchen from the living and dining areas, and at the same time, dwell in an airy and open space instead of feeling stuck in a dark enclosed series of rooms. In fact, the high-top bar stools that Jennifer Corredor selected for the kitchen can be twirled around to use for watching TV in the living room. In keeping with the theme of moving seamlessly from one room to the other, Corredor designed a subtle wall of glass in the living room along with lots of comfortable seating. This way, all family members feel at ease while relaxing, talking, or watching sporting events on the large flat screen television. “For this room, I wanted more open space, light and a supreme airy feeling,” she says. “With the glass design making a statement, it quickly became the star of the show.”……. ….. To add texture and depth, Jennifer Corredor custom created wood doors here, and in other areas of the home. They provide a nice contrast to the open Florida tropical feel. “I added character to the openness by using exotic cherry wood,” she says. “I repeated this throughout the home and it works well.” Known for capturing the client’s vision while adding her own innovative twists, Jennifer Corredor lightened the family room, giving it a contemporary and modern edge with colorful art and matching throw pillows on the sofas. She added a large beige leather ottoman as the center coffee table in the room. This round piece was punctuated with a bold-toned flowering plant atop. It effortlessly matches the pillows and colors of the contemporary canvas. Jennifer Corredor also gutted all of the bathrooms, resulting in a major redesign of the master. She jettisoned the whirlpool and created the dazzling illusion of a floating tub. From an area where there were two toilets, she eliminated one to make a grand rectangular shower, which became an overall showpiece. The master bath went from being just a functional water closet to a sophisticated spa-like space. “The client said I was ‘delicious’ after seeing the change,” laughed Jennifer Corredor, who emphasized that her clients love their part-time life in South Florida more each time they come down. Even when the husband has to work from their Miami Beach digs, he is surrounded by tropical beauty. For instance, there are times when the master bedroom must double as the husband’s home office. The room had to be large enough to accommodate a working space for this purpose. So Jennifer Corredor placed an appropriate table near the window and across from the king-size bed. “No blocking of the amazing water view was necessary,” she says. “I kept an open space with a lot of white so It functions well and the work space fits right in.” She repeated the bold modern art in the room as well as in the guest bedroom, which also has a workspace for the sons when they are home from school and need to study. The designer is still happy and glowing with the results of her toil in this apartment. She gets a “spiritual feeling” when she walks inside. “It is so peaceful and serene, with subtle hints of explosive statements,” she says. “The entire space is open, yet anchored by the warmth of the exotic woods.” The client wrote Jennifer Corredor a letter at the end of the project congratulating her on a job well done. She revealed that owning a Miami Beach home was her husband’s dream 30 years ago. “Now we have a quality perfect yet practical home,” she wrote to the designer. “You solved the challenges, and the end result far exceeds our expectations. We love it.” Thanks for your interest in our Contemporary Interior Design projects and if you have any question please do not hesitate to ask us. http://www.JDesignGroup.com 305.444.4611 Modern Interior designer Miami. Contemporary Miami Miami Interior Designers Miami Interior Designer Interior Designers Miami Interior Designer Miami Modern Interior Designers Modern Interior Designer Modern interior decorators Modern interior decorator Contemporary Interior Designers Contemporary Interior Designer Interior design decorators Interior design decorator Interior Decoration and Design Black Interior Designers Black Interior Designer Interior designer Interior designers Interior design decorators Interior design decorator Home interior designers Home interior designer Interior design companies Interior decorators Interior decorator Decorators Decorator Miami Decorators Miami Decorator Decorators Miami Decorator Miami Interior Design Firm Interior Design Firms Interior Designer Firm Interior Designer Firms Interior design Interior designs home decorators Interior decorating Miami Best Interior Designers. 225 Malaga Ave. Coral Gable, FL 33134 http://www.JDesignGroup.com 305.444.4611

Example of a mountain style beige tile and travertine tile pebble tile floor alcove shower design in Sacramento with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, a two-piece toilet, beige walls and white countertops

This renovated brick rowhome in Boston’s South End offers a modern aesthetic within a historic structure, creative use of space, exceptional thermal comfort, a reduced carbon footprint, and a passive stream of income. DESIGN PRIORITIES. The goals for the project were clear - design the primary unit to accommodate the family’s modern lifestyle, rework the layout to create a desirable rental unit, improve thermal comfort and introduce a modern aesthetic. We designed the street-level entry as a shared entrance for both the primary and rental unit. The family uses it as their everyday entrance - we planned for bike storage and an open mudroom with bench and shoe storage to facilitate the change from shoes to slippers or bare feet as they enter their home. On the main level, we expanded the kitchen into the dining room to create an eat-in space with generous counter space and storage, as well as a comfortable connection to the living space. The second floor serves as master suite for the couple - a bedroom with a walk-in-closet and ensuite bathroom, and an adjacent study, with refinished original pumpkin pine floors. The upper floor, aside from a guest bedroom, is the child's domain with interconnected spaces for sleeping, work and play. In the play space, which can be separated from the work space with new translucent sliding doors, we incorporated recreational features inspired by adventurous and competitive television shows, at their son’s request. MODERN MEETS TRADITIONAL. We left the historic front facade of the building largely unchanged - the security bars were removed from the windows and the single pane windows were replaced with higher performing historic replicas. We designed the interior and rear facade with a vision of warm modernism, weaving in the notable period features. Each element was either restored or reinterpreted to blend with the modern aesthetic. The detailed ceiling in the living space, for example, has a new matte monochromatic finish, and the wood stairs are covered in a dark grey floor paint, whereas the mahogany doors were simply refinished. New wide plank wood flooring with a neutral finish, floor-to-ceiling casework, and bold splashes of color in wall paint and tile, and oversized high-performance windows (on the rear facade) round out the modern aesthetic. RENTAL INCOME. The existing rowhome was zoned for a 2-family dwelling but included an undesirable, single-floor studio apartment at the garden level with low ceiling heights and questionable emergency egress. In order to increase the quality and quantity of space in the rental unit, we reimagined it as a two-floor, 1 or 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment with a modern aesthetic, increased ceiling height on the lowest level and provided an in-unit washer/dryer. The apartment was listed with Jackie O'Connor Real Estate and rented immediately, providing the owners with a source of passive income. ENCLOSURE WITH BENEFITS. The homeowners sought a minimal carbon footprint, enabled by their urban location and lifestyle decisions, paired with the benefits of a high-performance home. The extent of the renovation allowed us to implement a deep energy retrofit (DER) to address air tightness, insulation, and high-performance windows. The historic front facade is insulated from the interior, while the rear facade is insulated on the exterior. Together with these building enclosure improvements, we designed an HVAC system comprised of continuous fresh air ventilation, and an efficient, all-electric heating and cooling system to decouple the house from natural gas. This strategy provides optimal thermal comfort and indoor air quality, improved acoustic isolation from street noise and neighbors, as well as a further reduced carbon footprint. We also took measures to prepare the roof for future solar panels, for when the South End neighborhood’s aging electrical infrastructure is upgraded to allow them. URBAN LIVING. The desirable neighborhood location allows the both the homeowners and tenant to walk, bike, and use public transportation to access the city, while each charging their respective plug-in electric cars behind the building to travel greater distances. OVERALL. The understated rowhouse is now ready for another century of urban living, offering the owners comfort and convenience as they live life as an expression of their values. Eric Roth Photo

5'6" × 7'-0" room with Restoration Hardware "Hutton" vanity (36"w x 24"d) and "Hutton" mirror, sconces by Waterworks "Newel", shower size 36" x 36" with 22" door, HansGrohe "Axor Montreux" shower set. Wall paint is "pearl white" by Pratt & Lambert and wood trim is "white dove" eggshell from Benjamin Moore. Wall tiles are 3"x6" honed, carrara marble with inset hexagonals for the niche. Coved ceiling - walls are curved into a flat ceiling.

CONTEMPORARY HOME DESIGN NO. 3713-V1 Having received much attention at a Home Show in which it had been built on site and in response to the many requests for the addition of a garage to plan 3713, we are pleased to present model 3713-V1. The addition of a garage that is 14’ wide and almost 28’ deep is sure to meet the needs of the many who specifically requested this convenient feature. Outside, the addition of a garage clad in fibre cement panels with cedar siding matches the rest of the structure for a pleasing visual impact and definite curb appeal. Inside, other than the service entrance from the garage, this plan shares the same laudable features as its predecessor such as 9’ ceilings throughout the main level, a modern fireplace in the living room, a kitchen with an 8’ x 3’ island and computer corner, nicely sized bedrooms with ample closet space that includes a walk-in in the master bedroom and a full bathroom with separate 42” x 60” shower enclosure. We invite you to discover our contemporary collection and share your comments with us ! http://www.drummondhouseplans.com/modern-and-contemporary.html Blueprints, CAD and PDF files available starting at only $919 (best price guarantee) DRUMMOND HOUSE PLANS - 2015 COPYRIGHTS

Interior Design by ecd Design LLC This newly remodeled home was transformed top to bottom. It is, as all good art should be “A little something of the past and a little something of the future.” We kept the old world charm of the Tudor style, (a popular American theme harkening back to Great Britain in the 1500’s) and combined it with the modern amenities and design that many of us have come to love and appreciate. In the process, we created something truly unique and inspiring. RW Anderson Homes is the premier home builder and remodeler in the Seattle and Bellevue area. Distinguished by their excellent team, and attention to detail, RW Anderson delivers a custom tailored experience for every customer. Their service to clients has earned them a great reputation in the industry for taking care of their customers. Working with RW Anderson Homes is very easy. Their office and design team work tirelessly to maximize your goals and dreams in order to create finished spaces that aren’t only beautiful, but highly functional for every customer. In an industry known for false promises and the unexpected, the team at RW Anderson is professional and works to present a clear and concise strategy for every project. They take pride in their references and the amount of direct referrals they receive from past clients. RW Anderson Homes would love the opportunity to talk with you about your home or remodel project today. Estimates and consultations are always free. Call us now at 206-383-8084 or email Ryan@rwandersonhomes.com.

When it comes to finding inspiration for your house or apartment design, there are a variety of routes you can take. For some, it is important to dive into the latest trends in fashion and art, using only the most popular decor pieces and embracing the color palettes seen on runways or in home and garden magazines. But for others, it’s simply about discovering what feels most like “home.” Ashley Steele, the creator of A Styled Affair, was part of the latter group. “Since my husband and I were moving into a space that was previously owned, I needed a way to make it feel like it was truly ours, and unique to us,” she told our team. A Styled Affair sprang from Ashley’s passion for fashion, and need for a creative outlet. But it soon became more than that. She developed a following, and it quickly became a place where she could share her personal style, travel adventures, and lifestyle tips. “While the blogging industry has become overwhelmed with people sharing their favorite home decor or make-up tips, I think what sets A Styled Affair apart is my commitment to stay true to my unique taste. I have always marched to the beat of my own drum – and that carries through in the clothes I wear, the decor I select for our home, and the travels I plan.” Paintzen connected with Ashley as she was settling into her new home in Boston’s Seaport District. Although she and her husband have lived in Boston for almost 8 years, they were used to smaller, more traditional spaces. Their new home is much bigger, and more modern, than any place they lived before. “I wanted to select colors of comfort, simplicity, and sophistication so we could elevate the space and make it feel more like a home.” Ashley also accurately pointed out that new construction can sometimes feel a little cold and sterile, almost industrial. “I wanted our home to feel like a peaceful oasis after coming in from the bustling city.” Ashley chose soft white paint for her walls to bring a sense of comfort and zen. With lots of wall decor, art work and carefully selected furniture, the walls serve as a clean and comfortable palette, and allowed her more freedom when making her other design decisions throughout the space. Ashley kept the overall palette fairly neutral, and incorporated “modern bohemian” inspired decor throughout the home; the final product was clean and simple, and catered to her style. We asked Ashley what she was most excited for now. “I’m most excited to continue to find new decor pieces to compliment the paint colors and decor we’ve already found for the space. We have been really patient with decorating and selected each piece really careful to make sure it is cohesive and flows from room to room. I’m looking forward to enjoying the space with my husband and dog, and entertaining friends and family in the spring and summer!” A few final questions for Ashley on her experience with Paintzen: “I would highly recommend Paintzen to anyone, especially those that live in the city. There are so many different paint companies and contractors to choose from but going through Paintzen simplified the process and made me feel comfortable that we had the right team working on our space. Their platform for booking services and choosing paint colors made the process seamless and was a great way to keep track of what we booked and chose for colors. Most importantly, the customer service team was outstanding whenever we had a question or needed to make an adjustment.” And advice she would give someone repainting their home: “Patience. I would recommend taking your time and doing your research before selecting paint colors. Lighting changes every color so make sure to bring paint swatches and samples into the space and look at it throughout the day to see the different tones that the light will pick up. I would also recommend researching color trends and recommendations for colors in the family you are looking for. We found our living room color through a blog post listing top-used colors by interior designers and it looks amazing.”

A custom home builder in Chicago's western suburbs, Summit Signature Homes, ushers in a new era of residential construction. With an eye on superb design and value, industry-leading practices and superior customer service, Summit stands alone. Custom-built homes in Clarendon Hills, Hinsdale, Western Springs, and other western suburbs.

Tucked neatly into an existing bay of the barn, the open kitchen is a comfortable hub of the home. Rather than create a solid division between the kitchen and the children's TV area, Franklin finished only the lower portion of the post-and-beam supports. The ladder is one of the original features of the barn that Franklin could not imagine ever removing. Cleverly integrated into the support post, its original function allowed workers to climb above large haystacks and pick and toss hay down a chute to the feeding area below. Franklin's children, 10 and 14, also enjoy this aspect of their home. "The kids and their friends run, slide, climb up the ladder and have a ton of fun," he explains, "It’s a barn! It is a place to share with friends and family." Adrienne DeRosa Photography

Photo: Sarah Greenman © 2013 Houzz
Inspiration for a coastal boy kids' room remodel in Dallas with yellow walls

The redesign of our Greenwich, CT project was an incredibly rewarding experience, made even more special by the opportunity to work on a second home for our wonderful clients after completing their Palm Beach residence last summer. This full-service, turnkey transformation was thoughtfully executed from initial concept through final installation, resulting in a home that feels elevated, inviting, and effortlessly luxurious. every detail was carefully designed, sourced, and installed to create a beautifully cohesive and timeless home.

Our client’s goal was to create a small, high-performance, healthy home for herself and her teenage son while providing a place for her father to age in place. An attached private accessory dwelling provides a space for him as well as flexibility in the future. The new home was designed to minimize its footprint on site, made smaller than the original 1930’s house. Embracing adaptability and efficiency, the residence includes two dwellings: a one-bedroom 795 square-foot accessory dwelling at the lower grade and a two-story 1330 square-foot primary dwelling located above. Involved in all aspects of project execution, our client oversaw the process by living in a used trailer parked in the backyard throughout the project’s construction. Family-Share focused on maximizing the footprint’s performance, access to natural light and the health of the occupants. Sustainable features include high-performance glazing, solar preheat for domestic and hot water in-floor heating and reclaimed fir car decking rainscreen siding.

Stuart Wade, Envision Virtual Tours The second-largest and most developed of Georgia's barrier islands, St. Simons is approximately twelve miles long and nearly three miles wide at its widest stretch (roughly the size of Manhattan Island in New York). The island is located in Glynn County on Georgia's coast and lies east of Brunswick (the seat of Glynn County), south of Little St. Simons Island and the Hampton River, and north of Jekyll Island. The resort community of Sea Island is separated from St. Simons on the east by the Black Banks River. Known for its oak tree canopies and historic landmarks, St. Simons is both a tourist destination and, according to the 2010 U.S. census, home to 12,743 residents. Early History The earliest St. Simons Island Village record of human habitation on the island dates to the Late Archaic Period, about 5,000 to 3,000 years ago. Remnants of shell rings left behind by Native Americans from this era survive on many of the barrier islands, including St. Simons. Centuries later, during the period known by historians as the chiefdom era, the Guale Indians established a chiefdom centered on St. Catherines Island and used St. Simons as their hunting and fishing grounds. By 1500 the Guale had established a permanent village of about 200 people on St. Simons, which they called Guadalquini. Beginning in 1568, the Spanish attempted to create missions along the Georgia coast. Catholic missions were the primary means by which Georgia's indigenous Native American chiefdoms were assimilated into the Spanish colonial system along the northern frontier of greater Spanish Florida. In the 1600s St. Simons became home to two Spanish missions: San Buenaventura de Guadalquini, on the southern tip of the island, and Santo Domingo de Asao (or Asajo), on the northern tip. Located on the inland side of the island were the pagan refugee villages of San Simón, the island's namesake, and Ocotonico. In 1684 pirate raids left the missions and villages largely abandoned. Colonial History As Fort Frederica early as 1670, with Great Britain's establishment of the colony of Carolina and its expansion into Georgia territory, Spanish rule was threatened by the English. The Georgia coast was considered "debatable land" by England and Spain, even though Spain had fully retreated from St. Simons by 1702. Thirty-one years later General James Edward Oglethorpe founded the English settlement of Savannah. In 1736 he established Fort Frederica, named after the heir to the British throne, Frederick Louis, prince of Wales, on the west side of St. Simons Island to protect Savannah and the Carolinas from the Spanish threat. Between 1736 and 1749 Fort Frederica was the hub of British military operations along the Georgia frontier. A town of the same name grew up around the fort and was of great importance to the new colony. By 1740 Frederica's population was 1,000. In 1736 the congregation of what would become Christ Church was organized within Fort Frederica as a mission of the Church of England. Charles Wesley led the first services. In 1742 Britain's decisive victory over Spain in the Battle of Bloody Marsh, during the War of Jenkins' Ear, ended the Spanish threat to the Georgia coast. When the British regimen disbanded in 1749, most of the townspeople relocated to the mainland. Fort Frederica went into decline and, except for a short time of prosperity during the 1760s and 1770s under the leadership of merchant James Spalding, never fully recovered. Today the historic citadel's tabby ruins are maintained by the National Park Service. Plantation Era By the start of the American Revolution (1775-83), Fort Frederica was obsolete, and St. Simons was left largely uninhabited as most of its residents joined the patriot army. Besides hosting a small Georgia naval victory on the Fort Frederica River, providing guns from its famous fort for use at Fort Morris in Sunbury, and serving as an arena for pillaging by privateers and British soldiers, the island played almost no role in the war. Following the war, many of the townspeople, their businesses destroyed, turned to agriculture. The island was transformed into fourteen cotton plantations after acres of live oak trees were cleared for farm land and used for building American warships, including the famous USS Constitution, or "Old Ironsides." Although rice was the predominant crop along the neighboring Altamaha River, St. Simons was known for its production of long-staple cotton, which soon came to be known as Sea Island cotton. Between Ebos Landing the 1780s and the outbreak of the Civil War (1861-65), St. Simons's plantation culture flourished. The saline atmosphere and the availability of cheap slave labor proved an ideal combination for the cultivation of Sea Island cotton. In 1803 a group of Ebo slaves who survived the Middle Passage and arrived on the west side of St. Simons staged a rebellion and drowned themselves. The sacred site is known today as Ebos Landing. One of the largest owners of land and slaves on St. Simons was Pierce Butler, master of Hampton Point Plantation, located on the northern end of the island. By 1793 Butler owned more than 500 slaves, who cultivated 800 acres of cotton on St. Simons and 300 acres of rice on Butler's Island in the Altamaha River delta. Butler's grandson, Pierce Mease Butler, who at the age of sixteen inherited a share of his grandfather's estate in 1826, was responsible for the largest sale of human beings in the history of the United States: in 1859, to restore his squandered fortune, he sold 429 slaves in Savannah for more than $300,000. The British actress and writer Fanny Kemble, whose tumultuous marriage to Pierce ended in divorce in 1849, published an eyewitness account of the evils of slavery on St. Simons in her book Journal of a Residence on a Georgian Plantation in 1838-1839 (1863). Another Retreat Plantation large owner of land and slaves on St. Simons was Major William Page, a friend and employee of Pierce Butler Sr. Before purchasing Retreat Plantation on the southwestern tip of the island in 1804, Page managed the Hampton plantation and Butler's Island. Upon Page's death in 1827, Thomas Butler King inherited the land together with his wife, Page's daughter, Anna Matilda Page King. King expanded his father-in-law's planting empire on St. Simons as well as on the mainland, and by 1835 Retreat Plantation alone was home to as many as 355 slaves. The center of life during the island's plantation era was Christ Church, Frederica. Organized in 1807 by a group of island planters, the Episcopal church is the second oldest in the Diocese of Georgia. Embargoes imposed by the War of 1812 (1812-15) prevented the parishioners from building a church structure, so they worshiped in the home of John Beck, which stood on the site of Oglethorpe's only St. Simons residence, Orange Hall. The first Christ Church building, finished on the present site in 1820, was ruined by occupying Union troops during the Civil War. In 1884 the Reverend Anson Dodge Jr. rebuilt the church as a memorial to his first wife, Ellen. The cruciform building with a trussed gothic roof and stained-glass windows remains active today as Christ Church. Civil War and Beyond The St. Simons Island Lighthouse outbreak of the Civil War in 1861 put a sudden end to St. Simons's lucrative plantation era. In January of that year, Confederate troops were stationed at the south end of the island to guard the entrance to Brunswick Harbor. Slaves from Retreat Plantation, owned by Thomas Butler King, built earthworks and batteries. Plantation residents were scattered—the men joined the Confederate army and their families moved to the mainland. Cannon fire was heard on the island in December 1861, and Confederate troops retreated in February 1862, after dynamiting the lighthouse to keep its beacon from aiding Union troops. Soon thereafter, Union troops occupied the island, which was used as a camp for freed slaves. By August 1862 more than 500 former slaves lived on St. Simons, including Susie King Taylor, who organized a school for freed slave children. But in November the ex-slaves were taken to Hilton Head, South Carolina, and Fernandina, Florida, leaving the island abandoned. After the Civil War the island never returned to its status as an agricultural community. The plantations lay dormant because there were no slaves to work the fields. After Union general William T. Sherman's January 1865 Special Field Order No. 15 —a demand that former plantations be divided and distributed to former slaves—was overturned by U.S. president Andrew Johnson less than a year later, freedmen and women were forced to work as sharecroppers on the small farms that dotted the land previously occupied by the sprawling plantations. By St. Simons Lumber Mills 1870 real economic recovery began with the reestablishment of the timber industry. Norman Dodge and Titus G. Meigs of New York set up lumber mill operations at Gascoigne Bluff, formerly Hamilton Plantation. The lumber mills provided welcome employment for both blacks and whites and also provided mail and passenger boats to the mainland. Such water traffic, together with the construction of a new lighthouse in 1872, designed by architect Charles B. Cluskey, marked the beginning of St. Simons's tourism industry. The keeper of the lighthouse created a small amusement park, which drew many visitors, as did the seemingly miraculous light that traveled from the top of the lighthouse tower to the bottom. The island became a summer retreat for families from the mainland, particularly from Baxley, Brunswick, and Waycross. The island's resort industry was thriving by the 1880s. Beachfront structures, such as a new pier and grand hotel, were built on the southeastern end of the island and could be accessed by ferry. Around this time wealthy northerners began vacationing on the island. Twentieth Century The St. Simons Island Pier and Village opening in 1924 of the Brunswick–St. Simons Highway, today known as the Torras Causeway, was a milestone in the development of resorts in the area. St. Simons's beaches were now easily accessible to locals and tourists alike. More than 5,000 automobiles took the short drive from Brunswick to St. Simons via the causeway on its opening day, paving the way for convenient residential and resort development. In 1926 automotive pioneer Howard Coffin of Detroit, Michigan, bought large tracts of land on St. Simons, including the former Retreat Plantation, and constructed a golf course, yacht club, paved roads, and a residential subdivision. Although the causeway had brought large numbers of summer people to the island, St. Simons remained a small community with only a few hundred permanent residents until the 1940s. The St. Simons Island outbreak of World War II (1941-45) brought more visitors and residents to St. Simons. Troops stationed at Jacksonville, Florida; Savannah; and nearby Camp Stewart took weekend vacations on the island, and a new naval air base and radar school became home to even more officers and soldiers. The increased wartime population brought the island its first public school. With a major shipyard for the production of Liberty ships in nearby Brunswick, the waters of St. Simons became active with German U-boats. In April 1942, just off the coast, the Texas Company oil tanker S. S. Oklahoma and the S. S. Esso Baton Rouge were torpedoed by the Germans, bringing the war very close to home for island residents. Due in large part to the military's improvement of the island's infrastructure during the war, development on the island boomed in the 1950s and 1960s. More permanent homes and subdivisions were built, and the island was no longer just a summer resort but also a thriving community. In 1950 the Methodist conference and retreat center Epworth by the Sea opened on Gascoigne Bluff. In 1961 novelist Eugenia Price visited St. Simons and began work on her first works of fiction, known as the St. Simons Trilogy. Inspired by real events on the island, Price's trilogy renewed interest in the history of Georgia's coast, and the novelist herself relocated to the island in 1965 and lived there for thirty-one years. St. Simons is also home to contemporary Georgia writer Tina McElroy Ansa. Since Epworth by the Sea 1980 St. Simons's population has doubled. The island's continued status as a vacation destination and its ongoing development boom have put historic landmarks and natural areas at risk. While such landmarks as the Fort Frederica ruins and the Battle of Bloody Marsh site are preserved and maintained by the National Park Service, and while the historic lighthouse is maintained by the Coastal Georgia Historical Society, historic Ebos Landing has been taken over by a sewage treatment plant. Several coastal organizations have formed in recent years to save natural areas on the island. The St. Simons Land Trust, for example, has received donations of large tracts of land and plans to protect property in the island's three traditional African American neighborhoods. Despite its rapid growth and development, St. Simons remains one of the most beautiful and important islands on the Georgia coast.

Design by Blue Heron in Partnership with Cantoni. Photos By: Stephen Morgan For many, Las Vegas is a destination that transports you away from reality. The same can be said of the thirty-nine modern homes built in The Bluffs Community by luxury design/build firm, Blue Heron. Perched on a hillside in Southern Highlands, The Bluffs is a private gated community overlooking the Las Vegas Valley with unparalleled views of the mountains and the Las Vegas Strip. Indoor-outdoor living concepts, sustainable designs and distinctive floorplans create a modern lifestyle that makes coming home feel like a getaway. To give potential residents a sense for what their custom home could look like at The Bluffs, Blue Heron partnered with Cantoni to furnish a model home and create interiors that would complement the Vegas Modern™ architectural style. “We were really trying to introduce something that hadn’t been seen before in our area. Our homes are so innovative, so personal and unique that it takes truly spectacular furnishings to complete their stories as well as speak to the emotions of everyone who visits our homes,” shares Kathy May, director of interior design at Blue Heron. “Cantoni has been the perfect partner in this endeavor in that, like Blue Heron, Cantoni is innovative and pushes boundaries.” Utilizing Cantoni’s extensive portfolio, the Blue Heron Interior Design team was able to customize nearly every piece in the home to create a thoughtful and curated look for each space. “Having access to so many high-quality and diverse furnishing lines enables us to think outside the box and create unique turnkey designs for our clients with confidence,” says Kathy May, adding that the quality and one-of-a-kind feel of the pieces are unmatched. rom the perfectly situated sectional in the downstairs family room to the unique blue velvet dining chairs, the home breathes modern elegance. “I particularly love the master bed,” says Kathy. “We had created a concept design of what we wanted it to be and worked with one of Cantoni’s longtime partners, to bring it to life. It turned out amazing and really speaks to the character of the room.” The combination of Cantoni’s soft contemporary touch and Blue Heron’s distinctive designs are what made this project a unified experience. “The partnership really showcases Cantoni’s capabilities to manage projects like this from presentation to execution,” shares Luca Mazzolani, vice president of sales at Cantoni. “We work directly with the client to produce custom pieces like you see in this home and ensure a seamless and successful result.” And what a stunning result it is. There was no Las Vegas luck involved in this project, just a sureness of style and service that brought together Blue Heron and Cantoni to create one well-designed home. To learn more about Blue Heron Design Build, visit www.blueheron.com.

Design by Blue Heron in Partnership with Cantoni. Photos By: Stephen Morgan For many, Las Vegas is a destination that transports you away from reality. The same can be said of the thirty-nine modern homes built in The Bluffs Community by luxury design/build firm, Blue Heron. Perched on a hillside in Southern Highlands, The Bluffs is a private gated community overlooking the Las Vegas Valley with unparalleled views of the mountains and the Las Vegas Strip. Indoor-outdoor living concepts, sustainable designs and distinctive floorplans create a modern lifestyle that makes coming home feel like a getaway. To give potential residents a sense for what their custom home could look like at The Bluffs, Blue Heron partnered with Cantoni to furnish a model home and create interiors that would complement the Vegas Modern™ architectural style. “We were really trying to introduce something that hadn’t been seen before in our area. Our homes are so innovative, so personal and unique that it takes truly spectacular furnishings to complete their stories as well as speak to the emotions of everyone who visits our homes,” shares Kathy May, director of interior design at Blue Heron. “Cantoni has been the perfect partner in this endeavor in that, like Blue Heron, Cantoni is innovative and pushes boundaries.” Utilizing Cantoni’s extensive portfolio, the Blue Heron Interior Design team was able to customize nearly every piece in the home to create a thoughtful and curated look for each space. “Having access to so many high-quality and diverse furnishing lines enables us to think outside the box and create unique turnkey designs for our clients with confidence,” says Kathy May, adding that the quality and one-of-a-kind feel of the pieces are unmatched. rom the perfectly situated sectional in the downstairs family room to the unique blue velvet dining chairs, the home breathes modern elegance. “I particularly love the master bed,” says Kathy. “We had created a concept design of what we wanted it to be and worked with one of Cantoni’s longtime partners, to bring it to life. It turned out amazing and really speaks to the character of the room.” The combination of Cantoni’s soft contemporary touch and Blue Heron’s distinctive designs are what made this project a unified experience. “The partnership really showcases Cantoni’s capabilities to manage projects like this from presentation to execution,” shares Luca Mazzolani, vice president of sales at Cantoni. “We work directly with the client to produce custom pieces like you see in this home and ensure a seamless and successful result.” And what a stunning result it is. There was no Las Vegas luck involved in this project, just a sureness of style and service that brought together Blue Heron and Cantoni to create one well-designed home. To learn more about Blue Heron Design Build, visit www.blueheron.com.

By Thayer Allyson Gowdy for House Beautiful
Inspiration for a timeless living room remodel in San Francisco

Stuart Wade, Envision Virtual Tours The second-largest and most developed of Georgia's barrier islands, St. Simons is approximately twelve miles long and nearly three miles wide at its widest stretch (roughly the size of Manhattan Island in New York). The island is located in Glynn County on Georgia's coast and lies east of Brunswick (the seat of Glynn County), south of Little St. Simons Island and the Hampton River, and north of Jekyll Island. The resort community of Sea Island is separated from St. Simons on the east by the Black Banks River. Known for its oak tree canopies and historic landmarks, St. Simons is both a tourist destination and, according to the 2010 U.S. census, home to 12,743 residents. Early History The earliest St. Simons Island Village record of human habitation on the island dates to the Late Archaic Period, about 5,000 to 3,000 years ago. Remnants of shell rings left behind by Native Americans from this era survive on many of the barrier islands, including St. Simons. Centuries later, during the period known by historians as the chiefdom era, the Guale Indians established a chiefdom centered on St. Catherines Island and used St. Simons as their hunting and fishing grounds. By 1500 the Guale had established a permanent village of about 200 people on St. Simons, which they called Guadalquini. Beginning in 1568, the Spanish attempted to create missions along the Georgia coast. Catholic missions were the primary means by which Georgia's indigenous Native American chiefdoms were assimilated into the Spanish colonial system along the northern frontier of greater Spanish Florida. In the 1600s St. Simons became home to two Spanish missions: San Buenaventura de Guadalquini, on the southern tip of the island, and Santo Domingo de Asao (or Asajo), on the northern tip. Located on the inland side of the island were the pagan refugee villages of San Simón, the island's namesake, and Ocotonico. In 1684 pirate raids left the missions and villages largely abandoned. Colonial History As Fort Frederica early as 1670, with Great Britain's establishment of the colony of Carolina and its expansion into Georgia territory, Spanish rule was threatened by the English. The Georgia coast was considered "debatable land" by England and Spain, even though Spain had fully retreated from St. Simons by 1702. Thirty-one years later General James Edward Oglethorpe founded the English settlement of Savannah. In 1736 he established Fort Frederica, named after the heir to the British throne, Frederick Louis, prince of Wales, on the west side of St. Simons Island to protect Savannah and the Carolinas from the Spanish threat. Between 1736 and 1749 Fort Frederica was the hub of British military operations along the Georgia frontier. A town of the same name grew up around the fort and was of great importance to the new colony. By 1740 Frederica's population was 1,000. In 1736 the congregation of what would become Christ Church was organized within Fort Frederica as a mission of the Church of England. Charles Wesley led the first services. In 1742 Britain's decisive victory over Spain in the Battle of Bloody Marsh, during the War of Jenkins' Ear, ended the Spanish threat to the Georgia coast. When the British regimen disbanded in 1749, most of the townspeople relocated to the mainland. Fort Frederica went into decline and, except for a short time of prosperity during the 1760s and 1770s under the leadership of merchant James Spalding, never fully recovered. Today the historic citadel's tabby ruins are maintained by the National Park Service. Plantation Era By the start of the American Revolution (1775-83), Fort Frederica was obsolete, and St. Simons was left largely uninhabited as most of its residents joined the patriot army. Besides hosting a small Georgia naval victory on the Fort Frederica River, providing guns from its famous fort for use at Fort Morris in Sunbury, and serving as an arena for pillaging by privateers and British soldiers, the island played almost no role in the war. Following the war, many of the townspeople, their businesses destroyed, turned to agriculture. The island was transformed into fourteen cotton plantations after acres of live oak trees were cleared for farm land and used for building American warships, including the famous USS Constitution, or "Old Ironsides." Although rice was the predominant crop along the neighboring Altamaha River, St. Simons was known for its production of long-staple cotton, which soon came to be known as Sea Island cotton. Between Ebos Landing the 1780s and the outbreak of the Civil War (1861-65), St. Simons's plantation culture flourished. The saline atmosphere and the availability of cheap slave labor proved an ideal combination for the cultivation of Sea Island cotton. In 1803 a group of Ebo slaves who survived the Middle Passage and arrived on the west side of St. Simons staged a rebellion and drowned themselves. The sacred site is known today as Ebos Landing. One of the largest owners of land and slaves on St. Simons was Pierce Butler, master of Hampton Point Plantation, located on the northern end of the island. By 1793 Butler owned more than 500 slaves, who cultivated 800 acres of cotton on St. Simons and 300 acres of rice on Butler's Island in the Altamaha River delta. Butler's grandson, Pierce Mease Butler, who at the age of sixteen inherited a share of his grandfather's estate in 1826, was responsible for the largest sale of human beings in the history of the United States: in 1859, to restore his squandered fortune, he sold 429 slaves in Savannah for more than $300,000. The British actress and writer Fanny Kemble, whose tumultuous marriage to Pierce ended in divorce in 1849, published an eyewitness account of the evils of slavery on St. Simons in her book Journal of a Residence on a Georgian Plantation in 1838-1839 (1863). Another Retreat Plantation large owner of land and slaves on St. Simons was Major William Page, a friend and employee of Pierce Butler Sr. Before purchasing Retreat Plantation on the southwestern tip of the island in 1804, Page managed the Hampton plantation and Butler's Island. Upon Page's death in 1827, Thomas Butler King inherited the land together with his wife, Page's daughter, Anna Matilda Page King. King expanded his father-in-law's planting empire on St. Simons as well as on the mainland, and by 1835 Retreat Plantation alone was home to as many as 355 slaves. The center of life during the island's plantation era was Christ Church, Frederica. Organized in 1807 by a group of island planters, the Episcopal church is the second oldest in the Diocese of Georgia. Embargoes imposed by the War of 1812 (1812-15) prevented the parishioners from building a church structure, so they worshiped in the home of John Beck, which stood on the site of Oglethorpe's only St. Simons residence, Orange Hall. The first Christ Church building, finished on the present site in 1820, was ruined by occupying Union troops during the Civil War. In 1884 the Reverend Anson Dodge Jr. rebuilt the church as a memorial to his first wife, Ellen. The cruciform building with a trussed gothic roof and stained-glass windows remains active today as Christ Church. Civil War and Beyond The St. Simons Island Lighthouse outbreak of the Civil War in 1861 put a sudden end to St. Simons's lucrative plantation era. In January of that year, Confederate troops were stationed at the south end of the island to guard the entrance to Brunswick Harbor. Slaves from Retreat Plantation, owned by Thomas Butler King, built earthworks and batteries. Plantation residents were scattered—the men joined the Confederate army and their families moved to the mainland. Cannon fire was heard on the island in December 1861, and Confederate troops retreated in February 1862, after dynamiting the lighthouse to keep its beacon from aiding Union troops. Soon thereafter, Union troops occupied the island, which was used as a camp for freed slaves. By August 1862 more than 500 former slaves lived on St. Simons, including Susie King Taylor, who organized a school for freed slave children. But in November the ex-slaves were taken to Hilton Head, South Carolina, and Fernandina, Florida, leaving the island abandoned. After the Civil War the island never returned to its status as an agricultural community. The plantations lay dormant because there were no slaves to work the fields. After Union general William T. Sherman's January 1865 Special Field Order No. 15 —a demand that former plantations be divided and distributed to former slaves—was overturned by U.S. president Andrew Johnson less than a year later, freedmen and women were forced to work as sharecroppers on the small farms that dotted the land previously occupied by the sprawling plantations. By St. Simons Lumber Mills 1870 real economic recovery began with the reestablishment of the timber industry. Norman Dodge and Titus G. Meigs of New York set up lumber mill operations at Gascoigne Bluff, formerly Hamilton Plantation. The lumber mills provided welcome employment for both blacks and whites and also provided mail and passenger boats to the mainland. Such water traffic, together with the construction of a new lighthouse in 1872, designed by architect Charles B. Cluskey, marked the beginning of St. Simons's tourism industry. The keeper of the lighthouse created a small amusement park, which drew many visitors, as did the seemingly miraculous light that traveled from the top of the lighthouse tower to the bottom. The island became a summer retreat for families from the mainland, particularly from Baxley, Brunswick, and Waycross. The island's resort industry was thriving by the 1880s. Beachfront structures, such as a new pier and grand hotel, were built on the southeastern end of the island and could be accessed by ferry. Around this time wealthy northerners began vacationing on the island. Twentieth Century The St. Simons Island Pier and Village opening in 1924 of the Brunswick–St. Simons Highway, today known as the Torras Causeway, was a milestone in the development of resorts in the area. St. Simons's beaches were now easily accessible to locals and tourists alike. More than 5,000 automobiles took the short drive from Brunswick to St. Simons via the causeway on its opening day, paving the way for convenient residential and resort development. In 1926 automotive pioneer Howard Coffin of Detroit, Michigan, bought large tracts of land on St. Simons, including the former Retreat Plantation, and constructed a golf course, yacht club, paved roads, and a residential subdivision. Although the causeway had brought large numbers of summer people to the island, St. Simons remained a small community with only a few hundred permanent residents until the 1940s. The St. Simons Island outbreak of World War II (1941-45) brought more visitors and residents to St. Simons. Troops stationed at Jacksonville, Florida; Savannah; and nearby Camp Stewart took weekend vacations on the island, and a new naval air base and radar school became home to even more officers and soldiers. The increased wartime population brought the island its first public school. With a major shipyard for the production of Liberty ships in nearby Brunswick, the waters of St. Simons became active with German U-boats. In April 1942, just off the coast, the Texas Company oil tanker S. S. Oklahoma and the S. S. Esso Baton Rouge were torpedoed by the Germans, bringing the war very close to home for island residents. Due in large part to the military's improvement of the island's infrastructure during the war, development on the island boomed in the 1950s and 1960s. More permanent homes and subdivisions were built, and the island was no longer just a summer resort but also a thriving community. In 1950 the Methodist conference and retreat center Epworth by the Sea opened on Gascoigne Bluff. In 1961 novelist Eugenia Price visited St. Simons and began work on her first works of fiction, known as the St. Simons Trilogy. Inspired by real events on the island, Price's trilogy renewed interest in the history of Georgia's coast, and the novelist herself relocated to the island in 1965 and lived there for thirty-one years. St. Simons is also home to contemporary Georgia writer Tina McElroy Ansa. Since Epworth by the Sea 1980 St. Simons's population has doubled. The island's continued status as a vacation destination and its ongoing development boom have put historic landmarks and natural areas at risk. While such landmarks as the Fort Frederica ruins and the Battle of Bloody Marsh site are preserved and maintained by the National Park Service, and while the historic lighthouse is maintained by the Coastal Georgia Historical Society, historic Ebos Landing has been taken over by a sewage treatment plant. Several coastal organizations have formed in recent years to save natural areas on the island. The St. Simons Land Trust, for example, has received donations of large tracts of land and plans to protect property in the island's three traditional African American neighborhoods. Despite its rapid growth and development, St. Simons remains one of the most beautiful and important islands on the Georgia coast.