XS residence is a living concept proposal for singles. The project is characterized by its L-shaped, elevated floor. The height differences on the floor as well as on the ceiling are the sole elements that define the space. The apartment is hence transparent, yet given the sense of rooms and corners. This former warehouse has existing pipes cutting through the interior at the entry where it resulted in stairs and undesirable, immediate climbs. By embracing the obstacle and extending it, the reading of the new, one bedroom apartment is as pure as lines (flows) and surfaces (spaces). The heart of the radial layout is a sunken gathering platform. This introvert space is embraced by the elevated floor, which serves as the extension of seating, The visitors thereby sit naturally facing each other and converse. The elevated outer ring is an active, fluid platform which receives visitors. At its height, the dinning guests have a great view toward the city skyline which is otherwise hindered. This space also creates a buffer to the exterior where neighbors pass by. The renovation removed the old flat ceiling, exposing the pitched roof structure to enhance the scale change of the space. The apartment is at its maximum height where activities and interactions take place and shrinks at the perimeter. It is an open layout with sense of spaces and intimacy.

Stuart Wade, Envision Virtual Tours The town of Blue Ridge offers eclectic shopping and dining in a quaint small town setting. With the historic Blue Ridge Depot at its center, Blue Ridge is a center for arts and galleries, antiques, unique shopping and eateries. For capturing the best views of your home or cabin, Envision Virtual Tours is your professional and reliable choice for high resolution virtual tours and photos. Blue Ridge was once considered an elite health resort because of its pure mineral waters. It was established as a railroad town, with the depot at its heart. Visitors would ride the train to town, eat dinner at the Blue Ridge Hotel, and take a leisurely walk to the mineral springs after dinner. Today's visitors still ride the train and take leisurely walks along Main Street, enjoying the antique and specialty shops, galleries, restaurants, small town atmosphere and friendly people of Blue Ridge. The town was founded in 1886 as a result of the arrival of the Marietta and North Georgia Railroad. In the early years, at different times, there were five hotels and several boarding houses in downtown Blue Ridge.

Pelican Bay Home Reborn: A Complete Redesign and Rebuild Pelican Bay Home Reborn: A Complete Redesign and Rebuild Blog Introduction: The Pelican Bay community in Naples, Florida has seen many homes come and go, but one house stands out from the rest. Recently, a 3,400 square-foot, four bedroom home underwent a complete renovation that breathed new life into it. With a renewed design and upgraded features, this is the perfect example of what can be done when you take on a full redesign and rebuild of your property. Let’s explore what makes this home so special. The Open Kitchen & Dining Room One of the most striking elements of the home is its open kitchen and dining room. The kitchen area was designed to maximize space by utilizing an island with storage underneath as well as bar seating for entertaining guests. The cabinets are made from solid wood with intricate details that add to the overall aesthetic of the kitchen. Adjacent to this area is a spacious dining room with enough seating for six people comfortably. The unique ceiling feature adds drama to the room while still keeping it light and airy. The Gas Fireplace & Ground Floor Living Room The cozy living room is anchored by a gas fireplace covered in stone tile that gives off a warm ambiance throughout the whole house. This space was designed to be inviting yet comfortable, allowing visitors to relax while still feeling inspired by its modern touches such as built-in shelves and neutral furniture pieces. There are also two sliding doors that lead out onto the back patio which gives even more options for entertaining guests or just enjoying some fresh air on a nice day! The dramatic entryway sets the tone for what's to come throughout this newly renovated Pelican Bay home in Naples, Florida. With its inviting living areas, open kitchen/dining area, gas fireplace centerpiece, ceiling features throughout, outdoor patio space—this home has been completely transformed into something truly special! Whether you're looking for inspiration on how to renovate your own property or just want to admire an amazing work of art—this remodeled Pelican Bay home should definitely be at the top of your list! About Pelican Bay Pelican Bay in Naples, Florida is known for its stunning beaches and crystal clear turquoise waters. Its ideal location nestled between the Gulf of Mexico and a vast nature preserve ensures that visitors to the area can experience an array of outdoor activities, from fishing and kayaking, to swimming, golfing or hiking through mangrove swamps. With an abundance of luxurious resorts, fine dining establishments, spa treatments and shopping galore, Pelican Bay is one of the premier destinations on the west coast of Florida. Whether you're looking for a relaxing beach vacation or an action packed getaway full of adventure and excitement, Pelican Bay offers something for everyone. Award-Winning House Builders in Florida If you're looking for a reliable house builder in Florida, look no further! Every project is important to us and each one is completed with the utmost commitment to quality and attention to detail. With years of experience in the field, our team has the expertise and resources necessary to create whatever kind of home you can imagine. Whether you're building from scratch or remodeling an existing structure, we provide friendly and professional service every step of the way, from initial design and permitting all the way through construction and follow up! Let us help make your dream house a reality today.

Modern Tudor on the Prairie Our clients fell in love with the wide-open spaces of the White Oaks Savanna development. They dreamed of a home that celebrated the beauty of Minnesota’s ever-changing landscape and blurred the line between indoor and outdoor. They wanted a home with a traditional exterior, impressive entry, and modern interiors. The large site provides spectacular views of the restored prairie landscape. All four sides of this home are refined and architecturally resolved since each elevation is highly visible in the open prairie setting. Properly locating the home on the site was critical to maintaining the stunning prairie views. The home is nestled behind a hill instead of sitting on top of it, so it is blocked from the neighbors and respects their views. Natural materials adorn the exterior, including cedar, stone, stucco, and copper, that act as “jewelry” for the home. The cedar and copper will patina with time, adding richness and texture to the home. Front Door: The custom front door is 4 feet wide by 8 feet tall. It is paired with a matching fixed panel, so the door appears to be 8 feet wide from the outside, and is painted a cheery bright blue to greet visitors. The intentional placement of color adds vibrancy throughout the home in contrast to the quiet exterior colors. The bold pops of color requested by the client continue on the interior of the home, including a turquoise dining room, magenta closet doors, and a deep blue basement. Lantern Staircase: A triple-height stair floating in front of 18-foot-high windows welcomes visitors. At night, a hidden, remote controlled retractable shade scrim (lightweight shade) limits light pollution to follow the Dark Skies Initiative. Great Room: Cased openings of white oak create transition spaces and frame views to and from the grand, two-story great room. The entry and dining room have cozy 8-foot ceilings and are perched 12” up from the great room for views over the living room furniture. To avoid dining chairs sliding over the steps, a custom built-in credenza sits on the steps behind the dining table. Folding Outswing Door: The 20’ wide by 9.5’ tall folding outswing door blurs the line between outside and inside. A hidden bi-parting retractable bug screen allows the large door to remain open throughout the day to bring in fresh air. Catwalk: A catwalk, or raised walkway, on the upper floor overlooks the great room and leads to the guest suites. A long bench with built-in linen storage is tucked into a niche with clerestory windows, providing a cozy spot for guests to relax. Guest laundry is tucked into the backside of the fireplace chimney. Owner's Suite: From the start, the owners wanted their bedroom perched on the second level to maximize views of the prairie beyond. Located in its own wing of the home, the owners’ suite offers privacy. Magenta closet doors guide the owners into the bedroom and adjacent bathroom. Lifestyle: The home incorporates numerous lifestyle features that are as much a part of the house as the main spaces. A sauna is located on the main level, allowing for easy access after a dip in the pool and a wine cellar is tucked neatly under the staircase for convenient and beautiful display.

The renovation of an extensive linear residence and site facing Port Orchard waterway embraces water, greenspace and forested hillside. The home, completed this fall, serves as an artist’s studio, galleries, family space, game room, outdoor living areas and peaceful retreat. New interiors and exterior spaces and finishes, cabinetry, lighting, paving, landscape and courtyards become settings for the owner’s art + collections, three-generations of family and the wonderful colors and textures of the land + water. Inside, a monumental central stair and tapered two-story tall red cedar and steel column was designed as the residence’s entry focal point and internal landmarks, guiding the visitor’s eye to the main atrium…. and upward. Heavy wide-flange steel moment frames support the house and enable whole walls of glass. Rough, mill-finished steel contrasts refined cabinetry, stone, wood structure and defining dropped ceilings, reflecting the opener’s love of the tension between highly polished and detailed + rough, found art. Outside, A new southern “dining room” was designed for warm summer evening gatherings under a heavy-timber trellis. The focus, opposite water and island views, is a metal perforated screen. The final screen is composed of the lyrics from a Joe Cocker song of great meaning to the owners, cut from ½” marine bronze, set into dark-fired brick. “Oh My Darling, Be Home Soon….” Natural daylight and high-efficiency lighting are central players as in any gallery. From a high clerestory and extensive southern and eastern window-walls to carefully selected up-lighting, pendants, and accent fixtures, Rhodes Architecture + Light worked closely with the owner to ensure that their dark existing house would become one filled with light…. night and day. The owners, Ken and Jane, allowed us to interview them about their experience working with Rhodes Architecture + Light, and how they are feeling about living with the architecture today. What was your experience like, working with Rhodes Architecture + Light? “They worked with us because it was a remodel, an existing thing, and we had to try to make it work for all of our interests and how our family operated. They listened, and we listened, and it was a great communication back and forth.”–Jane How has the renovation changed the way you live and enjoy your home? “I remember saying to them that I want the whole floor heated because it gets so chilly down here. And we had the wood burning stove, but it was over there and now we just turn the floor heat on and we can come down. It’s cozy and nice. So we’re looking forward to winter now.”–Ken “We have 5 kids together and now a bunch of grandchildren. I wanted a marble countertop, but there’s just no way. I didn’t want it to be a place where I had to say, ‘No, no, no. Wipe up your drink, do this, do that.’ I wanted it to be a place where everybody can come with all the kids, and we make a big mess, and I can clean it up. And we can enjoy ourselves here, because that room upstairs, we almost never went in. And now we’re in there eating pizza and watching the game.” –Jane As an artist, Jane enjoyed the collaborative process. “I can’t believe it was as positive as it was. I went into it thinking it would be a great, creative, fun, collaborative thing, and I have to say, with our architects, it was. I like that creative process. I always say when I am doing a painting, it’s a series of problem solving so it wasn’t unusual for me. I am completely blown away by them and had fun with that part of it.” –Jane Architect: Tim James Rhodes RA AIA, Rhodes Architecture + Light Builder: Fairbank Construction Company Structural: Swensen Say Faget

Stuart Wade, Envision Virtual Tours Envision Virtual Tours and Professional Photographers provide the high quality media neccessary for premium marketing of homes. Nestled in the foothills of the Northeast Georgia Mountains, there is a lot to offer visitors looking for a small historic town with plenty of charm. Cornelia is one of the stops along the U.S. 441 Heritage Highway. Visitors to downtown can shop, eat and enjoy the historic and scenic attractions. Fenders Diner is a retro and fun dining experience. Overlooking Cornelia is the 54-foot Chenocetah Tower built in the 1930s by the WPA and used until 1971 for fire observation on a seasonal basis. The Tower and its surroundings, including one of the largest stands of Rhododendron minor in the nation and Russell Lake Recreation Area are now part of the Chattahoochee National Forest. The centerpiece of downtown is definitely the Big Red Apple monument, adjacent to the historic Railroad Depot. Elvis fans will love the Loudermilk Boarding House & Everything Elvis Museum.

The front entry door sets the stage for any visitor’s journey through a house. First impressions are set early on and the entry door is the part of the home that often gets the initial close look. Most older front doors made of wood often show their age prematurely because of inadequate treating and finishing to protect against the weather and heavy wear. At Liberty Windoors Corp , we bring together superior craftsmanship and modern manufacturing to give the home owner an entry way they can be proud of. Liberty Windoors Corp is a leading provider of beautiful wood and metal entry doors, front doors and exterior doors and an industry pioneer in specialty custom entry doors . With a focus on leading-edge design, product innovation, manufacturing excellence and customer service. Liberty Windoors Corp Custom Door Program delivers unique beauty and superior quality. The front door of your home makes a lasting impression that will beautify and accentuate any home style. We are committed to offering a line of beautiful and durable wood entry doors, custom entry doors, and interior doors that add elegance to any home. Remember Liberty Windoors Corp ; the right choice for your wood entry doors, or custom door needs! Liberty Windoors Corp www.shop.libertywindoors.com Modern Steel Front Entry Doors Contemporary Meranti Wood Exterior Doors The Largest Selection To Choose From , The Best Prices Around !! 79 River Drive , Garfield , New Jersey , 07026 TEL: (973) 773-2188 EMAIL: infonj@libertywindoors.com WEBSITE: www.libertywindoors.com ONLINE STORE: www.shop.libertywindoors.com Hours Of Operation : Mon-Fri 10am-6pm / Sat 10am-3pm

Inspiring ocean bay views throughout Lido Marina gave Dupuis Design a chance to play with shapes, color and layout in this kitchen/fully furnished vacation home. Adding in the beautiful rope textured swing, comfy seating and artistic/playful pieces upgrades the neutral palette into a truly fun vacation getaway. photography by Celia Fousse Styling by Peggy Dupuis

“The Vatican Museums double helix spiral staircase”… This modern double helix staircase is located in the Vatican Museum, and commonly referred to as the "Bramante Staircase" after the original architect who built the first staircase in 1505. It is unlikely that the Vatican realized, when it commissioned Giuseppe Momo to build a staircase in 1932, that it would become one of the most photographed pieces in a museum that boasts 9 miles of art. The Spiral Staircase, also called the Momo Staircase or the Snail Staircase, is made up of two wrought iron stairways – one going up, one going down – that curve in a double helix. Ironically, it was created in a time before the double helix became a symbol for science, DNA, and subsequently, all human life. While the staircase was once walked by every visitor to the Vatican Museum on their way in, it is no longer on the route and closed to the public. Fortunately, my Roman tour guide, once again speaking with the guards, allowed me under the ropes to take a rare image without visitors present.

The renovation of an extensive linear residence and site facing Port Orchard waterway embraces water, greenspace and forested hillside. The home, completed this fall, serves as an artist’s studio, galleries, family space, game room, outdoor living areas and peaceful retreat. New interiors and exterior spaces and finishes, cabinetry, lighting, paving, landscape and courtyards become settings for the owner’s art + collections, three-generations of family and the wonderful colors and textures of the land + water. Inside, a monumental central stair and tapered two-story tall red cedar and steel column was designed as the residence’s entry focal point and internal landmarks, guiding the visitor’s eye to the main atrium…. and upward. Heavy wide-flange steel moment frames support the house and enable whole walls of glass. Rough, mill-finished steel contrasts refined cabinetry, stone, wood structure and defining dropped ceilings, reflecting the opener’s love of the tension between highly polished and detailed + rough, found art. Outside, A new southern “dining room” was designed for warm summer evening gatherings under a heavy-timber trellis. The focus, opposite water and island views, is a metal perforated screen. The final screen is composed of the lyrics from a Joe Cocker song of great meaning to the owners, cut from ½” marine bronze, set into dark-fired brick. “Oh My Darling, Be Home Soon….” Natural daylight and high-efficiency lighting are central players as in any gallery. From a high clerestory and extensive southern and eastern window-walls to carefully selected up-lighting, pendants, and accent fixtures, Rhodes Architecture + Light worked closely with the owner to ensure that their dark existing house would become one filled with light…. night and day. The owners, Ken and Jane, allowed us to interview them about their experience working with Rhodes Architecture + Light, and how they are feeling about living with the architecture today. What was your experience like, working with Rhodes Architecture + Light? “They worked with us because it was a remodel, an existing thing, and we had to try to make it work for all of our interests and how our family operated. They listened, and we listened, and it was a great communication back and forth.”–Jane How has the renovation changed the way you live and enjoy your home? “I remember saying to them that I want the whole floor heated because it gets so chilly down here. And we had the wood burning stove, but it was over there and now we just turn the floor heat on and we can come down. It’s cozy and nice. So we’re looking forward to winter now.”–Ken “We have 5 kids together and now a bunch of grandchildren. I wanted a marble countertop, but there’s just no way. I didn’t want it to be a place where I had to say, ‘No, no, no. Wipe up your drink, do this, do that.’ I wanted it to be a place where everybody can come with all the kids, and we make a big mess, and I can clean it up. And we can enjoy ourselves here, because that room upstairs, we almost never went in. And now we’re in there eating pizza and watching the game.” –Jane As an artist, Jane enjoyed the collaborative process. “I can’t believe it was as positive as it was. I went into it thinking it would be a great, creative, fun, collaborative thing, and I have to say, with our architects, it was. I like that creative process. I always say when I am doing a painting, it’s a series of problem solving so it wasn’t unusual for me. I am completely blown away by them and had fun with that part of it.” –Jane Architect: Tim James Rhodes RA AIA, Rhodes Architecture + Light Builder: Fairbank Construction Company Structural: Swensen Say Faget

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.

Stuart Wade, Envision Virtual Tours Envision Virtual Tours and Professional Photographers provide the high quality media neccessary for premium marketing of homes. Nestled in the foothills of the Northeast Georgia Mountains, there is a lot to offer visitors looking for a small historic town with plenty of charm. Cornelia is one of the stops along the U.S. 441 Heritage Highway. Visitors to downtown can shop, eat and enjoy the historic and scenic attractions. Fenders Diner is a retro and fun dining experience. Overlooking Cornelia is the 54-foot Chenocetah Tower built in the 1930s by the WPA and used until 1971 for fire observation on a seasonal basis. The Tower and its surroundings, including one of the largest stands of Rhododendron minor in the nation and Russell Lake Recreation Area are now part of the Chattahoochee National Forest. The centerpiece of downtown is definitely the Big Red Apple monument, adjacent to the historic Railroad Depot. Elvis fans will love the Loudermilk Boarding House & Everything Elvis Museum.

Mud room with butcher paper sign-in area for visitors, colorful hooks and visitor guide pamphlets for restaurants (EAT) breweries and bars (DRINK) and museums, activities and entertainment (BE MERRY)

Stuart Wade, Envision Virtual Tours Lake Lanier Custom Homes Envision Web Nestled in the foothills of the Georgia Blue Ridge Mountains and nurtured by the Chattahoochee and Chestatee Rivers, Lake Sidney Lanier is named for the poet Sidney Clopton Lanier, whose admiration of the area's scenic beauty inspired him to compose his famous "Song of the Chattahoochee". Lake Lanier is one of America's favorite lakes. With several million visitors annually enjoying its recreational facilities, it has been the most visited Corp of Engineers project in the nation. One reason for the lake's popularity is its proximity to metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia. A well-developed road network surrounds Lake Lanier, with several highways crossing the main body. Visitors can enjoy the city of Atlanta and, in the space of a short drive, can lose themselves in the tranquility at Lake Lanier. Lake Lanier, impounded by Buford Dam, encompasses 38,000 surface acres of water with 540 miles of shorelines. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has developed and operates numerous public parks around the lake for camping and day-use activities. Lake Lanier Islands, a development by the State of Georgia and the Corps of Engineers, is the major resort area on the lake. The Islands complex provides picnicking, camping, beach areas, a water theme park, tennis courts, golf courses, rental boats, and hotel accommodations. Numerous other recreation areas operated by county and city agencies also offer recreational opportunities around the lake. Lake Lanier was host to the 1996 Centennial Olympic Rowing and Sprint/Canoe/Kayak Events, as well as the 1996 Paralympic Yachting events. These honors have helped make Lanier a world class lake.

This project hits very close to home for us. Not your typical office space, we re-purposed a 19th century carriage barn into our office and workshop. With no heat, minimum electricity and few windows (most of which were broken), a priority for CEO and Designer Jason Hoffman was to create a space that honors its historic architecture, era and purpose but still offers elements of understated sophistication. The building is nearly 140 years old, built before many of the trees towering around it had begun growing. It was originally built as a simple, Victorian carriage barn, used to store the family’s horse and buggy. Later, it housed 2,000 chickens when the Owners worked the property as their farm. Then, for many years, it was storage space. Today, it couples as a workshop for our carpentry team, building custom projects and storing equipment, as well as an office loft space ready to welcome clients, visitors and trade partners. We added a small addition onto the existing barn to offer a separate entry way for the office. New stairs and an entrance to the workshop provides for a small, yet inviting foyer space. From the beginning, even is it’s dark state, Jason loved the ambiance of the old hay loft with its unfinished, darker toned timbers. He knew he wanted to find a way to refinish the space with a focus on those timbers, evident in the statement they make when walking up the stairs. On the exterior, the building received new siding, a new roof and even a new foundation which is a story for another post. Inside, we added skylights, larger windows and a French door, with a small balcony. Along with heat, electricity, WiFi and office furniture, we’re ready for visitors!

This entryway is located in the upstairs landing and reflects how well the home is nestled into its hillside site. The renovation of an extensive linear residence and site facing Port Orchard waterway embraces water, greenspace and forested hillside. The home, completed this fall, serves as an artist’s studio, galleries, family space, game room, outdoor living areas and peaceful retreat. New interiors and exterior spaces and finishes, cabinetry, lighting, paving, landscape and courtyards become settings for the owner’s art + collections, three-generations of family and the wonderful colors and textures of the land + water. Inside, a monumental central stair and tapered two-story tall red cedar and steel column was designed as the residence’s entry focal point and internal landmarks, guiding the visitor’s eye to the main atrium…. and upward. Heavy wide-flange steel moment frames support the house and enable whole walls of glass. Rough, mill-finished steel contrasts refined cabinetry, stone, wood structure and defining dropped ceilings, reflecting the opener’s love of the tension between highly polished and detailed + rough, found art. Outside, A new southern “dining room” was designed for warm summer evening gatherings under a heavy-timber trellis. The focus, opposite water and island views, is a metal perforated screen. The final screen is composed of the lyrics from a Joe Cocker song of great meaning to the owners, cut from ½” marine bronze, set into dark-fired brick. “Oh My Darling, Be Home Soon….” Natural daylight and high-efficiency lighting are central players as in any gallery. From a high clerestory and extensive southern and eastern window-walls to carefully selected up-lighting, pendants, and accent fixtures, Rhodes Architecture + Light worked closely with the owner to ensure that their dark existing house would become one filled with light…. night and day. The owners, Ken and Jane, allowed us to interview them about their experience working with Rhodes Architecture + Light, and how they are feeling about living with the architecture today. What was your experience like, working with Rhodes Architecture + Light? “They worked with us because it was a remodel, an existing thing, and we had to try to make it work for all of our interests and how our family operated. They listened, and we listened, and it was a great communication back and forth.”–Jane How has the renovation changed the way you live and enjoy your home? “I remember saying to them that I want the whole floor heated because it gets so chilly down here. And we had the wood burning stove, but it was over there and now we just turn the floor heat on and we can come down. It’s cozy and nice. So we’re looking forward to winter now.”–Ken “We have 5 kids together and now a bunch of grandchildren. I wanted a marble countertop, but there’s just no way. I didn’t want it to be a place where I had to say, ‘No, no, no. Wipe up your drink, do this, do that.’ I wanted it to be a place where everybody can come with all the kids, and we make a big mess, and I can clean it up. And we can enjoy ourselves here, because that room upstairs, we almost never went in. And now we’re in there eating pizza and watching the game.” –Jane As an artist, Jane enjoyed the collaborative process. “I can’t believe it was as positive as it was. I went into it thinking it would be a great, creative, fun, collaborative thing, and I have to say, with our architects, it was. I like that creative process. I always say when I am doing a painting, it’s a series of problem solving so it wasn’t unusual for me. I am completely blown away by them and had fun with that part of it.” –Jane Architect: Tim James Rhodes RA AIA, Rhodes Architecture + Light Builder: Fairbank Construction Company Structural: Swensen Say Faget

Stuart Wade, Envision Virtual Tours. The town of Blue Ridge offers eclectic shopping and dining in a quaint small town setting. With the historic Blue Ridge Depot at its center, Blue Ridge is a center for arts and galleries, antiques, unique shopping and eateries. For capturing the best views of your home or cabin, Envision Virtual Tours is your professional and reliable choice for high resolution virtual tours and photos. Blue Ridge was once considered an elite health resort because of its pure mineral waters. It was established as a railroad town, with the depot at its heart. Visitors would ride the train to town, eat dinner at the Blue Ridge Hotel, and take a leisurely walk to the mineral springs after dinner. Today's visitors still ride the train and take leisurely walks along Main Street, enjoying the antique and specialty shops, galleries, restaurants, small town atmosphere and friendly people of Blue Ridge. The town was founded in 1886 as a result of the arrival of the Marietta and North Georgia Railroad. In the early years, at different times, there were five hotels and several boarding houses in downtown Blue Ridge.

Jamie’s guest bathroom felt cramped and outdated, making it less comfortable for visitors. A remodel was needed to improve storage, update finishes, and replace the old tub with a more functional shower. Old shower walls and tub were removed down to the studs, clearing the way for a custom shower. New plumbing was added with a carefully built drain and waterproof base to ensure lasting quality. The new shower became the focal point of the bathroom. MSI Eden Dolomite Hex tile was chosen for the floor, while Emser Kudos Perla Chevron polished tile brought movement and style to the back wall. Side walls and the niche were finished in Themar Bianco Lasa for a clean contrast. A recessed niche was reframed to provide more room for bath products and lined with matching tile for a cohesive look. The shower was completed with clear barn-style glass doors accented by brushed nickel hardware. Flooring throughout the bathroom was upgraded with Arizona Tile Savannah Dust planks in an 8x40 size. The staggered layout and warm tones helped create a softer flow between the shower and vanity areas. Above the toilet, a recessed wall niche was designed with Arizona Tile Paloma Denim glossy tiles in a herringbone layout. Floating Balluci Sydney shelves were added inside, offering functional storage with a refined touch. Finishing touches included a new exhaust fan, recessed lighting, fresh baseboards, and updated Delta Kayra accessories. Walls were repainted in Sherwin-Williams Agreeable Grey to tie the space together. Jamie’s guest bathroom now feels inviting and refined, offering a beautiful space for visitors. The updates balanced function with style, transforming the room into a lasting upgrade for the home.

Stuart Wade, Envision Virtual Tours. The town of Blue Ridge offers eclectic shopping and dining in a quaint small town setting. With the historic Blue Ridge Depot at its center, Blue Ridge is a center for arts and galleries, antiques, unique shopping and eateries. For capturing the best views of your home or cabin, Envision Virtual Tours is your professional and reliable choice for high resolution virtual tours and photos. Blue Ridge was once considered an elite health resort because of its pure mineral waters. It was established as a railroad town, with the depot at its heart. Visitors would ride the train to town, eat dinner at the Blue Ridge Hotel, and take a leisurely walk to the mineral springs after dinner. Today's visitors still ride the train and take leisurely walks along Main Street, enjoying the antique and specialty shops, galleries, restaurants, small town atmosphere and friendly people of Blue Ridge. The town was founded in 1886 as a result of the arrival of the Marietta and North Georgia Railroad. In the early years, at different times, there were five hotels and several boarding houses in downtown Blue Ridge.