From top left: Architect Mark Permar, architect Christopher Rose, project manager Ben Daley, architect Myles Trudell, developer Candace Dyal, construction manager Craig Gentilin, HGTV Dream Home house planner Jack Thomasson.
I’m sitting at my desk, still a bit awed by my recent overnight trip to Kiawah Island. HGTV Dream Home 2013 house planner Jack Thomasson invited a core group of folks who work on this particular home giveaway to fly in for a quick, one-day introduction to the island, the neighborhood and the key players involved in the home’s design and construction.
I arrived in Charleston on a Monday night, too hungry to think but too tired to venture far from my hotel. Muse, an adorable wine bar close to the Renaissance, served up a mean plate of scallops and a big scoop of Southern hospitality. Chat inevitably led to talk of HGTV Dream Home, how one might win the home (sorry, there is no secret recipe) and talk of past — and all-time favorite — locations.
It was an early rise and shine on Tuesday morning as we gathered for the journey to Kiawah, a 10,000-acre barrier island located one hour’s drive from the city. As we traveled away from Charleston, classic double and single houses gave way to smaller weathered cottages that stand as intriguing reminders of Low Country history.
A canopy of live oaks and pines closed in and then gave way to open marshland as we neared the bridge connecting the mainland to Kiawah. Before we traveled the final leg, we stopped for coffee and a chat with architect Mark Permar, one of Kiawah Island’s original master developers. He recalled the early days, when the island comprised a handful of cement-block homes and muddy logging roads navigable only by jeep. After exploring the island, he was compelled to join his wife as an early employee of the Kiawah Island Company, the investment firm that purchased the island in 1974 to develop a world-class resort and residential community. “We’ve taken a different approach where the natural system is the framework within which development occurs,” says Mark. “It’s not segregated, it’s woven tightly. And everyone contributes to that, whether you are doing an individual home or a hotel.”
Mark joined us for a tour of the luxurious Sanctuary Hotel lobby and The Kiawah Beach Club, where we strolled a portion of the 10-mile-long beachfront. Then it was off to lunch with Indigo Park developer Candace Dyal, HGTV Dream Home construction manager Craig Gentilin and project manager Ben Daley. Candace is one of those singular leaders who, once committed to a vision, never waivers. She shared the story of Indigo Park, a 9-acre parcel of coveted Kiawah Island property she saved from overdevelopment. Only 16 eco-friendly homes — HGTV Dream Home included — will nestle on marshland once earmarked for 50 or more condominiums. A three-acre peninsula (the neighborhood’s finest lot) is being preserved as a community park for residents.
Candace and crew, along with architects Christopher Rose and Myles Trudell, joined us on the last leg of our journey: a walking tour of the neighborhood and home site. Chris and Myles shared their inspiration for the home’s Low Country style and design details that will lend a modern twist to both interior and exterior spaces.
We parted in late afternoon, cheeks rouged from a warm South Carolina sun and enthusiasm bubbling over as we bonded over this very special project.
I hope to share more details about this unique coastal community and HGTV Dream Home 2013 in the weeks and months to come. HGTVRemodels.com will host a full package of content focused on the home’s construction, and we will be sure to share time-lapse construction photos and updates from the home site as they become available. Stay tuned!
