The Villas at Coast Cottages

Coastal Living magazine has selected The Villas at Coast Cottages, St. Simons Island, Ga., as the site for its new Idea House in 2003, announced Editor Kay Fuston and Publisher Burton Craige. St. Simons Island is a short trip over the Marshes of Glynn along Georgia’s barrier island coast, and is one of the famed and fabled Golden Isles that grace Georgia’s coast.

Set within The Villas at Coast Cottages, the Coastal Living Idea House will be built on the beach on one of the premier oceanfront lots on St. Simons Island. Opening for tours in September 2003, the house will remain open through the end of December 2003 and will be featured in the November/December 2003 issue of Coastal Living.

“ We’re extremely fortunate to have our 2003 Idea House in such a landmark beachfront neighborhood,” said Craige. “This is the first time Coastal Living has built on the coast of Georgia, and with the winning combination of our magazine and The Villas team, this Idea House is sure to be a success.”

“ We’re delighted to be host to this Idea House,” said Denval Hamby, the developer. “The Villas’ oceanfront vistas and strong architectural presence perfectly underscore the Coastal Living lifestyle.”

The Villas at Coast Cottages on St. Simons Island

The Villas have frontage on Georgia’s most desirable beach and are tucked away behind a beautifully crafted wood-and-iron entry gate. The developer was careful to preserve an ancient oak tree canopy over the entrance. The entire development plan blends a genuine respect for the existing environment with a neo-traditional neighborhood concept.

The Villas are inspired by homes in other coastal Georgia towns like Darien, Savannah, and Midway. Architect Keith Summerour was drawn to details like porthole interior windows, open stairs with custom balusters, wide plank beadboard, pine flooring, and multiple balconies. He also incorporates old brick columns and garden walls, natural wood shingle and lap siding, metal roofing, and a natural color palette. Summerour worked closely with Atlanta designer Barbara Westbrook to coordinate a warm, earthy interior. The furnished on-site model is open daily.

The Idea House

The Idea House represents an assortment of architectural influences rooted in the coastal vernacular. Ocean breezes circulate freely throughout an open floor plan while light enters through windows emulating portholes of a ship. Wide folding doors open up on three sides joining the main living area with a huge wrap-around covered porch. Extending beachside from the covered porch is an open, triangular-shape deck that points eastward into the sea like the bow of a ship.

Drawing inspiration from nautical themes, the main floor is a simple, symmetrical form that consists of two bedrooms, two baths, a kitchen, and a spacious “Living Porch.” The Living Porch serves as a ballast for the home and provides room for sitting and dining. Wide plank pine flooring is laid in an east/west direction, drawing you out to sea. Whether sitting inside the Living Porch or outside on the deck, the house offers ocean vistas unsurpassed along the Georgia coast.

Opening above the Living Porch is a loft area enveloped by large windows that allow light to pour into the interior space below. The loft serves as a viewing room and includes additional sleeping space and another full bath. Some of the most dramatic views on St. Simons Island can be seen by stepping from the loft onto an open porch 20 feet above the dunes. From here you can see Jekyll Island, Cumberland Island, shrimp boats, cargo ships, and all the splendor of St. Simons’ finest beach.

By enclosing the opening to the Living Porch below, the loft can be converted into several more bedrooms. This feature allows the house to expand its capacity for larger gatherings. The home also has a two-car garage and an elevator.

The Team

Coastal Living and The Villas team on St. Simons Island, along with the architectural firm of Summerour & Associates, have planned and designed the Idea Home. The house is being built by Dick Pipe Construction, and Linda Woodrum of Hilton Head Island, S.C., is the interior designer for the house. After completion and opening of the 2003 Idea Homes, the plans for the home will be available from the Coastal Living House Plans Service at 1.800.755.1122.

The Villas at Coast Cottages (www.The VillasAtCoastCottages.net) is a gated, ocean front community located on St. Simons Island, Georgia’s favorite beach. The project was developed by The Hamby Corporation to complement its award-winning beachfront neighborhood, Coast Cottages at St. Simons.

St. Simons Island is on the Georgia coast, midway between Savannah, Ga., and Jacksonville, Fla., and is just minutes from I-95 at exits 29 and 38. For a free Visitors’ Guide, call the Brunswick-Golden Isles Visitors Bureau (www.bgivb.com) at 1.800.933.COAST (2627).

Covering the shorelines and bay areas of the East, West, and Gulf coasts as well as the Great Lakes, Coastal Living taps into the uniqueness of the coastal lifestyle and the common threads that connect people who love being by the shore. Coastal Living (www.coastalliving.com) is published by Southern Progress Corporation, which also publishes Southern Living, Progressive Farmer, Southern Accents, Cooking Light, Health, and Sunset magazines, as well as Oxmoor House books. The Birmingham-based subsidiary of Time Inc. is a leading publisher of lifestyle information.