COURT ATKINS GROUP - CLASSIC LINES, MODERN SENSIBILITIES - BY BARRY KAUFMAN, PROTOGRAPHY BY KELLI BOYD
UNABASHEDLY CONTEMPORARY, THIS PALMETTO BLUFF HOME DRAWS A CLEAN LINE DOWN THE MIDDLE OF TRADITION.
One of the bold strokes in the long-term plan that has guided Palmetto Bluff’s development, Moreland Village represents the perfect blank canvas. Surrounded by tradition and homes that have set the standard for Southern coastal beauty, Moreland works a little differently.
Here a home is allowed to express itself in a myriad of ways, from the ostentatiously stately to the sublimely subdued and everything in between. The stunning home you see here, born in the mind of a homeowner with an unrepentantly modern style and realized by Court Atkins Group, is a perfect example of this neighborhood’s embrace of expression. “The client is a doctor in Atlanta who does a lot of traveling and comes from a slightly more modern sensibility. He realized early on that Moreland was the area that would allow him to express some of those more modern overtures,” said William Court, Founding Principal at Court Atkins Group. Seen from the corner, where its nickel-gap charcoal exterior sets a distinctive profile, the home is a bold statement about the adaptability of Lowcountry design. But step inside, and you’ll discover how comfortable and hospitable modern design can be. HOME SHOWCASE A courtyard solution One of the challenges Court Atkins Group faced was taking advantage of the marsh and forest views from the rear of the home while allowing for privacy from a well-traveled corner at the front of the home.
“The private side gets great views, but at the same time you don’t want to be on display when you’re gathering in the house,” said Court. The solution was a courtyard surrounded by the primary suite and the carriage house. Born of necessity, this outdoor space quickly became the home’s centerpiece. The open dining room, which has a panoramic view of the courtyard while obscured from the front, is just one way that Court Atkins Group married a modern sensibility with the Lowcountry’s penchant for blending outdoor aabd indoor living.
A dramatic welcome While Court Atkins Group obscured much of the main living spaces in the home’s architecture to conceal it from the street, it also understood how much of a statement a hint of the home’s modern design could make from the street. As such, the signature floating staircase was placed front and center not only to greet guests but to enthrall passersby. “We were trying to create this sense of drama and these unique experiences in the home,” said Court. “This big feature greeting you when you enter with these floating treads is part of the initial arrival experience. It’s a really nice moment.”
Folding glass wonders Perhaps the most inspired way that Court Atkins Group blurred the lines between indoors and out is in the kitchen, where a massive wall of folding glass panels allows an entire wall to be tucked away. “That was a big game changer. You can leave that open to serve to the outside right from the kitchen,” said Court. “That was a really fun opportunity, but everywhere you look we’ve used windows and floor-to-ceiling glass to create that indoor/outdoor environment… It's a fun play on man versus nature. You’re getting all these visuals of the outdoors but controlling them in a modern way.”
An oasis of calm As much as the outdoor spaces lend themselves to entertaining, they also create a supremely tranquil environment when the party is over. With private access right to the heart of the home, the primary suite takes full advantage of the opportunity to expand beyond the interior walls. “I love the intimacy of the outdoor space. Even though there are windows and screens open to the home, you feel like you’re in a little oasis,” said Court. “The master suite is its own wing, offering a sense of seclusion, yet when you look out, you see the expansive and private marshland.”