Houzz Tour: Glass House on a Lowcountry Lagoon
Steel framing supports walls of glass in soaring South Carolina island home
My name is Bud Dietrich and I am an architect located in the Tampa Bay area of Florida. I am licensed to practice architecture in Illinois, Florida, New Jersey & Wisconsin and I am a certificate holder from the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB). Since 1996 I have worked from my home office and provide full architectural services exclusively to the single family residential market. My passion is to transform my clients' houses into their homes. I strive to have the "new" home accommodate my clients' lives without fighting them at every junction. I look to add curb appeal to encourage a beautiful streetscape. And I design any addition to look and feel like it has always been there.
Our projects have won numerous design awards as well as having been featured on television...
My name is Bud Dietrich and I am an architect located in the Tampa Bay... More »
Recently the Wall Street Journal selected the "Lips Room" house on Kiawah Island by architect and Houzzer Christopher Rose as its House of the Day. To be sure, with its expansive walls of glass and high-tech-meets-Lowcountry feel, we're not surprised.
The home is located on the edge of a lagoon on Kiawah Island in South Carolina's Lowcountry. Built four years ago and sized at 4,200 square feet, the house features a large great room overlooking the lagoon. A desire to maximize those lagoon views while ensuring the structure could withstand hurricanes and earthquakes drove the home's design. The extensive use of glass on the back side of the home captures these views while the front is a bit more traditional in design.
In fact, according to Rose, the client insisted on making the house in general and the great room in particular as transparent as possible. The client was all for it when Rose suggested the use of an exposed steel frame to accomplish this goal. This led both architect and client down the path to an exciting and light filled home that embraces its setting.
Why is it called the "Lips Room" house? Read on.
Browse modern home design photos
The home is located on the edge of a lagoon on Kiawah Island in South Carolina's Lowcountry. Built four years ago and sized at 4,200 square feet, the house features a large great room overlooking the lagoon. A desire to maximize those lagoon views while ensuring the structure could withstand hurricanes and earthquakes drove the home's design. The extensive use of glass on the back side of the home captures these views while the front is a bit more traditional in design.
In fact, according to Rose, the client insisted on making the house in general and the great room in particular as transparent as possible. The client was all for it when Rose suggested the use of an exposed steel frame to accomplish this goal. This led both architect and client down the path to an exciting and light filled home that embraces its setting.
Why is it called the "Lips Room" house? Read on.
Browse modern home design photos
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The roof structure stretches out to provide shelter and shade to the glass wall and interior from the South Carolina sun. And there's certainly a hint of mid-century modern in the way these wood roof structures slope and fly out into space.
Privacy wasn't a concern, as there are no neighbors on the far side of the lagoon and to the sides. So using as much glass and achieving as much transparency as possible was the order of the day. A view from across the lagoon reveals just how open and how much glass there is.
Private Comment
Privacy wasn't a concern, as there are no neighbors on the far side of the lagoon and to the sides. So using as much glass and achieving as much transparency as possible was the order of the day. A view from across the lagoon reveals just how open and how much glass there is.
The great room features walls of glass on all sides. The steel frame structure, finished a dark gray, is exposed and evident in the much of the house.
To minimize the amount of frame, the windows and doors were manufactured by Henselstone and imported from Germany. Sun control is achieved with built-in motorized shades.
Private Comment
To minimize the amount of frame, the windows and doors were manufactured by Henselstone and imported from Germany. Sun control is achieved with built-in motorized shades.
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A dark stained bamboo floor grounds the spaces and provides continuity, while the wood ceilings provide a sense of warmth overhead.
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The glass and stainless steel of the kitchen area is open to the main living areas.
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The open structure stair complements the steel framed structure of the house. And the walls are clearly treated as thin screen like infill panels.
Private Comment
The bedroom features soaring walls of glass and vaulted ceilings. As in the great room, motorized window shades control sunlight and privacy.
Private Comment
The housing for the shades is treated as trim that wraps the room and finished in white to blend into the walls. This achieves the best of both transparency and privacy without compromise.
Private Comment
From the limited-edition wallpaper to the red chair to the shag rug, the decor of a guest bedroom, called the "Lip Room," is inspired by the adjacent Andy Warhol print. A nice bit of whimsy and fun.
Private Comment
The first floor of the home is raised considerably above the ground plane to accommodate the potential of flooding, a very real concern in a coastal location. Though the overall design is quite contemporary, the use of traditional lap siding and less glass gives the front side of the home a traditional appeal, an important issue when getting the design approved by the local architectural review committee.
Private Comment
| At the bottom of the entry stair the architect incorporated a low pool at the landing and installed some bubblers over smooth river rock to give a hint to the lagoon views that are available from the inside. Private Comment
While the steel frame is exposed at the inside of the home, the darker green trim on the exterior does the same. Walls are treated as light infill panels within this frame, akin to traditional Japanese architecture. Next: More inspiring architecture |
Comments
sooosally says:
I have not seen this house at Kiawah. It must be in a secluded area because it would certainly stand out. I can totally understand wanting to be able to look at the beauty of the area at all times though.
4 months ago ·
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Actually because it the first home at 102 Blue Heron near the entrance to "The Preserve" (I assume you are familiar with Kiawah due to your comment) we had to illustrate to the Architectual Review Board that their would be a good vegetative buffer towards the entrance. You do not notice the home until you make a left turn on Blue Heron and then home appears. So I guess we accomplished our goal creating a good deal of glass yet keeping it secluded.
4 months ago ·
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Adi Tatarko says:
Beautiful. The large great room overlooking the lagoon is stunning.
4 months ago ·
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nancyzimmerman says:
An absolutely gorgeous home! The light wood ceilings inside and out radiate and reflect. Well done.
4 months ago ·
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Forrest Deleot says:
Chris, Another beautiful home. Thank you for letting us be a part of this project. We always enjoy working with you and your team: www.henselstone.com
4 months ago ·
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Shubila Ruth says:
well am thinking the glass and thieves in my country would b smilling...mayb security alerts/ alarms would do...
beautiful house..lov lov
beautiful house..lov lov
4 months ago ·
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Becky Harris says:
Love the proportions and how they work with all of that height, love the fact that the little TV-watching area is tucked underneath the stairs (a TV over that fireplace would be beyond criminal), and love the lips room, which reminds me that I'm still mad I don't own a Prada lipstick skirt. It would look perfect in that room.
4 months ago ·
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