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Johnston says, was to add a sculptural element
to the exterior design — something unique
and memorable, something more complex.
“Like the curve of a seashell or the very
subtle curve you’d see in the wind-sculpted
vegetation of the island,” he says.
The dormers’ gently warped profiles led
to a reshaping of the overall roof line. The
gable ends were flared, and with the addi-tion
of buttressed rafter tails, the roof was
extended beyond the eaves, then reshingled;
and the chimney chase resculpted.
Inside, the arc of the dormer is reiter-ated
in the spiral of the stair, the edge of
the floating island, the curve of the tabby
fireplace chimney mirrored on the opposite
wall, with a tabby hood above the eight
burner commercial gas range and ovens.
From this large collection of small spaces,
Johnston designed a splendid great room.
The overall effect is one of simplicity. “The
whole thing was refinement — stepping
back from it far enough to really bring a
sense of refinement and elegance to the
room. It’s a big leap from where we started.”
The selection of furnishings leans toward
the contemporary — found in yards of
drapery hung from cast iron rods and over-sized
vases and table lamps — yet speaks
to the co-owners’ western Carolina roots in
turned spool or bobbin arm chairs, a rustic
sofa table, a twiggy branch chandelier, a
trio of hand-painted paper shades to echo
club chair textiles, and in the bedrooms a
sprinkling of distressed, shabby chic chests
and end tables, a wicker arm chair, a pious
straight-backed bench.
To create more flexible outdoor space,
Johnston called for the ripping out of the
screened porch on the west elevation, the
removal of a dated sauna and hot tub area,
the gutting of a family room, the tearing out
of an infant’s nursery.
The open decking is now shaded by a trel-lis
on the lagoon side, where layered views
of the Intracoastal Waterway are sandwiched
between Figure Eight Island’s manmade
canals in the foreground and Futch Creek
and the mainland in the far distance.
After a day out on the water, the house is
like a beacon, lit from the inside, the dor-mer
winking like a lantern, welcoming its
families home.