GREEK REVIVAL MEETS LOW COUNTRY
The Folts-Warrick home in Spring Island, SC, designed by Historical Concepts,
LLC, of Peachtree City, GA, consists of a central gabled mass with two flanking wings. The Greek
Revival-inspired style of the home is evident in its symmetry and the use of Greek Doric columns. Also notable
are the heart pine entry door, the metal roof and triple dormers, the latter two of which are typical of the
other traditional homes in the area.
John Folts and Cynthia Warrick had a formal, yet relaxed, home in mind when they purchased a lot on Spring
Island, SC. In order to achieve this goal, they approached Historical Concepts, LLC, of Peachtree City, GA, for
the design. A 25-person architectural firm, Historical Concepts has a reputation for crafting designs that
combine vernacular styles with Classical proportions. Presented with a very specific design program that
included interior materials, multi-purposed rooms and flexible space to accommodate guests, the design team’s
creativity was put to the test.
Low Country is the predominant vernacular style in the immediate area. It is typically very casual with wide
overhangs and raised pier foundations. The clients, however, wanted a departure from this style and, in
consultation with the design team, settled on the Greek Revival style. This also fit in the context of the
region, with many fine examples found in the area from Savannah to Beaufort.
The overall design was influenced by various Greek Revival examples found throughout the southeast, and
particularly by the works of Edward Vason Jones of Albany, GA. Though the style is found both in the northeast
and southeast, the design team researched the latter almost exclusively, as the team knew that the southern
climate would affect the design. They found that the local climate dictated the use of covered porches, for
example, as refuge from the heat of the sun. They also found that a rear porch was vital not just for
aesthetics, but also to expand the living space, particularly for entertaining and large gatherings.
The first challenge presented by this project regarded the placement of the various buildings on the site. The
design included a main house, garage and guest house, with abundant porches and breezeways. Where, typically
for the region, the guest house and garage would be located at the front of the lot opposite each other, this
couldn’t be done because of the lot’s narrow arrangement. The design team also didn’t want to destroy any of
the trees on the site. As a solution, they moved the guest house closer to the front of the lot. “The
single-car garage was sited just south of the guest house and about 25 feet closer to the main house,” explains
Terry Pylant of Historical Concepts. “The two structures frame the main house even though they’re not directly
opposite one another. It’s an illusion of symmetry.” With landscape architect Don Hooten, the design team
curved the drive to skirt the guest house, directing visual attention to the main house.
The one-story residence is spacious at 3,269 sq.ft., with a vaulted ceiling measuring 20 ft. tall at the peak
of the central room. “The ceilings vary in height throughout the house,” Pylant says. “We wanted to open up the
interiors with tall ceilings, but it doesn’t work in every room. We typically lowered the ceilings in the
smaller rooms to prevent a shaft-like feel.” In keeping with the local vernacular, oversized double-hung
windows, French doors and dormers at both the front and rear of the building combine to allow abundant light.
The large windows and transoms above the rear doors allow abundant light into
the keeping room, a space for informal gatherings. The rear doors are double hinged, allowing them to open the
full 12 ft. length of the porch beyond.
A sunken living and dining space are at the heart of the main house, flanked by a keeping room and island
kitchen to one side and a master bedroom suite to the other. A screened-in porch spans the rear of the home,
extending from the living/dining area to the rear of the keeping room, an element that enlarges the appearance
of the living space. The doors in the keeping room are double-hinged, which allows them to open to the full 12
ft. length of the porch.
Custom cabinetry is featured in the many rooms throughout the home. “The design team chose built-ins for a
couple of reasons,” Pylant says. “Not only did we want to screen the televisions and stereo equipment, but the
cabinetry and shelving provide texture to the design, making the space more interesting. In so many rooms, the
depth of the shelving brings cohesion to the design.” Fabricated by Claus Williams of Burton, SC, the custom
cabinetry includes a hidden entertainment compartment in the keeping room and built-in display space in the
living/dining room. Built-in bookshelves line the hall outside the master bedroom and adorn the walls of the
office off the kitchen.
The interior also features lightly painted wood walls. Originally rejected by the clients as too informal, the
wood boards “complement the traditional ambience of the home,” says Pylant. “The clients had thought the wood
might detract from the Classical style, but the design team was able to convince them that the finish would be
in keeping with the style of the home. The boards themselves actually aren’t that pronounced.”
While there is a 766-sq.ft. guest house on the property, complete with two bedrooms, a sitting area, kitchen
and screened-in porch, the clients wanted to be able to accommodate additional visitors in the main house when
necessary. In order to accomplish this goal, the team designed an “office chamber,” a room in the master
bedroom wing that was outfitted with a desk and a daybed. The bathroom, one of three in the home, is located
just outside the office and was designed as a powder room with a sliding door at the rear that discreetly
houses a shower.
Completed in October 2002, the Folts-Warrick residence wholly meets the client’s request for a traditional
home. “The scale of the home, the relationships between many structures on the site and the proportions of the
windows, doorways and detailing were scrutinized so that our work could be not only precise but something we
and the clients could be proud of,” says Pylant. “The Greek Revival style is smoothly carried from the exterior
to the interior.” He credits the successful execution of the client’s desires to the collaborative effort
between his design team at Historical Concepts and general contractor Pinckney Brothers Construction. “This
project was the ultimate example of the designers and craftspeople coming together,” Pylant proudly
points out, “with the shared goal of providing the highest level of quality to the client.”
The kitchen features custom millwork and cabinetry fabricated by Pinckney
Brothers Construction of Hilton Head, SC. The butler’s pantry, far left, is treated with a false cabinet door,
which, when closed, mimics the look of the refrigerator at the opposite end of the kitchen. The kitchen space
itself is without windows, but transom windows were constructed between the kitchen and adjacent office, which
allow light to be shared by both.
Historical Concepts, LLC, draws from the long-standing traditions of Classical architecture in its own
residential and commercial projects of varying styles and sizes. The Peachtree City, GA-based firm, made up of
25 people, was founded in the early 1970s and became a partnership in 2001. The firm has participated in
nationally recognized projects, including many at the following locations: Newpoint (Beaufort, SC), Spring
Island (South Carolina), North Cove (Peachtree City, GA), Celebration (Orlando, FL) and Watercolor (northwest
Florida coast). Through award-winning projects, Historical Concepts has demonstrated the benefits of adhering
to traditional methods of architecture, planning and design.
See details about the winning entry in the Summer 2004 issue of Period Homes Magazine.
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