If you love old houses, Charleston is the place to be. Not only does it have wonderful specimens from bygone eras, it also has the talent to bring them back to life. This particular example, the William Pinkney Shingler House from 1858, was in severe disrepair, but its character was still evident through the tattered veil.
Architect Eddie Fava had hovered over the house for years, a guardian angel helping its elderly former owner whenever he could. “She had feared it would be turned into condos,” he says. “But we had clients who were looking for a private home. At one point, they asked me, if I could have any house anywhere, what would it be?”
We all know the answer here. Thankfully, Eddie’s clients were “open to a project,“ as he puts it. And they were fortunate to have this team, who fought the good fight to restore every detail original to the house.
Among the major repairs were repointing 90 percent of the mortar, which had “turned to dust,” and installing a slate roof to match the disintegrated original. With the house surgically repaired, it was time to add modern amenities: central air, an open kitchen, real closets for the bedrooms, and a mudroom at the rear of the house. “That entry was the biggest modification,” notes project architect Michael Strople. “We moved openings and added a rhythm of French doors.”
The guiding principle for any changes? Says Eddie, “When we had a decision to make, we researched what a house of this era would have done.” And then they did it beautifully.
Citation
Custom Period or Vernacular Renovation
ee fava architects, etc.
10 Limehouse Street
Charleston, South Carolina
Project Credits
Architect: E.E. Fava, Jr., principal in charge; Michael Strople and Joel Thratham, project architects, ee fava architects, etc., Charleston, South Carolina
Builder: Tupper Builders, Charleston
Landscape Architect: Glen R. Garner, Landscape Architect, Charleston
Interior Design: Charlotte Lucas Interior Design, Charlotte, North Carolina
project Size: 6,828 square feet
Site Size: .22 acre
Photography: Michael Strople, ee fava architects
Key Products
Dishwasher: Bosch
Faucets: Waterworks, Henry
HVAC: Trane heat pumps, Mitsubishi mini-split
Icemaker: Scotsman
Paints/Stains: Farrow & Ball
Range: Wolf
Refrigerator/Freezer: Fisher & Paykel, Sub-Zero
Roofing: Vermont Quarry
Sinks/toilets: TOTO
Tubs: Americh, Waterworks
Washer/Dryer: Speed Queen
Wine Refrigerator: Sub-Zero
Images
Before and Under Renovation Photos
Plans and Drawings
