The Touring Girls and I am back from our annual visit
to the Golden Isles for one of our favorite tours,
The Christ Church Tour of Homes.
This was the tours 65th year. We have been going for
over 10 years. Wish I knew how long, but none of
us can remember!
On Saturday, March 17th, the
Episcopal Churchwomen of Christ Church
Frederica welcomed many visitors to St.
Simons and Sea Islands
for their 65th Annual Tour of Homes.
There were eight private
homes, four on Sea Island and
four on St. Simons Island, and six historical
stops on this year’s tour.
The tour proceeds are devoted to area
charities,
primarily those geared to women and children in need.
It is difficult to find pictures of this home tour. Photography is forbidden.
But I put on my reporting cap and started sleuthing around.
We had to make a stop to one of our favorite brunch spots
Cafe Frederica before we began the tour. We decided to
hope on the bus to Sea Island first.
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| Stop A Sea Island |
The above house was gorgeous with a very unique art collection.
It is designed in the style of a Havana Town Mansion.
Bronze was a favorite finish along with limestone, cypress and
pecan. An oceanfront lanai offered a beautiful view.
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| Stop B Sea Island |
Generations of this family have returned to Sea Island and gathered joyfully here for good times. Since 1945 they have built treasured memories on the beach. This fabulous oceanfront home is an artful blend of the past and its special memories with a new emphasis on the present and a fresh look to the future.
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| Stop C Sea Island This majestic beauty is full of unique design features and fabulous fabrics. For starters, the entry floor is hand painted. Just to the right is an alcove leading to the dining room. These walls feature ‘faux bois’, or a fake wood look- except this is not a wallpaper- this again is hand painted- complete with molding to give the appearance of paneling. Follow the hand planed walnut flooring into the stately dining room with its grand circular dining table. |
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| Stop D Sea Island |
A beautiful chippendale ‘trellis’ and railing greet you as you enter this 3 story town home. This ‘trellis’ effect softens the corners of the doorways leading to the great room which has it all! Notice the placement of the ‘faux bois’ wallpaper in the foyer giving the illusion of a paneled room. The bench here is a family heirloom and upholstered in a beach house cotton. An oyster shell and driftwood mirror combines with the travertine floor to give this home a breezy island feel.
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| Harrington School Once back on Saint Simons Island, there are historical sites on the tour including the Harrington School and the tabby cabins and the Wesley Memorial at Epworth By the Sea, near Gascoigne Bluff on St. Simons Island. |
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| Saint Simons Island Oceanfront Follow the bricks through the welcoming courtyard to this oceanfront charmer in the St. Simons village area. The river-recovered heart cypress front door is the first hint of the treats inside. As you enter, your eyes are drawn across the beautifully restored original brick flooring to the wide expanse of glass ahead overlooking the St. Simons sound and the ship’s channel. This wall of glass is all hurricane -rated allowing the beautiful view to be enjoyed no matter what Mother Nature brings. |
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| Sea Palms West Guest House What a treat! This generous family has already shared their main house with the Tour of Homes twice before and now they are welcoming us to their new guest house. Perched on a beautiful bluff overlooking Dunbar Creek and Hawkins Island, this fabulous site complements the main house beautifully. |
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| Tour Stop 4 on East Beach, Saint Simons Island |
This recently finished contemporary home overlooks the wide Marshes of Glynn on the west side of East Beach. The hardscape out front is the first suggestion of the unique features here. Just inside the front door, the elevator features original artwork by the homeowner’s grandfather. Collections and memorabilia from career travels mainly in South East Asia accent every room.
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| Tour Stop 3 East Beach, Saint Simons IslandSophisticated beachy’ best describes this full scale East Beach home. Behind the front door lies much more house than initially meets the eye. This 2017 design celebrates an open living space with soothing colors and 11ft. ceilings. Oversized custom furniture and fabrics with soft hues of white, blue and seafoam set a welcoming mood as you enter and give no clue that this house sleeps 16. Technology is a beautiful thing, when it works properly. But this blog platform is not wanting to let me insert all the pictures I would like. PLEASE follow this link to read more detailed home descriptions and pictures! You might also enjoy the article in the March Elegant Island Magazine. You can see the entire magazine by Clicking Here  Someone made it very clear to me when I got back, that he was going with me on my next trip to Saint Simons! |
