One of a Kind in Palmetto Bluff
Local builder uses all natural material in custom-made Palmetto Bluff masterpiece.
Story By Dean Rowland + Photography by Krisztian Lonyai
When a builder constructs his own designer show home, especially in Palmetto Bluff, you know the result will flaunt a full complement of talent, vision and craftsmanship.
Those qualities are what John Moleski, owner of JM Designer Properties in Bluffton, flexed with his boutique-inspired showpiece on Mt. Pelia Road. The spacious courtyard with a covered entry positioned in the front of the 3,400-square-foot home offers a panoramic view of the lagoon, bridge and village.
“The house is very unique,” the Pittsburgh native said. “It’s very different than the typical Palmetto Bluff home because it has a courtyard in front to take advantage of the views… it provides great exposure and convenience and is a special place for someone to call home. It’s in the heart of Palmetto Bluff.”
Moleski’s mantra might be “Think it, build it, show it and sell it” for $1.7 million.
The renowned local architect, Tom Parker, who put together the blueprints for the project for Moleski, calls the aesthetic design a “blend of classic Southern and shingle styles with a contemporary appeal.”
“When I saw what he did, I had a revelation,” said Moleski, who founded his company in 2004 in Florida and moved it here with his wife in 2010. “There weren’t many changes to what he gave me from an architectural design point of view. I took the bones that he provided and had some fun with it, because it’s my house, and I went to town on all of the hand-picked interior finishes.”
The interior abounds with all natural materials and custom-made everything.
The kitchen in an open floor plan that flows into the great room and dining room with 23-foot-high ceilings with transom windows all around. The dramatic focal point in the two living spaces is a large feature window, comprised of nine operable windows that allow the natural light to flood the living space while providing unblemished views outside.
“We had to use a crane to erect it in that particular space,” he said.
Macaubas quartzite kitchen countertop dense with veins merges with an integrated sink in a 5-foot-wide sunken work station and built-in cutting board replete with a small waterfall in front. The Miele appliance chef’s kitchen features a 36-inch range, steam oven, wine cooler and built-in refrigerator and dishwasher.
StoneWorks shop manager Brian Baltzegar, with whom Moleski has collaborated since 2013, supplied all the material for the quartzite kitchen countertop, quartz for the laundry room and butler pantry, white statuary marble in the master bath and various types of marble for the guest bathrooms.
“This home not only represents me as the builder, but it also represents Palmetto Bluff the community,” Moleski said. “There are so many things that make this home special.”
