A Sea Pines Home Reimagined From the Inside Out
What began as a renovation became a 14-month exercise in rebuilding, balancing modern design with meticulous attention to detail.
Story by Alea Wilkins
Photography by Kate Morrison
Key Points
● RCH Construction spent 14 months renovating an aging two-story home in Sea Pines, with extensive structural work making the project feel closer to a new build.
● The redesign balanced clean-lined minimalism with warmer, more personal details inspired by the homeowners’ travels.
● Durable finishes, including epoxy grout and carefully positioned marble, helped deliver a high-end appearance with reduced maintenance demands.
● Custom stonework, wine storage and commissioned artwork give the bar and lounge a distinctive Tuscan influence.
It is said greatness takes time. In the case of this Sea Pines renovation, inspired by the homeowners’ travels to Tuscany, it also took several spilled glasses of wine.
“We ordered samples of certain materials and poured wine on them to see if they stained or not,” says Angelina Carper, president of RCH Construction.
Posh meets practical in the kitchen, where a spacious Taj Mahal Quartzite island adds high-end style in a durable, easy-to-clean material. Beneath a combination of pendant chandeliers and recessed lighting, it’s the ideal workstation for preparing and serving meals.
Over 14 months the local construction company transformed an aging two-story into a refreshed escape, marrying modern aesthetics with a touch of Italian ease. From demolition to design, the firm handled the entire project in-house, fulfilling the homeowners’ ambitious visions with meticulous planning and attention to detail.
Despite competing styles, structural challenges and additional custom builds, the completed project hit every mark. Every decision was made with care — and some admittedly unconventional tests.
“They wanted to be transported,” Carper says.
To make that happen, the builders went the extra mile.
A Delicate Balance Between Style and Practicality
This was not the first time the homeowners redesigned their living space. Previously the couple had built or renovated 14 different homes located from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Lowcountry. Over time they’ve grown to understand what best suits their aesthetic preferences and lifestyle. She opts for minimalism: all clean lines and smooth surfaces. He prefers warmth, inspired by a Mediterranean zest for life the couple experienced on their travels abroad. Together they had one overarching goal.
“The whole point was to achieve this high-end, curated look that essentially does not require any of the maintenance you see with high-end projects,” Carper says, laughing. “We had quite a bit of work cut out for us.”
In response, Carper and the RCH team came up with creative ways to maximize beauty and durability. On the floors epoxy grout seals the tiles together without the need for touch-ups or deep-cleaning. Glass fixtures, which can quickly reveal fingerprint smudges and collected dust, were avoided. In the kitchen the wife’s love for marble presented a problem (“It’s like the least low-maintenance-resistant product you can have,” Carper says.), but the team found a solution.
“Anytime we incorporated marble, we made sure it was on a vertical surface, so [she] could still have the look and feel of the marble without having it on a horizontal workspace, where spills could seep into the pores,” Carper explains.
With a little careful planning, every challenge transformed the home into the ideal space for its owners.
Rebuilding a Sea Pines Home From the Inside Out
Beyond style, the home came with its own set of structural issues. Unfit framework and sistered lumber throughout forced the crew to first clear out the old before any new work could begin.
“We had to rebuild this entire house from the inside out,” she says.
Between a barside lounge, an L-shaped sectional and a cozy dining nook, there’s a seat for everyone in this transformed Sea Pines home.
To start, they removed a 25-foot-long beam that was belatedly installed to prevent the second story from sagging. From there they tore down walls, expanding the first floor’s segmented rooms into a more spacious, open-concept living space.
“That was a non-negotiable,” Carper comments.
The team then reframed the home with modern beams, and they installed heavy-duty windows engineered to withstand the Lowcountry’s humidity and salty air.
In the end, Carper jokes that the renovation felt more like a new build.
“These homeowners essentially got a brand new home without having to build a new home,” she says.
Custom Details That Tell a Personal Story
Through its understated, elegant design, every element in the home feels intentional. Especially in the wet bar, where bespoke details nod to the owners’ travels.
Mirroring a Tuscan vineyard, orchard limestone arches over a quartzite countertop, personally tested by Carper for stain resistance. Beneath, custom wine bottle holders follow proper storage rules by tilting the bottles at a precise 45-degree angle. On the wall a commissioned painting from The Red Piano Gallery artist Dan Graziano depicts an Italian street scene.
“We love to support local artists, and he was actually in Tuscany at the time he painted it, so it was cool how that same place inspired the design in multiple ways,” Carper says.
Orchard limestone archways around the living room and bar lend a distinctly Tuscan flair to the Lowcountry home, a nod to the homeowners’ cherished trip to the Italian wine country.
A stonework fireplace warms the home from within. Flanked by a matching set of armchairs and a TV overhead, it’s designed for slow mornings and cozy nights.
Because of its careful curation, the space lands as an instantly recognizable homage to the region.
“We showed a prospective client this house, and the first thing she said when she walked in was, ‘This is like Tuscany,’” Carper recalls. “It’s really indicative of how that Tuscan feel comes through.”
The Patience Behind the Finished Home
In the aftermath, Carper admits the project could have been easier. The creation of custom stonework, storage and other features throughout the home asked a lot of the RCH Construction team, but that challenge motivated Carper to take it on.
“It made me excited, that pursuit of something beautiful,” she says.
If greatness takes time, Carper is willing to spend it.
“It takes so much work and time and patience to get all of these little details right,” she says. “But when it actually comes together, it looks cohesive and really beautiful in the end.”
