Sullivan's Island Winter-Spring 2018-19

13 www.SullivansIslandMagazine.com | www.SullivansIslandHomes.com Popular ‘Dome’ Home Gets a Modern Makeover Y ou may know it as the Dome, the “Star Wars” house or the “Eye of the Storm,” but, regardless of what moniker you use to describe it, the iconic residence at 2851 Marshall Blvd. is one of the most photographed homes on Sullivan’s Island. People from all around the world come here to take its picture. It’s been featured on TV shows both domestic and international, in the Associated Press and in scores of home and design magazines. Most people are familiar with its unique exterior, but, recently, it was the home’s remarkable interior that received a contemporary facelift. In 2017, Chris Brace of Brace Builders of Goose Creek was hired to make cosmetic improvements to the 4,000-square foot, four-bedroom, five-bathroom architectural marvel, which is constructed of approximately 650 tons of reinforced concrete and built to withstand powerful hurricanes. Brace recalled that he was involved in a DIY Network TV show, “Restoring Charleston,” when he got the phone call from the home’s interior designer, Danielle Thompson, owner of Charleston-based Beautiful Spaces, about the opportunity to do the renovation work for the Dome. The home is now on the market for the first time and is listed at $4.9 million. Brace explained that while conceptually, the home resembles a dome from the street, that is not the case inside. It’s warm, inviting and open, with all the beach-side rooms boasting spectacular oceanfront views. His overarching goal in remodeling the Dome was By Colin McCandless to “pay homage and give honor” to the original builder, George Paul, who constructed the home for his parents in 1991 after Hurricane Hugo destroyed their previous house. The structure itself has been kept intact; as Brace noted, “You can’t really improve on concrete.” Brace Builders didn’t shift any walls or change anything dramatically, but the home’s interior was a bit outmoded, so they updated the overall look. They installed new light fixtures throughout the house and did a concrete overlay atop the original salmon-colored tile floor in the living-space area. The kitchen was upgraded with modern cabinets, new appliances and soft-close doors and drawers. The interior and exterior were repainted with the idea of keeping the colors and design neutral and allowing the structure itself and the ocean views to take precedence. “We wanted it to be simple,” Brace explained. Upstairs, they sanded and refinished the hardwood floors with a Loba stain finish on white oak. A kitchenette was converted – some might say upgraded – to a wet bar. A Japanese soaking tub in the master suite overlooking the beach is surrounded by Brazilian Ipe paneling – a durable tropical hardwood – with a shiplap pattern. They also upgraded the bathrooms, installing new sinks, countertops, sink bowls and plumbing fixtures and incorporating a different theme in each. “Each bathroom has its own sense of character,” said Brace. And because the home was designed to be fortified against destructive storms, Brace installed new hurricane panels on the sliding- glass doors and some of the windows. “I think the main takeaway in all this is that the owners had a dream of what they wanted the house to look like, and, with a great team of trade professionals, we were able to help make that dream a reality,” said Brace. On Nov. 2, the Charleston Home Builders Association presented Brace Builders with a PRISM award for the renovation work on the Dome, an honor from their peers recognizing outstanding achievement. Brace, who attended Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island, and initially had aspirations of becoming a chef, used a cooking analogy to explain the importance he places on perfecting each remodeling job: “In the restaurant business, you’re only as good as the last plate you serve. For Brace Builders, I believe that we’re only as good as the last client relationship we have. We’re only as good as the last project we work on. So we want to get it right.” Photo courtesy of Chris Brace.