A Warm Welcome

Real estate agent Taylor Charpia grew up in Summerville and knows the town inside and out. He is ranked as the number one agent for luxury home sales in the town and is consistently a top performer in the tri-county Charleston area. He also often helps other agents and their buyers understand the value of homes on particular streets in Summerville.

When the time came for him and his partner, James Rogers, to buy a home, he knew it felt right to return to his roots. They purchased an 1890 Victorian home in the heart of Summerville’s historic district, just a short walk away from Charpia’s childhood home, and prepared to give it a fresh update and restore its aging mechanical systems.

Charpia had often admired this home in his youth, which is located a few minutes’ drive from extended family members’ residences. “It is an iconic house that sits back on three acres in the heart of downtown,” he says. “It has been lightly remodeled over the years and well cared for, which is rare for a property this age.”

“It is unique to find such a large lot combined with this type of architecture,” says Rogers, who was drawn to the home’s three-sided wraparound porch, a Southern nod that meshes with Greek Revival elements and Italianate influences such as elaborate gingerbread trim. The couple loves that it was a single-level home, with the option to expand into an unfinished upstairs space without changing the home’s exterior appearance.  

A Vision Brought to Life

Rogers had a vision for the home and called on contractor Bruno Macedo and landscape architect Paula Brunson Bishop of Brunson Nursery & Design to execute his vision, retaining the interior design for himself. “I wanted to handle the design because I enjoy doing it,” he explains. “In the past, we have lived in newer homes, and this place gave us a chance to honor the architecture by taking a more traditional design approach.”

While they tackled essential replacements, such as roof, plumbing, electrical, and HVAC systems, they also repainted the exterior and restored the original gas lanterns. Much of their time was spent extensively renovating the entire landscape. In a serendipitous move, they hired the landscape architect who had drawn the original [unexecuted] landscape plans 40 years earlier. “We pulled up several thousand bricks on the property and leveled them,” says Rogers. “We added plants to make an existing courtyard more formal and provide year-round color.” Reworking the driveway, adding privacy gates, and installing irrigation for the new gardens completed the landscaping and hardscaping part of the project.

Designing with History in Mind

Inside, they rearranged spaces to create a proper primary suite for themselves and a powder room, something the previous floor plan lacked. “Any changes we made were primarily cosmetic and not structural,” Rogers explains. “We liked that the original floor plan was not wide open; it gives privacy. We also didn’t want to disrupt the original millwork and wanted to save the old-growth, longleaf heart pine flooring, which now is very rare and hard to find.”

The bathrooms and the kitchen received a major refresh, including the addition of imported marble countertops and custom cabinetry. Rogers sourced new chandeliers and sconces throughout the home from Visual Comfort & Co., Anthropologie, and Pooky Lighting that were in keeping with the home’s historic character. More than a dozen sets of French doors were renovated and repainted, returning them to good working use. Reproduction hardware from Baldwin Hardware and Rejuvenation in unlacquered brass will patina over time.

Rogers brought in color through special touches, such as a bold Schumacher wallcovering in the dining room. “I gravitate toward greens and blues, which serve as the color palette,” he says. “I also wanted to bring in some oranges and reds, which were commonly used in that era.”

While Rogers added upscale furnishings, such as a Theodore Alexander mahogany dining table that seats 14 people, he also worked in period-appropriate antiques that he sourced from across the southeastern U.S. “Some of the antiques were passed down in the family, including china,” he says. Some of that dinnerware is on display in built-in cabinetry in the dining room.

While Charpia and Rogers have flipped homes before as investment properties, they always carefully weigh the pros and cons of a particular property before buying it. “I advise my clients to buy a home that speaks to them,” says Charpia. “This is our dream home and is worth all of the energy we put into renovating it. It was cool to approach this home and make it exactly what we wanted, knowing we never plan to sell it.”

A Legacy of Hospitality

Charpia stresses how important and special Summerville is to them. “This community is built around fellowship and charity,” he says.

Because Summerville gives so much to them, the couple wants to give back to the town. “It is neat that we have the ability to entertain on a large scale,” Rogers says. “We recently threw a party for 400 guests. Our goal is to host events in this home for the charities we care about.”

When asked, they both express their deep appreciation for the solitude of three acres of formal gardens to enjoy from the comfort of their Southern-style wraparound porch. “I love sitting on the porch and seeing the home’s beautiful details such as the unique woodwork,” Charpia says. “The yard feels magical even though we are located in the busiest section of town. It’s as quiet as living on an island.”

To learn more about Taylor Charpia Real Estate, visit callingcharlestonhome.com.