This year’s Southern Living Idea House is located on picturesque Bald Head Island, North Carolina, a car-free barrier island that is accessible only by boat — located about 35 miles south of Wilmington, North Carolina, and 70 miles north of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. A true coastal retreat, the island is bordered by the Cape Fear River to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Nearly 10,000 of the island’s 12,000 acres remain as a preservation easement. The porch-surrounded homes on the island rest quietly on sand dunes beneath a canopy of trees and moss. Located on a wooded homesite bordering The Common in Cape Fear Station on Bald Head Island, the Idea House is just a short walk from the island’s distinctive Southern Living community.
The front of the 2017 Southern Living Idea House features a quaint Cambridge Cobble® driveway and adjoining walkways in Savannah color, trimmed with contrasting borders of Westerwood color. The driveway leads to the crofter cottage, which is a Bald Head Island term for the golf cart garage typically found on Bald Head Island homes that also functions as a guest suite. The foot of the driveway is bordered with permeable Turfstone® pavers to manage rainwater and prevent runoff.Outdoor bar area looking into the kitchen.
Designed to have stunning views from every room, the interior of the home focuses on comfort, with an emphasis on natural materials and pops of color that continue to the outdoor design. The open floorplan boast a wall of double doors that open to the back porch to create a seamless integration between the indoor and outdoor living spaces. Bifold windows also open from the kitchen out onto a bar on the porch as a continuation of the indoor/outdoor experience.
Over 1,300 square feet of outdoor living space is provided by ample porches that span both floors of the rear of the home, plus an adjacent outdoor deck and a welcoming fire pit patio.
The highlight of the outdoor living space is the fire pit patio, which features Cambridge Cobble® pavers (Savannah color) and a Weston Stone® Fire Pit.
The home is currently open for tours through October with tours available on Wednesday through Sunday each week through the end of August, and Saturday or Sunday tours available during September and October. To book a tours of the Idea House, visit Ideahousebhi.com.
To get a quick peek inside the home, view the 2017 Southern Living Idea House gallery or watch the video below.
Photos courtesy Southern Living magazine. Photography: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller
Christi is a professional writer who has been writing about outdoor living and design for magazines, websites and blogs since 2009. A lifelong resident of south Louisiana, she is immersed in a culture that is a gumbo of music, food and outdoor activities. With her husband Pierre, she especially enjoys spending time with their two sons in their Belgard backyard. The Simoneauxs regularly entertain guests in their outdoor kitchen where the specialties are craft cocktails, grilled meats, garlicky dressings, and Cajun and Creole creations. Thanks to the local climate, there's always something interesting in their herb garden to enhance the recipes.