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Sullivan's Island

click any of the photos below to start the slideshow

As action-packed as the house may be, it resonates with a mellow vibe—exactly what Tippy aimed for when she dreamed up this place back in 2000.

Photographs by
Peter Frank Edwards
Coffee Talk: Matchmaker Amy Robinson (right) introduced Tippy (left) to her husband when all were teens playing on Sullivan’s Island. Still best friends, the two women relish living close enough for catch-up sessions.
Natural Elements: “I’m drawn to pieces I can’t stop looking at,” says Tippy Stern Brickman of the Brian Rutenberg painting at right. She hung only organic-themed artwork to echo the landscape outside.
A Room of One's Own: “I thought about what I would like if I were staying elsewhere,” says Tippy of her three guest rooms. “I’d enjoy having my own space, my own entrance, my own bath, my own TV.” And with the porch serving as an outdoor hall, guests can come and go without feeling “like they are intruding” she says. The result? Each room’s a private getaway.
Sullivan's Island
Sullivan's Island
Sullivan's Island
Play Date: “We found fun relics in antiques and salvage shops—you know, jun-que, not jun-k,” laughs Tippy of the game wheel that hangs in the pool room.
Great Lengths: Tall ceilings, fans, screening, all-weather furniture, and an elevated orientation make the back porch a true year-round living space. Its heightened vantage affords a staggered, lengthy view first of the manicured garden, then the maritime forest, then the seascape. “It all adds up to a house that is absolutely ideal for outdoor living,” says architect Chris Schmitt.
Sullivan's Island
Sullivan's Island
Rinse Cycle: All-weather white paint and nautical lighting brighten the outdoor shower, which is tucked away under the house.
“The best vantage in the entire house is from my bathroom,” saysA Loo With a View: Tippy of her mini spa, with its angled tub and seamless glass-door shower.
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Basic Backdrop: “I tried to keep things muted—that is, the walls, the floors, and the furniture—so you can notice the outdoors and the artwork,” says Tippy. When people visit, she adds, they think the house is a restored relic rather than new construction.
Sullivan's Island
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