Villa Margherita, the newly revived manse on High Battery
A vintage shot of the 120-year-old Beaux Arts-style home. PHOTOGRAPH (HISTORIC) BY GEORGE W. JOHNSON, COURTESY OF THE GIBBS MUSEUM OF ART / CAROLINA ART ASSOCIATION
A grand entrance
Stephen and Mary Hammond (pictured here with two-and-a-half-year-old Marilen) revived the famed villa, restoring the flow and grandeur it boasted before becoming a hotel.
The Silver Vault of Charleston painstakingly restored the home’s original gas lanterns.
Before: Although it had been boarded up for more than a decade, the house was “extraordinarily sound, stable,” according to architect Eddie Fava, “as its entire structural core was massive solid masonry.” PHOTOGRAPHS BY KRISTIN WALKER, COURTESY OF CHARLESTONINSIDEOUT.NET
Before: The exterior stucco was “sounded”—tapped to hear if substrate was hollow (bad) or solid (good)—with compromised portions of exterior stucco completely removed, masonry repaired, and new traditional stucco reapplied. PHOTOGRAPHS BY KRISTIN WALKER, COURTESY OF CHARLESTONINSIDEOUT.NET
Before: The 19-month endeavor was quarterbacked by Fava and his team at e.e. fava architects, with NBM Construction as contractor and the plaster work spearheaded by Hank Bauer. PHOTOGRAPHS BY KRISTIN WALKER, COURTESY OF CHARLESTONINSIDEOUT.NET
The ironwork screen on the second-floor balcony was repaired and restored, The columns required major repairs as well. The ornate capitals, which were “crumbling to the touch,” according to architect Eddie Fava, were reproduced with traditional methods and plaster to match the originals.
Throughout the home, all windows and wainscoting are original, as is most of the flooring. Florals by Lotus Flower
Interior designer Carolyn Griffith ensured the living room’s formality was still comfortably family-friendly.
The fireplace surround and mirror are original.
A brochure from the time Villa Margherita served as a hotel (1905-1953) hosting notable guests such as Eleanor Roosevelt, Sinclair Lewis, and Gertrude Stein.
“The ballroom, with that volume and space, is pretty spectacular,” says Eddie Fava, but it suffered the most damage. Now polished and stately, the walls wear a fine Lee Jofa fabric, and a grand piano complements the marble floor.
A rich, warm red jazzes up the formal paneling in the dining room.
French antiques juxtaposed with modern art add global flavor to the Italianate residence.
Stephen’s prized wine collection is both showcased and handy.
Russian onyx marble headlines the bar—formerly an anteroom.
The view from the dining room to the formal living room crosses two anterooms and the foyer.
Custom Wood-Mode cabinets offer streamlined storage in the classic white-on-white kitchen, as well as in the adjacent casual family living space.
A wall of new floor-to-ceiling windows opens up the kitchen/breakfast/family room to bright morning light and garden views, as well as a peek-a-boo of the harbor to the east.
A guest room on the second floor offers prime White Point Garden views.
The architect fashioned a new stairwell to the attic, making the space a usable and spunky playroom for Marilen and baby sister Julia.
Landscape architect Sheila Wertimer replaced a shallow pool with a classic courtyard, featuring large pots of citrus and rosemary framing a centerpiece fountain.
A Welcoming Past: A vintage postcard of Villa Margherita. IMAGES COURTESY OF (POSTCARD) LEAH GREENBERG POSTCARD COLLECTION, SPECIAL COLLECTIONS, COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON LIBRARIES & (DAISY WITH HELEN JENNINGS) LEE JENNINGS
Daisy Breaux Simonds (left) with the estate manager’s wife, Helen Jennings, and son, Royce Lee Jennings, pictured on the porch in 1948. IMAGES COURTESY OF (POSTCARD) LEAH GREENBERG POSTCARD COLLECTION, SPECIAL COLLECTIONS, COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON LIBRARIES & (DAISY WITH HELEN JENNINGS) LEE JENNINGS
