WHEN DR. RICHARD AND ANN WALTON BEGAN LOOKING FOR A RETIREMENT AREA A FEW YEARS AGO, THEY KEPT RETURNING TO SPRING ISLAND.

They scoured the Lowcountry from Charleston to Jacksonville — but nothing compared to this 3,000-acre nature preserve and secluded residential community set amidst a maritime forest teeming with loblolly pines, live oak trees, creeks, ponds, rivers, marshes, abundant wildlife and flora.

“We kept looking around and kept coming back … we loved it,” the physician said. “When we drove onto Spring Island, I thought, ‘Wow, this must be the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen.’ ”

Each room of Sea Pines home is warm, comfortable

From room to room, the warmth in colors, scrutiny in fabric design, detail in millwork and other special touches make this residence on Jessamine Place in Sea Pines a home of elegant comfort.

The homeowners — Forest and Linda Frank, co-partners of Sea Pines Real Estate South Beach — and veteran interior designer Hope Hunter of Plantation Interiors on Hilton Head Island sculpted a lifestyle vision that was 18 months in the making.

“The new Sea Pines home of Linda and Forest Frank is the epitome of subtle grace,” said Hunter, a 30-plus-year veteran of the interior design business who has been with Plantation Interiors for most of that time.

“Although the rooms are different, the design flows ” said Hunter, who has teamed with the Franks on four previous home-design projects on HHI since 1999. “It’s like a collection. It’s warm and comfortable and that’s what they wanted ... they like to come home, relax and enjoy every part of their home.”

THE SIGHTLINE STRETCHING FROM FRONT TO BACK DOWN THE GRAND ENTRANCEWAY INTO THE “HEARTH” ROOM AND THROUGH THE WINDOWS TO THE LAGOON AND 15TH GREEN IS DRAMATIC AND FAR REACHING. THE SPACE IS OPEN, WELCOMING

Don and Angie McGeorge envisioned living in such an environment when they teamed up with H2 Builders in the summer of 2011 to bring their vision to life at Berkeley Hall, a private golf community in Bluffton. The Kentucky natives wanted their new primary residence to blend traditional design with Lowcountry touches and the formal with the casual.

“We love our house,” Angie said. “The house feels like it’s warm and got history; it doesn’t feel like a new house … We wanted a casual elegance rather than a stuffy formal feel. It’s an Old World feeling.”

FOR MANY OF US, DECORATING FOR CHRISTMAS INVOLVES ONLY A FEW SIMPLE AND TIME-WORN TRADITIONS, STARTING WITH HAULING IN FLIMSY CARDBOARD BOXES PACKED WITH FAMILIAR ORNAMENTS FROM THE GARAGE OR ATTIC.

Then it’s time to wrestle the tree into position (nope, a little more to the left), untangle strings of lights and then bemoan the inexplicable absence of extension cords.

Not so for Kim and David McPhail of Wexford Plantation, who devised a different plan of attack to celebrate their first official Christmas on Hilton Head. The recent transplants from Charlotte hired a well-known North Carolina designer to transform their luxurious 8,000-square-foot home into a holiday shrine with a theme befitting their new island digs. And there won’t be an infla - able Santa or plastic snowman in sight.

Creating your home sanctuary often begins one furniture piece at a time. Fften choosing and purchasing that first piece can cause unwanted and unnecessary stress for the new buyer.

Remember today’s design is all about personal expression and that means that not all furniture has to match, nor does it have to be bought at the same time. Old and new can work together beautifully, modern and traditional can blend together to create a magnificent look. Fine furniture and fun can work together in harmony to create the perfect room for your lifestyle.

PHOTOS BY CLAYTON GIRARD

RETIREES JIM AND JOYCE LEACH WANTED TO CREATE AND ENJOY A FRENCH-COUNTRY LIFESTYLE IN THE LOWCOUNTRY — SO THEY BUILT IT ON HAWTHORNE ROAD AT COLLETON RIVER PLANTATION IN BLUFFTON.

Technically, Cameron & Cameron Custom Homes of Bluffton did the building, but the three-yearold company brought to life the vision that the Pennsylvania couple had in their creative minds after buying the 0.8-acre “pie-shaped” lot 12 years ago. Dreams do come true when a client and a builder of dreams join forces.

“Nathan (founder and owner of Cameron & Cameron) did a great job,” said Joyce, whose husband recently retired as an executive with Colgate- Palmolive Co. “It exceeded our expectations, and we are really happy with everything … It’s exactly what we wanted.”

THE HOUSE HAS VIEWS, GLORIOUS VIEWS FROM ITS PERCH ON DAUFUSKIE ISLAND: THE ATLANTIC OCEAN TO THE EAST FROM THE FRONT, HAIG POINT GOLF COURSE TO THE WEST FROM THE BACK, WINDMILL HARBOUR AND HARBOUR TOWN TO THE NORTH/ NORTHEAST, AND LOTS OF LIVE OAK TREES TO THE SOUTH.

And it also has more than 75 windows on three stories through which to gaze from any panoramic angle, along with 4,643 square feet of wraparound decks on two levels for prime outdoor vantage points. The contemporary-style home also sits 12 feet high on pilings specifically intended to provide spectacular visual treats.

“It’s got some spectacular views,” said builder Ken Crast, owner of Crast Custom Homes LLC on Hilton Head Island. “It’s a really neat house.”

H2 BUILDERS

H2 Builders is a family owned and operated company that has been building award winning homes in Hilton Head and Bluffton for 20 years. Todd Hawk, President / Owner is a second generation homebuilder that has had a passion for building since he was a teenager working on his father’s jobsites.

What builders build for themselves

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROB KAUFMAN

Chris and Katie Dalzell, owners of Shoreline Construction and Development, recently built a custom home on Farnsleigh Avenue in Hampton Hall. In addition to creating a home for their family (8-year-old Emma, 5-year-old Campbell and Buster the Golden Retriever), the Dalzells also use the house to tour future clients.

“We want them to be able to see our end product,” said Katie Dalzell, who runs the in-house interior design department of Shoreline.