Inside a Custom Lakefront Home in Frederica on St. Simons Island

Designed by Court Atkins Group, the front facade is classically trained with elements of Southern Colonial and Lowcountry vernacular in a way that makes the Frederica home feel as if it could have been there for centuries.

A wood center table from Woodbridge Furniture, an area rug made with natural fibers from Heritage House, and a geometric lantern from Visual Comfort & Co. welcome guests.

A pair of wall sconces by Visual Comfort & Co. lead the way up the staircase. The round table is from Four Hands.

Built for owners who love to entertain, every element was designed with socializing and elevated Southern hospitality in mind, down to the well-stocked, navy-clad butler’s pantry and wet bar just off the entryway.

Despite the home’s location on low-lying, coastal land, architect William Court created a shifting angulation that is rare for the region. In turn, the great room feels very inviting and welcoming.

In front of the kitchen’s interior glass wall, designer Kim Scodro created a dining nook with a Lee Jofa drop leaf dining table and Woodbridge Furniture chairs.

To achieve the right amount of aged patina without feeling contrived in the kitchen, Scodro paid extra time and attention to the whitewash of the brick wall and the stain on the base of the island. The cabinetry is by Jamestown Designer Kitchens.

Nestled within the porch is a petite keeping room with oversize striped armchairs and an ottoman from Hickory Chair.

In a screened outdoor gathering area, rocking chairs made locally by The Brumby Chair Co. are positioned to overlook the water.

At the end of a hall, artwork paired with a veneered demilune hall table from Woodbridge Furniture creates an intriguing focal point.

The Parker Southern bed nestles perfectly into an alcove with custom millwork by Court Atkins Group. In the bay window, a pair of Hickory Chair swivel chairs and an Arteriors drink table create a cozy nook.

Behind the vanity by Jamestown Designer Kitchens, paneled mirrors run as high as the ceiling and reflect the natural light that streams through the bay window.

From the pillow covers on the Parker Southern bed to the Skyline Furniture bouclé bench, the guest room’s tactile furnishings reflect the homeowners’ personal penchant for warm textures.

With views overlooking the lake, this guest bedroom boasts cottage-like charm with block print bedding and gingham roller shades from Schumacher.

In the powder room, a gleaming mirror by Regina Andrew and a vanity wall light by Currey & Company are matched to the metallic fixtures and towel ring.

To keep Frederica’s generous lake views the primary focus, Spartina Studio sited the pool separately. The stately home boasts a large screened-in back porch in keeping with its Southern Colonial vernacular.

Following careers that kept them on the move—from Texas to Missouri and even Australia—and years of saving magazine clippings of inspiration, one couple searched far and wide for the right place to build a custom home of their own.

Ultimately, a scenic lakefront property in Frederica, a private community on St. Simons Island, not only won them over, but also attracted Lowcountry-based Court Atkins Group to the drawing board, alongside interior designer Kim Scodro, builder Brett Flanagan of Flanagan Development, and landscape architect Troy Anderson of Spartina Studio.

“This was a unique one for us, as it was our first foray into Frederica,” recalls William Court, founding principal of one of the region’s most sought-after and awarded architectural firms. He was “blown away” by the picturesque lot, with northern views running the length of the water looking toward a bridge and golf course. “We couldn’t say no.”

Embracing the park-like setting and the owners’ desire for elegant, refined design, the result is a stately home with a Southern Colonial vernacular, complete with a large screened-in back porch—creating a facade that embodies a sense of place and can stand the test of time.

Upon entering, however, the interiors are instantly brought into the present. An open layout of spaces seamlessly blends into each other, ideal for entertaining a rotating cast of friends and family, from visits from the grandkids to weekends with golf buddies or reunions with sorority sisters.

Leaning into that ethos, designer Kim Scodro expertly balanced aged details with the new construction—from selecting all the wood floors and tile down to every doorknob and light fixture. Scodro, who splits her time between St. Simons and Chicago, understood the Southern sensibilities her clients wanted, sourcing antiques and found objects from local shops, collaborating with local workrooms, and pulling fabric and furniture from the Atlanta Decorative Arts Center. “The word they kept coming back to was ‘texture,’ but not a lot of color,” she says.

From the airy entry (Scodro’s favorite space in the home), guests are greeted with lake views, a round center table, geometric lantern, and jute rug, establishing the tone for a hospitable, coastal retreat. Beyond the foyer, the floor steps down into the great room—a subtle shift in angulation further encouraging a sense of invitation and intimacy. To distinguish rooms while remaining visually connected and bathed in natural light, an interior glass wall divides the dinette with a checkered banquette and the kitchen, where whitewashed brick adds just the right touch of patina.

When craving privacy from their many visitors, the primary bedroom beckons. Cocooned in a warm wallcovering with a custom millwork alcove for the bed—a detail derived from the owners’ original vision board—and swivel chairs by the bay window, the layered design drips with luxe coastal charm.

And today, the home they once could only dream about is now where they lay their heads at night. “The clients were so open and happy to be building this dream home of theirs in their dream area,” says Scodro. “There was nothing negative about this project, and those are pretty few and far between.”

INTERIOR DESIGN Kim Scodro, Kim Scodro Interiors, (312) 925-8023; kimscodro.com ARCHITECT William Court, Court Atkins Group, (843) 815-2557; courtatkins.com BUILDER Brett Flanagan, Flanagan Development; (912) 274-3388; flanagandevelopmentllc.com LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT Troy Anderson, Spartina Studio, (912) 230-3673; spartinastudio.com CABINETRY DESIGN Jamestown Designer Kitchens, (912) 234-1927; jamestownkitchens.com