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Kiawah River Completes First Homes Designed by Renowned Architect Julia Starr Sanford

Photo by Jason Stemple Photography. Interior design by McLaurin Parker.

Kiawah River recently announced the completion of the community’s first for-sale homes. The single-family Butterfly Garden Cottages will soon be joined by Kiawah River’s Waterman Villas and custom/semi-custom homes. Upon completion, the 2,000-acre community will feature residential, retail and hospitality offerings for a lifestyle centered on outdoor pursuits with 20 miles of shoreline along the Kiawah River.

Ranging from 1,700 to 2,200 square feet, the cottages are designed by Julia Starr Sanford of Starr Sanford Design, whose architectural vision steered Alys Beach and Rosemary Beach in the Florida Panhandle. Sanford is revered for innovative reinventions of traditional coastal homes and additionally designed Kiawah River’s signature amenity, the waterfront lodge, which will be walking distance from the cottages. She has influenced communities at Mahogany Bay Village in Belize and Amelia Park and Old Town Fernandina in Fernandina, Florida. She has also designed hotels, historical renovations, showrooms, libraries, museums and private galleries.

Premier residential homebuilder and developer Saussy Burbank is constructing the cottages and is known for its commitment to creating modern, livable spaces. Saussy Burbank builds homes in some of Charleston’s most desirable locations, including Old Village and I’On in Mt. Pleasant and on Johns Island and Kiawah Island.

“Kiawah River’s first Butterfly Garden Cottages signify an important milestone as our community prepares to welcome residents later this summer,” said Carter Redd, Managing Director of Kiawah River. “These cottages are at the heart of the community and are designed for outdoor living with a sea islands architectural aesthetic that will be reflected throughout Kiawah River’s neighborhoods, parks and amenities.”

From completely custom home designs to turnkey floorplans, Kiawah River offers a diverse variety of homes ranging from $600,000 to more than $2 million and homesites starting at $200,000. The community has been carefully planned to embrace outdoor living, with only half of the property’s 2,000 acres to be developed, and the remaining 1,000 acres to remain open green space for the community. Kiawah River will feature an array of resort-style amenities and services, including a roadside farm stand, a chapel and community hall, a swim and fitness club and an outdoor learning center. Residents will also have access to several launch points for fishing and exploring the pristine Kiawah River and inland waterways.