When Darlene and Paul realized Keowee’s sharp slopes might not be ideal for their vision of lake living, they decided to take a Sunday drive to Chapin and look at the property they had already invested in. The existing structure was small, and more than one contractor advised them to scrap it and start over. Yet Paul could see the potential and the charm of the house had already stolen Darlene’s heart. The couple made a deal with Paul’s business partners and took ownership, embarking on a journey that would leave their family with a lasting legacy. Unassuming as it started out, that small house would become the Sparks Summer Shanty.

After starting their married life in Natches, M.S. in 1995, Darlene and Paul owned a home in the historic district that they agreed was the biggest renovation they had ever done. With that experience and more than one other renovation under their belts, the Sparks family prepared to turn the little house on the cove into a place their family and friends could gather to unplug, unwind, and get away.

“She’s very creative and she’s very visionary.” Paul said of his wife. “She can see things differently when designing and I knew if I gave her some good bones, she could turn it into what it is today. My job was to get out of her way and provide her with the resources to bring it to fruition.”

Darlene, who previously worked as a nuclear medicine tech, got to work dreaming up the possibilities for the property. The first step was to draw out her ideas for the addition to the house and take it to an architect, who turned her 8.5’’ x 11’’ drawing into a professional plan. The changes weren’t minor; the couple gutted the entire inside of the house, switched around the location of the kitchen, turned a bathroom into an entryway, and planned out two new bedroom suites to expand the house into a place they could share with those they love.

The project began in 2015 and was finally brought to fruition near the end of summer 2017, after a few bumps on the road to renovation. Their first contractor wasn’t a good fit and they parted ways less than six months into the project. Darlene contacted a trusted friend who had worked with them before, a contractor who agreed to take on the project. But the replacement contractor was occupied with another job and could only work on the project about one day a week, which pushed the finish line further away than initially expected. It turned out to be well worth the wait. After completing the addition and moving walls, doors, and fixtures inside the structure that was already there, the little house on the cove was nearly unrecognizable.

“It took a lot longer than I thought, but there are very few things that I would change,” said Darlene. “It turned out to be just about exactly what we wanted.”

Though the family put a significant amount of time and money into the house, the budget wasn’t the most important factor on their minds. They plan to keep the property in their family and pass it down for generations of Sparks to enjoy the therapeutic relaxation they’ve found on the shores of Lake Murrary, and both Darlene and Paul are passionate about the value of a job done correctly the first time. Every coat of paint, cabinet, or plank was an investment in the family’s happiness and longevity.