Gardens, Guests & Gratitude: A Long Awaited Homecoming
Forty years ago, a couple purchased three lots on a point on Lake Murray in Chapin. With great vision, they built a beautiful Colonial Revival home and created a sweeping landscape filled with azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias, gardenias, hollies and roses. In 2017, Shawn and Jeff Grover of Alpharetta, GA purchased this extraordinary property from the original owners.
The Grovers were introduced to Chapin through a temporary house swap. Their friends and neighbors from Alpharetta had purchased a lake-front, 8,700 square foot dream home off Hiller Road and made the move, but with a daughter who was getting ready to finish up high school in Alpharetta, their friends knew they would be returning to Georgia at the beginning of the school year. Shawn and her husband were interested in escaping the noise of their ever-growing town which, when they first moved there, was about the same size as Chapin today. With perfect circumstances in place, the couples decided to temporarily trade houses.
One evening at Figaro - The Dining Room, the Grovers ran into author Pat Conroy who was headlining at the Newberry Opera House. As Pat was walking by their table, he said hello and stopped to chat. The group had much in common, as they were all from Georgia and knew many of the same restaurants and shops. As fans, Shawn and Jeff were quite struck by the experience. It highlighted their desire for the charm associated with living in a small town. Already knowing they loved living on the lake, the couple decided to search for a permanent home in Chapin.
In Georgia, Shawn was heavily involved in the Atlanta technology community, working for major telecommunications corporations, the university system, and many technology start-up companies, as well as volunteering with several nonprofit technology associations. But her interest in local history and antebellum architecture lead her to also volunteer with many of the historic preservation efforts taking place in her community. With a love for antiques and interest in historic homes, both Shawn and Jeff knew they wanted an older, established house with an antebellum look, but they weren’t ready to restore a century old home.
The first time the couple entered the Chapin neighborhood to see the house, Shawn had reservations due to the double yellow line on the main loop. It may sound silly, but when it came to real estate, she and her friends had always agreed on a few hard and fast facts. A double yellow line was a sure indication of traffic and congestion. Walker-friendly communities like the one Shawn was seeking wouldn’t need or have a double yellow line. But in less than a minute, her mind and rules changed.
Instead of traffic, she found an old, established neighborhood with an eclectic array of houses. The first homes here were built in the late 60s, and were nothing more than lake cabins. As the years rolled on, more homes were added along the shore line, some big, some small; all by different builders, in different styles, at different times. The resulting neighborhood showcases big, beautiful mature trees, large private yards and an appealing mosaic of architectural styles and sizes.
Upon first seeing their now-home, it’s fair to say it was love at first sight. Shawn and Jeff loved the grounds. They loved that there were several porches to enjoy. They loved its Colonial Revival style, the grand staircase in the foyer, and they loved that it had no fewer than six fireplaces. Just enough of the house could be seen from the road to tickle the curiosity of bypassers; with the rolling landscapes welcoming family and friends who turned into the driveway to visit the private retreat.
Already familiar with Chapin, the Grover’s knew instantly that a two plus acre lot with 690 feet of shoreline located only three miles from the center of town was a miracle find, but a full year and a half would pass before the price was right and the purchase complete. In the meantime, they considered other homes in Lexington and Prosperity. Their love for the charming colonial surrounded by beautiful Lake Murray remained in their memories like a perfect first kiss.
Like many South Carolinians, Jeff gradually migrated here from the north. Born in New York, Jeff was close with his grandmother, Gisa, who ran a dress shop out of her Broadway apartment. He went to public school in the Washington DC area, and then moved to Atlanta to complete a bachelors and master’s degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology. After graduation, he remained on campus, working for over 25 years at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) specializing in cyber security. After retiring from GTRI, he continued his work for another 10 years at the University of Alabama.
Jeff and Shawn met and married while both worked at GTRI. Twelve years later, their son Devon was born. By the time he was 10, the two-income, demanding career scenario was beginning to take a toll on family life. Shawn, whose heart was constantly being drawn toward the domestic side of life anyway, happily quit her job. Though grateful for some amazing professional opportunities, she embraced being a full-time mom and housewife. She was able to work part-time for many years for a retail/interior design firm housed in a gorgeous 1916 farmhouse with 12-foot ceilings and 8 fireplaces less than 5 minutes from her house. In addition, she continued volunteer work in the historic district of Roswell, serving both in the garden guild and as a docent/tour guide in one of the historic homes/museum.
As a small child in West Virginia, Shawn spent almost every day at her grandfather’s house on the banks of the Kanawha River. The old mahogany dining room furniture and multiple china cabinets that displayed formal sets of china and figurines mesmerized her. Though locked and off limits to small children, Shawn spent hours standing in front of those cabinets, just looking... The transition from technology to home design was a natural one for her, as she was always a homebody and naturally drawn to home interiors.
Over the years, Jeff and Shawn have enjoyed collecting antiques and have honed their skills at identifying pieces that would complement their impressive collection. While Shawn attests that she is not a design-school educated designer, she has worked with many designers and has learned a great deal from them. (Regardless of degrees, I would say that, indeed, Shawn is a designer, as she has the ability to visualize and create a room that looks and feels exactly the way she wants it to feel, which is precisely what designers do.)
Their colonial was built in 1981, but is successfully styled to look and feel as though it was built in the mid-1800s. The imperial staircase in the foyer grandly welcomes visitors and sets the tone of the rest of the home with the exception of the modern kitchen and fireside keeping room. The previous owners renovated both spaces, installing modern appliances including a built in refrigerator, double oven, 6-burner gas cooktop, and an island, which is much larger than any island that would have been built in the 80s. A separate coffee and wine bar in the keeping room houses glass fronted cabinets for glassware, a wine refrigerator, icemaker and a prep sink. Even so, much of the house is in its original state—and feels very much like an old house.
Upstairs, the Grover’s have converted a sitting room connected to the master bedroom into an office. This was done so they could convert the downstairs office into a bedroom for guests who didn’t want to manage the stairs. Both rooms have bathrooms attached, and the easy switch ultimately created a five bedroom, four full bath house with an office. It’s a perfect set up for all the guests and entertaining that the couple regularly enjoys.
Shawn and Jeff plan on redesigning the kitchen island to support bar seating, as they recognize the kitchen as a popular gathering place for cooking and conversation. Contrary to recent design trends, Shawn has never been hesitant to utilize a formal living or dining room. She likes having separate rooms, “so the guys can be over there watching sports or the news, and I can be over here conversing and cooking.” She likes the nooks in the home and the privacy they provide.
With balconies on the northern and southern sides of the upstairs, the Grovers and their guests can step out and relish treetop views overlooking the lake to the north and south. The southern-facing upstairs porch is one of their favorite places to relax and enjoy the outdoors with a book and a glass of iced tea or wine, and it’s easy to see why.
The landscaping is unique with a sprawling, lush, green lawn and mature trees offering shade. Fifteen foot rhododendrons and an even larger banana shrub (no, they don’t produce bananas but the spring blooms do smell exactly like ripe bananas,) line the walkway that leads from the main entrance to the back yard; their scent beckoning visitors to the sun-splashed western tip of the property, lake and dock.
Shawn recently planted lilies, dahlias, irises, and phlox around the gazebo that overlooks the lake, promising fragrant breezes and enchanting bursts of color throughout the summer months. But these are just a compliment to the existing roses, gardenias, salvia, sedum, and jasmine planted by the previous owners. Even the shed is picturesque; looking very much like a little dollhouse.
It wasn’t very long after they moved into their home that the Grover’s realized they weren’t the only people who thought the home was something special. A minor injury during the move brought them to Urgent Care where the doctor they saw told them that his parents had considered the house for themselves. At more than one local party, neighbors would delight in realizing, “Oh, you bought the yellow house?? I love the yellow house!” Neighborhood high school kids came knocking to ask permission to take their homecoming photos in the sprawling back yard. Even their landscaper offers unique insight into the property. He has been maintaining that yard for over 40 years—before there was even a house on it. After the Grovers purchased the home, it was the landscaper who showed them around their own property and explained what was growing where and how to care for it. Of course, he still takes care of the yard today.
Inside, the home is decorated beautifully with antiques, transitional upholstered furniture, and artwork, much of which has been received from friends and family. Some paintings were inherited by Jeff from his grandmother, whose New York-based artist friend created and framed them in ornate frames back in the late 50’s. Annette Pate, an Atlanta-based artist created other pieces, one specifically for Shawn. Hanging in the living room, this oil painting features many of Shawn’s favorite things placed against a red damask drape: a small portrait of her husband and toddler son, old books, cut crystal red wine glasses, a bowl of hydrangeas and an old ginger jar. It’s one of Shawn’s most beloved pieces of artwork.
Encased in one of the china cabinets that belonged to Shawn’s grandfather, proudly sits a nameplate – GISA – from Jeff’s grandmother’s New York dress shop. Surrounded by teacups, silver pitchers and more of Jeff’s grandmother’s treasures, the small sign represents countless memories to Jeff. And, yes, this is the same cabinet in front of which— over 50 years ago —a small girl living in West Virginia, stood and just starred.
Early in the Grover’s marriage, they purchased the only matching pieces of furniture they own: an old dining room set found at a well-known antiques/estate warehouse in Atlanta. This purchase proved to be a very impromptu compatibility test. Being a crowded warehouse, both set off in different directions to browse. Shawn came upon a buffet she loved, but the price deemed way beyond their budget. Concurrently, Jeff found a sideboard that he admired, with no price at all. Each of them beckoned the other to view their finds and discovered the pieces matched. The price on Shawn’s find included not only the buffet and sideboard, but also a dining table, six chairs, two extensions, and custom pads. They bought the set because they both loved it, not because it matched, although Shawn recognizes that finding matching sets of anything in the antique world is somewhat unusual.
Other beloved pieces include a grandfather clock in the foyer that was purchased in 2010 which has indications that it may be from 1826 Scotland. It’s a challenge to keep it running, but the couple enjoys it for the array of colors in its painted face and the beautiful wood inlay in the clock cabinet.
Shawn and Jeff have not been residents of the house for very long, but are already in the early stages of planning a renovation. They hope to add more windows over the kitchen sink to bring in more light and showcase their sweeping lake views. And even though they (and all their neighbors) fell in love with what has always been known as “the yellow house,” it will not be yellow for too much longer. The house will be painted in colors of Vellum, Creamy White, and Andiron (a black / brown) on the shutters.
With their new, old, ideal-for-entertaining home, the Grovers are excited and humbly thankful to be settling down in such a beautiful home in charming Chapin. “I am so grateful that we were able to discover and own this lovely property,” Shawn said. Like many older houses, theirs reflects the decades of love and care it received from its previous owners, the landscaper and perhaps even the visitors who respected and enjoyed its beauty during their stays. The Grovers look forward to the summer, to hosting future celebrations and to caring for their home; ensuring that guests and even future owners will one day relish the property’s lush flora, light, beauty and charm.
When the Grovers aren’t planning renovations, volunteering locally, or relaxing on their treetop porches, you’ll likely find them enjoying the sunsets on the lake with a bevy of happy houseguests; their hearts full of gratitude for the people and circumstances that ultimately welcomed them home.
photographs by ted b. williams
