Some places stay with you long after you leave them.

For us, Charleston was one of those places.

Our story began nearly thirty years ago, shortly after we were married, when Brian traveled to Charleston on business. I joined him, and despite the heat, we climbed aboard a horse-drawn carriage to see the city. I was captivated by Charleston’s architecture and history, but even more by its commitment to preserving the character of the city. There was something wonderfully intentional about it—the decision to protect what was beautiful rather than constantly replace it with something newer.

We didn’t know it then, but Charleston had made an impression.

Life, however, took us in several other directions. We were living at the Jersey Shore when career opportunities eventually brought us to Scottsdale, Arizona. We loved our years there, and then, after the birth of our two daughters, we made an even bigger move—to Hong Kong.

Those seven years were an adventure unto themselves, and we jokingly referred to the experience as “sleep-away camp for adults.” It was exciting, challenging, and unforgettable. Eventually, though, we found ourselves wanting to return to our roots and be closer to family.

Returning home brought its own adjustment. After years abroad, we experienced what can only be described as reverse culture shock. We eventually settled back into American life.

As our daughters approached the end of high school, we sold our home in Ridgewood and rented a wonderful house with wraparound porches while we prepared to send them off to college.

Brian and I were looking forward to heading south to be closer to my parents in Bluffton.

The decision to make it Charleston came while we were visiting colleges with our younger daughter. We happened to be in Naples, Florida, when Brian and I looked at each other and realized that Charleston was where we wanted to be. We loved the city’s particular brand of casual elegance—the architecture, the gardens, the water, and the feeling that beautiful surroundings could still feel relaxed and welcoming.

I will always remember the transition. We packed up the last of our New Jersey belongings, drove our younger daughter to college in North Carolina, and immediately continued south. Brian drove one car with one dog; I drove the other car with the other dog. Together, we convoyed to our new rental house off Ben Sawyer Road.

Charleston had finally come back into our lives.

For two years, we rented off Ben Sawyer Road. The neighborhood had very little shade, but because we have two small dogs, we walk—a lot. We frequently found ourselves heading to I’On, where the tree-lined streets provided shade and the setting was simply beautiful.

Then “the” house came on the market. I had been keeping an eye on this house from the moment I saw it several years ago. Knowing that Brian always loved brick houses, I arranged a showing.

We fell in love with the house almost immediately.

The property itself, however, needed a little imagination. The landscaping was overgrown, the hardscape was uninspired, and the interior was drab from years of neglect and rental use. But we could see beyond what was there. We could see what it could become.

So we began.

Our first project was removing an invasive stand of bamboo that had grown so aggressively it was actually damaging the windows. We resealed the windows, then wire-brushed, cleaned, and painted the lintels.

Next came the brick-and-iron fence—our first major project and one that established the direction for everything that followed.

The project was made possible in part through the IDC, which recommended using the same brick as our house rather than the Charleston brick we had originally considered. We were also incredibly fortunate to find Isaias and Uriel of Craftsman Outdoors Services.

They are true craftsmen in every sense of the word.

They listened to our ideas, contributed their own expertise, and brought a level of artistry and care to the work that exceeded our expectations.

When they completed the walkway leading to our front porch, they asked whether we would like to incorporate a design into the brickwork. We showed them an idea we had been planning on incorporating into the property as a theme, and their eyes immediately lit up.

They created a stencil themselves and spent an entire day carefully cutting and installing the design, in bluestone, at no additional charge.

That kind of craftsmanship is exceptional, and we knew we had found someone special.

The fence and walkway transformed the front of the house, but the concrete walkways surrounding the property still left much to be desired. We weren’t quite sure how to approach the next phase.

Craftsman Outdoors Services did.

Isaias and Urial patiently worked with us to transform the existing concrete into beautiful, natural-feeling bluestone hardscape that gave the property the atmosphere of a private resort.

With the hardscape complete, the landscaping suddenly became the next challenge. If the hardscape had initially seemed like a bridge too far, the landscaping seemed almost impossible.

Once again, our friends at Craftsman said, “No worries.”

They introduced us to Preston at Charleston Landscaping Services.

Preston brought exactly what we needed: patience, creativity, knowledge, and a wonderfully steady approach. He listened to our ideas, refined them, and offered suggestions we never would have considered ourselves.

Together, we transformed the property.

Today, people walking past often tell us that the house looks like a resort—or even a wedding venue. It is incredibly gratifying to hear, particularly because we remember so clearly what it looked like when we first saw it.

But there was still one problem.

We could enjoy everything during the day, but once the sun went down, much of what we had created disappeared into the darkness.

Enter Connor’s Irrigation and Lighting Services.

Connor spent countless hours digging, trenching and navigating the property’s considerable volume of roots to install an efficient irrigation system to grow and preserve our new plantings.

He also spent quality time to determine how best to highlight the architecture, landscaping, and hardscape. He approached the lighting as another layer of the landscape rather than simply a way to illuminate it.

At one point, he even came to the house during a rainstorm to make final adjustments.

The result was transformative.

At night, the property takes on an entirely different character. The gardens glow, the pathways come alive, and the house feels warm and inviting from the street.

Of course, while all of this was happening outside, we were making changes inside as well. Brian and I have painted practically every room in the house, and he painted all of the porch ceilings haint blue—a small Charleston tradition that felt perfectly at home here.

Today, we couldn’t be happier with the result.

But perhaps the most rewarding part of this experience has not been the finished house. It has been discovering how much talent exists right here in our own community.