Some of the most magical places in the world come from humble beginnings. That’s how the story starts for this incredible home on the Isle of Hope, a paradise found just outside of Savannah, Georgia. As a mid-19th-century plantation plain house on the Skidaway River, it wasn’t nearly as grand as it is today, even when in the 1920s the owners attempted to renovate it into a Federal-style home.
Norman Askins of Atlanta’s Norman Davenport Askins Architects, who worked alongside project architect Geoffrey Yovanovic to design the home, says it “generally started as a two-story possum trot house,” a design characterized by two rooms connected by an open breezeway all under one roof.
Building upon the home’s simple, modest roots, the 1920s homeowners took it upon themselves to embellish the home through Federal-style details, such as the exterior columns, trim, windows, and doors.
“What had been an idyllic summer retreat of Isle of Hope became absorbed into the suburbs of Savannah,” Askins says. “The home lost its vernacular character, became full- time living, and adopted the style of the day.”
Askins goes on to say, “We took naive historical ambitions poorly executed in the 1920s and turned them into reality.” This involved tearing down “modern additions” made in the late 19th and early 20th century in the rear part of the home because they were in poor condition.
Askins further details, “There was a 3-inch slope difference in the floor from the front to back of the house. Various outbuildings on the property were totally rotten and unusable.”
The home is set on the Isle of Hope “with beautiful views of the intracoastal waterway,” says Mary Marsteller, owner of Atlanta design firm Webb Marsteller. After the homeowners purchased the property in 2019, Marsteller got to work alongside independent designer Mary Allison Buzzell to perfect the home for a family of five.
The project was lovingly carried out over four years, completed by builders Esposito Construction Inc. and Reddin Construction and landscape architect Witmer Jones Keefer, with landscaping crafted by Milling Land Design.
As a “forever home to raise their family,” as Marsteller says, it should come as no surprise that this project was actually a family affair: Owner Price Mingledorff is Marsteller’s niece. Mingledorff says that it was her husband’s dream to be on the waterway: “This street holds a special place, as it’s one of the oldest streets in Savannah.”
Askins says that many areas of the house were rebuilt after extensive efforts to preserve it because of its deteriorated state.
“The front portico was rebuilt because of extensive rot,” he says. “Then we added a large addition to the main house off the back of the original house, a guest house/pool house, detached garage, and party barn in the very rear of the property.”
The front four rooms remained the same size, but only the dining room continued to serve the same purpose. But the architects did stay true to its 19th-century Savannah architectural heritage.
“We studied the pattern books of the era where the taste in architecture was in flux from Federal of the early Republic to a fascination in the newly rediscovered Greek architecture,” Askins says. “The stairs were poorly built, so we built a sweeping circular stair replete with 19th-century details. We updated the interior trim to the period the house was originally built. We played up the old-world luxury of a gentleman’s parlor clad in pecky cypress paneling and a high-gloss lacquer painted ladies’ parlor in the original front river view rooms.
Though the team certainly took the home's architecture and historical design details into consideration, Askins says, “We didn’t want to design a museum, so we updated it for today’s living with a new kitchen and extensive back of house with laundry and mud hall.”
Now that the renovations are complete, the home has been restored to its former glory, once serving as summer retreat to get away from the heat of Savannah. Porches and verandas capture breezes off the river on sultry days, and the Spanish moss-laden live oaks provide restful shade for all who reside in the home. It’s where homeowners Price and Joe Mingledorff watch the boats drift by while dolphins flit in the waters.
“One of our goals was to keep the romance of the location,” Askins says. And it’s safe to say that they’ve done exactly that.
Exterior
Punctuated by moss and live oaks, Askins says that originally, the exterior was “rotten” and “in total disrepair.” He says, “We replaced the siding, the windows, the doors, and the roof. We rebuilt the portico, replacing the rotten wood square columns with Greek Ionic round columns and we added dormers with Greek key detailing.”
Portico
To keep the classic feel, a gas lantern from McLean Lighting Works illuminates the portico.
Entryway
“The entryway is new,” Askins explains. “It was redesigned and rebuilt based upon early Greek examples found in Rochester, New York. The glass from the original windows of the house was salvaged and reused for sidelites on the front door, and transoms throughout the house.” Rug, Keivan Woven Arts.
Dining Room
Marsteller says that with the existing shape of the dining room, the custom corner bench, crafted by Westside Custom Upholstery, created more of “an intimate setting” and acted as “a great place for guests to gather when entertaining.”
The floral wallpaper overtakes the dining room in the best way possible. Marsteller says that homeowner Price Mingledorff “fell in love” with this hand painted mural made by Gracie Studio, and it actually helped create a starting point for the color palette of the entire home.
Kitchen
The kitchen, decked out in soapstone, takes a contemporary turn in an otherwise traditional home. Barstools, Vanguard Furniture.
Breakfast Nook
The airy breakfast nook features a spectacular handpainted floor, created by Atlanta’s Anne Bielowicz. It acts as a backdrop for the long banquet table and mix of chairs, which “serves as a spot for the family to gather,” as Marsteller says.
Den
Pecky cypress takes center stage in the den—Anne Bielowicz added a handpainted finish as well. The fireplace is surrounded by moody marble from François & Co., which perfectly accompanies the antique trunk found on Chairish.
Powder Room
“The powder room is the jewel box of the home,” Marsteller says. “It’s a small space that we felt could truly be one of the most interesting rooms, which lead us to choose the floating soapstone vanity and the antique French marble vessel sink.” Lampshades, Edgar-Reeves Lighting.
Staircase
Askins says that the “new sweeping staircase” was hand-built by master stair builder Timothy Johnson. “The pickets are individually spun by the stair maker and based upon the design of the stair pickets in the Greek Revival Mississippi Governor’s mansion,” Askins adds.
Primary Bedroom
Marsteller says that they wanted the primary bedroom to be a peaceful retreat for the homeowners. “The view of the marsh from the master bedroom and porch is stunning, and we wanted the room to reflect this view,” she says. “We achieved this by using a calming blue and green color palette and a mix of antiques and custom two poster bed from Holland MacRae.”
In the primary bedroom, this soft shade of blue acts as “the perfect backdrop for the client’s art and collections,” as Marsteller puts it. Drapes, Hodsoll McKenzie.
Primary Bathroom
The primary bath is so luxurious in marble, as it frames the soothing soaking tub. “The antique pressed botanicals from Foxglove Antiques & Galleries above the freestanding tub follow the shape of the marble backsplash,” Marsteller points out.
Guest Bedroom
The guest room features the same shade of coral that dots the dining room. “This room evolved from some cool antique doors we purchased awhile before construction,” Marsteller says. Lumbar pillow, Peter Fasano Fabrics & Wallcoverings.
Bar
“The bar is a connection between the original part of the house and the new family addition,” Askins says. “We felt that we needed a strong connection that was a punctuation element: a surprise in this otherwise rather straightforward house.” Light fixtures, Vaughan Designs.
Outdoor Spaces
Throughout the property, several porches invite you to linger in the outdoors, as Marsteller says. Outdoor furniture, Amalfi Living.
The pool adds another luxe touch to the outdoor spaces. Outdoor furniture, Amalfi Living.
Pool House
To bring the home even further into the current era, a pool house was added to the property. Lighting, Bevelo Gas & Electric Lights.
In the pool house, Marsteller says that they wanted a “lighter, airy, coastal feel.” Drapery fabric, Heather Chadduck Textiles.
In this pool house bathroom, the mix of patterns, which includes the Pierre Frey wallpaper, the skirt under the sink, and an accompanying bench cushion, along with the juxtaposing materials, “make this small space a fun changing room for a family of girls,” Marsteller says.
Barn
This barn, added to the property, isn’t any ordinary barn. It includes a co*cktail lounge, golf simulator, card table, and private office.
Marsteller says that the barn has a “party atmosphere,” and yet, it’s “collected and inviting, with a warm feeling of home.” Chairs, Wesley Hall Furniture.
Dock
Looking from the dock, you can appreciate just how bucolic and tranquil this home really is.
The sun goes down on another day spent at this Isle of Hope home.
Shelby Deering
Shelby Deering is a lifestyle writer who specializes in decor, home tours, wellness, travel, vintage, and feel-good stories for national publications. She’s from Madison, Wisconsin, and when she’s not writing, you’ll find her running local trails, shopping flea markets, or going for walks with her husband and corgi.
