July 2015 – Belfair Featured Home

Click Here for Virtual Magazine  Some newlyweds travel or take up a new hobby; Barry and Amy Kydd built a new house together. Their search for a place to retire began while Barry was winding down his career in New Jersey and Amy was living in Toronto. They knew they wanted to be close to the water and eventually settled on Belfair and Bluffton. Building a house was never their intention. They had planned to buy an existing home and fix it up. considered building. “Falling in love with the lot is really what made us take the leap,” said Barry. “It’s rather unique for Belfair in that it has a long driveway. It sits right on Hidden Lake and the 12th hole of the golf course. “ Barry, born and raised in India has lived and worked around the world. Amy grew up in the Philippines and has lived in Hong Kong and other countries. So they wanted to find a community with residents who had a similar international background. “Belfair just gives off a positive energy that’s very appealing. And the surrounding land and landscaping has a mature feel that’s comforting,” said Barry. The Kydds picked the design and floor plan of a home H2 Builders had previously built. They enlarged and modified it a bit to put their own stamp on it. The result is a stunning single level, three-bedroom home with an open floor plan. It’s painted in neutral colors to optimize the beauty of the surrounding lot and reflective light. As you enter through the front door, the home has a seamless flow right out to the lake in the backyard. “We don’t have a big family; it’s just us and a cat. We wanted something very manageable,” said Barry. The Kydds curved the garage so it feels as if the house is “giving you a hug” as you come up the driveway. “The porch is our favorite part of the house. It truly feels like indoor/outdoor living. And there’s constant entertainment watching the different birds fly in and out of the lake and spotting the alligators that used to sun themselves on our empty lot.” As for landscaping, they kept the palmetto trees that were native to the lot. Amy has added splashes of color to the garden with roses and other flowers the deer won’t eat. The Kydds have quickly settled into Lowcountry life. Amy loves working out in Belfair’s gym while Barry is a swimmer. Both enjoy the beach and look forward to exploring Savannah, Beaufort and the surrounding area. All in all, building a house was a much more enjoyable experience than expected. “Especially now that we’re reaping the fruits of our labor, we know it was all worth it.” said Barry.