ROYALLY APPOINTED

The Prince George neighborhood in Pawleys Island offers an exceptional lifestyle

by ROBIN HOWARD / photography by HOLGER OBENAUS

IF YOU’RE SEEKING A HOME IN THE LOWCOUNTRY, you need to know about Prince George, a gated community in Pawleys Island. Peace Sotheby’s International Realty sales associates Carol Jayroe and Rhonda Sawyer call this community “one of the most unique neighborhoods on the East Coast.” Prince George offers an exceptional lifestyle, with exclusive beach access to the east and river access to the west. It feels like a place out of time along the laid-back yet upscale Waccamaw Neck. Just an hour from Charleston, it is near enough for day trips to the Holy City, but it is far removed from traffic and crowds.

Located south of downtown Pawleys Island, Prince George is a gated community brimming with amenities, including private beach access; tennis, basketball and volleyball courts; swimming pool; clubhouse; nature trails; bike paths; and more.

Prince George is a special place with homes and homesites that either border the Atlantic Ocean or the Waccamaw River, which is a part of the Intracoastal Waterway. Most dwellings are set on 2 to 5 acres and nestle into trees at the end of winding driveways. World-class community amenities include a clubhouse, pool and a garden-like recreation area with tennis, basketball and volleyball courts; however, this isn’t a resort neighborhood, and it doesn’t want to be. Prince George is a natural wonder of pristine beaches, forests and wetlands, making it a tranquil setting for luxurious coastal homes. People and wildlife live here in harmony, and there are no rentals to swell the community in summer.

If Prince George sounds like your idea of paradise, a magnificent property has become available. The 6,100-square-foot home on 4.1 acres at 3734 Vanderbilt Blvd. was designed by architect Felix Ayres of Ayres and Associates and built in 2015 by Chris Walton of C.R. Walton Construction. It is a traditional-style home with four bedrooms, six full baths and three half-baths, and it has a self-contained guest suite with a full living room, kitchenette, laundry room and separate entrance. The home is truly a testament to the lifestyle of this extraordinary community.

The large dining room can accommodate a round or rectangular table for large or small gatherings. A coffered ceiling and arched doors add architectural interest.

Because Prince George is a coastal sanctuary for its residents, homes often function as personal entertainment venues and remote workspaces. As you enter this house, to the left is a spacious open dining room and to the right is a home office. The office has sliding French pocket doors, custom built-in bookcases and storage, and a stunning tray ceiling. The dining room can host large dinner parties at a round or rectangular table or be scaled down for more intimate family dinners. The quality of light in both rooms is a credit to the architect’s skill and vision.  

The inviting open living room has a massive gas fireplace with ornate mantel and no shortage of serene views. A coffered ceiling and intricate woodwork add elegance to this comfortable room. The kitchen is the hub of this lovely home. A granite island, plentiful counter space and Sub-Zero and Wolf appliances keep the home chef happy. A wet bar provides storage for wine, glasses and a serve-yourself beverage fridge mounted under the counter. A cozy seating area in the kitchen is a favorite place for coffee, reading or socializing before dinner. Off of the kitchen, a glass-walled four-season room steals the show. Equipped with a gas fireplace, television, Carolina swing and doors that bring the outside in, this is everyone’s favorite room. 

The expansive kitchen opens to the four-season porch and a cozy breakfast nook.

South Carolina is an increasingly popular retirement destination, and this home is intelligently designed with age-in-place features such as three downstairs bedrooms, all with curbless showers. The expansive primary bedroom has an exquisite barrel-vaulted ceiling with coffered lighting and gas fireplace. The en suite bathroom has spectacular built-in cabinets, a granite-topped dual vanity and the most remarkable zero-entry, doorless shower you may ever see. A separate part of the main bathroom is home to a luxurious dressing area with a full closet and classic slipper tub. 

“Living at the beach, you’ll always have visitors,” Sawyer says. A second bedroom on the first floor is perfect for guests. This room has generous closet space and an attached full bath with a shower. Guests may fight for rights to the third guest bedroom, which opens to the four-season porch. This bedroom also has a full bathroom with a zero-entry shower.  

For frequent beach trips or outdoor activities, the massive laundry room, with its beautiful custom cabinets and extra storage, offers a drop zone for sandy shoes and beach towels. The potting room just inside the back door can also be used as a mudroom, boot room or pet-
care room.  

French doors in the owner’s suite open to peaceful, private views of the beautifully landscaped pool and yard.

Upstairs you’ll find a charming billiards room with a full bath, wet bar and a wine or beverage fridge. The billiards room has access to a quaint outdoor sitting area with sunlit, verdant views. On the opposing side, over the second wing, you’ll find a cozy, light-filled den or seating area that features a built-in custom home theater, as well as a full bath.  

Outdoors, a pool house with outdoor kitchen, A/C bathroom, dual outdoor shower and double-sided fireplace leads to the jewel in this property: the magnificent pool with sloped entry, tanning shelf and a spa with a waterfall. “The pool features a heater and a chiller, a real luxury in Lowcountry summers,” Jayroe says. There is a fenced area for dogs or kids, idyllic landscaping and ambient lighting for magical evenings.  

Around the front is a courtyard flanked by two wings that house two sets of three-bay garages (that’s a six-car garage, if you’re counting), which are heated and cooled. Dual car lifts make it possible to stow an eighth vehicle—or even more toys, like a golf cart to ride to the beach, kayaks to paddle in the creek or a Jet Ski to explore the river.  

This expansive home is so well designed that guests and family members have ample private space when the house is full, but it is friendly and cozy when it’s just two.

A gas fireplace and TV in the outdoor living room is the perfect place to enjoy the game or movie night with the family.

Jayroe and Sawyer have been representing homes in Prince George for 17 years. “We are proud to represent 3734 Vanderbilt Blvd.,” Jayroe says. “This home is a reflection of the community and the epitome of
Lowcountry living.” *

Robin Howard is a freelance writer in Charleston. See more of her work at robinhowardwrites.com.

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