COMPLETE COASTAL CONVERSION Re n ova t i o n p h o t o s p rov i d e d by C l i f f Wo o d m a n / Po s t - re n ova t i o n p h o t o s by H a r l a n H a m b r i g h t
BEFORE
L
ongtime best friends, the Thomas and Ritche families have been vacationing together for years, frequently on St. Simons Island. Since the Virginia residents have always loved their time here, 40
ELEGANT ISLAND LIVING
BEFORE
they decided to look for a vacation home on the island in early 2016. With the help of local realtor Rory Knapton, they began their search. Ted Ritche discovered a property just off Beachview Drive on Conch Shell Lane online and they arranged a walk-through while the families were vacationing on the island in
March 2017. What they found was a cottage, well-cared for, but very dark and dated. The original structure had been built in the early 1940s and several additions had been made to it over the years, including hook-up to public water. (Until the 1980s, the water
