Design-minded homeowners Jake Heroux and Jacob Jarvis prove age is not a prerequisite to architectural charm with their international source list and well-appointed guest quarters
Written by MARY FITZGERALD
Photography by MARY BRITTON SENSENEY
WANDERING THROUGH the Thomas Square neighborhood in downtown Savannah, you might never guess this house on Barnard Street is a new build. But that’s precisely the look homeowners Jacob Jarvis and Jake Heroux were aiming for. The couple wanted their home to blend seamlessly into the vernacular of the historic Starland neighborhood. “Our primary goal was to create a space that felt like it had been here for many years — full of all the charm and craftsmanship you’d expect to see in a much older home,” Jarvis says.
A visit to the Hostess City was the catalyst for these native North Carolinians to put down roots in Savannah. “We immediately fell in love with the natural beauty of the city, the many local restaurants and bars, the proximity to the coast and, of course, all the beautiful historic architecture,” Jarvis says.
Making the move in 2021, they intended to buy and restore an older home, but after repeatedly being outbid on potential properties, their real estate agent suggested they consider building instead. Jarvis’ mother found the Starland lot while searching online, and the couple quickly jumped on it. Sandwiched between older homes, the land had been vacant for quite a while, but Jarvis and Heroux saw the potential for something great. They were immediately drawn to the walkability of the downtown district, the artistic community, and what they called “the forward future momentum of the neighborhood.”
Once the lot was secured, the next step was to find an architect and builder. They interviewed nine local home builders before choosing Waters Building + Design, who then referred them to architect Demetrius “Meech” Huddleston. The couple worked collaboratively with both to create a traditional, timeless home filled with character, distinctive details and all the amenities of modern life. They wanted to create a “love letter” to Savannah in the form of a house that instantly felt at home in its surroundings and embodied a classic spirit.
Building in a new city on the heels of the pandemic is not an easy feat. “We were just naive enough to be fearless,” Jarvis jokes. But seriously, Jarvis and Heroux were well-equipped for the challenge. Their temperament and talents complement each other — Jarvis has a background in information technology and Heroux in communications/marketing and customer service management.
Jarvis took the lead on the interior design and admits to being obsessive when it comes to the details. “If there are 500 options,” he says, “I feel like I need to go through every single option before I make a decision.”
They did their homework, sourcing the best materials from near and far, including lighting from Australia and Ireland, hardware from the United Kingdom, millwork from Jarvis’ hometown of North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, reeded transom windows — also from North Carolina — and stairs from a company in Wisconsin. Looking for budget-friendly options whenever possible, they were not afraid to combine high and low products, as long as they met their standards and specifications.
A refined yet approachable aesthetic was achieved with handsome built-ins, wood casework and layered mouldings in a moody, masculine color palette. In the living room, a turn-of-the-century mantel was the foundational piece. Found at Lee Smith Antiques downtown and believed to be from the mid-Atlantic region, it was fully restored and painted in Sherwin-Williams Tricorn Black. The fireplace is flanked by custom wood bookcases — designed by Jarvis and built by AWD of Savannah — finished in an Antique Coffee stain. Under the stairs, the cabinetry, painted in Farrow & Ball’s Studio Green, conceals a coat closet and a cozy sleeping nook for the couple’s puggle, Nero. The architect recommended the dramatic cased wood archway to visually separate the open-concept living and kitchen areas. The arch motif is repeated throughout the house — there are seven in total — to create continuity.
When envisioning how he wanted the kitchen to look and feel, Jarvis was inspired by bespoke British brand deVol. He designed the English-style cabinetry to emulate furniture and had the custom cabinets built by AWD of Savannah, then painted in the same Studio Green found in the living room. Appointments such as the marble picture ledge, custom hardware and handcrafted lighting add to the artisanal aesthetic.
Countertops of Portinari marble line the perimeter, partnered with a dark soapstone on the island — all fabricated by MultiStone in Savannah. The actual stone was sourced online, a slightly risky option admits the couple, but it was a significant cost-saver, and they were pleased with the end result. Tile from Garden State Tile lends another textural note behind the range. “Jake and I both love to cook,” Jarvis says, “so designing a kitchen that allowed us to cook together was important to us.”
The tile is echoed in the dining nook, where a barrel ceiling treatment cleverly disguises an awkward angle created by the adjacent stairwell and defines the intimate eating area. A friend from North Carolina, Craig DeCicco of DeCicco Woodshop, built the one-of-a-kind dining table, fashioned from an oak tree removed from the property prior to construction.
The architect originally earmarked the space behind the kitchen for a large walk-in scullery, but the couple opted to convert this space into a home office. The color story continues with the green cabinetry, paired here with a French ticking stripe wallpaper from Magnolia. The ceiling moulding design mimics that of the living room.
A small but mighty powder room is papered in House of Hackney’s Trematonia pattern in Onyx and contrasted with Benjamin Moore’s bold Cottage Red paint. A pair of cheeky hand sconces from Ballard Designs (selected by Heroux) illuminates an RH console with a soapstone top and a decorative backsplash, also by MultiStone.
Upstairs, the primary bedroom is a sophisticated sanctuary, dressed in Cole & Son’s Fornasetti Nuvolette wallpaper and painted wainscoting. A porch off the bedroom provides an intimate spot to enjoy a morning coffee with a bird’s-eye view of the neighborhood. The en suite bath takes its cue from a luxury New York City hotel bathroom. Jarvis studied the vintage floor found in an inspiration image and mimicked the pattern to create the rug border motif with mosaic tiles from Garden State Tile. Plumbing fixtures from Ferguson, RH vanities and mirrors found on Amazon complete the space.
The rear courtyard is a favorite spot for the two to entertain friends and family. Landscaping by Victory Gardens and tabby pavers from Savannah Surfaces are in keeping with the historic integrity of the new/old home. A path leads to the adjacent carriage house, which includes a garage and a STVR (short term vacation rental). Named the Cottage at Verdant House, the accommodations welcome guests to Savannah with two bedrooms, a well-appointed bathroom (including another antique clawfoot tub), a fully-equipped kitchen and all the high-end amenities one would expect from a luxury hotel, all in the comfort of a cozy cottage that feels like home. The finishes are as thoughtful and upscale as the main house, including herringbone-patterned floors, full-size appliances, custom cabinetry and charming bedrooms decorated with Morris & Co. wallpaper.
“One of our goals as a couple has always been to lean into the experience of hosting others. We were raised to welcome others into our home and make them feel comfortable,” Jarvis says. “We also loved the idea of a multi-use space we could reserve for our friends and family when they came to visit.”
Despite some sleepless nights in the process, the couple is proud of the result. In fact, so energized by their accomplishments, they have started their next venture, a design studio dubbed Verdant House, to offer assistance to others who want to follow in their footsteps.
DETAILS
- Homeowners: Jacob “Jake” Heroux and Jacob Jarvis
- Neighborhood: Thomas Square/Streetcar Historic District
- Year built: 2024
- Number of bedrooms and bathrooms: five bedrooms (three in main house and two in carriage house); 3.5 bathrooms (2.5 in main house and one in carriage house)
- Square footage: 2,967 square feet (1,915 in main house and 1,042 in carriage house)
- Architect: Demetrius Huddleston
- Interior designer: Jacob Jarvis, Verdant House
- Builder: Waters Building + Design
- General contractor: Shawn McConnell
- Landscape design: Victory Gardens
- Courtyard tile: Savannah Surfaces
- Custom cabinetry: AWD Savannah
- Countertops: MultiStone
- Cabinet and door hardware: Yester Home
- Plumbing and appliances: Ferguson
- Tile: Garden State Tile installed by Kent Phillips of Sunrise Restoration
- Paint: Farrow & Ball; Benjamin Moore; Sherwin-Williams
- Wallpaper: House of Hackney; Morris & Co.; Cole & Son
- Wood flooring: Eckards Flooring
- Lighting: Mullan Lighting; Edison Light Globes; RH Exterior windows and doors: Guerry Lumber
- Interior transom windows: Transoms Direct
- Stairs: Kinzel Wood Products
- Trim and millwork: East Coast Moulding
