After a near-fatal accident, a resilient Savannah couple rebuilt their life — and custom-built a home — on family land
Written by MARY FITZGERALD
Photography by ANDREW FRAZIER
IT TAKES GRACE AND GRIT to move forward after a life-altering event, and Caroline Brodmann possesses both. In 2018, she thought her life was perfect. She had just graduated from the University of Georgia with a master’s degree in early childhood education; she was engaged to her long-time sweetheart Scott (Scotty) with a wedding date set for December of that same year. Scotty was headed to law school, and Caroline had just landed her “dream job.”
But on a Sunday afternoon in July, their lives changed dramatically when a tree attached to a hammock snapped and landed on Caroline, resulting in a spinal cord injury that left her paralyzed. In December, just two weeks after she returned from rehabilitation at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, Caroline and Scotty exchanged vows. “We went ahead and got married on our original date,” says Caroline. “It was a big year!”
Finding a suitable home was just one more trial for this resilient couple. The newlyweds never imagined they would return to their hometown of Savannah so soon. But needing the help and support of family and friends to assist in Caroline’s recovery, they spent several years living in a cottage on Caroline’s parents’ four-acre property near Pin Point.
By 2020, they had outgrown the space and were ready to live on their own. The couple searched for a home in the area but were unable to find one that lived up to their list of requirements for accessibility. Every house they saw, it seemed, would need a total renovation to accommodate Caroline’s wheelchair. Older houses had small rooms, narrow doorways and tiny bathrooms, and newer homes missed the mark. After striking out, they decided to start from square one and build a custom home.
Then, they discovered the ideal spot to lay the groundwork for their new life was hiding in plain sight. The idyllic lot overlooked Shipyard Creek and Moon River and was surrounded by centuries-old live oak trees. Staying put and building upon the newly formed family compound proved to be the best solution — the couple would have their own space, but family would be close by, if they needed them.
Wide Open Spaces
It took roughly a year to design the 4,400-square-foot, two-story home. The Brodmanns worked closely with the architectural designer, Polly Giles of Home Sweet Floor Plans, and the builder, Jeff Hart of Homes with Hart Construction, to get everything just right.
“We know this will be our forever home,” says Caroline. “But it’s hard to design a house in your 20s, thinking is this going to work in my 30s, 40s and 50s? It’s hard to think that far ahead. That’s why every decision was so important.”
The couple soon learned that building an accessible home presented its own set of obstacles. Wider doorways (Coastal Sash & Door) and allowances around furniture and cabinetry to maneuver her wheelchair were a must, as was an elevator and a lift from the garage. They chose attractive and practical Luxury Vinyl Plank flooring that is scratch-resistant and easy to glide over with a wheelchair. Counter heights were adjusted and lever hardware was specified. Caroline tried to cover every possible scenario. “I did a lot of research to design the house,” she adds.
Simple things like finding the appropriate kitchen sink proved difficult. The “accessible” models had a center drain that would prohibit Caroline from rolling under it to wash dishes. When she called the manufacturer to see if they could adapt it, she says, “the short answer was no.” Luckily, she is not one to take no for an answer — a trait that has served her well in all areas of her life. Ultimately, she had a custom sink made with a side drain which works perfectly for her.
The modifications were important and had to be built-in to allow Caroline to maintain her independence, but she did not want her disability to define the home. The design directive was to focus on the view. “We wanted to maximize our water view,” she says. The expanse of windows and doors in the kitchen, family room and primary bedroom provide a panoramic vista of the majestic trees and the ever-changing tidal view.
Coastal Cues
A gentle-grade threshold in the kitchen and family room transitions the house from indoors to outdoors where a large covered porch gets a lot of use. Caroline specifically asked for one end of the porch to be left uncovered so she can warm up in the sun while taking in the scenery. “The view doesn’t get old,” she says.
The porch is Scotty’s favorite spot too, especially the sitting area off the primary bedroom, which is equipped with a large-screen television. Scotty jokes that choosing the TVs was his main design contribution to the home. He let Caroline take the lead on the furnishings and backed her up on all her decisions.
Meanwhile, the fun part for Caroline was decorating their new home. “I knew what I wanted it to look like,” she says. Defining her style as traditional with a touch of coastal, Caroline chose crisp whites and sea glass colors for the decor.
Every piece selected for the home tells a story of who owned it or where it came from. Caroline and her mom, Kathy Moore, scouted out furniture and accessories from Mom’s and Grandma’s attics, consignment shops and tag sale sites. “We had a ball,” Moore says. “We were sending ideas back and forth all the time.”
A collection of blue and white plates displayed on the kitchen wall belonged to Caroline’s grandmother and great-grandmother and are paired with pretty thrift shop finds. A family friend, Lori Saunders, painted Caroline’s old college dresser in a soothing blue-green and repurposed it as a coffee bar. Chinese Chippendale-style chairs surrounding the kitchen island were a score from Facebook Marketplace and, as luck would have it, are similar in style and color to Serena & Lily chairs that Caroline had been coveting. Accents of gold lend a traditional note in the kitchen with cabinet hardware and a statement chandelier from Pace Lighting.
Designed to Last
One of Caroline’s must-haves for the kitchen was a large island that would double as a table and workspace. Because of its massive size, she recalls, people tried to talk her out of it. But she knew what she wanted, and today the beautiful quartzite island is the heart of the home — a place for the couple to prepare dinner, work, share a meal or gather with guests.
A dining room was another non-negotiable for Caroline. She grew up with a dining room and wanted a separate space for family holidays and special occasions. The table and chairs were another Facebook Marketplace find that she picked up with her mom in Bluffton, South Carolina. To give the second-hand furniture new life, Caroline and Kathy purchased fabric from Sherry’s Honeypot Fabric & More and recovered them with help from the whole family. The buffet was purchased from Seventh Heaven Antiques, and the lamps were found at an estate sale. Family heirlooms, like the tea cart and a cherished magnolia painting, were passed down from Caroline’s paternal grandmother and hold pride of place in this well-loved room.
An expanse of brick warms up the family room. Knowing that a traditional fireplace with a raised hearth would be difficult for Caroline to maneuver around, she specified a flush design with an arched firebox. Wanting the look of Savannah grey brick, she was able to find something comparable but less expensive. The original plan was to shiplap over the mantel — again to save money — but Caroline’s parents gifted them with a practical and much-appreciated Christmas present of additional brick to finish off the surround.
The mantel is very special to Caroline and Scotty. It was milled from a live oak that was felled on the property in order to position the house. When first drawing up plans, the couple tried to position the house around the tree but learned it was impossible. They wanted to keep a piece of the tree to retain the legacy of the land. After all, Shipyard Creek gets its name from its proximity to the Vernon River and the abundance of live oak trees that were favorable for building ships in the Colonial days.
“The mantel weighs 400 pounds and is secured with a steel beam to carry its massive weight,” Caroline says. “It will be here way longer than we will be here.”
Details
- Homeowners: Caroline and Scotty Brodmann
- Neighborhood: Moon River District
- Square footage: 4,400
- Year built: 2023
- Construction/renovation timeline: one year
- Bedrooms and bathrooms: 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms
- Architectural designer: Polly Giles, Home Sweet Home Plans
- Builder/contractor: Jeff Hart, Homes with Hart Construction
- Furniture: Seventh Heaven Antiques; estate sales; Facebook Marketplace
- Fabric: Sherry’s Honey Pot Fabric & More
- Sink: Sandpiper Supply
- Elevator: Tidal Elevator Company
- Tile/flooring: Garden State Tile; The Rug Shoppe
- Lighting: Pace Lighting
- Windows/doors: Marvin Windows; Coastal Sash & Door
- Countertops: Counter Fitters
- Cabinets: Jerry Scott
- Landscaping: May River Landscape Services; Eve Construction
- Mantel: Jesus Ramirez of C One Cabinets and Trim
- Brick: Acme Brick
- Brick installation: Justin Clemens
