Jekyll Island, GA

Echoes of the Gilded Age

In 1995, Smith Dalia Architects  participated in a master plan for the Jekyll Island Historic District, Club Hotel and the historic Crane & Cherokee Cottages. A National Historic Landmark, the Jekyll Island Club Hotel is a 4-star and 4-diamond resort off the coast of Georgia.

The program included a 66-room addition to the hotel, conference center expansion, and adaptive use of two Gilded-Age villas. Multiple improvements to site circulation and views, plus sensitive restoration of historic structures and gardens improved efficiency while enhancing the historic destination experience.

Authentic historic restoration with modern retrofit: Crane and Cherokee Cottages, c. 1900, are excellent examples of the Italian Renaissance style. According to the Architectural Record of 1924, “Crane Cottage was the most expensive and elegant winter home ever built at Jekyll.” Cherokee Cottage takes its name from the Cherokee roses that once surrounded this private river’s-edge villa, and reflects a less formal neoclassical interpretation.

The interior restoration included the use of historic color palettes, recreated light fixtures and coordinated interior design, mingling European and American styles. This captured the tenor and leisurely elegance of the original interiors.

Interior Design by Libby Simms Patrick, Sims Patrick Studio, Inc., Atlanta

Awarded

• 2002 The Georgia Trust Award for Excellence in Rehabilitation
• 2001 Georgia AIA Design Merit Award (Crane and Cherokee Cottages Renovations)
• 2000 Georgia Association of General Contractors Historic Preservation Award

Photo Credits: 2016 - Scott Chester