Mount Pleasant Magazine Nov/Dec 2018

195 www.MountPleasantHomes.com | www.MountPleasantAgents.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com real estate C raftsmanship runs through local developer Tim Askins’ blood. His grandfather, father and uncle were all builders, so, beginning in his formative years, he was already plying the tools of the trade. Name something, and he can probably build or restore it. Askins has constructed homes, boats and cabinets, and he restores classic 1950s woody station wagons in his spare time. Askins’ custom-built, 3,500-square-foot, four-bedroom, three-and-a-half bath, two-story home called the Cabinet Maker’s Cottage reflects his unique background. Nestled in the charming residential area of Old Mount Pleasant at 1313 Erckmann Drive, the house is conveniently located just minutes from the beaches, Shem Creek and downtown Charleston and is currently on the market for $1.25 million. Born in Hartsville, South Carolina, and raised in Myrtle Beach, Askins moved – perhaps navigated is a better word – to Mount Pleasant in 1978. During college, he got into boating and built his own sailboat, which he lived on for eight years, eventually dropping anchor in the Lowcountry. In 1983, Askins launched his own cabinet company called EC², which he operated through 2002. He did cabinetry work for numerous local businesses, including 82 Queen and the Omni, as well as jobs for companies such as Disney and North Face. The company was named a “Top 10 Cabinet Company” by Cabinet Maker magazine and was featured in Furniture Design and Manufacturing magazine in 1997. After Askins sold the cabinetry company, he and his wife, Karen, began buying up houses, renovating them and reselling them. He does the building and design, and Karen handles the interior design work. Askins, who along with his partner, Bruce Watts, runs Renaissance Realty & Development, designed and oversaw construction of the Cabinet Maker’s Cottage, while Karen and Michelle Thornton designed its interior. They started with a 1,000-square-foot ranch home and then created a list of the most desirable features, such as a first-floor master bedroom and a large, flexible kitchen area. They wanted a house suitable for a retired couple with visiting grandchildren or a growing family. That’s why the upstairs includes a guest room and two children’s bedrooms along with a common area and a Jack and Jill bathroom. Reclaimed wood beams are a recurring theme, whether incorporated in the entry foyer, the wood-burning fireplace or the ceiling accents. Askins acquired the reclaimed wood for the Cabinet Maker’s Cottage through a friend. It originated from a building in Sumter and is more than 200 years old. Atkins has utilized reclaimed materials in his building projects since the 1970s. “Anytime you can repurpose something others throw into the trash, it’s a good thing,” said Askins. “It’s good for the environment.” The shiplap entry foyer of the Cabinet Maker’s Cottage, with its curved ceiling and exposed beams, reflects Askins’ boat-building passion. The house also features a grandly vaulted front porch with ipe floors, a type of durable tropical hardwood that far outlasts treated pine. The name of the house harks back to the property’s previous owner, a Mr. Williams, a prominent Mount Pleasant cabinetmaker in the ’50s and ’60s. The home’s his and hers garages were created by restoring Williams’ original cabinet shop. BY COLIN MCCANDLESS For showing or additional information, please contact the listing agent, Suzie Smith, at 843-475-0511. Craftsmanship Is in His Blood The Cabinet Maker’s Cottage Karen and Tim Askins. Photos courtesy of Tim Askins.