'my' south carolina cottage

When I think of South Carolina, I always think of quaint seaside cottages and large antebellum homes… (For Example, remember that great Beaufort home in The Big Chill? A ‘perfect example’ of a ‘perfect home’ in a ‘perfect movie’).

Anyway, I was looking through Traditional Home the other day (one of my favorite past times with one of my favorite magazines) and I came across this Carolina Cottage. I mean, if I were to make my own wish list of what to put in my Carolina Cottage… here it is! Be sure to notice all the wonderful details… it looks like they took extra care on all of them!

The Exterior

Located directly on the river, the house is placed on the lot to maximize views of the river. French doors connect the living area to an intimate screened porch with a gas fireplace. The porch is left open (no glass windows) so the sounds of nature can be heard. And while many Southern porches stretch the length of a house, this one is half that size so as not to block light into and views from the interior spaces.

 The Shutter Detail

A metal “cool roof” with a reflective finish deflects rather than absorbs heat, the perfect solution for any home with those hot Carolina Summers. Windows are fitted with high-efficiency glass. Wide eaves, wood-slat awnings, and exterior Bermuda shutters shelter the interiors from the heat of the sun in the summer while allowing its welcome warmth during the winter. I just love this style of shutters, don’t you? 

The lantern is from Bevolo Gas & Electric Lights. And seriously, a ‘gas lantern’… whew….Thank Goodness, I wouldn’t want them to ruin their perfect record of fulfilling my wish list for the ‘perfect South Carolina cottage’... or for that matter, any home!  I love gas lanterns on the exterior of a home.

The Living Room

The view out the full wall of windows reveals that the river is just steps away.  The decor is simple, rustic, casual and totally perfect for the Carolina weather and the Carolina location. Solid heart-pine floorboards from a South Carolina cotton mill were used for the house’s rustic wide-plank floors.

The Living Room

Interior walls are horizontal pine boards butted together. Some of the heart pine was used to build stair handrails, risers, and treads, resulting in a new staircase with the character and texture of a centuries-old home. A new home but with the feel of age… perfection. Check out the gorgeous rustic table against this planked wall, no doubt made from locally reclaimed wood too.

The Dining Room

The ‘wood’ story continues on the living and dining room ceilings, which are finished with beams and panels of local cypress and reclaimed river cypress.

Simple linen-​covered dining room chairs and a table made of salvaged wood are from Restoration Hardware. French doors connect the dining area to a screened porch with a fireplace. Be still my heart!

The Beams

No detail has been left to chance here!

The smoky gray flat panels were made with cypress boards milled from trees pulled from rivers and lakes.

The Kitchen

Energy Star appliances were installed in the kitchen and virtually every light fixture in the house has LED bulbs, which are more efficient than incandescent and provide a warmer quality of light than fluorescent. I just HATE fluorescent, don’t you?

A two-level island topped with Caesarstone divides the kitchen and dining area. Stools are from Williams-Sonoma (perfect) and appliances from Sub-Zero and Wolf. Check, check, check and check… all the above are on the list!

The Hood Detail

Check out this gorgeous work. Regional craftspeople and materials were used as much as possible here. The copper hood, for instance, was crafted by an area artisan. The cooktop backsplash is made with oyster shells (a local by-product) and resin. I just get all warm inside thinking about local artisans working on this house… Remember… It’s All in the Detail!

 The Kitchen Detail

Even the colors of the home were chosen to align with nature. In this cottage, the color scheme serves as a backdrop to the view and to harmonize with the floor and ceiling materials. Remember, location… location… location…. even when designing the interior – it’s all about the location of the home. Soft and soothing, like any vacation home should be!

 The Master Bedroom

In the bedroom, a cottage-style bed is dressed with “Ruched Linen” bedding from Pine Cone Hill. Have you checked them out…. my new love! A dainty bent-rattan writing desk from Lexington Home Brands offers a quiet place to read, write notes, and work on a laptop. I have always been a huge customer with Lexington Home, how about you?

The South Carolina natural light affected paint choices, too. First: You should always check and double check your paint colors choices with the natural lighting throughout the day. Second: The lighting on location could be completely different than the lighting of the location where you chose them. Remember: Don’t pick colors in your primary home for your secondary home… odds are you will be in for a surprise, they will change.

The Master Bath

Carrara marble tops the custom-built bath vanity, which was made with certified sustainable wood. Sinks are from Kohler and faucets from Newport Brass. Seriously, my favorite faucet company is Newport Brass, actually ALL my favorite suppliers under one roof… did they call me for my input on this home while I was sleeping and I just don’t remember? 

So what do you think? Did you fall in love too?