Sailors have been known to brag about sweethearts in every port, but a soon-to-be retired couple, originally from Connecticut, can boast about having a real estate agent in nearly every small coastal town from the tip of Maine to Georgia. “I’ve been a sailor and power boater for much of my life, so when we were looking for a place to retire, we did it by boat,” says the wife. Drawn to the serenity of the South, when their meanderings landed them in Palmetto Bluff near Bluffton, South Carolina, the planned community checked every box: mild winters, an exquisite natural setting, waterfront locale and a dynamic international community. “We bought property on the spot.”
The couple then enlisted Kevin Clark, whose company, Historical Concepts, was involved in Palmetto Bluff ’s design. Initially drawn to the firm’s classic Lowcountry vernacular, as the project evolved, the couple realized their tastes had changed and Clark’s first design, developed over the course of a year, was scrapped. “I come from a traditional New England home, but I realized I wanted something more open and modern—something that felt airy, and reflective of the casual way we wanted to live,” she explains.
Then, one evening over cocktails, everything clicked. “I handed Kevin a picture of a door I liked, and as I described what I envisioned, he sketched, and that drawing became the foundation for our house,” recalls the wife.
The resulting design—a modern interpretation of Lowcountry architecture—features classic gable forms fashioned from custom wood molded brick and pavilions on either end sheathed in board and batten siding stretched out along the May River. Rather than a traditional wraparound porch, a more functional version is placed to one side of the house. “A big porch on the north-facing main side would have made things quite dark inside,” Clark explains. “Instead, we placed it off the dining room, where pocket glass doors slide fully into the wall, creating a seamless indoor-outdoor connection.”
Copper gas lantern sconces by Bevolo are a traditional counterpoint to the modern glass and metal entry door at the home built by Simpson Construction.
Sculptural pendants by Farrah Sit light the living room, which is furnished with A. Rudin sofas, a JD Staron rug, plus artwork by Sally Hickman over the fireplace.
Floral arrangements by August Floral & Event Design, glassware from Courtyard Lifestyle by Chuck Chewning and monogramed linens by Courtland & Co. top the dining-room table from Astele.
Burchette & Burchette wood flooring grounds the kitchen, where the counter stools sport Pierre Frey fabric, and custom swivel chairs are topped with Osborne & Little fabric. A painting by Amiri Farris—a Gullah Geechee artist—adorns the kitchen wall.
A pantry near the kitchen is finished in a high gloss paint from Fine Paints of Europe.
A ceiling fan from Big Ass Fans cools the sun porch, where the furnishings are from Frontgate, and the pendant and sconces are from Hubbardton Forge.
In one powder room, a Visual Comfort light fixture illuminates a soapstone sink by M. Teixeira.
A back view shows the screened porch off the primary suite in the foreground, and at the far end, the screened porch off the dining room with a walk-out deck above. Landscape design is by Hooten Land Design.
In the primary bedroom, an upholstered bed by HW Design is dressed in Courtland & Co. bed linens, and the window coverings are fashioned from Holly Hunt fabric.
A combination of Bluette and Dolomite Calacatta marble from Savannah Surfaces creates a striped pattern on the floor and walls in the primary bathroom.
Located in the screened porch off the bedroom, a Swingrest hanging lounger by Dedon makes a perfect napping spot.
The home’s location along the May River was a major attraction for the homeowners, who are avid boaters.
The homeowners later added a barn for overflow storage, guest and office space; the design team included architectural design by Low Tide Designs, builder Reclamation by Design, and landscape design by Wertimer + Cline.
A large wood table by Simpson Construction folds up for easy storage.
Inside, the entry hall offers a view through to the water, and the iconic gable forms outside allow for high pitched ceilings in the living room and kitchen. Smooth plaster walls provide a crisp, modern backdrop that’s softened by traditional painted wood boards spanning between the rafter beams. In contrast, the dining room ceiling is kept low to create a feeling of intimacy.
Interior designer Havilande Whitcomb of Havilande Whitcomb Design took the lead on selecting colors, materials and furnishings. Shades of taupe and gray complement the plaster walls with moments of contrast for visual interest. In the living room, for instance, off-white sofas and a textured rug play against the kitchen island color that resembles patinated bronze.
“In a predominantly neutral house, you really need those moments of darker contrast to keep things interesting,” says Whitcomb, who eschewed upper kitchen cabinets in favor of concealed storage and smart space planning. “Everyone always ends up in the kitchen, so there’s plenty of comfortable seating, and it’s an easy transition to the dining room.”
Both rooms feature artwork by regional artists. In the living room, a vibrant Sally Hickman landscape, which also conceals the television, captures a storm rolling in over the marshes. “The lift mechanism is quite complex, but it’s an elegant solution for hiding a TV,” Whitcomb notes. In the kitchen, a powerful painting by Amiri Farris depicting a woman cultivating rice pays tribute to both African and Southern culture.
At the homeowners’ request, Whitcomb sorted through existing furnishings to determine what should come along. A midcentury modern coffee table was a keeper and now pairs beautifully with the living room sofas. And their traditional dining chairs, updated with a dark stain, circle a contemporary leather-wrapped table.
“There’s definitely a mixture of old and new,” says Whitcomb. “They came from a very traditional house and wanted their new home to feel modern while fitting into the Lowcountry landscape, so inside it’s carefully curated and designed for the way they live now.”
