Built on Deer Island in Beaufort County, S.C., this comfortable home exudes Southern charm on the outside, thanks to a raised design and deep front porch. Inside, it's a light-filled ode to laid-back luxury.

Making a new house look and feel timeless is no small achievement, but that's builder David Steele's specialty...

With a deep front porch typical of local Low-Country architecture and raised to reduce vulnerability to flooding, the house is in perfect keeping with it's picutresque sea island setting. Both the design and materials are intended to give the house a sense of history.

Steele's design for a Low-Country-style house was appealing as well, since it combined a modern, open-plan layout with a vernacular architectural idiom and plenty of rich detailing. Steele even planned the South Carolina house to look as if it had been added on to over the years. "My background is in historic preservation," says Steele. "I love how old houses feel as if they have a story to tell. I try to make new houses that I build tell a story, too."

Inspired by the locale, Senior Decorating Editor Robin Long Mayer chose a sky- and water-themed palette, incorporating shades of blue, cream, and gray throughout. In the living room, buttery-colored paint highlights the architectural details, from the coffered ceiling to the reeded mantel. Robin introduced pattern by wallpapering the back of the built-in bookcases - a small detail that adds custom style.




Architecturally inspired details add character

A tight grid of prints emphasizes the room's symmetry.



Robin gave a classic armchair a youthful twist by upholstering it in a cool gray fabric that contrasts with the wood's light finish.



A long table separates the living and dining rooms. The hand-sculpted hardwood floor from Armstrong provides unity on the first floor.



In the dining room, a deft mix of furnishings complements the bold architecture. The baker's cabinet and chandelier are made from reclaimed materials, each with its own time-touched patina. A mis-matched grouping of chairs from eBay got a fresh coat of matte black paint for a unifying - and thrifty- makeover.



A creative mix of materials is the spice in the life if this bright kitchen.




The subtly lustrous hammered-nickel farmhouse sink from Native Trails offers a modern twist on a classic style; it also mixes well with the variety of metallic finishes used throughout the kitchen, form the polished chrome faucets to the stainless steel appliances.



A plate rack makes a nice visual break in a line of upper cabinets.



Installed at a slightly lower level than the main island, the walnut butcher's block is at an ideal height for chopping. The perimeter counters are honed limestone, and the island is topped with Carrera marble, perfect for baking projects.






The bedroom wallpaper, which Robin held onto for a year until she found the right room for it, inspired the palette for this house. To balance the paper's bold pattern, the fabrics in the master bedroom remain pale but textured. The checkered area rug provides a witty counterpoint.



Style and comfort define these personal spaces

To get the best style from your storage, combine freestanding pieces, such as the baker's cabinet in the dining room, with built-in shelves like those in the library.




Contrasting upholstery and nailhead trim give an elegant settee a modern twist.



In this luxurious master bath, the whirlpool tub, set below oversize windows and highlighted by a crystal chandelier ($300 on eBay!), is the star. Interior shutters lend privacy while filtering sunlight. Framed back-and-white silhouettes call attention to the crisp grid created by the wood-paneled walls.






By Amanda Lecky

Produced by Robin Long Mayer and Rebecca Thienes

photo credit: Keith Scott Morton