I have a treat for you on this wintry, end-of-the-year day.
We're touring two stunning South Carolina homes.
The styles are different, but they share a common bond.
Can you guess what that is?
Is it the traditional style? Paint colors?
While you're thinking, let's look at three beautiful vignettes that also have a common bond (note: these spaces aren't on the tour, but you can visit them by clicking a link at the bottom of this post).
These homes were built and designed in South Carolina. But that's not the common denominator.
Have you guessed?
All three spaces were created by Linda McDougald, a fabulously talented Charleston, South Carolina interior designer, and each home and vignette has its own flair. Sometimes a room's design is reflective of the designer, recognizable as a fingerprint, but it takes true skill to move between styles the way Linda does.
The homes we're going to tour have southern settings, but their decor rises far above regional conventions.
These houses could be anywhere.
Let's start with a tour of a lakeside home.
Inside the sheltered porch, an ornate, antique iron bench lends instant patina to the stone facade. It's a welcoming spot, a place to drink a cup of tea, pull off your rain boots,
and set down a drippy umbrella.
Love how the house compliments the natural surroundings.
Let's take a peek inside.
The color scheme pulls from nature--stones, clouds, tree bark. For the paint, Linda selected Sherwin Williams Anew Gray SW7030--flat on the walls and ceilings; semi-gloss on the trim.
I love the open design.
Through the iron railings, you can see the gorgeous kitchen.
Linda designed both.
The neutral furnishings are elegant
and allow the lake view to take center stage.
A round dining table sits in front of a stone fireplace. I love how the wood tones in the vaulted ceiling are echoed in the table and the mantel. Notice how the iron staircase compliments the chandelier's finish.
The zinc hood was custom-made, designed by Linda.
The counters are pewter.
I love, love, love the stainless French Lacanche range--it would be a dream to prepare a holiday dinner. I'd use all of those burners PLUS the griddle.
The kitchen is bright and sunny, filled with clever storage--and practical items for the cook!
Houzzers went wild over this kitchen.
Linda graciously shared her paint colors: Wall color is Sherwin Williams Anew Gray SW7030 Cabinets are Sherwin Williams Eider White SW7014. Thin bricks line the ceiling.
Brick color: Ironworks.Mortar color is Lafarge Masonry, products color: Magnolia Dark.
Linda pointed out that the ceiling was sealed, not painted.
The beams were faux painted to resemble antique,
weathered gray wood.
The kitchen really is a foodie's dream, with two Sub-Zero refrigerators, a Miele dishwasher, speed oven, and integrated coffee system. The Shaw Farmhouse sink is absolutely perfect with the Rohl faucets and pot filler. I love the custom touches: leaded glass windows; antique iron fire back behind range.
As we move toward the bathroom, the unique features continue.
Tile.
Custom windows.
Simple, elegant lighting.
A zinc tub.
Everything flows in this house--
just like music flows in a Puccini aria.
A powder room should be a little jewel box, filled with small details for your guests. This room accomplishes this and more. It looks like it might be a powder room in a period home, and the accessories are quietly elegant.
Are you ready for a peek at the bedroom?
Peaceful and functional--and fun. I would adore stepping outside on that balcony and watching the ever-changing view.
Speaking of the view...
A look at the DETAILS.
I had so much fun looking at this house, and I hope you did, too.
Now let's tour the second home--Linda's residence.
Visitors are greeted by a profusion of greenery.
The photo of Linda's light-bathed foyer gave me the idea to add a glass door to Rattlebridge's entry
(which will be the subject of a future post).
What a beautiful entry set.
From the foyer, we have a glimpse of the living room.
Don't you love the sunlight streaming down?
The neutral colors pull from calming tones.
Cream, river rocks, gun-metal gray. Linda artfully mixes antiques with contemporary upholstered pieces.
A charming vignette carries colors around the room and gives a little glimpse into the homeowners' interests.
This is such a pretty, timeless dining room.
What's in the armoire?
I can't resist looking.
Oh, I'm so glad we looked, aren't you?
I adore pewter-edged Italian dishes.
There's just something sparkling about a vignette with crystal and glassware. It brightens any room!
A view of the dining room:
Curves and straight lines create rhythm.
A lovely gray-painted china hutch.
Since I'm a third generation dish collector,
I had to take a peek at Linda's pottery.
Love the pewter and gray tones!
Functional elegance continues in Linda's kitchen:
This glassed-in porch reminds me of an English conservatory.
Let's look at a living room Linda designed--it's very different from her other spaces.
Elegant, traditional-eclectic.
This bedroom has a Swedish mood.
Love the details:
A silver-gray-cream bedroom offers another mood--European, with a hint of 20s Hollywood glam.
A lovely, spa-like white bathroom:
Linda's backyard is a secret garden, a place to create, entertain, and to find a quiet moment at the end of the day.
Have you ever taken a mug to a paint store and said, "Please match this color!" (I'm guilty.) But when you think about it, accessories are a great jumping off point for a color scheme.
In House Beautiful's February issue, designer David Kleinberg calls Benjamin Moore's "Fog Mist" the "paint color that works everywhere." I'm putting it on my list.
BM's Fog Mist
Another color to try is BM's "Camouflage."
For the walls in this bedroom, interior designer Meredith L. Bohn used Benjamin Moore "Camouflage" in a matte finish.
"This is a terrific shade that changes with the light and is an excellent neutral," she said.
"Camouflage" by BM SW's Believable Buff is another pretty not-quite-white color:
+(2).jpg)
