Room to grow

Home + Garden

October 1, 2020



A Myers Park family of six renovates their low-country home with a design that’s both functional and beautiful. 

by Catherine Ruth Kelly | photographs by Erin Comerford Miller 

When they moved into their house nearly 15 years ago, this Myers Park family had two young children with twins on the way. Nestled on a tree-lined street, the low-country style home seemed perfect, with ample space and proximity to schools. As the four children grew, so did their need for more room, but the homeowners couldn’t find a new house enticing enough to motivate them to move.

“We would tour homes with smaller kitchens or fewer bedrooms, and we really wanted to stay in the area,” the homeowner explains. “We love that our kids can walk to school.”

So the renovation planning began. The homeowners lined up their team, including architect Andrew Woodruff, Tri-Square Construction and interior designer Jennifer Felts of Habitude Interiors.

“Functionality was the main goal for these clients because they have four teenagers, so we created a plan for them that was both functional and beautiful,” Felts says. The homeowners wanted a clean, beachy vibe, so Felts maintained a neutral palette accented with soft, coastal hues. 

The biggest structural change was converting the garage into living space that includes a new mudroom, pantry and a spacious laundry room, allowing the kitchen to extend into the old laundry area. The room features a counter long enough for four laundry baskets as well as an area for hanging clothes. Felts added pops of color with a vintage runner from Adrienne Davis Design and a painting by Charlotte-based artist Robert Langford. “The laundry room is larger than most,” Felts adds, “but with four kids, they wash a lot of clothes.”


A Calacatta quartz island with pendant lights by Arteriors anchors the kitchen, the family’s favorite room in the house. In the breakfast area, a sprawling light fixture by Regina Andrew adds to the home’s nautical feel, along with basket weave chairs from West Elm and blue-and-white Kravet fabric valances.

Slate-colored porcelain field tile from Harkey Tile & Stone links the laundry room to the adjacent mudroom, where six custom cabinets and cubbies — one for each family member — provide storage for sports gear, off-season clothes and more. Drawers for shoes help keep the space tidy. 

The family’s favorite area of the house is the kitchen. The bright, airy room is anchored by a generously sized island, accented by teardrop glass pendants. A custom copper hood by Francois and Co. tops the 60-inch Wolf range.

“The larger cooking area and island have made a huge difference,” the homeowner says. “I encourage all of my children to help with meal prep, so having more shoulder room has been wonderful.” 

The family takes most of their meals at the island or around the custom 72-inch round table in the breakfast area. The sprawling light fixture features multiple blown glass globes connected by a black fabric cord, creating a nautical feel. Basketweave chairs and blue-and-white fabric valances continue the coastal theme.

Felts encouraged her clients to make a statement in the butler’s pantry, since it is mostly used for entertaining. She added sophisticated touches such as a dark Castillo gray quartz countertop, a round bar sink and a striking chevron-patterned brass and marble backsplash.

Dramatic accents such as the chevron brass and marble backsplash from Harkey Tile & Stone add sophistication to the butler’s pantry, a hub for entertaining.

“We wanted the butler’s pantry to be dramatic and a bit edgier that the rest of the house, and my clients fell in love with the tile,” Felts says. “They decided it was worth the splurge.”

In the powder room, blue and white Thibaut wallpaper gives the space a beach-house chic. A custom vanity with a marble counter and scalloped backsplash pairs perfectly with brass fixtures and an acrylic and gold-leaf mirror. 

The rest of the house was functional but needing updating, so Felts focused on modernizing the family room, stairwell and upstairs bathrooms. Removing unnecessary columns and archways created a more open, flowing floor plan. A yellow oak railing along the stairwell was replaced with iron, adding a clean, contemporary aesthetic. Fresh tile, paint and fixtures revamped the upstairs bathrooms.

The homeowners say the renovation is perfect for their family.

“Your home should exude who you are — your vibe, your essential style,” Felts says. “My clients’ house is always their house, I just aim to elevate their style and tailor it to their needs.”  SP

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