Come along with me behind the scenes of my Homeworthy House Tour with this 3-part series!
A Landmark Reimagined
Every historic home tells a story. But few stories are as rich and colorful as the Coburn Hutchinson House located in Summerville, SC. The Coburn Hutchinson House was built in 1859 and is situated just outside Charleston, South Carolina.
When we stepped inside this house for the first time during our real estate tour, and for the record we only saw it one time, I was a little bit ‘oh no’….and not in a sad way. It was in a way that silently whispered, ‘I can totally see this home as ours, I see it finished and loved.’ Gah! It just washed over me in an instant.
The light was streaming through the windows, and the creak of original heart pine floors with all their wide and varying width boards that our eyes went directly to. The layers of history we knew were hidden beneath plaster walls of a bygone era we could just feel. It was waiting to be reborn. I got that feeling you get that felt like, ‘this is it.’ We were so excited, but truthfully trepidacious in a healthy way. A new day was dawning.
We knew this wasn’t going to be just another renovation, more like a wild and crazy adventure. It would be ‘a love affair with a house’, as Bunny Williams says. It was an invitation to steward a piece of Charleston’s legacy, bringing its craftsmanship and charm forward for a new generation. It was our chapter to put our touch to, and it was all about a new era about to unfold.
Preserving History With Purpose
When she was officially ours, the very first thing I set out to do was to uncover her history. I wanted to know everything about the home and her cast of characters. Who built this? Who has lived here…I was ready to start digging because I wanted her history to inform how we would handle the design direction.
When you work on an ‘abstract’ by yourself like I did, you learn a lot about how to go back in time, layer by layer. Definition: An abstract is ‘a concise summary of the essential genealogical information found within a larger historical document or record.’ and it is time consuming. You have to be dedicated because it’s a bit of a slog. It was extremely satisfying work, though, and I could feel the wind at my back. The amount of support I received in the various archives was nothing short of heart melting.
Uncovering the founding families came at the end as I was working backward in time. After we ascertained all of the names to arrive at the beginning, it just rolled off our tongues… and she was named: The Coburn Hutchinson House. We knew we weren’t just restoring a structure, we were preserving the spirit of a community. Our vision was clear: honor the past while designing for modern life.
And we were right on time.
As I began the deep research into the home’s provenance, combing through the South Carolina archives, local museum collections and the vault down in the City of Charleston’s archives to trace the families and artisans who built it, I was like a dog with a bone. What we discovered only strengthened our resolve to protect its architectural integrity.
Every roughhewn beam in the attic space, every square nail, all the minimal mouldings, and fireplaces would be treated as an ‘artifact’, something to be researched. Yes, I am being a bit dramatic, but you have to understand, I was on a quest. Where possible, we endeavored to repair instead of replace.
With 4 fireplaces to shore up, and several of them were either covered over with a mantle that didn’t fit or had brick that was crumbling, I had to be strategic. I had to choose my battles and not get overwhelmed. Where materials were unsalvageable, we sourced eco-friendly, heritage, or local alternatives (local to include under the house and in the attic), that paid homage to the home’s Lowcountry roots.
This was design as preservation…and preservation as art.
See below: This is the wonky arch I spoke about in the episode and what it looked like before its trim was added. Sometimes you have to isolate projects and deal with areas up for remediation one space at a time. If you will notice, the ceiling height is different in the Kitchen than it is in the Dining Room! I had to deal with both sides of the same system cohesively. Woohoo!
The Design Ethos: Approachable Luxury Meets Historic Soul
Our guiding philosophy, ‘approachable luxury with soul‘, shaped every decision. The goal was to create interiors that felt inviting, soulful, and grounded in history, yet unmistakably relevant for today.
We let the home speak first.
No ‘open floor plan’ here, this baby has ROOMS! Its tall ceilings and graceful Charleston Single floorplan led us toward soft palettes inspired by nature, Charleston’s coastal light and Summervilles’ bioliphic palette: muted or ‘muddy’ greens, aged whites, and warm brass accents. The aim wasn’t to recreate the past, but to translate its poetry into modern comfort. Comfort we could sink into. We want to enjoy ‘our chapter.’
Craft, Collaboration, and Sustainability
Restoration is a collaborative act. Working with the College of Building Arts in Charleston, from artisans skilled in heart pine restoration, to local eco-conscious manufacturers and resellers who understood our vision, every partnership became part of the story…and these folks became more like friends due to our shared love of ‘saving’ things. Like attracts like and ‘kindred spirits’ is a thing.
Along with these wonderful makers and doers, we’re proud to work with brands like Sherwin-Williams Historic Collection, Charleston Hardware, Encore Lumber, and Currey & Company, to name just a few, who share our commitment to localized craftsmanship, organic shapes and sustainability. Each company we selected carries forward a conversation between past and present…and we have a front row seat. Come with us!
Designer’s Note
As I say, ‘This project isn’t about nostalgia. It’s about continuity and the idea that beauty, when respected, becomes timeless.’
— Michelle Woolley Sauter, Principal Designer
The Heart of Home: What Comes Next
As the renovation progressed, we began to see something extraordinary.
The Coburn Hutchinson House wasn’t just being restored—it was being reborn as a living studio for One Coast Design, and that wasn’t planned out of the gate. We thought, ‘let’s live here and then find a space for One Coast Design’ close by.
But, while all the work was going on here, I got very busy with new clients, and it all started to weave together. I told my husband, I kinda like walking 19 steps to work…it all fits together. I said in the beginning, ‘Haven’t we both already done something like this?” But time isn’t linear, it’s almost cylindrical. Kind of like ‘coming back around but in a totally different place on the journey.’
‘What good little Millennials are we living above our Shop?!’ Except, dude, we are not Millenials…Gen X all the way!
Okay! Ya coming with me? In the upcoming months, we’ll keep the doors open via Socials to share the next phase of this journey! Showing you how we design, photograph, and continue to tell the story. All these paths will converge inside this remarkable home project as it intersects with Interior Design projects outside these walls, and restoration concepts ever that are always evolving right here in our 165 year old historic home…with two doggies in tow!
Read Part 2 where we’ll take you deeper into the design process, exploring how every detail, from the colors chosen to the craftsmanship we explored, and decisions about decisions, that came together to bring this landmark to life!
🎥 Watch the full video now: Homeworthy: Inside the Coburn Hutchinson House with Michelle Woolley Sauter
Catch up on the series:
- Part 2 — The Art of Restoration: From Concept to Craft
- Part 3 — Lights, Camera, Design: Filming the Coburn. Hutchinson House Tour for Homeworthy
✨ Follow the journey: @onecoastdesign | onecoastdesign.com
Watch the full episode below:
Historic Renovation Project?
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