Come with me behind the scenes of my Homeworthy House Tour with this 3 part series.
Introduction: When Design Becomes Discovery
If Part 1 was about uncovering the story, then Part 2 is about telling it through design. Once the research dust settled and we’d met the ‘cast of characters’ behind (and under) our 1859 Charleston Single, it was time to roll up our sleeves and bring in a few structural Engineers – the experts in structural questions, to see where we stood as far as the scope of the project.
So many ‘non-pretty things’ to work on, things you cannot ascertain from just standing in front of her. And there were many things to put our touch to!
Deciding on a few built-in locations out of the gate and deciding what was a priority was the right tack. We could not have known in the Fall of 2019 that the world was about to shut down, so adding the picture moulding upon consistently noticing the uneven ceiling lines and the ’tilt’ toward exterior walls showed us she was ‘diving’ and that correction was something we wanted to get accomplished sooner rather than later.
You would have thought, ‘Oh, good, now I can concentrate on more of the design portion, quietly with no pressure.’ Ha!
Now that everyone was working from home, I guess they looked around and said, ‘Um, we need help.’ We became SO busy, y’all! I wanted to nest and focus on our girl, but with so many great projects coming into view, I treated CHH like a client now to make sure she didn’t get sidelined, to keep her in the flow of things! It worked!
After an excellent year of behind-the-scenes structural and cosmetic fixes, The Coburn Hutchinson House was officially ready for her first close-up. I was ready to share what we had been working on, slowly and gently.
There would be months of discovery, detours, and the kind of decision-making only historic homes can demand in the months ahead, so it’s a very good thing we were up for the challenge.
This next phase wasn’t just about picking pretty things like finishes; it was also about repairing plaster and wood alike. This phase was about translating history into living design…enjoying the idea of rooms (no open-concept here) and balancing restoration with reinventing the vibe of the spaces for what we were looking to achieve. There is a fine line between preserving the past and making a home cozy and livable for us today. We knew early on that this restoration wouldn’t follow a simple formula; we had to let it breathe, and it had to honor craftsmanship while embracing comfort.
Our goal was to let each space feel anchored in heritage but infused with light and ease. Every design move began with a question: What would the original builders think, and how can we build on their vision with integrity?
Flooring: We restored a few of the rotted 165-year-old heart pine boards with locally reclaimed heart pine from a similar year, in the correct width, with no sanding of the patina, and filled the gaps between the boards with material that would be long-lasting and maintain the look of the uneven seams.
Walls: Every plaster repair became a study in restraint, using just enough new material to stabilize, but not so much that the home lost her texture.
Lighting: Period-appropriate silhouettes with a little extra personality from Corbett Lighting and Currey & Company, to name a few, met modern efficiency, creating a bridge between eras. And you know I was hauling my roster of MVPs with regard to lighting I had collected over the years…I don’t play.
Design in Motion: The Color Story
Let’s jump to our color palette, which emerged naturally from the Lowcountry itself: Soft whites reminiscent of oyster shells, dusty golds, faded celadon greens, muted indigos, and robin’s egg blue, and living metals such as unlacquered brass and bronze accents, to create a sense of homecoming.
Every hue we chose had to feel like it belonged here.
We worked closely with Sherwin-Williams Historic Collection to curate a few customized tones that would stand gracefully beside the home’s original woodwork. The plaster walls in the entryway, upper and lower stairhall, received a whisper of SW’ Oyster Bar’, a creamy neutral that reflects light beautifully across aged pine floors without looking ‘pinky or grey’ in the shadows.
For trim and doors we shifted gears into color-drenching or our interior house white trim color, SW’ Pure White’. Deeper tones grounded the palette of blues, sands, and greens inspired by old Charleston shutters downtown.
They weren’t just colors; they represented context for us. They told a story of age, light, and resilience, and we wanted them to keep us on track, true to the vision for this home.
Craftsmanship & Collaboration
Behind every design detail was a craftsman’s hand and a conversation about what to save, what to adapt, and what to celebrate.
We chose the fabric for the panels in the Stairhall from @Fabricut and is absolutely dreamy, and the details are so beautiful and intricate! It brings the perfect amount of biophilic charm and personality to this hallway filled with French doors.
Working with the Charleston College of the Building Arts and consulting Meadors Architectural Design in Charleston, we sourced specialists who understood traditional joinery, lime plaster restoration, and how the home presented, giving us clues on its original usage. What fun to get all kinds of insight! Even the smallest elements: hinges, doorknobs, and escutcheons from Charleston Hardware. We chose them as love letters to the home’s history.
Our contractor team, nicknamed ‘the Three Musketeers’ (I kid you not, they were incredible), was with us every step of the way. They were three older gentleman who worked together doing restoration work, and it was a miracle that I found these old-skool dudes. They were simply the best, and we had plenty of laughs along the way. We were so proud of the work they had done, we invited their wives to come and see how talented their husbands are over cocktails. Well, suffice it to say the wives were wondering why they weren’t doing additions to their home design like this at THEIR home?! Oh boy!! Hahaha…
So many stories were shared that evening, tales of certain room’s that were a puzzle that confounded all of us, how no two angles lined up or doorways that weren’t perfectly square. But the lentils over each door, which were spot-on level, had us in awe of the early building methods employed in this home.
Remember, she’s from 1859, and she withstood the epicenter of the Charleston Earthquake, which was right here. But that’s the joy of old houses, they teach us patience and perfectly imperfect precision. They keep it real. We like real.
Designer’s Note
‘Every day brought a new challenge, one that pushed us to think like designers and archaeologists.’
— Michelle Woolley Sauter, Principal Designer
Sustainability with Soul
From reclaimed lumber to low-VOC finishes, sustainability remained central to our vision. We wanted the house to breathe again, literally and figuratively.
To recap: We reused original framing, sourced reclaimed wood from Encore Lumber in Charleston, and upcycled leftover building materials into shelving and mantels. Even the smallest scraps found a second life…we were dedicated, y’all.
Ours wasn’t just an environmental choice; it was an emotional one. Old homes deserve continuity and love, and when you endeavor to make something better than you found it, you have to keep a balance going in your mind and heart to guide your path.
The Living Studio Emerges
As construction progressed, the vision began to evolve. What started as a restoration soon became a living studio, a space where design would be experienced, not just displayed.
We began to imagine workshops, client walkthroughs, and photoshoots taking place right here. The home’s history, instead of being polished away, became the heartbeat of One Coast Design’s creative space.
Each decision layered meaning into the structure, turning rooms into reflections of both Charleston heritage and modern Traditional design artistry. A living tribute to beautiful design in a world craving ‘realness’ and a return to analog or what some are calling ‘dumb’ houses.
Coming Next: The Big Reveal
As the last brushstroke dried and the lighting cast its first glow, it was time for the next phase—capturing the story on film.
In Part 3, we’ll take you behind the scenes of the photography and videography process! How we styled, filmed, and revealed this beloved home for its ‘Homeworthy’ debut. From morning light to final takes, it’s a look at how the story of design comes alive through the lens. We have so much to share with you! Can’t wait to see you there!
Read Next:
👉 Behind the Scenes, Part 3 — Lights, Camera, Design: Filming the Coburn Hutchinson House Tour
Watch the full episode below:
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