A geometric, hand-knotted rug in pewter sets the tone for this simple, yet striking room. Acrylic legs on the leather ottoman mix well with some of the more traditional pieces in the home.
When Sheri Ledbetter spotted the spec home under construction in the exclusive, private country club neighborhood of Daniel Island Park on Charleston’s Daniel Island, she knew immediately it would be the perfect new residence for her family. Her husband, Tom’s, transfer from Greenville, South Carolina, was imminent, so Lowcountry Premier Custom Homes held to a tight construction schedule in order to accommodate the Ledbetters’ arrival. Back in Greenville, Ledbetter scrambled to do everything she could to keep the transition on track.
“I knew I wanted to customize the home,” states Ledbetter. “When I met with the builder, Cy Goforth, he gave me a list of all the selections I needed to make for the home over the next six to eight weeks. That’s when I panicked.”
Her panic soon gave way to relief when Angie Johnson, her realtor, introduced Ledbetter to her friends at Embellish Interiors, a full service interior design firm located on Daniel Island. As its name implies, the company started out as a fun venture between two women who set out to “embellish” the living spaces of friends and family. Four years later, Nicki Newport and Teresa Yates are operating their growing design firm from a beautiful new location in the heart of the Daniel Island business district.
For their new Daniel Island home, the owners welcomed a fresh Lowcountry look that would accommodate their favorite traditional pieces.
“For me, the most important part of any design project is connecting with a client and agreeing on a direction,” Yates says. “That happened very quickly with Sheri. Nicki and I formed a true collaboration with her and, because of that, all three of us are thrilled with the final result.”
For her new home, Ledbetter envisioned a clean, modern design that could accommodate a few traditional pieces. “I was moving from a 100-year-old traditional home in the heart of downtown Greenville,” she explains. “I wanted to keep some of the furnishings that were sentimental to me but, at the same time, have a fresh look that felt more ‘Lowcountry.’”
The Embellish team keyed right into their client’s vision.
In the foyer, an oyster shell mirror catches the reflection of a coral-colored chandelier, an accent that’s become a conversation piece.
Soft greens with gold accents play well with the family-made pieces displayed in the dining room. Hand-painted plates inspired the room’s color scheme; the table was crafted by Ms. Ledbetter’s father.
Pomegranate wallpaper by Phillip Jefferies lines the back of the bookshelves in the home office and makes collected items stand out; a window seat was added to this room and is a favorite place for the homeowners’ dogs to view the surroundings.
In the living room, dark floors contrast with lighter furnishings and connect the living spaces.
The designers updated the client’s favorite chair by including it in a more contemporary ensemble.
In the living room, a landscape painting by Lowcountry artist Laurie Meyer adds a splash of color.
The kitchen’s clean lines and fresh look complement the beautiful basket-weave backsplash and Carrara marble countertops. Playful mosaic tiles add a touch of whimsy to the design.
An innovative play on CSD pattern and texture is provided by the Imperial Gates wallpaper in the powder room.
Top: New cushions bring the interior’s color scheme outside. Bottom: In the master bedroom, a custom-upholstered bed is adorned with coral velvet pillows from Lacefield Designs.
“She has great style, great taste and great things,” notes Newport. “It was fun to incorporate some of her traditional pieces into the design.”
Newport points to the home’s dining room where a traditional wood buffet was painted white, accentuating its graceful lines. The buffet became the perfect visual platform for displaying Ledbetter’s grandmother’s cherished hand-painted dishes. The dishes surround a landscape painting by local artist and neighbor Laurie Meyer. The Embellish team pulled it all together with warm-colored Thibaut wallpaper. “The wallpaper feels handmade and the flourishes on it look like gold leaf,” says Yates. “It has a traditional feel with an updated look.”
From the front entryway, the home’s soothing colors and clean design flows through to the smallest details. “Doing a major project like this longdistance can be stressful,” says Ledbetter. “But Nicki and Teresa made it easy. It’s hard to think of something they didn’t help me select. Colors, cabinetry, lighting, fixtures, flooring—they had a hand in all of it.”
Ledbetter says that the Embellish team also encouraged her to step out of her comfort zone on a few occasions and try something new. She points to the chandelier in the entryway as an example.
“I would never in a thousand years have had the courage to pick out a coral-colored light fixture, because I wouldn’t have known it could work,” says Ledbetter. “But it’s the big thing. It’s what everyone who comes in or walks by the house comments on. I absolutely love it.”
Newport notes that the Ledbetters’ home is the perfect showcase for what the Embellish team can accomplish—on time and on budget.
Patra Taylor writes about homes, culture and lifestyle from Charleston.
