WHEN COMPANIES COLLABORATE, IT’S AMAZING WHAT DESIGN FEATS THEY CAN achieve. A mother-daughter duo learned this lesson firsthand when they purchased a 1980s oceanfront Kiawah Island villa, with the intention of creating a generational home for themselves and the grandchildren to spend quality time together at the beach. They had connections to two companies that they wanted to work with to reenvision this vacation home: Southeastern Galleries and Buck Lumber & Building Supply, both of which are multigenerational, family-owned companies that have been deeply rooted in the Lowcountry for decades.
The villa was in need of a total overhaul. The homeowners tasked designer Trudie Cooper Krawcheck of Southeastern Galleries with bringing in a new design style—California coastal chic—to the to-the-studs renovation.
They had the deep knowledge and extensive resources and suppliers of both companies at their disposal. Southeastern Galleries, which recently celebrated 70 years in business, is known for its high-end furniture lines, but it also supplies all types of furnishings—from custom rugs to artwork and window treatments—that make a house a home. Southeastern Galleries sourced everything for this home, down to the accessories and artwork. Krawcheck, herself a third-generation owner of the company, regularly brings her clients into the showroom’s design center to let them see and touch fabrics and sit on chairs and sofas to determine what is comfortable and how they would like to customize each piece for their homes. “I remember going through carpet stacks at Southeastern Galleries as a child,” the daughter says. “We chose Trudie as our designer because she has a great eye, is extremely detailed and is a pleasure to work with.”
Buck Lumber, which recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, is much more than a lumber provider; the company also offers high-quality windows, doors, millwork and other building products. The company works with custom homebuilders and directly with homeowners in its 6,000-square-foot design center, where customers can see and experience product colors and options before they make design decisions for their projects.
The design team opened up this villa’s floor plan by removing walls and reconfiguring rooms to capture additional space for each of the three en suite bedrooms. The team also enclosed an existing screened porch that allowed the main living spaces, including the kitchen, living and dining rooms, to flow together as one space. “We made the most of every square inch,” Krawcheck says. “The rooms needed to work for several family members when they are all visiting at the same time.” The kitchen’s larger, open-concept space allowed an extra-long island to accommodate everyone for casual lunches. “The kitchen was not big enough before,” Krawcheck adds. “But now it’s totally open.”
The homeowners love the new layout. “It is a super creative floor plan that is unlike any other villa here,” the daughter says. “We even made use of the entry by building in a beverage center with custom cabinetry and refrigerated drawers. The kids can come in and grab a drink without bringing sandy feet throughout the whole home.”
Since the ocean view was one of the main selling points of the home, the owners worked with Buck Lumber to add a wall of windows and a large Andersen sliding glass door to better capture the seascape. “The original windows also were Andersen, which shows the longevity and quality of the product line,” the homeowner says. Buck Lumber also provided new interior and pocket doors, and trim for the refresh.
Krawcheck worked with the homeowners to specify the fixed finishes, such as countertops and flooring. “There is a method to the madness,” Krawcheck says. “I like to get a vision of the hard surfaces first, such as the granite, marble and hardwood floors, which then leads to choosing cabinetry, tile, hardware and lighting, in that order. Paint colors come last since they are based on the stone and flooring materials throughout the home.”
As part of the coastal look, Krawcheck brought in organic elements and materials. Marble countertops and hardwood floors were the start. “The neutral floors seem to meld with the sand,” she explains. Quartersawn oak cabinets, black iron accents throughout the home, hand-hammered hardware that gives a rough-hewn vibe, natural brass fixtures, and textural wallcoverings and furnishings add to the relaxed West Coast flair. “All of the furnishings were hand-selected for this home, including the custom rugs that tell a neutral, textural story,” says Krawcheck. “Woven furniture and cloth wallcoverings continue the natural theme.” Krawcheck pulled on her vast network of high-end suppliers for the home, including Cowtan & Tout wallcoverings and fabrics, Visual Comfort lighting, linen window treatments created from Austrian-sourced Stroheim fabric and Theodore Alexander furniture. She relied on Southeastern Galleries’ extensive experience in custom-making rugs to create a signature floorcovering in each bedroom that fit the texture and color profile she wanted to capture for each family member’s space.
The natural materials are punctuated with moments of drama, such as the bold marble slab specified for the kitchen, which Krawcheck says makes the home “a little bit grander.” She positioned a chaise lounge in a window that is cantilevered out over the sand dune. “The ocean view is uninterrupted from that perch,” Krawcheck explains. “It feels like you’re out on the water.”
While luxurious, the home incorporates practical elements since it must serve teenagers, too. Krawcheck used a soft InsideOut fabric on the living room sectional that can withstand wet bathing suits. When the fabric becomes dirty, it is bleach cleanable. In one bathroom, a vinylized grasscloth wallpaper stands up to humidity and can be wiped clean.
“Throughout the process, we were impressed with how hands-on Trudie was,” says the daughter. “Thanks to her, the home is timeless.”
Now the family is set up to create cherished memories together, due to the seamless collaboration between two iconic Charleston companies that provided all of the materials and furnishings inside and out for this whole-home remodel. “It was a joy-filled project,” Krawcheck says. “It was a treat to work with a mother and daughter who were creating this together as a generational home. I was lucky enough to be a part of it. We achieved a home with a good flow that feels like you’re at the ocean to relax and unwind. We’re lucky to be here in Charleston with these spectacular views. They never get old in this slice of heaven.” *
Dana W. Todd is a professional writer specializing in interior design, real estate, luxury homebuilding, landscape design, architecture and fine art.
