A reader named Mary Margaret wrote me about the year-long renovation of her Kiawah Island vacation home rental in South Carolina, calling it “a labor of love.”
Take a look at how she updated her house near the beach…
A Kiawah Island Vacation Home Makeover
The exterior doesn’t look too different at first glance than it did before, but there’s now a fabulous new deck and pool with access from both the kitchen and the screened porch on the right:
The front door is on the other side of the screened porch:
The interiors underwent some major changes. For starters, here’s the living room before:
She says, “Ceilings were vaulted everywhere we could!” It’s amazing what a difference that made:
The wall was knocked out between the dining room and the kitchen:
The original kitchen was smaller and darker:
The new kitchen has vaulted, beamed ceilings, a large island, and French doors leading out to the new deck and saltwater pool:
The big farm table in the kitchen seats 8.
The original master bedroom was so huge that they divided it into two bedrooms to give more guests their own space:
One of the two new master bedrooms:
There are now 5 bedrooms and 5 1/2 baths in the house.
A smaller bedroom before:
It still has pink and green in the room, but with a fresher look (and a bigger bed):
Even the screened porch got a makeover:
Here’s how it looks now:
Mary Margaret calls it “the most cherished space” in the newly renovated home: “You can dine al fresco while enjoying the sound of waves crashing and the ocean breeze. The porch swing bed is the perfect place to read a book, take a nap or enjoy a fall football game on the 55” HDTV.” Sounds good to me!
Thanks to Mary Margaret for sharing this renovation with us! It looks like it has everything it needs to be a relaxing getaway.
For rental information: Home Away.
Architect: Bill Marshall with Architrave in Charleston.
Builder: Harold Noland with Hidden Oaks Properties.
Photography: William Quarles.
I cannot even imagine being surrounded by such a beautiful setting and being able to hear the crashing waves from a sun room while sitting on a suspended coach. You are a blessed woman, Mary Margaret!! Beautiful island home transformation!
Oops. Make that couch. Definitely don’t want to be sitting on a suspended coach. haha!
A couch would be more comfortable, for sure. Ha. 😉
What a beautiful home.
I’m in love with the dining room table.
And that screened in porch! Perfection.
Such a gorgeous home. I love how they raised the ceiling in the living room and added the beams. With a home like that, who needs to go on vacation?
I know, right?? 🙂
Stunning. Thank you for sharing. I caught myself daydreaming while gazing at the dreamy porch.
Hi Julia,
Loved the before and after of the Kiawah home in SC. Spectacular!!
Would love to know the type of tree in the front yard. It’s dappled shade is very interesting.
Thanks for any information you can provide.
Good question! I’m not sure. Does anyone recognize what kind of tree that is?
I’m guessing that it is a live oak…they are all over the lowcountry. I used to live 15 minutes from Kiawah…it is gorgeous, and this house is stunning. I love everything about it.
Different question….Are white walls the “thing” now? I’m starting to see them everywhere. Almost all my furniture is white…I’m not sure how that would work?
Hi Donna, hope you don’t mind me weighing in on your discussion. White walls are popular now – art galleries have white walls to showcase art. Remember that there are oodles of shades of white. If you have white furniture, you can consider a white with kiss of gray for bit deeper contrast and backdrop. Then add pops of color throughout the room with pillows and accessories. Just a thought!
Thanks, Mary Beth!
That’s a live oak. These trees grow all over the Low Country. The road to Kiawah leads across John’s Island, and it’s lined with live oaks, complete with lots of Spanish moss hanging from the branches. About 15 minutes from Kiawah is the Angel Oak, a huge live oak that’s estimated to be the oldest living thing east of the Rocky Mountains.
Thanks, Richella!
I.Just.Can’t. Stunning. Absolutely stunning.
What a stunning makeover. Those beams look incredible and really open up each space. If I stayed here or lived here I would never want to leave.
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This is absolutely stunning! Thank you so much for providing the link to the rental information. The addition of all that outdoor living space and a pool make this a perfect rental property for Kiawah. We’ve vacationed there many times over the year and stayed in everything from a 2-bedroom condo to an oceanside mansion–but never in a place as beautiful as this house is! What a great job they did!!
It’s fabulous! Great choice to raise the roof. I’m shocked you can rent it!
This home is beautiful. Raising the ceilings and installing the beams was enough to give this home character but she took it to another level with great interior decorating. So glad she contacted you and is sharing!
Such a relaxing home!! Vaulting the ceilings really opened everything up and made it look so light and airy.
Thanks for the pictorial vacation 😉
Wow, huge difference! It went from looking old and outdated to modern and classy. Great job!
Hi Julia, this place is too gorgeous I would never want to leave. Thank you for sharing beauty. Till next time.. Wishing you and your family a lovely Easter. Regards Esther from Sydney. PS this place would be great to have an Easter egg hunt.
Thought I’d stop in for a moment, while I wait for the kids to wake and start their Easter egg hunt. This place is stunning. I might add a little more color, but otherwise it’s perfect!
Happy Easter, Alie! 🙂
Wow! What a beauty. I ‘m. Going to pin this for my future dream vacation. Perfection…thanks, Julia!
Love the before and after. Spectacular!! Would you happen to know what type of trees those are in the front yard. The dappled shade is lovely!!
Thanks
de Netherland