This Historic Beach Resort's Makeover Is Full of Unexpected Design Ideas

A bright, corner wrap-around booth with pale green cushions and patterned throw pillows, surrounded by large windows looking out onto an outdoor patio with umbrellas and greenery. — (Image credit: Michael Clifford)

The Sanderling Resort, nestled along the shores of North Carolina’s Outer Banks, is an iconic destination. With a rich local legacy, it has become something of an heirloom for many families who return season after season. So when the resort turned 40 in 2025 and it was time for a refresh, preserving all that heritage and reputation was at the top of the brief for interior design studio Ward + Gray.

This new chapter for The Sanderling was never about forgetting the past; it was about honoring the property’s history. The goal was to maintain its warm, welcoming atmosphere while updating the interiors to create a luxurious retreat that feels like a home away from home.

The Sanderling is a beach resort, and it feels like one; however, it avoids all the clichés often associated with coastal design. References to the sea and its surroundings are subtle and nuanced – hidden shell details, natural textures, soft color palettes, and nautical artwork. This is beach house decor done well, and done timelessly, ensuring this latest iteration of The Sanderling can endure for the next 40 years and beyond.

A dining room setup featuring three tables with white tablecloths and high-backed bamboo chairs, set against a red patterned wall decorated with an ornate mirror and coral sculptures on small shelves. — Theodosia, the Sanderling's signature restaurant and the most vivid room in the resort where elegant deep red tones mix with subtle coastal touches.

The renovated property now features 123 guest rooms and suites along with The Residences at The Sanderling Resort – a collection of private vacation homes ideal for extended stays and family gatherings.

And of course there's the unmissable Theodosia, the on-site restaurant headed up by North Carolina native, award-winning chef, and New York Times best-selling author Vivian Howard. Naturally, the food is stunning, but the decor is just as wonderful; that rich dark red is such a contrast to the soft greens and blues found elsewhere in the resort.

To dive deeper into this careful renovation project, we sat down with Ward + Gray's principals, Christie Ward and Staver Gray. The approach to this project was more like a residential one than a hospitality one, it's layered, lived in and collected – just as a home would be.

A retro-inspired bar area featuring a curved tile counter, woven bamboo barstools, elaborate hanging pendant lights, and patterned wallpaper columns. — Antique-inspired burnt bamboo stools and Fermoie Shell Grotto wallpaper are a nod to the coastal settings.

'When we started this project, The Sanderling was already an institution in the area, being one of the only hotels on this portion of the Outer Banks in North Carolina,' explains Christie. 'The bones were classic Outer Banks – 'beach boxes' with cedar shake and lots of porches. This simple style allowed us to introduce new architectural gestures like trelliage in the lobby or a wave motif crown molding in the standard guestrooms. It was a blank canvas!'

'We changed everything from the flooring to the wall finishes, the furniture, lighting, and all of the accessories. We were tasked with giving the hotel a full renovation and a new life, as the existing finishes were not kept.'

A long, sage green kitchen island topped with white marble, accented by open shelving filled with ceramics, fresh oranges, and lush white floral arrangements. — Ward + Gray wanted the main lobby to feel more like walking into someone's beach house than into a hotel.

'The concept for this hotel draws inspiration from the timeless charm and relaxed warmth of a classic beach house, blending comfort with a refined Southern-coastal sensibility,' says Staver. 'The goal is to create an atmosphere that feels both authentic and inviting, where guests immediately feel at ease, as if arriving at a familiar retreat by the sea.'

'The design emphasizes a sense of home through a lived-in, collected interior rather than a polished or overly curated aesthetic. Layered textures, natural materials, and thoughtfully mixed furnishings give the space a sense of history and personal narrative, as though pieces have been gathered over time. Soft, sun-washed color palettes and coastal influences subtly reference the surrounding environment without resorting to literal themes.'

'Overall, the hotel is envisioned as a welcoming coastal home, encouraging guests to slow down, settle in, and experience the comfort and familiarity of a true beach house retreat.'

A sophisticated lounge area featuring a grey sofa with patterned pillows, wicker armchairs, white lattice-patterned walls, and a large central leafy plant arrangement. — Above the lobby is a quiet sitting room, a cozy, layered space with plenty of nooks for reading and relaxing.

'Our intention was for the hotel to feel as though you’ve just stepped into a friend’s beloved beach cottage,' explains Christie. 'The experience begins in the lobby, where we introduced a residential-style kitchen as the heart and anchor of the space. It was imagined as a place where guests might wander down in their robes, settle into a banquette, and enjoy their first cup of coffee of the day.'

'It feels casual, familiar, and unpretentious with the classic Shaker-style designed cabinetry and a large center island made for people to gather around. The lobby is further wrapped in Schumacher wallpaper across both ceilings and walls, while custom-designed lattice paneling adds depth, texture, and a sense of craftsmanship. Together, these elements create a layered, intimate environment that reinforces the home-like atmosphere.'

'This same residential sensibility carries into the guestrooms, where comfort and personal detail were central to the design,' adds Staver. 'Two distinct guestroom types were developed. The first features a custom jute carpet that immediately introduces warmth, complemented by coral accents that echo the sun-washed tones of the beach.'

'In the second guestroom type, we leaned further into residential detailing with custom area rugs beneath both the beds and living areas, as well as a grasscloth-wallpapered ceiling that adds a subtle, natural layer. It’s a detail that may go unnoticed at first, but one that is felt by enhancing the sense of warmth and familiarity. Each room is finished with layered textiles, including fringe on sofas and pillows, reinforcing those touches you typically find in someone’s collected home but not always at a hotel.'

An L-shaped built-in window seat packed with books underneath, offering a panoramic view of the blue ocean, decorated with patterned throw pillows. — Coordinating Schumacher drapery that matches the wallpaper in the main area of the sitting room creates a cohesion in this large open space.

'While much of the furniture was custom-designed for the hotel, we layered in thoughtfully selected wallcoverings and textiles to enrich the spaces. In the lobby, Schumacher wallcoverings were applied to the ceilings, introducing a soft sage green tone that became a recurring thread throughout the space,' says Christie.

'Custom-designed banquettes were upholstered in Jasper fabrics and finished with Samuel & Sons jute fringe at the base, reinforcing the relaxed, residential character. On the upper level of the lobby, sofas are upholstered in Fermoie’s Shell Grotto fabric, a subtle and refined nod to the sea.'

'Anchoring the space upon arrival is an oversized lantern from Jamb, whose verdigris finish beautifully complements the lobby’s green palette and that worn from the sea air feeling we sought throughout the space. We also sourced several antiques for the lobby, including Gustavian lounge chairs we had reupholstered in a sage stripe that further brings in a residential feel by the wear on them and the beautiful age.'

'We found accessories throughout the spaces in local antique shops, including the oversized glass cloche in the lobby filled with seashells. We felt antiques brought a soulful element to this space, and we sought to bring in as many as possible to further highlight that residential feel.'

Elegant bathroom featuring blue and white floral wallpaper, a marble vanity, sage green beadboard, and a dark green tiled walk-in shower. — In the bathrooms, Ward + Gray collaborated with Schumacher to create a bespoke floral wallpaper that was durable enough for wet spaces.

'In the restaurant, Theodosia, Pierre Frey fabrics were used throughout the drapery and banquettes, establishing a rich red scheme that provides warmth and contrast while maintaining the overall sense of layered elegance. Bespoke woven tables and stools by Ward + Gray’s Boheme collection were made for this space in a rich warm color, with woven motifs woven into the tables and stools,' continues Staver.

'The stools' upholstery has a shell-design seam to further bring in a subtle coastal sensibility. We found vintage artworks to cover the walls when you enter Theodosia – a collection of seascapes in oil and framed in vintage frames sourced for the project. We brought in a warm light throughout the Theodosia space, including the Abalone shell sconces and the Luna sconces, both in Ward + Gray’s Boheme collection.'

'We kept the light soft to make the Theodosia restaurant feel like someone’s invited you over for dinner in the dining room rather than a hotel restaurant feel.'

6 Design Lessons From The Sanderling Resort

There are so many lessons to take from this inspiring project. It might be a resort, but it’s been designed like a home – an effortless, welcoming, layered home. Christie and Staver highlight these six takeaways as key to their design approach.

1. Let a Sense of Home Lead the Design

A spacious, two-story open-concept living area featuring white railings, a grand central staircase, green patterned accent walls, and vibrant potted plants throughout. — The bright open lobby feels more like a luxurious beach house than a resort.

When designing any space, start by asking how it should feel to live in. Prioritizing comfort, intimacy, and recognizable domestic cues instantly makes interiors more welcoming.

At The Sanderling, every space was conceived through a residential lens – even the lobby, which was reimagined as a beach house living room and kitchen rather than a traditional hotel arrival experience. Details like a lantern-style pendant, a Gustavian-inspired reception desk, and banquette seating create familiarity and ease.

2. Use Setting as Influence, Not a Literal Interpretation

The restaurant at the Sanderling hotel decorated with a red and white color scheme — The dining room in Theodosia has the subtlest nods to its coastal surroundings.

Location should inform mood and materiality, not dictate theme. The most successful coastal interiors lean more on effortless design rather than classic sea tropes.

Rather than relying on obvious nautical references, the design draws from the coast in a quieter, more sophisticated way – through sandy beiges, faded blues, muted greens, and natural materials that feel sun-worn and timeless.

Even in more dramatic spaces like Theodosia, coastal references appear subtly through texture and material, not color clichés. In fact, for Theodosia, we leaned into washed red – a color that not many would associate with coastal interiors. For this space, instead of looking at modern coastal design, we looked to historical coastal references. The restaurant is named after Theodosia Burr, a socialite who was lost at sea in 1813.

We imagined the guest experience as a dinner party at her fantastical home. The design references a color palette that might have been used at that time but modernized in Pierre Frey fabrics. We incorporated antique lighting and vintage oil seascapes, imagining what she might have had in her foyer to greet guests. We also created custom tiles for the bar and chef’s counter telling the story of Theodosia’s fateful sea journey in mural form – incorporating wave, mermaid and ocean creature motifs.

3. Build Warmth Through Layered Texture

A cozy bedroom featuring a four-poster bed with a light blue blanket, alongside a small wicker table and two wooden chairs overlooking the sea. — The king rooms have a classic coastal palette of calming blues, layered with white oak and heritage prints.

Texture is as important as the color scheme. Mixing tactile surfaces is one of the simplest ways to create richness and warmth at home and helps a room avoid a 'flat' feeling.

Across the resort, texture does much of the storytelling – grasscloth ceilings, hand-woven wicker, worn woods, hand-blocked linens, and chalky painted finishes create depth without visual noise. These layers make spaces feel collected and comforting rather than overly designed. Texture is key to what we do at Ward + Gray. We like furniture to feel like heirloom pieces, passed down from generation to generation. For our hand-knotted rugs, we have developed a distressing technique that gives the rugs variation in texture – like furniture has been dragged over them throughout the years. For our lighting, we hand finish all of the metal work to feel like it already has a story in place.

4. Treat Lighting as a Decorative Element

A bright sitting area featuring a grey sofa with patterned throw pillows next to a large window, complemented by a vase of yellow flowers on the coffee table. — Farrow & Ball Light Blue was used on the half-height beadboard, the perfect shade for a coastal bedroom.

Good lighting should feel considered and atmospheric. Layering a mix of light sources – and choosing fixtures with personality – transforms how a space is experienced, especially after dark.

Lighting at The Sanderling is intentionally residential: oversized lanterns, table lamps, sconces, and low-level lighting replace harsh overhead solutions. In both guest rooms and public spaces, lighting contributes as much to character as furniture or finishes. We like to keep all lighting at a 2700K color temperature, which feels intimate and warm.

5. Anchor Rooms with Rugs and Pattern Underfoot

A coastal bedroom with a four-poster bed, a dusty pink sofa at the foot of the bed, and a large window offering a scenic ocean view. — The bedrooms get the balance right between formal and luxurious, and laid-back and warm.

Think of rugs as foundational pieces, not finishing touches. A well-chosen rug sets the tone for the entire room and makes spaces feel instantly more complete.

Rugs play a key role throughout the resort, grounding spaces and introducing pattern without overwhelming them. In guest rooms and public areas alike, they help define zones and soften architectural elements, particularly in larger-scale rooms. We love using colorful rugs as a foundation for a space. We usually start a room with a great statement rug, then use fabrics to pull colors out of the rug to complement it throughout the space.

6. Mix Eras, Influences, and Stories

A warm hotel lounge or reception area featuring a gallery wall of framed maritime paintings, patterned red banquette seating, woven stools, and bright red-trimmed windows. — Vintage maritime artwork can be found throughout the resort.

The most compelling interiors avoid uniformity. Mixing old and new, global and local, refined and relaxed brings authenticity and soul into the home.

From Gustavian antiques and English bamboo references to Southern rocking chairs and globally sourced artwork, The Sanderling’s interiors feel layered with history and personality. Vintage elements sit comfortably alongside bespoke pieces, creating a sense that the space has evolved over time.

For more information or to book your stay at the Sanderling, visit thesanderling.com. The iconic Theodosia is also open to non-guests, so you can book a table and enjoy the delicious summer menu and take in the stunning interiors for yourself.

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I am the Head of Interiors at Homes & Gardens. I started off in the world of journalism in fashion and luxury travel and then landed my first interiors role at Real Homes and have been in the world of interior design ever since. Prior to my role at H&G I was the digital editor at Livingetc, from which I took a sabbatical to travel in my self-converted van (not as glamorous as decorating a home, but very satisfying). A year later, and with lots of technical DIY lessons learned I am back to writing and editing, sometimes even from the comfort of my home on wheels.