This Kiawah Island Home Turns Its Back on Traditional Coastal Style – Instead, Marie Flanigan Took a Quieter Approach Inspired by the Rustic Landscape

Kiawah Island might seem like the obvious place for a coastal home, but this one isn't playing by the usual rules. Rather than blue-and-white schemes and nautical motifs, the interiors take their cues from the quiet Lowcountry landscape, layering aged woods, plaster, stone, linen, wool, and antiques with the warmth of English influences. Designer Marie Flanigan says the goal was to create interiors that felt 'completely at home in that environment' rather than impose a particular aesthetic upon it. But while the house feels as though it has been gathered over time, it was, in fact, designed completely from the ground up.

The clients, empty nesters, wanted somewhere their adult children and future grandchildren could come together, which meant making room for everything from big family gatherings to quieter moments away from the bustle. In other words, it’s a house that knows how to host a crowd but doesn’t always require one. 'Every room needed to work hard while still feeling special,' says Marie. Much of its personality, though, is in the details. Architect Jeffrey Dungan deliberately aged the materials and added plenty of moments to discover. 'The details are what make the home,' he says.

Before the antiques, the layered woods and the more unexpected English touches were added, there was the landscape. Instead of reaching straight for the blue paint, though, Marie and her team turned outwards. The house sits where Kiawah's Lowcountry marsh meets the ocean, but the design team wasn't interested in recreating the beach indoors.

Instead, 'the marsh, the changing greens and browns of the landscape, the weathered trees and the softness of the light' became the starting point for the interiors, says Kristin Fitzgerald of Marie Flanigan Interiors. That meant plaster, stone, linen, wool, aged metals and plenty of wood – materials with texture and variation rather than anything overtly nautical. For Marie, the restraint of the architecture was key, allowing 'the surrounding landscape to remain such an important part of the experience.'

The clients' love of English interiors gave the scheme another layer, too. Antiques, traditional furniture forms and vintage textiles bring warmth and history, but Marie reiterates that the intention was never to pin the house to coastal decor. 'More than anything, the inspiration came from bringing together the architecture, the landscape and the personal history of the clients,' she explains, so the home could feel 'individual rather than tied to a particular decorating style.' 'There is a quietness to the Lowcountry landscape that felt much more meaningful to us than introducing literal coastal motifs,' Kristin continues. The result feels unmistakably of the island, without being defined by it.

The architecture has a story to tell, too. Jeffrey Dungan, author of The Soulful House, has long been fascinated by Britain's Arts & Crafts architects, and for this project, one figure in particular came into focus: C.F.A. Voysey. 'I’ve studied his work throughout my life and visited many of his projects in England throughout my travels,' he says.

His influence helped shape the house's curved forms, proportions and approach to craftsmanship, giving this substantial new build a surprisingly intimate feel. 'Jeffrey has a very thoughtful way of creating architectural moments that feel dramatic without losing their human scale,' says Marie. There was, however, a rather less romantic problem to solve before the real fun began.

Sitting just 1,000 feet from the Atlantic, the property had to be raised six feet above natural grade. Rather than simply plonking the house on top of a raised foundation, Dungan's team created a new site around it, using site walls and backfill to form a gentle rise.

'We wanted to avoid creating a towering structure,' he explains, instead allowing the house to feel grounded while still opening it up to the breezes and marsh views. The setting wasn't something to be admired from a distance, either: Jeffrey carefully oriented the house towards the tide, using large groups of windows as both focal points and a way of bringing the outside in. Jeffrey says the team 'scoured for wood with just enough cracks in it to look ancient,' while the plaster, intricate woodwork, and onion-dome roof of the stair tower bring the Arts & Crafts influences to life – thanks to the carefully selected artisans who worked on all the little details.

Of course, making a new house feel as though it has a past is only half the battle. The interiors needed to feel collected, too – as though nobody had arrived with a truck full of furniture one morning and declared the job finished. 'We wanted the furnishings to feel as though they had been gathered gradually over time,' says Kristin. This meant mixing tailored upholstery and custom pieces with antiques, vintage textiles and furniture that already had a little wear and wisdom to it. The clients' love of English interiors helped steer that mix, but the aim was never to make the house feel overly formal. Instead, 'that contrast is what makes the rooms interesting,' Kristin continues.

That sense of imperfection was considered right down to the woodwork. Rather than making every timber finish match perfectly, the team mixed different wood tones, creating subtle changes in tone and depth from room to room. 'I love that you can see those differences when you move through the house,' Kristin explains, because they keep all the wood from feeling 'overly manufactured.'

And then there are the pieces that make the story personal. An antique tapestry that started life as an image on a mood board was eventually tracked down in Houston; in the dining room, artwork depicts the Scottish countryside where the couple was married. They were even sure to engrave the home's name into the brass thresholds. These aren't just finishing touches – they're the things that make the house feel like it belongs to this family.

Some of the best details are the ones you might miss altogether. A concealed bar is tucked into the hallway, while a pair of jib doors on either side of the primary bed connect the bedroom to the bathroom. 'They're the kind of gesture that you might not notice immediately,' says Kristin, 'but once you discover them, they make the entire suite feel so much more thoughtfully resolved.' This philosophy extends well beyond the architecture.

Marie is also particularly fond of those quieter moments – the details that make the house feel more considered, more personal and, occasionally, a little playful. 'The antique tapestry that ultimately became the headboard in the primary bedroom was actually one of the earliest pieces that helped establish the story for the home,' Kristin explains of the level of detail that guided the color scheme. 'Its combination of earthy neutrals, charcoal, blue, and warm, timeworn tones gave us a beautiful point of departure, and we carried those colors in quieter ways throughout the house,' she adds.

The kitchen brings a slightly more English charm to the otherwise relaxed Lowcountry palette with 'taupe cabinetry, a burl wood island, an antique mirror, and aged metal details that give this hardworking space a collected quality,' says Kristin. That thinking carries through to the traditional cabinetry and antique finishes, while the substantial island gives the room a natural place to gather. 'I love the antique mirror used in the kitchen because it brings unexpected softness and depth to an otherwise hardworking space,' she adds of the mirrored backsplash behind the cooker. 'We kept the window treatments relatively restrained and used soft, natural materials so that they would frame rather than interrupt the views. The goal was for the architecture and interiors to continually pull your eye outward and make the landscape feel like part of the home,' adds Marie.

The home office makes the most of one of the property's best views, with warm timber cabinetry, a leather couch and simple linen shades allowing the architecture and marshes outside to take centre stage. Marie describes the views as 'almost like another layer of artwork', with the furniture positioned throughout the house to encourage the family to look out rather than compete with what lies beyond. Just along the hallway, there's a little surprise: a concealed bar tucked into the cabinetry. Kristin calls it a 'fun, unexpected detail' – a fitting addition to a house designed as much around entertaining as it is around everyday life.

Upstairs, the mood shifts gears. The spaces here are more relaxed and personal, designed with family downtime and overnight guests in mind rather than formal entertaining. A comfortable lounge area gives everyone somewhere to retreat to, with generous windows, skirted upholstery, and a mix of tailored and more relaxed pieces creating the kind of room that invites you to actually settle in. 'I think that contrast is what makes the rooms interesting: a beautifully tailored sofa feels even more special next to an antique table, a more relaxed woven piece or something with a little wear and imperfection. This mix gives the home a sense of depth and personality,' says Kristin. The guest bedroom takes a similarly unfussy approach, pairing a vintage turned-wood bed with softly textured walls, warm timber and layered prints.

The family-first brief really comes into its own in the bunk room, created specifically with future grandchildren in mind. Built-in beds make clever use of the narrow space, while plaid curtains, soft green joinery and tucked-away bed nooks give it just enough playfulness without straying too far into cliched children's-room territory. Down the hall, a blue guest bedroom takes the palette somewhere richer, wrapping the room in deep color and balancing it with an ever-so-slightly coastal woven bed, plaid pillows and warm brown textiles. 'There was a strong desire for warmth and coziness to carry from one room to the next,' says Marie. 'While each space needed its own identity, we wanted there to be a sense of cohesion throughout the home, with a consistent language of natural materials, layered textures, and comfortable furnishings tying everything together.'

The bathrooms take the home's aesthetic in two very different directions. The primary bath keeps things calm and architectural, with a sculptural freestanding tub, pale cabinetry, and a large antiqued mirror layered with a vintage painting. The powder room then goes all in on pattern with a rich botanical wallpaper and a fluted timber vanity. That mix of restraint and surprise is very much in keeping with Marie and Kristin's approach throughout the house: even the hardworking spaces were given room for personality.

The mudroom may be one of the more practical spaces in the house, but it's no less special. Warm mid-brown cabinetry runs the length of the room, with a dark stone countertop, brass-toned hardware, and a row of windows bringing in plenty of light, while the built-in bench is finished with florals and stripes that add a little personality. Baskets keep the open shelving useful for everyday clutter, and a sweet under-sink brings in that English-inspired charm. 'Above all, the home needed to be incredibly livable,' adds Marie.

Outside, the architecture takes on an almost Mediterranean note, with the sculptural stone pool house tucked among the mature pines and palms. Its curved form and weathered finish give the new build a sense of permanence, while the covered terrace creates a natural spot for long lunches and poolside gatherings. Woven dining chairs, a patterned tablecloth, and plenty of greenery keep the space feeling informal and 'encourage everyone to linger and take in the landscape', while the built-in outdoor kitchen makes it every bit as functional as the rooms inside. Beyond it, the pool is deliberately simple, allowing the architecture and planting to do the visual work.

For a house of this size, it feels remarkably comfortable. While the architecture gives the home its sense of presence, the interiors bring warmth and history, and the more personal details make it feel extra lived-in. 'We were able to have a dialogue from the architectural stages through the interiors,' says Marie, allowing the woodwork, plaster, stone and furnishings to be considered 'as part of one larger composition.'

For Jeffrey, Kiawah itself was part of the draw. 'The whole island feels like a nature preserve,' he says, describing the opportunity to work there as 'a dream come true for a fellow Southerner.' That sense of place comes through without the design ever resorting to obvious coastal decor. Instead, the rooms unfold gradually, revealing their own personalities while 'maintaining a continuous connection between the architecture, the interiors, the landscape and, most importantly, the way this family lives,' Kristin adds. She agrees that this collaboration is 'a big part of why the house feels so cohesive.' For a new build, it has achieved something rather harder to manufacture: the feeling that it belongs.

Shop the Look

Interior Design: Marie Flanigan, Kristin Fitzgerald and Kristin Carter of Marie Flanigan Interiors

Builder: Grossman Building Group, Nick Grossman

Architect: Jeffrey Dungan

Landscape Architect: Hoerr Schaudt

Photographer: Julie Soefer / Adrian Gaut

Stylist: Jessica Brinkert Holtam

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