Filed under: Color, Your Home, Projects, Design, etc, House Tours, Architecture
A white base grounds this living room. Photos: Mellisa Ervin Interior Design
When we first laid eyes on this adorable Mt. Pleasant, SC cottage, we would have never guessed that designer Melissa Ervin transformed its interiors in just ten weeks. The finished results look like they took years to achieve: The house feels grounded in its seaside locale without becoming too beach-y or precious.
Photo: Melissa Ervin Interior Design
A tight deadline to complete the project didn't mean Ervin was limited to off-the-shelf products from major retailers. Throughout the house, she used a mix of old and new furnishings, which helps soften the look of things while giving the home an easy, lived-in feeling.
The secret to the house's color palette is a neutral base downstairs and controlled use of color throughout. With the open feeling of the ground floor, Ervin wanted something that would help the space flow together, so she opted for Benjamin Moore's 'Linen White.' The butted board and upholstery were also cast in shades of white, leaving Ervin free to layer in different greens like the curtains (Kathryn M. Ireland fabric) and the dining chairs' upholstery (ESD in Charleston, SC).
The living and dining room areas feature butted board panels, which Ervin added to the cottage for texture and character. While butted board is a job for a contractor, Ervin notes that you could get the look with beadboard, which you can purchase in sheets from your nearby home improvement center and install yourself - if you're brave enough!
Ervin re-upholstered the homeowners' existing dining chairs in a bright green fabric. Photo: Melissa Ervin Interior Design
The maps seen in the dining room (below) show local waterways from the Charleston area. Ervin notes that it's easiest to check in antique stores in the area you are interested in having the maps from. (You can also set up an eBay alert for your desired maps.)
Bead board and a skirted farmhouse sink give the kitchen a country feel. Photo: Melissa Ervin Interior Design
When it came time to work on the kitchen, Ervin realized she could not match the stain on the new kitchen floors to the old, existing floors in the living room/dining room area. Instead she opted for a bold, pop of color underfoot. The paint is Martin-Senour's 'Green Leaf 106-4.'
The unusual artwork (seen above) in the kitchen is a German vintage botanical from the 1960s which would have been used for teaching purposes in European universities. Ervin picked up both the print and the kitchen's lighting fixtures at South Of Market in Atlanta, GA and Charleston, SC, respectively.
A blue palette and an oyster-embossed mirror allude to the cottage's harbour setting. Photo: Melissa Ervin Interior Design
In the bedrooms, Ervin introduced more colors; for example, in the bedroom, she worked in tones of blue. When it comes to window treatments, she notes that looks are important, but they do need to function. Says Ervin, "If money is no obstacle, hire the best window fabricator [you can afford] to custom sew your curtains so you can select your fabric and trim." If you're on a budget, she recommends ready-made curtains from Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware and blinds from Smith & Noble.
Ervin scored the pagoda chandelier from ESD in Charleston, SC. Photo: Melissa Ervin Interior Design
In a guest bedroom shades of orange, red and gold add up to one sunny space. While this palette might be too bold for everyday living, using it in a guest room is way to play with color.