Heart of the Home

After years of hosting family Christmas in their brick 1990s Mount Pleasant home, these

homeowners were ready to upgrade their kitchen ahead of their next big gathering. “We didn’t

want the kitchen to feel trendy in a way that would be dated in five years,” shared the

homeowners. "We wanted something warm, classic, and practical — but still beautiful."

Given the kitchen’s less than deal layout, the homeowner’s biggest concern was lighting. The

original kitchen mirrored the dark brick exterior, displaying deep-walnut cabinetry and laminate

countertops. Yet the biggest culprit was a partial wall between the kitchen and the living room.

The closed-off layout not only blocked natural light from entering the space, but was a barrier

between the hosts and their guests. “Adding natural light to the kitchen was equally important as

merging the two spaces,” said the homeowners. “We wanted to be able to cook in the kitchen

while being able to chat with our guests in the living area.”

When it comes to renovating older homes in Charleston, preserving some of its original charm

and character is always a valued part of the process. Shortly into the homeowner’s first meeting2

with Mary Smith from CH+D Interiors, they were confident in her ability to keep their vision

intact. “The goal was to make the kitchen feel like it had always belonged in the home, just in a

more refined and functional way,” said Mary.

Going into this project, the homeowners knew they wanted to remove the partial-wall and had

hopes that doing so would not only provide more light, but enough room to install a large kitchen

island. They had always envisioned the kitchen island being the heart of their everyday life. “We

wanted it to be a place that our kids could do their homework while dinner is being made or

where we could sit and have a glass of wine after tidying up at the end of the day,” the

homeowners explained.

Mary worked with the homeowners to make this possible. The island would not only become a

central hub for the family, but would provide additional seating when hosting, and was built to

include hidden storage to keep small appliances out of sight.

After plans for the island were approved, Mary realized they had a little space to play around

with and proposed that they use it to install a small coffee and beverage station in the corner. In

an earlier conversation with Mary, the homeowners mentioned an espresso machine they’d

purchased, yet weren’t sure where it would fit best. The homeowners loved the idea and were

quick to approve. Hosting was kept in mind with the station, tucking a wine and beer fridge and

ice maker underneath, and installing shelves above for glassware or mugs.

Incorporating details into the kitchen that not only merged seamlessly with the existing living

room design, but pulled from timeless Lowcountry design elements was one of the reasons the

homeowners chose Mary. Her signature style is rooted in Charleston charm and authenticity,

prioritizing the use of locally sourced materials, antiques, and artwork.

This project was no different. Mary selected custom white oak cabinets, handmade tiles for the

backsplash, and brass hardware and plumbing fixtures, all staples to Lowcountry design. She

worked with Charleston Quartz Co. to make and install quartz countertops, explaining, “They’re

not only durable and easy to clean, but bring texture and movement into a kitchen.”

Stark white walls and recessed fluorescent lighting were replaced with warm neutral tones and

layered lighting, bringing that desired warmth into the kitchen. “Having different light sources

like hanging pendants and under-cabinet accents creates this warm and inviting texture that the

space was missing,” said Mary.

Walking through this transformed kitchen, it’s clear how well each design choice equally

compliments each other to pull the space together. The updated lighting pulls out the warmth of

the brass hardware, the handmade tiles add contrast against the quartz counters, and the white

oak brings a calm, grounding energy to the room. “We were speechless when we first walked in.

It’s better than anything we could’ve imagined,” the homeowners beamed. And now, the heart of

this home is ready to host.