Casual Kiawah Island Cottage

By Nancy A. Ruhling
A love of color and carefree style transforms a past-its-prime cottage into the perfect family getaway. See how designer Jamie Meares created a crisp look with a beachy palette of blues, corals, whites, and grays.
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Focus on Pattern

Photo: Julia Lynn, Stylist: Elizabeth Demos
The sitting room serves as the introduction to the living and dining rooms, hinting at the visuals that are to come. “In each zone, I repeated things—patterns, colors, textures—so the eye finds an easy place to rest,” Meares says. The chairs are slipcovered in the same fabric as the dining room curtains.

Get the look: The slipcovers were crafted from Schumacher’s Zimba fabric. The walls are painted Palladian Blue by Benjamin Moore. The rug is from Pottery Barn. The coffee table, lamps, and pendant light are from Furbish Studio.

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Use Slipcovers

Photo: Julia Lynn, Stylist: Elizabeth Demos
Meares had to convince the owners that a white sofa for the living room would be safe post-beach with two boys in the house. The U-shaped sectional features slipcovers, which make washing a snap. “White is crisp and bright,” she says. “It doesn’t overtake the small space or make it look cramped.”

Get the look: The walls are painted Palladian Blue and the beaded board is painted Decorators White, both by Benjamin Moore. The custom sectional is from Furbish Studio.

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Repurpose Furniture

Photo: Julia Lynn, Stylist: Elizabeth Demos
To keep costs to a minimum, Meares utilized as much of the previous owners’ furniture as possible, including the old dresser in the dining room, which she reimagined as a sideboard. A few coats of Benjamin Moore paint in Decorators White help it blend in with the rest of the home’s decor.

Get the look: The mirror is from Ballard Designs. The lamps are from Crate & Barrel.

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Brighten Up the Kitchen

Photo: Julia Lynn, Stylist: Elizabeth Demos
Because of community building rules, windows could not be added to the kitchen, so Meares brightened it with white cabinetry, white subway tiles on the backsplash, and white granite on the countertops and island. “The granite has a huge vein and looks like Carrara marble but was a fraction of the cost,” she says.

Get the look: The pendant lights are from Serena & Lily.

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Create a Colorful Kid's Room

Photo: Julia Lynn, Stylist: Elizabeth Demos
In one son’s room, Meares used $10-a-yard draperies with a large-scale turquoise pattern to set the tone for dramatic decor that’s also kid-casual. The serape headboard provides a pretty counterpart to the sleek, modern chair. “The chair shakes things up,” Meares says. “It’s kooky and quirky, and he loves it.”

Get the look: The duvet is from Restoration Hardware. The lamp is from CB2. The rug is from Madeline Weinrib. The headboard, pillows, and art are from Furbish Studio.

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Add Pops of Color

Photo: Julia Lynn, Stylist: Elizabeth Demos
In the master suite, a mirror with a scalloped frame reflects the light, which makes the tiny space look larger. “I didn’t want it to have a catalog look,” says Meares, “so I blended old and new.” She paired the bed, which has a driftwood feel, with artisan-made lacquered grasscloth nightstands.

Get the look: The mirror is from Wisteria. the nightstand is from Bungalow 5.

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Use Paint in New Ways

Photo: Julia Lynn, Stylist: Elizabeth Demos
The furnishings in the youngest son’s bedroom look like new, thanks to a fresh coat of paint. The dresser, one of several that were already in the house, gets its cool, kid-friendly aesthetic from its green racing stripe.

Get the look: The bedrooms are all painted sandy White (on the walls) and Decorators White (on the beaded board), both by Benjamin Moore.

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