My Houzz: Fresh and Modern Surf Style in South Carolina
Surfboards, clean lines and an ocean-inspired laid-back style come together in this family’s home on James Island
Margaret Wright
July 1, 2018
Houzz Contributor. Interior and lifestyle photographer based in Charleston, SC.
House at a Glance
Who lives here: Chris and Aaron Quinn; son Owen, 12; daughter Emma, 9; and their Chihuahua-pug mix, Daisy, and boxer mix, Lily
Location: James Island, South Carolina
Size: 2,600 square feet (242 square meters); four bedrooms, 3½ bathrooms
Year built: 2015
Web developers Chris and Aaron Quinn approached designing their home on James Island, South Carolina, as though they were designing a great website: It was all about the user experience. Chris says she wanted to create the most natural yet most efficient experience for her family while also creating a comfortable and beautiful space. Before joining husband Aaron at eHouse Studio, the e-commerce web agency they run in Charleston, Chris worked as an interior designer, and the two fields have always been intertwined for her.
Who lives here: Chris and Aaron Quinn; son Owen, 12; daughter Emma, 9; and their Chihuahua-pug mix, Daisy, and boxer mix, Lily
Location: James Island, South Carolina
Size: 2,600 square feet (242 square meters); four bedrooms, 3½ bathrooms
Year built: 2015
Web developers Chris and Aaron Quinn approached designing their home on James Island, South Carolina, as though they were designing a great website: It was all about the user experience. Chris says she wanted to create the most natural yet most efficient experience for her family while also creating a comfortable and beautiful space. Before joining husband Aaron at eHouse Studio, the e-commerce web agency they run in Charleston, Chris worked as an interior designer, and the two fields have always been intertwined for her.
“When I worked in interior design, I loved the space-planning element, which really speaks to the user flow and use of each space,” says Chris, seen here with the family dogs, Daisy and Lily, rescues from Palmetto Paws.
With an emphasis on natural flow and easy-to-understand visuals, the couple landed on an open floor plan in a new-construction home on James Island, close to their downtown office and right by the beach, where Aaron surfs on weekends and the whole family loves to hang out.
With an emphasis on natural flow and easy-to-understand visuals, the couple landed on an open floor plan in a new-construction home on James Island, close to their downtown office and right by the beach, where Aaron surfs on weekends and the whole family loves to hang out.
The exterior of the home was originally green. When the couple bought the house, construction by Port City Homes was mostly complete, aside from some finishing touches. They got a contract on the house and customized the final details and had the outside painted in Pure White by Sherwin-Williams.
“My theory was to keep the base neutral, all white walls, white cabinets and subway tile, and decorate with pops of color,” Chris says. “It’s appealing to the eye.”
Urban chaise sectional: West Elm; coffee table and leather chair: Celadon; gold side table: Target; find more accent tables
Urban chaise sectional: West Elm; coffee table and leather chair: Celadon; gold side table: Target; find more accent tables
Aaron’s surfboard collection is a natural part of the design and gives the interior space a beachy feel. Chris says she wanted the home to have “a Southern California vibe” and also channel the surf-shack style of places the family has stayed on vacation in Costa Rica.
Houzz Tour: Blue Crush at a Malibu Surf Shack
Houzz Tour: Blue Crush at a Malibu Surf Shack
This wooden dresser is a piece from Aaron’s childhood; Chris painted the outside a glossy white (also Sherwin-Williams’ Pure White) for a clean and modern feel, leaving the drawers and feet natural to keep some of the warmth. For her, “it’s all about contrast — clean and warm, color and neutral, new and old.” Framed photos and surfboard-inspired art are displayed here.
The couple bought the statement pendant in the entry at a small shop, Seven Hills Turkish Bazaar, while on an anniversary trip to Santa Barbara, California. That’s also where they went for their honeymoon.
In the master bedroom, Chris wanted to keep the decor and furnishings minimal and comfortable. “The platform bed forces you to keep things clean and minimal because you can’t hide anything under there,” she says.
Mid-Century platform bed: West Elm; Mid-Century nightstands in white and acorn: West Elm; art: Celadon; browse more midcentury-style nightstands and bedside tables
Mid-Century platform bed: West Elm; Mid-Century nightstands in white and acorn: West Elm; art: Celadon; browse more midcentury-style nightstands and bedside tables
“Layering that clean look with lots of textured blankets and pillows keeps things from being too stark,” Chris says. “You want the bedroom to be a little bit of a sanctuary.”
Before moving into the new house, the family was living in an older home in downtown Charleston, where the rooms were closed off and tight. “Our old bathroom had one sink, a toilet and shower all in one tiny little space, so having a true master [bathroom] feels like a luxury,” Chris says.
The kids enjoy relaxing in the soaking tub after a long day at the beach.
The couple chose the hardware and tile before moving in. Chris opted for dark fixtures to create contrast against the white shower tiles and Carrara marble floor tiles.
Chris worked with each of the two kids to decorate their bedrooms. “All Owen cared about was displaying his Legos,” she says. The surf and skim boards in the corner are Aaron’s childhood boards, and the bed is vintage from Aaron’s parents. “I enjoy pairing older sentimental pieces with a bit of wear and a story with clean, white walls and more modern pieces, like the rolling cubby from Ikea,” Chris says.
Because the vintage bed was so tall, Chris initially struggled to find the perfect thing to hang above it and adequately fill the wall space. She found the solution in this trio of baskets and ferns from local home goods shop Celadon.
Elements of Style: The Surfboard
Elements of Style: The Surfboard
The upstairs includes two full baths. The kids used to share the larger bathroom but, Chris says, “Emma recently kicked her brother out, so this is his minimal, surf-inspired space.”
The bathroom Emma uses is bright and decorated with pops of pale blue.
Chris created an accent wall in the bathroom using black and gray bird decals.
Fly bird wall decals: Blik; find more animal-themed wall decals
Can You Use Wallpaper in a Bathroom?
Fly bird wall decals: Blik; find more animal-themed wall decals
Can You Use Wallpaper in a Bathroom?
Emma was very involved in designing her space, Chris says. “She chose the canopy, curtains and bean bag herself.” Chris used the dresser from her childhood room and gave it a fresh coat of white paint. Playful accessories, a graphic rug and colorful pillows complete the space.
PS 2014 rug: Ikea
PS 2014 rug: Ikea
The bed was actually Aaron’s first gift to Chris when they were dating. “I was sleeping on a futon at the time!” she says.
Pendant lighting helps create separate spaces that make sense to the eye in an open floor plan, such as above the dining area and above the kitchen island.
The island is where the family spends much of its time, especially the kids, who do their homework and eat there. When the family first moved into the home, the wall behind the counter stools was just drywall, but after a few days of the children kicking and scuffing the paint while they studied and snacked, Chris says, she called the contractor back to wrap the subway tiles all the way around. “Now it’s super easy to clean,” she says.
The family inherited the table and Marcel Breuer B32 chairs from friends who moved, and Chris added two yellow metal chairs on the ends for a little extra color.
Barstools: Celadon; sculptural glass globe pendant: West Elm
The island is where the family spends much of its time, especially the kids, who do their homework and eat there. When the family first moved into the home, the wall behind the counter stools was just drywall, but after a few days of the children kicking and scuffing the paint while they studied and snacked, Chris says, she called the contractor back to wrap the subway tiles all the way around. “Now it’s super easy to clean,” she says.
The family inherited the table and Marcel Breuer B32 chairs from friends who moved, and Chris added two yellow metal chairs on the ends for a little extra color.
Barstools: Celadon; sculptural glass globe pendant: West Elm
The kitchen has a lot of floor space, and although Chris originally envisioned an island in the middle, after they’d been living in the space for a while, she and Aaron decided they enjoyed the roomy feel with nothing to hinder foot traffic.
With the open downstairs extending from the entry to the kitchen to the living room to the screened-in back porch, Chris says, the family is pretty much always together in one space. She loves that she can interact with the rest of the family when she’s in the kitchen.
Chris wanted the outdoor space to feel like part of the house. On Sundays the family plays dominos on the table on the back porch, and on birthdays and holidays they host family dinners outside.
Browse outdoor dining sets
Browse outdoor dining sets
The couple use one side of the screened-in porch as a home gym. ““Fitness and nutrition is a hobby of ours,” Chris says. “Aaron and I use the equipment to work out doing TRX training along with the Bosu balls and free weights to condition for surfing.”
The backyard includes an outdoor fire pit, which is used year-round. Each Christmas Eve the family gathers to roast marshmallows and spend quality time together.
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
More home tours: Apartments | Small Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | All
The backyard includes an outdoor fire pit, which is used year-round. Each Christmas Eve the family gathers to roast marshmallows and spend quality time together.
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
More home tours: Apartments | Small Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | All
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Easy, breezy, & funky with out the fussy! Awesome.
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