Interior designer Kelly Caron mingled fresh elements with a gracious vernacular in this home designed for a Georgia family embracing their move to South Carolina.
Picturesque trees swaying waterside fill the dramatic foyer mural of the Lowcountry new build created for a family downsizing from their expansive Atlanta abode. The striking entrance scene mimics their outdoor surrounds in a wall covering of soft blue and neutral shades, acting as a muse for what lies beyond.
“It really sets the tone for what you are going to experience in the home, and it sets the color palette,” says Kelly Caron, principal of Kelly Caron Designs in Bluffton, where the residence—complete with a quiet electric Duffy boat—is situated on a wildlife preserve in the upscale Palmetto Bluff community. “It’s warmer whites and neutrals, but within the space there’s also texture, so it feels relaxed.”
The juxtaposition of classic Lowcountry and au courant styles for a bright yet warm approach appealed to the couple and their daughter, who moved from much larger quarters. “We’re introducing more transitional design features within the Lowcountry home,” explains Kelly, giving the example of darker stained oak floors that emphasize the light, airy colors.
Throughout the four-bedroom dwelling, Kelly paid meticulous attention to details that she says will make any interior stand out and feel special. The dusky blue from the Phillip Jeffries wall mural is repeated in the living room in a pair of built-in bookcases flanking a cast stone hearth, which veers from the region’s typical wooden fireplace. One of the built-ins serves as a hidden entry door to the main suite. “That’s a really fun feature,” says Kelly.
Traditional elements appear in lofty ceilings, transomed doors and windows, custom iron lanterns, and a screened porch with a tabby shell floor and towering brick fireplace. “One thing the family did tell us is that they want to spend as much time outdoors as possible,” says Kelly, who was given free rein to select all the décor and finishes, working with the architect and the builder. To make the house feel cozier, she introduced tactile notes through woven baskets, grass cloth wall coverings, furry pillows, patterned sheers, and nubby linens.
Overlooking the waterway, the porch is an all-season area where the family dines at a concrete table with woven-back teak chairs and a lantern that lends a coastal air. It sits adjacent to the indoor dining room with its spectacular elongated chandelier accentuated by gold leafy elements.
The kitchen’s mélange of whites blends seamlessly in the background, enhanced by elevated brass fixtures and lighting that compose what Kelly calls her “high-low” presentation. “You can have these moments of fun, a little pizzazz, a little shimmer, a little elegance, but also calm it down with other features that make it not pretentious and keep it casual,” she says.
The primary bedroom and bath also draw from the blues and the beiges of the lively stage-setting foyer, which was the final leg of the project to be completed and the one that brought the whole concept together. “It was the last thing we did. It was like, wow, the whole thing makes sense,” says Kelly, who recently opened a retail store to complement her interior design business.
The homeowners loved the outcome, and Kelly and her team appreciated their trust. “Her faith in us made it easier. We try to make sure people understand that there is a vision here, just let it happen. You just have to let it come together,” she says.
See the full feature in our January/February 2024 issue.
Text by Marie Baxley
Photography by Kelli Boyd
Discover more inspiring interiors imbued with Lowcountry appeal in our January/February 2025 issue, available on newsstands and online.
