Designing a Timeless Home for a Family in South Carolina

The couple owned a lot on a picturesque historic street in Greenville, South Carolina; however, the home that sat on the property was beyond repair. “Greenville is the loveliest small city you ever saw,” Spitzmiller says. “The site was everything, and we aligned the new house with the view from the street,” he adds. Because of the setting, it was of the utmost importance to craft a home that fit its surroundings, and—even though it was just built—didn’t necessarily look new. Admiring traditional architecture, the couple desired a classic structure but wanted it to function as a comfortable family home and inviting place to host community events. Early in the process, the architects reached out to interior designer Lauren DeLoach, who is also based in Atlanta, to help convey this feeling through finishes, fabrics, and furnishings as well as input on the layout.

With children and grandchildren who visit frequently, it was important to have plenty of room for togetherness. The floor plan played to this in several ways—a great room with multiple seating areas and a dining space, a covered porch that spans the full width of the home, and dedicated guest bedrooms as well as a playroom.

“The great room evolved in a meeting,” DeLoach notes. “The clients liked the idea of a combination living, dining, and entertaining space in one,” she adds. Fireplaces with matching trumeau mirrors and sconces flank the ends of the room, offering a symmetrical anchoring point for the eye. Sofas and club chairs hold court at one end, while the dining table is placed at the other. Additionally, pairs of upholstered chairs sit near French doors that lead to the porch, offering a more intimate conversation space while also drawing the eye to the outdoors and pool beyond. “You can pause almost anywhere in the house and see the outdoors and feel like you are there,” Spitzmiller notes.

“YOU CAN PAUSE ALMOST ANYWHERE IN THE HOUSE AND SEE THE OUTDOORS AND FEEL LIKE YOU ARE THERE.”
—FREDERICK SPITZMILLER, ARCHITECT

Referencing her style as “fresh traditional,” DeLoach notes that a light palette and the incorporation of antiques are both significant in her work. With textiles as her “first love,” DeLoach established the color palette for the home with a yellow-and-green fabric on the aforementioned conversation chairs. “I found this Jasper fabric that has such a pretty buttery yellow and feels very Southern,” she says of the prominently placed selection. In the same space, an English breakfront cabinet and buffet stand out against the light, neutral walls. “I love the idea of dotting antiques around the room to establish the wood tones,” the designer says.

With both husband and wife bringing beloved furniture and antiques to incorporate, the rooms have a personalized look as well. “It’s fun to use pieces clients own; it gives a space immediate personality that relates to them,” DeLoach says. For example, the doors to the gentleman’s study open to reveal a hunting dog painting that was part of his collection, while a refined dining table and chairs were repurposed for use in the breakfast nook.

“I love using a formal table in a space like this and making it not so precious. I don’t want to treat antiques like something you can’t use,” the designer says. At the base of the stairs, an antique barometer and wingback chair add to the sense of agelessness, while portraits representative of each member of the extended family and their favorite pastimes line the walls that lead to the second story to provide a personal touch.

“It’s fun to travel up the stairs and see all the different personalities,” DeLoach notes. Other interior selections, including a Susan Harter custom mural in the dining room area, add to the historic feel, while timeless materials such as fieldstone and limestone lend the same effect outdoors. “The biggest compliment we get is that the house looks like it has been there for a very long time,” Norris says.