Text Margaret Zainey Roux, Photography Julia Lynn
“What’s the history of your house?” It is a question that Mary Milan Deupree is frequently asked, but one she never gets tired of answering.
“I can’t help but smile when strangers stop me on the street to inquire about its age and architecture,” she says of her Charleston home. “It’s only three years old! When we designed it, our intention wasn’t to recreate one specific architectural style, but to create a sense of history that remains in keeping with our neighbors, like the 1860s Victorian next door and the turn-of-the-twentieth-century admiral’s house across the street.”
This Charleston Home Is Only Three Years Old—But You’d Never Know It
Deupree, an interior designer, collaborated with architect Daniel Beck to conceive a stately and symmetrical facade that showcases classic features, including columns and pediments inspired by the Greek Revival style and gracious porches and transom windows that pull from the Lowcountry vernacular. Other details, such as the large bay window on the side of the house, pay homage to the Victorian era.
Like the exterior, the interiors brim with character. Rooms with towering ceilings and arched cased openings are wrapped in triple-crown molding, while the center hall staircase dons an intricately carved wave motif borrowed from the staircase at Lawson’s Pond Plantation in North Berkeley County, South Carolina. The use of timeless materials also evokes a feeling of age. French oak floors lay the groundwork for spaces enriched with hardy, handsome appointments, such as the limestone mantel in the living room, marble and walnut countertops in the kitchen and butler’s pantry, and no-gap shiplap and plasterwork on select walls and ceilings. But despite her love of all things old, Deupree wasn’t willing to sacrifice the comforts of contemporary living that she enjoys with her young family of four, so she schemed both formal and kid-friendly spaces.
For an authentic European feel in the kitchen, Deupree focused on custom-stained French oak floors, heavy doors, and solid brass hardware with marble and walnut countertops in the kitchen. The island, painted in Farrow and Ball’s Light Blue, adds to the ethereal feel.
“As you walk through the house toward the back, the vibe changes, and everything seems to open up and lighten up a bit,” she says. “To support the transition, we intentionally changed the direction of the floor planks to suggest that the more refined front rooms may have been part of the original structure, while the more relaxed areas in the back may have been part of a modern-day addition.”
Both areas are tethered together by brilliant blue accents, whimsical lighting, bold artwork, and punchy wallcoverings that refresh the architectural framework and Deupree’s cherished antiques collection. Every room hosts a unique relic from the past—from the extravagant antique bone inlay secretary that belonged to her husband Will’s grandmother to the rustic wood bench from her family’s former cabin in North Carolina. She also incorporated several pieces by renowned furniture company Maitland-Smith, where her father served as president.
“Will and I both care deeply about tradition and legacy, so we cherish these pieces,” Deupree says. “Not only do they add authenticity and character to our home, but they are treasured reminders of our families. That said, we also feel that it’s important to collect pieces of our own that reflect our style and experiences as a couple. We love to travel, and through the years, we’ve brought back several mementos from France, England, Morocco, the Caribbean, and Southeast Asia. Incorporating those pieces into our decor lets us revisit those special places and times whenever we walk in the room.”
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