A modern Lowcountry home for a retiring couple and their family.

For this home on Kiawah Island, South Carolina, we were brought on early in the design process to help guide the overall direction of the project and push the architecture toward a more contemporary language rather than a traditional Lowcountry house. Working closely with the architect and the clients, we shaped a design centered on open spaces, expansive windows, and a strong connection to the surrounding landscape.

The house was built as a retirement home for a couple, and while it is designed to support their day-to-day life, it also serves as a gathering place for their growing family. The design balances calm, intimate spaces for two with larger areas meant for hosting and spending time together.

Architecturally, the home draws inspiration from Balinese design, emphasizing openness, natural materials, and a close relationship between interior and exterior spaces. The exterior is clad in shou sugi ban, a material choice we advocated for early in the process that gives the house a distinctive presence within Kiawah’s maritime forest.

The interiors were shaped largely by the couple’s extensive travels and their collection of artwork from across Asia and Africa. Each room was designed with space for these pieces, allowing the art to guide many of the home’s colors and materials. Mossy greens echo the surrounding vegetation and nearby lagoon, while deeper tones create a warm, layered atmosphere. In contrast, the stairwell and connecting hallways are finished in a vibrant red that adds moments of visual intensity as one moves through the home.

We designed a dining table with our signature grooved pattern, fabricated by longtime collaborator, Sawhorse Woodworks.

One of the most important spaces in the house is the expansive screened porch overlooking the pool and lagoon, designed as an outdoor living room and a place to spend time listening to the water and watching the surrounding landscape.

Architecture: Dolphin Architects
Custom Dining Table Carpenter: Sawhorse Woodworks