The homeowners lovingly restored the Craftsman cottage on the lower peninsula to suit their lifestyle
Deep, welcoming, and supported by tapered columns resting on sturdy brick piers, the Craftsman-style front porch at 19 Bennett Street sets the tone for this gracious downtown home. Step inside, and layers of history unfold, thoughtfully refreshed by Danny and Morgan Paterson, who have woven modern comforts into the 115-year-old structure with unmistakable charm.
“Its original layout was intact, which is unusual,” says Danny. “The rooms were still separate, which gives a cozy intimacy you don’t get in a lot of updated historic homes.” For Morgan, two things sealed the deal: the large yard and the location. Ready to move on from their 1,200-square-foot bungalow in Wagener Terrace, the couple was drawn to Bennett Street’s proximity to Ashley Hall—the school their daughter, Holland, would soon attend.
Morgan and Danny Paterson (left, with daughter Holland) fell for this Craftsman cottage on the lower peninsula—drawn to its charm, central location, and spacious lot. Working with Melissa Limehouse and Jamie Price of Haven Interior Design, they renovated the home to suit their lifestyle, while honoring its historic character.
The Patersons arrived in Charleston more than a decade ago—Morgan in 2014 to complete a physical therapy rotation and Danny a year later to launch his property-management company, The Boroughs, after a consulting career that took him to South Korea. Though both are Virginians and Virginia Tech grads, they didn’t meet until mutual friends introduced them in the Holy City. Marriage followed in 2018, and the next year, Holland was born.
As the Paterson family grew, so did their need for space. Their search took them across the bridge to the Old Village and out to Sullivan’s Island, where they rented for a short stint. But when they discovered the Bennett Street house, it was love at first sight. “It’s a beautiful old home but incredibly functional, especially for downtown,” Danny says. “We have a double driveway, which is practically unheard of; a fenced backyard; and a screened porch—that was one of Morgan’s nonnegotiables.”
The walkability of the neighborhood clinched it. Situated in Harleston Village between MUSC and Colonial Lake, the location is accessible to most of downtown. “We walk everywhere,” Morgan says. “I feel like I live in New York City, but with the charm of Charleston.”
Built in 1910, the 2,200-square-foot, four-bedroom home is one of a handful of Craftsman-style residences on the lower peninsula. Rooted in the early-20th-century Arts and Crafts Movement, the style celebrates natural materials and clean-lined workmanship over the ornate flourishes of the Victorian era. The Patersons sought to preserve those details while tailoring the interiors for contemporary life.
They teamed up with designers Melissa Limehouse and Jamie Price of Haven Interior Design, who had helped them with their previous house, to create a functional space for the family while honoring the home’s history. They stripped away decades of paint to reveal heart pine and white oak, added plaster surrounds on the fireplaces, and scaled the lighting to make each room feel warm and special. “We wanted every space to feel intentional,” explains Price. “It’s about balance—respecting the traditional while introducing contemporary touches.”
Timeless Beauty: Layers of paint were painstakingly removed to reveal this stunning original heart pine accent wall in the foyer. A grasscloth-covered console from Chelsea House and Sherwin-Williams “Cultured Pearl” painted trim accentuate the rich honey color of the wood. (Right) The living room features original built-in cabinetry and columns, along with wide windows that welcome in the light. A low cocktail table from Dovetail Furniture and a curved sofa from Precedent, accented by Surya lamps and spherical side tables, create an inviting space.
While the house didn’t require major structural changes, the team completely renovated the interior, refinishing and restoring the original white oak floors, redoing all the wall finishes, and replacing the lighting, fixtures, and equipment. They also remodeled the three bathrooms, repainted the exterior, and built new rear porches with custom double-fluted fireplaces. A favorite discovery came in the foyer, where multiple layers of paint were carefully removed to uncover striking heart pine wall paneling.
Layered Comfort: The first-floor palette transitions from light and airy in the front to moody and sumptuous toward the back, where this den features a richly colored William Morris wallpaper and saffron velvet CR Laine sofa. All of the fabrics throughout the home are performance-grade, allowing Holland and Tallulah, the family dog, free rein. A sculptural Arteriors cocktail table, Precedent swivel chairs, and Four Hands marble side tables reflect the couple’s penchant for contemporary furnishings.
The kitchen underwent the biggest transformation. Designed for Danny, an avid cook, it features Wolf appliances, floor-to-ceiling cabinetry, and handmade Moroccan tiles in soft yellows and browns that lend texture and warmth. A rounded plaster hood adds a sculptural touch that feels authentic to the home’s age. The adjoining breakfast nook, outfitted with built-in seating and a lavender-gray wet bar, opens onto the new back porch—a seamless connection to the outdoors. “They have a cool aesthetic—clean, contemporary, cozy, and warm,” says Limehouse. “We aimed to let the home guide the design while still introducing modern comforts and style.”
Refined Taste: The long, narrow kitchen was completely renovated to incorporate top-of-the-line Wolf appliances for Danny, who loves to cook. A custom plaster hood and handmade Moroccan tile complement the white oak cabinets. Beyond the kitchen lies a breakfast room/wet bar, where an Arteriors light fixture illuminates a Knoll “Saarinen” table paired with a custom window bench covered in Harlequin tweed fabric. The dining room features a Julian Chichester dining table surrounded by CR Laine damask-wrapped chairs and accentuated by a curved Theodore Alexander chandelier.
The result is a light-filled home where historic character meets understated elegance. The front rooms, airy and bright, feature white walls and the original oak floors punctuated by a Julian Chichester “Dakota” dining table with a bleached-oak top and blackened-brass, tulip-style base. In the den, a saffron velvet sofa glows against an historic William Morris floral wallpaper, creating a layered, tactile effect. Geometric marble tables and an amber glass pendant add modern counterpoints.
Upstairs, the white oak floors continue through three bedrooms and a shared bath with beadboard walls and an arched shower niche. The primary suite, added in 2007 when a porch was enclosed, has a distinctly modern aesthetic with its high ceilings and a large bathroom with a walk-in closet and soaking tub. The other spaces serve as Holland’s room, a guest room for Grandma, and a home office where Danny’s affinity for mid-century design shows through a Florence Knoll desk and Eames chair.
Textured Retreat: (Clockwise fromThe primary bedroom suite hosts a CR Laine fabric-wrapped bed and white lacquer dresser with aged brass hardware from Mr. Brown London. A sculptural Arteriors wicker light fixture grounds the vaulted ceilings. In the en-suite bathroom, glossy white star-and-cross tile with terracotta-toned grout highlights the wood tones of the white oak cabinets. Deep green tile in the shower and behind the freestanding Alfi bathtub adds depth and visual interest.
The expansive backyard, a rarity for most modest downtown homes, includes a newly constructed all-season porch with heaters, a fireplace, and an outdoor kitchen with green-veined marble countertops and cabinets painted in Sherwin-Williams “Marion Forest.” The historically inspired color also appears on the front door, paired with “Charleston White” and a peachy “Sarah Hopton Pearl” for the exterior paneling and trim. A pool and lawn create a private oasis for the family. Above, a second-story porch off the primary suite offers a private perch for morning coffee or evening unwinding.
Alfresco Haven: The newly constructed screened porch features a Hudson Valley chandelier reminiscent of a floppy beach hat above a white concrete Made Goods table and synthetic wicker-on-teak chairs from Dovetail Furniture. The outdoor kitchen is topped with Michelangelo quartzite. A curved sectional in Sunbrella fabric wraps around a Four Hands wicker cocktail table, while a large fireplace provides a cozy outdoor space for the cooler months. (Below) The large backyard now accommodates a pool and a newly constructed two-story screened porch and sun deck. Built by Cannon Contracting, the structure features a cabana and dual fireplaces, providing the family with even more ways to enjoy the outdoors.
For the Patersons, the house delivers exactly what they hoped for—a blend of function, family, and sense of place. “We’re pretty simple with the phase of life that we’re in—very block and tackle: get to school, horseback riding, ballet,” says Danny, with a laugh. “The location and functionality are great.”
