Historic charm meets modern living on Sullivan’s Island
Renovating a century-plus-old beach cottage for a family of four can be a challenge, but for Melissa Healy, restoring the house for herself and her husband, Jay, to raise their two daughters was an opportunity to fulfill a personal dream. “I’ve always wanted to live in an historic home,” she says. “I love antiques and anything that has its own personality.” And the house on Middle Street certainly has plenty of character.
Built in the early 1900s, the one-and-a-half-story home exemplifies the barrier island’s classic architectural style. A simple wood structure with a gabled roof, dormers, and a full front porch, it features a traditional center hall design with two main rooms on either side of a wide hall to promote airflow, support rooms behind, and bedrooms upstairs. Over the years, the cottage endured haphazard additions and adaptations. The upstairs bedrooms had been converted into an apartment, as had the accessory dwelling, originally a cobbler’s cottage. A lean-to had been added to the main structure, and overall, the property was in a rather disheveled state.
Jay and Melissa weren’t dissuaded by the scope of the project. Instead, they seized the opportunity to restore the home and expand it with an addition that brings the home in line with modern living while honoring the original design. They hired architect Beau Clowney, who has restored numerous historic Lowcountry homes, and builder St. Pierre Construction to help bring their vision to life. Interior designer Sarah-Hamlin Hastings, owner of Fritz Porter Design Collective, worked with Melissa to incorporate her love of antiques and English country style into the spaces, expertly merging the historic portion of the home with the addition through a careful blend of modern pieces and antique treasures.
(Left to right) The home’s front rooms boast original beadboard paneling and heart of pine floors; An antique lantern over a vintage Crespi-style rattan table creates a focal point in the wide entry hall; a club chair wrapped in Susan Deliss fabric sits in the nook created by the staircase.
The Healys, who had lived on the island for a few years prior to buying the house in 2021, were drawn to the community’s warmth and welcoming vibe. “You feel like you’re in a bubble here compared to the rest of Charleston,” says Melissa. “We bike to our neighbors; the school is around the corner; and there are a lot of young families out here, which surprised me.” When they decided to move into a bigger home as they prepared to grow their family, they initially thought they would need to leave the island. Fortunately, this special cottage became available, and they jumped on it.
Situated on a half-acre lot, the property had room for an addition in the rear, and by moving the house forward about 20 feet, the couple was able to open up even more space to incorporate a covered deck, pool, and a separate garage. These improvements went hand-in-hand with a careful restoration of the house. This involved stripping the home back to its studs while salvaging original materials, including heart of pine floors, beadboard wall paneling, and the porch columns. The team converted the upstairs apartment back into a cohesive part of the home, turning it into two bedrooms for the homeowners’ daughters, and restored the original fireplaces, a key element for Melissa.
Due to strict building regulations on Sullivan’s, there was a limit on how much square footage could be added, and the cobbler’s cottage had to remain a separate structure. In response, Clowney connected it to the new deck via a dogtrot, a short breezeway between the main house and what is now a guest house and home office for Jay, who works in senior housing and health care.
The fireplace backs into the kitchen, where the exposed brick chimney provides warmth and a unique architectural element. Cabinets painted in Farrow & Ball “French Gray” complement the “Wimborne White“ walls.
There are often trade-offs like these when it comes to historic renovations. Melissa had hoped they could build their primary suite on the second floor, but the home’s scale didn’t allow for that. Instead, they went with a single-story addition that incorporated their bedroom, a living area, a dining area, and a large mudroom/laundry room. “When we do one-story additions, we are able to create more eventful ceilings, a slope or a vault,” explains Clowney.
The resulting home respects the history of the main structure, embracing features like the beadboard (in almost every room), the heart of pine floors, and the brick fireplaces, while connecting seamlessly with the addition.
The transitions between the old and new are softened by architectural details, such as the heart of pine floors segueing to white pine and shiplap replacing beadboard as you move through the spaces. “We wanted the shiplap to relate to the beadboard, make it feel like these walls were exterior walls,” says Hastings. On the exterior, the addition uses authentic proportions and materials to blend in while maintaining a subordinate scale to the historic structure.
Inside, Hastings’ design emphasizes warm colors and classic style, highlighted by contemporary touches. “I didn’t want a beach house; I wanted more of a historic cottage with cozy vibes,” says Melissa. Hastings used Melissa’s affinity for English country influences to help connect the eras of the house. “It was easy to combine those two aesthetics,” says Hastings. “This house really lends itself to that look, along with the fact that they wanted to keep the historic elements like the brick fireplace and beadboard.”
A new screened-in porch and patio in the backyard adds outdoor seating and dining spaces. Aged teak furniture is highlighted by green fabric from Serena Dugan, and a copper lantern sheds a cozy glow on evening gatherings.
Pieces that would fit in a Cotswolds cottage—an authentic wooden mantel from Wales and an antique draper’s table in the living room, hanging copper pots in the kitchen, an antique china cabinet—mesh artfully with contemporary coffee tables and timeless Urban Electric light fixtures. Antique-style door hardware and French gray walls tie it all together. “Melissa loves antiques, but they’re a young, fun family,” says Hastings. “It’s a balancing act to have new, contemporary things not feel out of place alongside antiques, but it’s a way that you make a house feel collected.”
In the home’s two original front rooms, Hastings leaned more traditional. The library and its built-in bookcases are painted a soft green, creating a cozy feel. “This is my husband’s favorite room,” says Melissa. Across the large central entry hall that doubles as a sitting room and ad-hoc dining room, the other front room is a haven for their girls. While designed as a guest bedroom with an en-suite bath, it’s currently used as their playroom. “With their bedrooms being upstairs, it’s so great to have that space for them down here,” she says.
With this home, the family has found not just a house, but a legacy. “This house is a puzzle piece, and my family just fits,” says Melissa. “It feels like we could have this home for generations,” a testament to the careful restoration and thoughtful expansion that have breathed new life into a piece of Sullivan’s Island history.
