Life’s a Beach:  This Garden City Beach home is a dream.

2020 may have put a halt on many things in our lives, but it couldn’t hold creativity captive. Which is what we’d like to reveal in these fresh starts for 2021 within these artistic home interiors. Home, after all, is where we’ve spent the majority of our time more than usual, so why not make it look its finest?

220 South Waccamaw Drive, Garden City Beach

“Susan’s Oasis” is a majestic sight rising above the sands of Garden City Beach. And the site has weathered its share of hurricanes since the homeowners bought the beach house in the 1970s. What you see is the fourth reincarnation on the oceanfront plot of land, where the family has vacationed for generations of summers. The design/build by CRG was a collaborative effort with the family, resulting in an impeccably clean, modern update to the classic two-story raised beach house.

“When a home is used as both a vacation rental and a second home for the family, you have to design around a multitude of scenarios,” says Tripp Love of CRG Companies. “Functionality and layout become key, because you have to consider all the possible ways it will be used. Vacation rentals are typically designed with multiple bed/bath suites and large open areas for entertaining, which can also include rooms like a game room, open dining/living areas and theatres.”

This massive oasis, built to accommodate more than 20 guests within six bedrooms and baths, lets the ocean view shine in through the many glass windows and doors at every angle. But the interior also glistens in a dramatic palette of white, ivory, greys and metals. Sleek finishes, fixtures, lighting and details exude the wow effect from floor to ceiling, while also embracing a welcoming living and entertaining space.

Grande Dunes, Cipriana Park

Welcome to relaxed sophistication, the target vision of this Grande Dunes home’s open floor plan. Interior designer John Gore of B. Graham Interiors and homeowner/artist Shelyn Lee teamed up for yet another design project in their 38-year professional relationship: her new build home in Cipriana Park. The inspiration, says Gore, was a hand-painted wallcovering the two saw at the International Home Furnishings Market in High Point, North Carolina, before construction of the home began. That wallcovering sparked a palette of blues, golds and soft greys—with kisses of red—throughout the home, the first of Shelyn’s homes to boast this color combo.

“Shelyn is an artist, as am I,” says Gore. “Therefore, we speak the same language and she gave me freedom to design and space plan, while running the comfort of upholstery and pricing by her.” 

Running with a fusion of transitional and slightly edgy decor, Gore hand-selected furnishings and accents for the main living area from a variety of vendors to achieve an original design rather than the one-stop-shop catalog/cookie-cutter look Shelyn wanted to avoid. She also preferred her paintings to be placed in various rooms as accent pieces, rather than focal points.   

A soft, neutral grey, linen look porcelain from Florida Tile is the flooring throughout the home. Furniture seating vendors include Century Furniture, Ambella Home and John Richard. Lighting is from John Richard, Currey and Wildwood. The dining table and serving credenza are from Sarreid. And accents and accessories are from Interlude Home, John Richard, Global Views and AFD.

5301 Ocean Village, Myrtle Beach

A second home to a North Carolina family of five, this ocean view beauty along the Golden Mile of Myrtle Beach raises the bar on coastal elegance and maximizes a low-maintenance lifestyle at the beach. Jeff Skelley of Nations Homes worked with homeowners David and Beth Wilson to design a fun escape, where they make endless memories with family and friends.

The open floor plan is minimal and modern, while still warm and inviting. Finished in neutral shades with splashes of color, the home features hardwood floors, a sleek gas fireplace in the living room and beautiful upgrades in the gourmet kitchen, including stainless appliances, quartz countertops and custom cabinetry. All bathrooms are graced with granite countertops. And, outside, you can soak in the hot tub on the screened porch or gather on the third floor, where there are breathtaking views of the ocean and a custom-built fire pit. Take the stairs or the elevator that goes to all floors. Sara Cardinal of SAN-DEL Designs chose selections for the house (cabinets, flooring, paint colors, lighting, etc), as well as the complete furnishings.

This active family loves the outdoors, so the first floor was designed to provide extra space for parking cars and storage for all of their paddle boards, bikes, jets skis and a motorcycle. The Ocean Village gated community also offers upscale amenities, such as a posh pool setting, grill area and tennis courts. Traci Miles of Miles Beyond, Century 21 Boling & Associates, Inc. recommended the house be included in this feature of beautiful homes.

2398 Waverly Creek, Pawleys Island

T his dream home is nestled in one of the most charismatic neighborhoods in Pawleys Island, featuring sprawling homesites living under a collective canopy of moss-draped live oak trees. A graceful blend of classic and natural architectural elements, the Waverly Creek estate owned by Kenneth and Dana Edwards is laid out on a grand scale, starting with the formal living room and its coffered ceilings, Australian cypress floors and French doors that open onto a covered porch that overlooks the lushly landscaped pool and patio boasting a wood burning fireplace—perfect for alfresco dining and relaxing.

The gourmet kitchen showcases sleek granite countertops, a cherry wood-topped center island with warming drawer, high-quality custom cabinets and drawers, double gas range and stainless steel appliances. It’s a spacious, yet comfortable, space to entertain.

One of five bedrooms, the grand owner’s suite is lovely, from the tray ceiling of the room to the travertine floors of the master bath.

Elements that are unseen but go a long way in the world of home technology are the indoor and outdoor security cameras connected to a phone app, the HonView Touch app, and all rooms are wired with stereo speakers and volume control. The home was recommended by Darissa Thompson of Peace Sotheby’s International Realty to be included in this feature of gorgeous abodes.

220 Seville Drive, Myrtle Beach

As longtime clients of J&K Home Furnishings, homeowners Kevin and Anne Myers wanted the designers there to next create a peaceful retreat in their master bedroom. The Mediterranean-style home was previously furnished as their second home; now, they wanted it to feel more like home and to reflect their style, complete with improved bedside storage and functional window treatments to provide privacy from an outdoor entertaining patio.

After a visit to the couple’s home through J&K’s In-Home design process, Rebekah Wallace had a game plan.

“The client, having worked with a designer in the past, was very trusting,” she says.

Homeowners wanted a beautiful room, but nothing too fussy. A bench and seating were also a must. Wallace’s team kept the decorative bedding minimal and made sure the rest was breathable and washable, keeping several key pieces to build around and complete the look. 

Her inspiration was several dark wood furniture pieces with British Colonial details that the couple already owned, along with a Lexington Tommy Bahama bed with faux raffia.

“We had an epiphany to move the location of the bed after getting approval from the client to move out a large corner TV cabinet,” says Wallace. “This one change made such a huge difference in furniture layout and scale of the pieces purchased. The client said they never dreamed their room would feel this large!”

The new bed was the perfect match to an existing dresser, as the shape allowed light to enter the room and the scale was perfect for the high ceilings. But the most impactful part of the design are the custom window treatments, a wow feature that satisfied the client’s need for privacy. Faux snake skin, embroidered geometric fabric, studded trim and woven bamboo layered together finished off the custom window treatment design. 

Lexington Tommy Bahama had the perfect complementary pieces to pair with the clients’ existing items. The custom leather bench is from Bassett; the custom swivel chair is by Smith Brothers; lamps and mirrors are by Uttermost; the palm floor lamp is by Currey & Company; and bedding is by Eastern Accents.