HOUSE OF TEXTURES

LOCATION: Charleston, SC

CLIENT: Private

AREA: 1,300 SF

STATUS: Complete

YEAR: 2026

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER: Rosen & Associates

GENERAL CONTRACTOR: Willis Hagood Construction

DESCRIPTION: This project is the comprehensive rehabilitation and renovation of a nearly two-century-old structure on one of Downtown Charleston's oldest residential streets. Along with its storied past, the building's modesty in both scale and architectural expression prompted an intervention that sought to match quiet restraint that is inherent to its character. Each interior element was examined through a historic lens and reinterpreted using a contemporary design sensibility. Upon entry, a wood-clad ceiling and an absence of conventional drywall help establish a layered palette of natural materials that runs throughout the home. Shaker cabinetry is reduced to a lower-profile geometry, and a traditional balustrade and newel post are redrawn in white oak with distilled detailing. Slatted interior doors reference historic construction, and oversized window jamb extensions emphasize the thickness of the massive exterior walls. Matte bronze hardware with a hand-made aesthetic is featured throughout, and the otherwise neutral palette is punctuated by the dramatic Calacatta Viola stone used in both the kitchen and bathroom.

The building required comprehensive structural intervention before any meaningful design work could begin. The original multi-wythe brick exterior walls had deteriorated to the point that they either needed to be reconstructed or relieved of their load-bearing duties. The latter direction was taken, and a reinforced gunite shell was shot on the inside face of all masonry walls, effectively transforming the building into a concrete structure with a historic brick veneer. Beyond this, the standing seam metal roof, timber trusses, and some floor framing were the only materials able to be retained. All new mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems were installed throughout, and the interior was rebuilt entirely — making the project, in effect, a complete reconstruction within a preserved envelope. The result is a house that reads as contemporary in its detailing while remaining grounded in the material and architectural traditions of its context.