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Fit for Family

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A mother of two young children designs a scaled-down house that’s big on heart.

Photographs by

Brie Williams

Karen Kearns and her children left New York to make a home in McClellanville.

<strong>About Face:</strong> Portraits of the kids mark cabinets for personalized storage.

<strong>Make Your Mark:</strong> To occupy the little ones, the outside of the door to Karen’s “away room” serves double-duty as a chalkboard.

The smartly designed main living area stretches the width of the house, with each of three bedrooms accessed through barn doors that slide to reveal built-in shelving.

<strong>Heart of the Home:</strong> High ceilings, blonde woods, and a neutral wall color create an airy canvas for the family’s bright tile collections and vibrant furniture.

<strong>In the Details:</strong> Personal touches throughout the house include doorknobs from NYC public schools and curtains dressed with handed-down handkerchiefs.

<strong>In the Details:</strong> Personal touches throughout the house include doorknobs from NYC public schools and curtains dressed with handed-down handkerchiefs.

<strong>Kid Clean-Up:</strong> The children share a central bathroom, which includes their own colorful step stools and a fun fried-egg bath mat.

Coeburn's bedroom connects to Addy's by way of a shared bath.

<strong>Play Rooms:</strong> In every corner of the house, Karen provides outlets and inspirations for her kids’ imaginations, like these “stepping stone” rugs.

<strong>Daily Tribute:</strong> A table tile bears the couple’s names and the date that they met.

<strong>Sweet Retreat:</strong> The house provides plenty of places for Addy and Coeburn to learn, play, and be kids.

The cushioned window seats are perfect reading perches.

<strong>Smart Shopper:</strong> Karen got a deal on these artful tiles by accepting mismatched and blemished pieces.

Karen bought the Italian cuckoo clock from a New York shop as her one splurge item.

Between art supplies on the porch and a cool, screened-in area under the house, Addy and Coeburn have plenty of space to play outdoors.

Fit for Family