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Right At Home

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A small Spring Island hideaway finds one Tarheel couple living large among Lowcountry foliage.

Photographs by
Julia Lynn
The open stairwell winds up from the entryway to the master bedroom, sitting area, and a second-floor porch.
The first-floor bedroom opens to the living room by way of pocket doors. “We wanted a nautical, island feel, so we used indigo batiks, seagrass rugs, and wicker,” says Eleanor.
Eastern North Carolina natives Eleanor and Charles Beasley retreat to their contemporary cottage on Spring Island (located just south of Beaufort) once or twice a month.
White shiplap walls and square windows add to the island aesthetic.
Columns along the front of the house play up the structure’s vertical presence.
Eastern North Carolina natives Eleanor and Charles Beasley retreat to their contemporary cottage on Spring Island (located just south of Beaufort) once or twice a month.
The kitchen is a modest mix of tucked-in cabinetry and bare-basics cook space.
Windows in the master bath offer treetop views of the numerous oaks on the property.
Charles’ desk was made of wood reclaimed from a Civil War-era farmhouse in North Carolina.
The living room, which steps out to a back screened porch, is outfitted simply with comfortable seating and minimal accessories. “Since the house isn’t very big, they didn’t want to overcrowd it,” says interior designer Paola Thomas.