This Valarie Britz-renovated home on Sea Island is an eclectic wonderland full of personality meant to be enjoyed for years to come.

The kitchen features Macchia Vecchia marble from CIOT Atlanta and black-stained oak cabinets.

The Client

When interior designer Valarie Britz met with the owners of this Sea Island home, she recognized immediately how full of life they were and wanted to bring them a home that reflects that spirit. "The homeowners are fabulous and were seeking the highest level of quality within every detail," says Britz. "They allowed me to be as creative as I wanted, which always allows for the most fun to be had." The goal in mind was to create an environment where the clients could entertain visiting friends and family and keep the style more modern than their previous home.

The living room adds texture and depth to the home with pieces from Kingdom Woodworks and M2C.

The Strategy

A special characteristic of this home is its setting, plotted on a sprawling property of twisting oaks and coastal Spanish moss. Britz loved the environment of the home and wanted to bring the feeling of the exteriors in, as if the home had sprung up like a treehouse onto a perfect plateau looking out at the marsh beyond—which inspired its nickname, The Treehouse. "This is a cul-de-sac lot where the home takes on a very elongated placement," says Britz. "Not only does it feel like it's floating among the trees, but it also sits on the marsh with a panoramic view. We chose a black exterior to help the 'treehouse' feel melt into its surroundings."

The back foyer showcases an art piece by Justin Lyons.

The guest room features brighter colors and white shiplap.

The Process

Inside, Britz began with an open floor plan with intimate spaces where the family could gather for end-of-day cocktails or unwind and watch TV, while playing up the outdoor spaces throughout as the family loves the marsh their property backs up to. She did this by incorporating large steel floor-to-ceiling windows to accommodate floods of light as well as utilizing the wraparound porch that completely circumvents the back of the home with various seating areas. Britz has many favorite spots throughout the home, specifically the back foyer. "The back foyer makes me smile every time I enter. I used 1-by-2 sticks stained black to create three-dimensional vertical walls. I feel that layers of texture add ambiance to any space," says Britz. In the living room, Britz utilized the 18-foot ceilings with vintage oak beams to create openness, and for a touch of personality, she commissioned a piece by Justin Lyons titled "The Bunch," representative of the family and their personalities. One of her biggest challenges was the clients' large collection of wine and spirits they wished to store in the home as the existing bar was narrow. "Because this was a remodel, we had to keep the existing slope to the ceiling. It also needed to be a part of the living room but not be in the living room," says Britz. "So I created two fluted towers with Kingdom Woodworks to hold the wine coolers within the bar, but from the living room, they appear as fluted wood walls that hold unique wall sconces by M2C with carved wood detail and fringed draping." In the kitchen, a statement-making hood composed of beautiful Macchia Vecchia marble sourced from CIOT Atlanta. When it comes to the more private spaces like the primary bedroom, Britz added wallpaper from Romo's Black Edition called Mizumi to the already low ceiling to create height and painted the walls a dark indigo to create a visual illusion of an artistic sky. She opted to keep the curtains light in contrast to soften up the space and added oversize furniture to cozy it up.

The primary bathroom’s unique tile works well with its other neutral elements.

The Outcome

"I could go on and on about these spaces," says Britz. "The homeowners allowed me to be so creative and carefully detail out each and every space to complement the next." The homeowners just welcomed not one but two new grandchildren just weeks apart to their family. This home is the perfect place for them to create vacation memories, from marsh to relaxing comfort, thanks to Britz and her team who accomplished a renovation that is detailed, modern and functional for a family who chose to marry their reverence for life with their environs.

The main foyer features lighting by Apparatus.

DESIGN DETAILS

TYPE
Single-family home

LOCATION
Sea Island, Ga.

INTERIOR DESIGNER
Valarie Britz Interiors
valariebritzinteriors.com

ARCHITECT
Joshua G. Youngner
jgyarchitect.com

RESOURCES

APPARATUS
Front foyer and powder room lighting apparatusstudio.com

ARTERIORS
Master bedroom and living room lighting arteriorshome.com

ALLIED MAKER
Guest house alliedmaker.com

CIOT ATLANTA
All stone and tile mentioned in the home, the hardwoods throughout, marble hood in the kitchen, 3D wood wall in the keeping room
ciot.com

KINGDOM WOODWORKS
Bar area and living room cabinets
kingdomwoodworks.com

LEE INDUSTRIES
Living room and primary bedroom furniture
leeindustries.com

PIERRE FREY
Draperies in dining room
pierrefrey.com

MOSS HOME
Sitting room and keeping room decor
mossstudio.com

M2C STUDIO
Living room wall sconces
m2cstudio.com

ROMO
Primary bedroom wallpaper
romo.com

THAYER COGGIN
Living room
thayercoggin.com

VERELLEN
Keeping room
verellen.biz