Home Showcase: The final touches

This beautiful waterfront Palmetto Bluff home was almost perfect. The owners took away the word ‘almost’ and created perfection.

Story Barry Kaufman + Photography by Wayne Moore

It’s amazing what a few small changes can make to a home, even one as breathtakingly beautiful as this Palmetto Bluff residence. Situated on the water, with elevated Lowcountry architecture creating dramatic breezy spaces throughout, this home exemplified the upscale comfort and sophisticated charm that have defined this genteel neighborhood. Elegant, understated and eminently livable, it was almost perfect. 

But almost perfect isn’t perfect. And a home like this deserves to be perfect.

Enlisting the help of Full Circle Development, who worked hand-in-hand with interior designers at Furnish by Shoreline and appliance specialists at Billy Wood Appliance, the owners aimed to amplify their space through renovations to the kitchens and baths. 

The results, as you can see here, added those final pieces to the puzzle which revealed a picture of Lowcountry perfection. 

“It was already a nice house – the view alone sells it,” said Matt Bader, owner of Full Circle Development. “But we were able to work with the homeowner to give their look a refresh while creating new usable space.”

Small space, big impact

The biggest improvement came behind the kitchen, where a trick of architecture had created essentially wasted space, allowing for the installation of an entire back kitchen. 

“It was essentially just a walkway from a hall to the back of the kitchen that didn’t have anything in it,” said Bader. 

Since the back kitchen doesn’t require the same plumbing, gas lines and wiring of a full kitchen, all the space needed was new cabinets, a coat of paint, and – naturally – a suite of new appliances. Fortunately, Billy Wood had just the thing.

“We are experts when it comes to custom remodels,” said Billy Wood Appliance owner, Brantley King. “You have to really know what you’re doing. We coordinate what would work best for lifestyle, budget price point and what custom appliances might fit.”

The addition of a built-in Miele coffee center and integrated Wolf microwave and oven in one alcove added a perfect amount of utility, while wraparound counters helped create a hub for entertaining with a full beverage cooler.

“One brilliant thing they did in this remodel was to create new spaces for appliances that really change the functionality of the kitchen,” said King. “These small additions completely upgraded the entire space.”

From functional to fabulous 

The addition of the back kitchen allowed the main kitchen to serve as more of a core for entertaining, giving the builder the opportunity to create entertaining magic. The addition of a bar area allowed for guests to congregate while keeping the kitchen’s center island free, and new lighting created an inviting atmosphere. 

“The kitchen is such a focal point. It can really transform the entire space,” said King.

While the kitchen’s glow-up was largely aesthetic, there were still nods to utility, including the addition of a pot filler. Again, we see how the home’s architecture inadvertently made the job simpler. 

“Because the home was on a crawlspace as opposed to a slab, it was easier to run water lines to the pot filler, but it’s always tricky to move pipes in a completed home,” said Bader.

Masterful makeover

Creating a new look in the master bath was largely a matter of trading out the garden tub and updating cabinets and countertops, but once again we see where the builder was able to take otherwise wasted space and turn it into something amazing. The powder vanity seen here, which adds a wealth of usable space to the master bath, had previously been nothing more than just an alcove.

“It was nothing, just a wall with some Mediterranean tile,” said Bader. “For a builder, that’s a dream come true when you have a dead space like that and you can make it useful.”

Guest-centric excellence 

Easily the biggest upgrade to the home’s livability was the addition of a guest room, created from a largely unused office space. With a full bath just outside the door, it was a simple yet extraordinarily valuable change to the home. That full bath was given a face lift in the form of a beautiful mural, hand-painted by a local artist. In the bedroom itself, this transformation meant moving around some electrical, swapping out-dated built-in office furnishings and updating the flooring. 

The flooring was perhaps the most complicated part, as the white oak that ran throughout the house would need to be stripped, sanded and re-stained. 

“The floor refinish took a couple of days, but we just sent the owners off on a nice weekend getaway until we were done,” said Bader. 

Unaltered beauty 

The age-old adage advises against fixing what’s not broken. In this home numerous areas already boasted perfection, requiring no refurbishment. Multiple inviting porches showcase breathtaking river and marsh panoramas and provide vistas of an infinity-edge saltwater pool and a fenced backyard. The lower level boasts a screened wrap-around porch, complete with a fireplace and a built-in grill. Meanwhile, the upper-level screened porch offers dual seating areas and an elegant table surrounded by comfortable chairs.

The home’s inviting porches, captivating views and luxurious amenities together create an idyllic haven that captures the essence of relaxed, elegant living.

The home team

Builder: Full Circle Development

Interior Design: Furnish by Shoreline

Appliances: Billy Wood Appliance

Flooring and trim: Superior Interior Trim

Cabinets: Centerpoint Cabinets

Countertops: Counterfitters

Fireplace surround: Builtmart