Redefining Artful Interiors

Historical Charleston carriage home with exposed brick wall

“The art pieces were the anchors in each room,” Patti Wilbourne, PWD Studio’s founder and creative director, explains in an interview for Charleston Magazine. The owner of this circa 1790’s Charleston single house retains a robust collection featuring a selection of contemporary works– an abstract piece by New York-based artist Patricia Trieb, an original Jonathan Greene, and numerous works by the homeowner’s late uncle, Rick Horton, to name a few. These contemporary pieces juxtapose the historical elements of the property– original floors, fireplaces, and expertly replicated crown molding– defining the character of the home.

The street-facing sitting room features an original Jonathan Greene over the fireplace.

The furniture selection marries modern and traditional– custom velvet barrel chairs and a Vanguard sofa create a comfortable sitting area while a Historic Charleston Foundation lamp and 18th century chest rests below the bay window.

*Original works by the client’s uncle, Rick Horton, hang above the 1830’s sideboard. The works feature pages torn from a book, which he used as a foundation for figure paintings.*

The restored kitchen house was reimagined as a casual living space and features original brick, pine beams, and doors. PWD Studio designed the custom entertainment center to reduce the prominence of the TV, rather, emphasizing the art positioned above the mantel.

*Original exposed brick creates the textured backdrop for the Rick Horton piece, which provides levity and movement in the space.*

Today, the home serves as a gathering space for friends and family. The original Georgian kitchen house has been restored as a living room, where the walls display the integration of past and present. The pine battens in the mantle still hold marks from 18th-century kitchen knives, mere inches away from the contemporary Rick Horton piece that serves as the focal point of the room.

Hatch marks from 18th century kitchen knives add instant character to the home. Photography, Blake Shorter

Creativity extends beyond the art itself– permeating PWD Studio’s interior design process and revealing custom touches throughout the space. The PWD Studio team layered made-to-order textiles throughout the home and transformed the second-floor library into an office featuring numerous custom elements– from the furniture to the wall color.

The kitchen is bright yet warm, with an Urban Electric fixture in an antique brass finish complimenting the La Cornue range and custom fabric barstools.

The major design elements in this home office are entirely custom– from the mohair chair, to the paint color, to the adjustable desk.

Functioning as a second home for the California residents, the office had to be thoroughly equipped for comfortable remote work. An essential element, of course, was a suitable desk. PWD Studio found that the height-adjustable desks currently on the market were not conducive to the aesthetic and functional design of the space. The PWD Studio team engineered a custom solution, brought to life by local custom furniture maker. The team has since built two additional desks for the client, which reside in their primary residence in California and vacation home on Kiawah Island.

The custom-designed desk features a walnut finish, adjustable hydraulic system, and a walnut computer stand.

From custom fabrications to art-centric interiors, PWD Studio’s tailored design solutions supported the transformation of this historic residence into a fully functional second home, where the client’s family can add to the centuries of memories created within its walls.