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Jan 30, 2025

Keep What Works, Reimagine the Rest

Barry Kaufman

Photography By

M.Kat
“They were committed to maintaining the original character of the house, but the design was outdated and did not work for how they used the home.”

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The thing with renovations is that they can sometimes get away from you. Sure, you just want to redo the porch, but then you realize the foyer now needs to be updated to match, then suddenly you have an entirely new house. Don’t misunderstand – we’re not saying that’s a bad thing. Because sometimes, as with this Palmetto Dunes home, letting that renovation snowball might just create something truly special.

The open-concept floorplan of the Cottrills Palmetto Dunes home ensures everyone has a place to gather and connect while spending time at the beach on Hilton Head Island. 

“The Cottrills had owned the house for quite some time and spent several years defining how they wanted to use the home before embarking on such a large project,” said Brian Quinn, of The Twelve Oaks Group. “They were committed to maintaining the original character of the house, but the design was outdated and did not work for how they used the home.”

Scott and Viv Cottrill, who split their time between Dublin, Ohio, and Hilton Head Island, have owned the home since 2013, putting it on the rental market while using it as a family gathering place until two years ago.

The dining area is accented with elegant coastal-inspired chandeliers. 

“For our family, this place has always been more than just a destination – it’s been our ‘Happy Place’. It’s where memories have been made since we were kids, and now, its where our children are creating their own. That is why we wanted to invest in our home – we wanted to create something beautiful for the next generation of our family to enjoy. Our hope is that this home will always be a place where our family gathers, celebrates and builds lifelong memories for years to come,” reflected the Cottrills.

The changes to the home were sweeping, but meticulously considered in order to retain memories of the happy place that the family had known for so long, which has become particularly important as the Cottrills children begin forming families of their own. With grandkids on the way, it was of utmost importance that each of the home’s six bedrooms be functional. 

The entryway to the home is bright and welcoming. 

A rope chandelier statement piece draws your eyes upward and welcomes you to the third floor. 

It was also a good opportunity to expand the kitchen, allowing for a greater flow in the main living spaces and letting in more natural light. 

“It started as an outdoor space renovation, then it morphed into replacing the Mexican Saltillo tile that ran throughout the house. That got us looking at wood floors, and, before long it morphed into a whole-house renovation starting with the kitchen, dining room, and great room,” said Michelle Bichy of Indigo Design. “And then it grew into the upstairs area as well.”

 

One of the most heartwarming uses of the home’s original materials is the repurposed tile, bearing a paw print similar to that of the family’s  first dog, Havana. 

Throughout the home, Michelle Bichy layered in colors and textures that softened the home’s previously darker tone, collaborating with Viv on a beachy motif. 

“I wanted it to be welcoming but elegant. Livable, if you will. I relied a lot on Michelle because I couldn’t handle this project from Ohio. She implemented and executed everything, it was so simple and elegant,” Viv said. “I wanted it to look like the beach, with a lot of whites and blues. And I wanted everything washable, especially with grandkids and kids’ dogs.”

“Viv has a keen sense of fabric and feel. It wasn’t just the look, it was the texture,” Bichy said. 

The master bedroom, located on the third floor, is situated off of the verandah and has expansive ocean views. 

That keen sense  of texture is evident in the accents of metal and rope that wind throughout the home’s new look, manifesting in small details like the custom-made headboard and footboard in the master bedroom and in the stunning light fixtures and wooden beams in the main foyer. 

“The beams in the foyer started with us trying to match the stain on the floor, but they worked excellently to divide the space since that entrance was so long and narrow,” Bichy said. “And the two pendant lights set in rattan convey that Lowcountry look while still being neutral.”

The outdoor space on the third level has ocean views and several seating areas for enjoying dinner or evening cocktails alfresco. 

The transformation of the house, gradually making its way inside and upstairs, added much more than light and texture. A reshuffling of the rooms created a home that’s more open, welcoming, and better suited for the family. 

“By reusing the existing footprint of the home and strategically rearranging the layouts and locations, the design greatly improved the flow and functionality, perfectly aligning with how the owners use the space,” Quinn said. “Redirecting spaces and relocating kitchens, bathrooms, and bedrooms within the same footprint is always a challenging task. It requires temporarily supporting the house, moving walls, rebuilding, and then re-supporting the structure on the new walls. At times, it can feel like solving a complicated puzzle.”

The first floor bedroom has a large ensuite and is outfitted in cool coastal hues. 

The kitchen, which had previously been at the center of the house, didn’t offer much space and was oriented away from the views. Moving it to the back of the home as part of a greater push to unify the great room, dining room, and kitchen not only created more room, but let it breathe in the scenery from the rear windows. A large wine closet and a bar were replaced with a smaller wine closet and a pair of hutches on either side of the breezeway between kitchen and great room.

“That whole space was such a transformation from what it was originally. It was one of my favorite projects to work on just because of that change,” Bichy said.

The bunkroom is perfectly outfitted for the imminent grandchildren and has its own ensuite bathroom, like every bedroom in the home. 

And even with changes big and small, every decision was made with a mind to maintain the character of the home. 

“The old Spanish tile flooring had a few marked pieces that were saved prior to the renovation and intentionally reused in spots throughout the house,” said Quinn. “Some of the original lighting and millwork details were also reworked and repurposed. The goal was to bring new life to the home while honoring its past, rather than discarding everything old.”

One of the most heartwarming uses of that tile flooring comes in the drinking station set up for the dogs. It bears a paw print similar to that of the family’s  first dog, Havana. It’s a small detail, but one that speaks volumes about the dedication that went into creating something new while honoring what’s come before. 

“We can’t speak highly enough about Brian Quinn and the Twelve Oaks team , as well as Michelle and the Indigo Design family,” said Scott and Viv.  “From the very beginning they listened to our vision, provided expert guidance, and delivered results that exceeded our expectations.”   

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