Pattern Play: Armed with a navy and neutral color palette and intriguing fabrics and tiles, interior designer Kristin Peake transformed a drab 19th-century dependency into a light-filled stunner.
Go with the Flow: Maryland-based couple Rick and Kristy Schultz “bought a garage”—i.e. a three-story carriage house in sight of the Battery—as a second home, enlisting Richard Marks Restorations and Kristin Peake Interiors to transform the formerly drab dependency. Just as renovations were wrapping up, Tropical Storm Irma washed a foot and a half of surge into the ground floor (left), which spurred on storm adaptations. They revised the exterior hardscape with an eye toward drainage and changed up interior materials, furnishings, and electrical wiring to suit.
Rick and Kristy Schultz, pictured with their daughter Chandler.
Arches and circles dominate the ground floor of the structure thanks to curved doorways for carriages and the stables, plus demi-lunette windows.
For this lounge area, designer Kristin Peake echoed the motif with cylindrical side tables, spinning barstools, and round mirrors to soften the hard lines of the floorplan and exposed brickwork. See the electrical outlets mounted on the walls? That’s another flood-proofing trick to prevent inevitable storm surges from wiping out wiring that runs along ground level. There’s no insulation on the bottom three feet of this floor. “It’s all brick, which can take the water,” says Rick. “We’ll just pump anything out.”
Walk This Way: The steps leading to the second floor are original to the circa-1856 house; a third story was added in the earlier part of the 20th century. Peake painted the stairwell walls white and hung a convex mirror on the first landing to amplify the light.
The first-floor bath
In the second-floor kitchen, Peake played off the navy blue of the island with complementary patterns in the tile backsplash and the washed linen fabric for the banquette.
Brass repeated in the cabinet hardware, barstools, and large E.F. Chapman lantern chandelier from Circa Lighting ties it all together.
Optical Illusion: As the powder room lacked the depth for a vanity, Peake floated the sink on a mirrored wall, giving the petite space some wow factor.
Rick’s only request for the décor? “He said he wanted a really comfortable couch,” says Kristy. The custom sectional from Vanguard offers plenty of seating in the family room. Instead of elaborate window treatments that could easily overtake the decor, Peake chose light-hued, space-saving woven shades and had the window mullions painted in “Kendall Charcoal” by Benjamin Moore for a modern look that highlights the woodwork while creating depth.
Neutral Territory: For the master bedroom, Peake worked with a neutral palette conducive to relaxation: Benjamin Moore “Cumulus Cloud” covers the walls, with “Half Moon Crest” on the ceiling. The custom headboard was upholstered in Belgian linen. Natural woven shades provide privacy while still allowing for natural light.
Floored: “I loved the simplicity of the pattern,” says Peake of the cement tiles that set the tone for the master bath. Tiling the bathrooms was the only instance where the original floors were altered.
The guest bedroom features an accent wall of whitewashed cypress.
Staying true to the blue and neutral color scheme throughout the home declutters the space overall.
Nearly 30 years after falling for the Lowcountry (and each other), Kristy and Rick Schultz make an unlikely dream home their own
