Partly cloudy skies. Low around 75F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Partly cloudy skies. Low around 75F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.

I t’s one thing to peruse the internet or comb through a magazine and admire the work of an interior designer. It’s quite another to step into a designer’s home and see how their aesthetic works in real life.

We had the opportunity to visit the Sea Island home of interior designer Elizabeth Carmichael, which she shares with her husband, Bill. Carmichael is the owner of Elizabeth Carmichael Interiors. Wandering through the rooms and corridors of a designer’s home, lovingly filled with beautiful furnishings, accessories, and meaningful family treasures, gives you a sense of what really makes them tick. Who doesn’t want to know what colors, textiles, time periods and accessories that make a designer feel at home?

The home, a ranch-style abode built in the late 1960s, is U-shaped with a pool and patio occupying the courtyard space. The interior contains touches of traditional, mid-century modern, and Indian aesthetics, and although the genres are disparate, the overall look is curated, cohesive and comfortable. It’s a welcoming home that weaves together rich colors and natural textures, along with family heirlooms and whimsical art.

Carmichael said her design aesthetic is the juxtaposition of antiques, traditional interiors with bold colors and modern art.

“I gravitate towards the high/low mix,” she said. “I love to take a traditional chair and put an unexpected, non-traditional fabric on it.”

The living room, with its high wood-beamed ceiling, features cozy seating areas. Natural hues, along with rich greens and blues provide a fresh, but relaxing atmosphere to the space.

The deisgn for the living room began by adding white slipcovers to the couches and chairs, which she refers to as the foundation for her “blank canvas.”

“From there, I started adding the greens (and) blues and layering with books, treasures I found at antique stores,” she said. “(I) then added a built-in bookcase of pecky cypress to add warmth and texture to the room.”

Pieces also of interest in the living room include two paintings that were painted by family members, including Cullen Peck, and Carmichael’s aunt, Sarah, who lived on Sea Island in the 1970s.

Many of the lighting fixtures throughout the house have geometric traits reminiscent of globes or gyroscopes, and the majority have a mid-century vibe without being kitschy.

“I chose all the lighting in the house,” Carmichael said. “Most of it is Circa; they always bring the magic with their incredible and light-reflecting designs. I think of lighting as the jewelry for your home.”

There is a striking mix of styles in the home, including unexpected touches, like a Lucite table in the entry hall, and a bit of Asian influence, mostly reflected through geometric patterns on fabrics throughout. There is nothing “matchy-matchy” about the motif, yet it all comes together seamlessly.

“I love the mix,” she said. “I used Lucite in the entry hall to add a bit of modern lines next to a very traditional sofa, covered in a bright blue, fun fabric by Lilly Pulitzer.”

Carmichael explained that she loves Indian block prints, the influence of which is prevalent throughout the house – both in its furnishings and textiles. And, she really doesn’t have much enthusiasm for a perfectly matched space.

“I rarely design a room matchy-matchy, unless the client requests that aesthetic,” she explained.

The kitchen is designed for gathering. A roomy table occupies a dining nook, and neutral-toned cabinetry lines the walls, but it’s the bright blue island that dominates the scene and beckons people to pull up a stool, pour a drink and chat while meal preparations are under way. Another feature is a built-in shelving unit/cabinet along one wall that provides a space for displaying favorite items, but is functional as well. Carmichael said this room was not redesigned as extensively as some of the others.

“The kitchen was already completed when we purchased the home,” she said. “We painted the bottom of the island in a cobalt blue lacquer to add a pop of color and shine.

“The cabinet was built-in, so I filled it with vintage cookbooks and wine guides and set the bottom shelf up as a bar.”

The house has four bedrooms – one for girls, one for boys, a guest bedroom that mirrors the master bedroom, and finally, the master bedroom. All four bedrooms have en suite bathrooms. The two largest bedrooms open directly onto the pool area and its surrounding deck.

Carmichael said she tried to set up the bedrooms to accommodate her family when they are in town.

“I wanted them to be casual, but comfortable,” she said. “In the girls’ room, custom headboards in bright beachy colors added height to a tall bare wall.

In the boys’ room, I used neutral plaids with vintage tennis racquets (with mirrors where the interiors of the heads once were) and an old map of St. Simons Island – all I found at antique stores in Brunswick.”

In the guest room that overlooks the pool, Carmichael chose a calm and soothing palette in a vintage Indian Block pattern.

Across the house, in the master bedroom, Carmichael used a soft palette of blues, greys and taupes. The lamps atop each bedside table are striking.

“The lamps I purchased at Scott’s in Atlanta,” she said. “There is a dealer there who makes very unique lamps out of wood he carves and paints.”

The patterns found throughout the house are again layered in the master bedroom. She added a secretary, painted an icy blue, to hide the television and add more storage to the room.

The courtyard, which is occupied by a veranda furnished with a wood dining table and weather-resistant seating areas, a pool deck with the same sturdy patio furniture and fabrics, and the pièce de résistance, a refreshing pool and spa.

The South Florida feel of the area is only magnified by the concrete pavers, separated by “grass,” and the bright blue and white décor.

“We wanted to break up the pool pavers with the ‘grass’ to add a pattern that reflected the Chippendale pattern chosen for the outdoor railings,” she said.

The patio furniture and the Santa Barbara double-layered umbrellas in cobalt and turquoise, she said, were chosen to add to the vintage feel of the outdoor area.

“I’m really thrilled with how this turned out,” Carmichael said. “It definitely has a Palm Beach feel to it.”