Southern Living Idea House Tour Part 1

A couple of weeks ago my mom and I had the pleasure of visiting the Southern Living Idea House on Crane Island.  I’ll just tell you guys from the get-go – it did not disappoint! I wish I would have brought my big camera because I would have been snapping photos like the paparazzi ?

We seriously had the best time at what felt like the pages of Southern Living come to life.  I mean, the entire house was a dream the minute we got out of the car!

While the Southern Living Idea House is expansive at 4, 540 square feet, it never felt overwhelming.  Just to give you the stats of the house there are 4 bedrooms, a bunk room and 5 and a half bathrooms. 

We tried to pick a favorite part of the house over lunch, but it was just too magical to pick one or two things. 

The view was positively stunning.

Living Room 

The details, you guys, were totally fabulous.  From top to bottom they really thought of everything.  You see this living room as soon as you open the front door.

The entire house was bathed in shades of blues, whites, turqoise and browns.  While there was a nod to coastal charm, it wasn’t in a theme-y or overt kind of way.  In fact, I only remember seeing shells in one or two rooms.

In addition to lots of layers of texture, there was also liberal use of pattern throughout the house.  Most of them were from the Southern Living Idea House designer, Heather Chadduck, who is based outside of Birmingham, Alabama, and is a total genius.  

Master Bedroom and Bathroom 

The minute we walked into the master bedroom and I saw the bed canopy I was in heaven! You guys may remember my Dad built one for a recent bedroom makeover. 

We loved all the layers in the master suite from the linens to the rugs to the nightstands. 

There was a great seating area in the master bedroom with a gorgeous view of the water.  It made me want to grab a chai latte, a plush robe and a good book because it was that cozy. 

The bathroom had horizontal shiplap on the bottom and wallpaper on the top.  Two vanities were separated by a gorgeous soaking tub with a window above the tub.

Can we just talk about these gorgeous shower doors for a sec? Oh, my word, they were amazing!

You’ll see this diamond shape pattern repeated in the rugs throughout the house. This was the runner in the bathroom. 

Snuggled between the master suite and the living room, was a half bath.  See how they painted the shiplap on the bottom blue?

Screened Porch, Outdoor Dining and Living Spaces

Right past the half bath was the screened porch. 

I mean, can you just imagine hanging out in this space?

Rattan furniture and accents were featured all over the Southern Living Idea House!

This rattan bar cart is fabulous, right? Sign me up for drinks out here any day.

Just through the double screened doors was the outdoor dining area. 

The floors reminded me of weathered wood you would find at the beach. They were gorgeous!

Right beside the outdoor dining room was the outdoor living room.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen lanterns mixed with outdoor fans before but the whole space is so beautiful, you barely notice the fans. 

That wicker trunk as a coffee table, right? So pretty!

Indoor Dining Room, Pantry and Kitchen 

Close to the outdoor living room is the indoor dining area.  It has a great view of the water too. 

I love how they kept the place settings really simple so you could appreciate the entire space. 

The slip covered chairs were fabulous

and the floors, gosh you guys, check out these floors. Can you even!

One of the ladies that gave us a tour of the Southern Living Idea House said she learned so much about scale from this house.  It was a notion we kept hearing from other people taking the tour as well.  Scale is so important.

Close to the indoor dining area was the walk-in pantry,

and the kitchen. Most everyone was blown away by the designer using wallpaper as a back splash.  I’m pretty bad in the kitchen so I would be afraid I would mess it up every day ?

I would also be worried about messing up these countertops but I’m pretty sure if you can afford to live in this house, you can afford a careful chef and help cleaning up too. 

We loved the apron front sink because it just goes to show you, they’re not exclusively for farmhouse style homes.

Coastal areas are not really known for a lot of pretty foliage, so it was fun to see how they used palmetto fronds throughout the house as well. 

The cabinet to the left in this picture holds the freezer and the one to the right is the refrigerator.  I know!

Mud Room and Laundry Room 

Just to the left of the kitchen area is the mudroom and the laundry room. 

Not only was the print on the bench seat fabulous

the floors were pretty amazing too. 

See what I mean? They literally thought of everything!

Across from the mudroom was the laundry room.

We loved the double washer and dryer for big families,

the deep sink with a view of the water and

how they incorporated ample organization and storage as well.

Up the stairs (note the diamond pattern and texture repeated again) is another bedroom and bathroom combination.

This post is already a bit picture heavy though, so I’ll save part 2 of the tour for next week!

Before we go though, here are a few takeaways to consider from the part 1 of the Southern Living Idea House…

1. Texture goes a long way in helping to create a warm and inviting feel into each space. 
2. Stick to a concise color palette but don’t be afraid to layer in multiple tones of the same color.  
3. Be creative with shiplap. This house featured shiplap vertically, horizontally and diagonally too. 
4. Ceilings and floors are the 5th and 6th wall so make sure to give them some attention as well.  
5. Creating a gallery wall doesn’t mean putting a bunch of holes in the wall ?

What has been your favorite feature or features in the Southern Living Idea House so far? Until next time, I’ll see you on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.

Many blessings,

CoCo