This South Carolina Cottage Uses Board-and-Batten to Keep Every Room Calm
Designed by Vaccaro Architecture in collaboration with Lisa Furey Interiors, this cottage on Daufuskie Island, South Carolina is shaped by use before appearance. Located within the Haig Point community, the house is one of a small group of coastal cottages designed to handle daily island conditions while remaining visually restrained. The architecture prioritizes durability, shade, and circulation rather than overt coastal styling.
Board-and-batten siding, deep roof overhangs, and generous porches are not decorative gestures but responses to climate, salt air, and outdoor living patterns.
The entry and dining spaces are designed to stay secondary to movement. Furniture remains narrow, round, or visually light to keep circulation uninterrupted. Storage is handled openly or discreetly, avoiding heavy cabinetry that would slow the space down. Nothing is framed as a moment. Each element supports flow rather than asking for attention.
The kitchen follows the same restraint. Cabinetry stays continuous, finishes remain consistent, and the island is scaled for use instead of display. Detailing references utility rather than decoration, keeping the room legible and adaptable. Across all spaces, the house avoids coastal styling cues in favor of proportion, repetition, and everyday function, letting the architecture carry the identity rather than the décor.
The bathrooms prioritize clarity and durability over statement design. Fixtures are straightforward, storage is built in rather than added, and finishes stay consistent across rooms. Walk-in showers, double vanities, and freestanding tubs are sized for daily use, with light and proportion doing more work than materials. Nothing is ornamental, and nothing competes for attention.
Bedrooms and outdoor spaces follow the same logic. Kids’ rooms rely on symmetry, repetition, and simple graphics rather than themed décor, keeping them flexible over time. The porch functions as an extension of the interior, sized for real use and protected by deep overhangs. Across these spaces, comfort is handled through layout and restraint, not excess, allowing the house to age well and adapt easily to everyday life.
