The Rutledge
Residence

When the Rutledge family approached Vela, they had just purchased a 170-year-old Charleston single house that had been divided into apartments decades ago. The bones were extraordinary — original heart pine floors, plaster medallions, 14-foot ceilings — but years of deferred maintenance and unfortunate "updates" had obscured its character.

Our challenge was twofold: strip away the layers of ill-considered modifications to reveal the home's original architecture, then layer in a new narrative — one that honored the past while creating a space that felt collected, warm, and unmistakably modern in its livability.

We worked closely with preservation specialists to restore original millwork and plaster details, while introducing contemporary systems hidden behind period-appropriate finishes. The kitchen was reimagined around a massive marble-topped island that serves as the family's gathering point, and the master suite was expanded to include a spa-inspired bathroom with a soaking tub positioned beneath the original skylight.

Every furnishing tells a story: an antique sideboard sourced from a Parisian flea market, custom linen curtains woven by a Lowcountry artisan, brass hardware forged by a local metalsmith. The result is a home that feels as though it has been loved for generations — even though it was reimagined in just eight months.