The Southern Living Idea House

If you are a reader of Southern Living, you know every year they do an Idea House. A few years ago it was built in Charlottesville (although sadly I never got a chance to go through), and this year it is at Bald Head! Tickets to tour the house were $15, and I couldn’t wait to go inside. You can tour it through the early fall I believe, so if you are near the island, it would be a fun extra to add to a day trip over.

I have adored going through model homes since I was little. In fact, my family used to hunt them out just to walk through them. Since the house I grew up in was built in 1833, I have always loved the crisp, fresh feel of a brand new house. The Idea House was gorgeous inside and out! The porches were just stunning, and I loved all the cottage-y details.

The living room had windows on three sides and was filled with so much natural light. I loved the pops of coral, and I thought the light fixtures were the show stoppers.

The porch off the living room and kitchen was to-die-for! The pass-through window between the main kitchen and outdoor kitchen would be so great for entertaining al fresco.

I will say that if this was my porch it would look a lot dirtier!! Everything was so clean and new.

Sadly I neglected to get a picture of the kitchen, but it was wide open and central to the house. I loved how the back wing, which housed the master bedroom, bath, laundry, pantry and mudroom, had all these little passageways to connect them all. There’s a little peek into the kitchen there with all its farmhouse sink glory!

Master bedroom of my dreams! Can you see the hardwood floors in the photo above and in the closet pass-through here? They were thick, rough planks, and they were my favorite feature in the house. They made the whole house feel so grand.

This shower!!! There was an outdoor shower too! Loved the floor tile. to get into the master shower you just walked behind the glass. No doors to open or pinch fingers. Although I will say that if I had a house full of guests and was showering in here I might feel a little exposed with all the glass, two bathroom entrances, and windows!

Upstairs there were two bright bedrooms. I generally prefer paint to wallpaper, but I loved this cheerful yellow! It made the whole room feel dressed up and put together. Note the matching shams! Also digging the natural bed frame.

This private bath was my favorite room in the house. The tile work was stunning, and that shower looked so cozy – but in a good way.

The kids room had beautiful upholstered headboards and a small attached bath with a huge soaking tub.

The upstairs porch spanned the whole back of the house and would be ideal for naps!

Or reading. Or both!

The house also had great storage. Look at this cute doggie corner, which would also be a great place to store tons of beach towels, baskets with sunscreen, and other beach island essentials.

Finally, the porches connected the main house to the crofter, which had a fourth bedroom and bath that the designers turned into a game/relax room.

I didn’t love the monkey wallpaper in here (neither did the two ladies touring with us) but I guess you gotta take risks on a big design project like this! The rug, however, was fab. The whole house was furnished with decor from Hayneedle.

I loved how clean and decluttered the house felt, but it also had a great dressed-up feel. It really made me think hard about my own house and ways I could improve on the decorating. Thomas and I would like to build a house someday, so we had lots of comments on things we liked and disliked. And I thought it was funny how all of my comments were on the decor and flow and his were on the craftsmanship and materials! #buildertalk

What is your favorite feature in your house? First floor master? Built-ins? Upstairs laundry?

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