From dated to design certified: a Kiawah Island home transformation
Before any Pacaso owner steps inside their new home, our team has already spent hours perfecting every detail. Pacaso designers are rethinking the layout, sourcing elevated furnishings, and fine-tuning every corner of the in-home experience. The result is a space that doesn't just look beautiful, it We call this expert touch The previous interiors were dark, dated, and disconnected from the coastal setting just outside the windows. The furnishings didn't reflect the caliber of the home's architecture: custom millwork, coffered ceilings, Brazilian cherry floors, a chef's kitchen with Wolf appliances — and the overall feel fell short of the luxury retreat the space deserved to be. Our approach to Surfsong was what the design team calls "editing, not overriding." The home had strong architectural bones that deserved to be honored, not buried. So rather than starting from scratch, we built upward, choosing every element to amplify what was already working and elevate what wasn't. Paint colors were selected to echo the bleached dune grass and low-tide sand just beyond the back porch. Natural textures, coastal-inspired textiles, and carefully curated furnishings replaced what had been there before — each piece chosen not just for how it looked in a photo, but for how it would feel to live in over a long weekend with family. The result is a home that finally matches its setting: light-filled, refined, and deeply relaxing. Every Pacaso home is part of our Behind the scenes, our in-house design team works through a meticulous process — architectural walkthroughs, virtual design boards, procurement and styling, all before a single owner sets foot inside. Not every transformation is purely cosmetic. At Surfsong, our team's scope extended into light construction and millwork. The kitchen is a perfect example. In its previous life, the island featured a dark espresso base with ornate, heavy barley-twist carved legs — a traditional detail that felt more antique shop than coastal retreat. The hardware throughout was oil-rubbed bronze, the roman shades a busy patterned fabric, and a clunky industrial lantern pendant pulled the eye downward. Individually, none of it was wrong. Together, it all added up to a kitchen that felt closed-in, dated, and heavy in a home that deserved to feel light. Our team rebuilt the island base entirely, stripping the ornate legs and replacing them with clean, simple paneling that now reads as a seamless extension of the perimeter cabinetry. Hardware was updated to brushed nickel throughout. The pendant was swapped for a classic white drum shade that bounces light rather than absorbing it. And the roman shades were replaced with soft, neutral linen that lets the greenery outside do its job. This is a level of investment that Pacaso takes on, rather than an owner needing to even lift a finger. The transformation of Surfsong isn't just an aesthetic story — it's a financial one. A home that looks and lives at the level its location and architecture deserve commands more attention, more interest, and more pride of ownership. Our design team's work is one of the most tangible ways Pacaso adds value to every property in our portfolio.
Pacaso allows buyers to purchase a share (1/8 to 1/2) of a fully managed luxury second home through a property-specific LLC, giving them a true real estate asset for a fraction of the cost. Furnishings, design, maintenance, taxes, and HOA coordination are all handled, and the SmartStay™ scheduling system gives each owner equitable, hassle-free time in the home. Explore Pacaso's
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