The Challenges Of Moving – Going Coastal And Shrimp Burgers

Packing, Packing, and MORE!

So, we have been packing boxes, boxes, and more boxes. It is amazing how much can be accumulated over a period of 20 years. We moved into our current house here in Weston Florida a little over 20 years ago and EVERY inch of the house was decorated.

In between packing we also painted a few items, updated some wicker chairs to put on our beautiful front porch, and picked up a few fun coastal decor items.

We are looking forward to enjoying time on our porch sipping sweet tea, spending time overlooking the salt marsh in our backyard, and embracing all things Lowcountry.

The Bluffton State of Mind book that we saw at the Old Town Bluffton Inn is now going to be placed on our coffee table in our new home. We just could not resist getting our own copy to enjoy. This book is full of beautiful photos that capture the essence of the area. And, if you are ever in the area, you must stay at the Old Town Bluffton Inn. We loved it there and highly recommend this charming, and gorgeous property.

A Change Of Pace, And A Change Of Decor

The house that we are moving to in Bluffton, South Carolina is much different than the house we live in now. We have to “re-think” how we will decorate and embrace the style of the house.

First of all, the floors are all wide plank and dark cherry. Also, the kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities are all dark cherry wood. This is very different than light marble style ceramic tile and linen white cabinets. The plan is to treat the wood cabinetry as pieces of furniture that we are incorporating into our decor.

One of the first items that we will change is the granite counters in the kitchen. Not only have we never liked the look of granite, but the color of this countertop is also just not attractive and too dark. We will find a light and bright quartz for the counters and install a backsplash. There is also a bar in the family room with this same granite that will also get switched out. This will lighten and brighten the whole area.

Our kitchen here in Florida was designed and built to our specifications only 4 years ago. We will miss some of the features but hope to make the new kitchen in Bluffton work for our needs. We LOVE to cook and having a beautiful and efficient kitchen is important to us.

The other item that we will change right away is the color of the shutters on the front of the house. Right now they are a medium brown and we want to change these to a light blue-green to give a more coastal feel and to tie into what we have planned inside. We really like Sherwin Williams Coastal Cool – Watery. When we get to Bluffton we can see if this color gives us the look that we envision. There are several colors that we are considering, but this one really is pretty and we think it will enhance the architecture.

After perusing Pinterest for endless hours we are figuring out how to incorporate what we have into the new design style while adding a few coastal, and beachy touches.

We always love Ralph Lauren’s style and there is a picture that we are using for inspiration that incorporates light-colored furnishings with some warm and rich wood tones. AND, of course, we will incorporate our blue and white touches for a fresh look. The family room, breakfast room, and kitchen are all very open concept. Ralph Lauren’s Georgica Collection is our starting point for creating a warm and inviting space.

We already have Pottery Barn slipcovered white couches, a variety of blue and white pillows, a striped rug and some dark wood accessories to incorporate into the “look”. Add in a few different textures in baskets and some interesting shells or coral with our ginger jars and we can create something unique and special.

Our piano will be in the adjoining living room, as it is too large to fit in this area. The living room will also be a fairly casual space with our large Country French pine cabinet, soothing pastel colors and a hint of zebra (yes we want some black and white too). This is going to be so much fun!

Right now, our house here is piled high with boxes. We will head north next week when the moving truck is packed and on its way. However, in the interim, we just had to add a few shells and some coral to our decor here to get us focused on our new journey.

Colleton River Golf Cottages – Our Temporary Home

When we arrive at Colleton River we are staying at one of the golf cottages. We were able to book a suite in the Bobby Jones cottage. These cottages are located by the golf club and are used by residents for guests when they are in the area. Our cottage even has a view and a small screened porch to enjoy after long days of closing on our new home, coordinating services, and THEN the major task of unpacking.

Lowcountry Favorite Recipes

While recently watching a cooking segment on PBS we discovered that a Lowcountry favorite is Shrimp Burgers. Who knew? Well, let me tell you that these are delicious. Kind of like a large crab cake with shrimp. Our friend that has lived in Bluffton for many years sent us a favorite recipe including a perfect side dish – Tangy Jalapeno Lime Slaw. Oh my!

Pair this meal with a nice glass (or two) of crisp Sauvignon Blanc and you have the perfect match!

We opted to have ours without a bun, but think that serving these on brioche rolls would be delicious. We also had a little cocktail sauce on the side for dipping. Just combine ketchup with some horseradish and a squeeze of lemon and you are ready to enjoy.