Tour a Comfortably Chic Charleston Family Home

With four boys from 12 to 17 (and dog Lucy), downsizing from a 4,700-square-foot home to a 2,600-square-foot one meant that Elizabeth and Curt Nesbitt had to be smart about their space. Their stunning, contemporary Sullivan's Island home on the lush green marsh of the Intracoastal Waterway benefits from an airy, open living room, dining room and kitchen on the home's second floor. Floor to ceiling windows let the light flood in and make the space appear even more expansive. Designer Jenny Keenan worked with the Nesbitts on the smart, chic design of their spacious-feeling home.

Elizabeth describes her home as "not over-the-top modern. It's just manageable," she says of a home design that keeps extraneous clutter tucked away. "Everything has a place," says Elizabeth, and her new house rules are that shoes are left at the front door to keep the space tidy. She says that her home's California-modern look makes her life simpler and easier, in some ways, than the larger, traditional home her family moved from. Of her white marble countertops, Eiizabeth notes, "everyone tried to talk me out of it."

The dining area, right off the kitchen on the home's second level, shows off the beautiful European white oak floors that were installed throughout the home.

Gorgeous statement wallpaper with a faux bois look and brass fixtures makes this guest bathroom on the home's second floor a real stunner.

Peaked ceilings lend an open, expansive quality to rooms in the Nesbitt home and help amplify Elizabeth's desire for "California" style in her space. Though she and Curt (who met on a blind date) both hail from the South, "I've always loved California," she admits.

The four Nesbitt boys, John Garland, Lawson, Sullivan and Graham (and their beloved dog Lucy), share this kids' den on the home's first level which features work desks integrated into the contemporary design and more great views of the marshlands beyond the home.

A large oak tree frames this lovely view from the first floor porch of the marsh and Intracoastal Waterway. Furniture in the home is a mix of home goods retail (like this surf board table) and designer-sourced items. The dramatic, modern seven-foot couch is the perfect perch to take in the view.

Elizabeth has solved many issues involved in downsizing to a smaller home by making great, strategic use of the space she does have, as in this living room off of her sons' bedrooms where a study/work area has been factored into the space without sacrificing style.

Part of achieving the California-cool vibe of this home is the mix of global textiles in linens, pillows and funky rugs, a mix of wood and white walls and lots and lots of light and windows to capture the beauty of the outdoors.

Elizabeth loves the hyper-functionality of this combined laundry room and bathroom on the first floor kid-level of the home. A shower and ample closets for the boys' things are also worked into this smartly-designed space.

One of several porches on each level of the Nesbitt home, this outdoor space on the first level features a surfboard coffee table Elizabeth found at a home goods store.