This Historic Downtown Charleston Home Is Almost Too Charming

Name: Melanie Kiernicki, Husband Kevin, daughters Penny and Lucy (ages 3 and 4) 1 dog, 2 cats
Location: Park Circle neighborhood — North Charleston, South Carolina
Size: 1,450 square feet
Years lived in: 1 year, owned

Melanie, a stay-at-home mom and part-time freelance interior decorator, runs the blog “The Penny & The Pearl.” According to her website, she and her family sold their home in the suburbs about a year ago to “fulfill [their] dream of living in historic downtown Charleston. Melanie shares the home with her husband Kevin, a “project manager at Boeing and weekend DIYer,” 4-year-old Penelope, “a singer, reader and budding artist,” and little 3-year-old Lucy, a “puzzle master and colorer.”

Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: Calm cozy light bright warm.

What is your favorite room and why? Our living room—it gets tons of natural light all day long, houses my favorite piece of furniture (our cognac leather sofa), and inspires but also calms me. It’s the right mix of eclectic and cozy, and we definitely spend the most time here.

If you could magically change something about your home, what would it be? That our bathrooms were already beautifully renovated rather than in desperate need of renovation!

What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? More plants! You can really never have enough.

Any advice for creating a home you love? Take your time, and only bring things into your home that you really love that tell your story. The best items in your home are the ones that are beautiful and functional.

Thanks, Melanie Kiernicki!

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