A Former Church Turned Bachelor Pad Is Reborn Once Again, as Home for a Couple

Written by

Margaret Wright
Margaret Wright
Margaret Wright is an interior and lifestyle photographer located in beautiful Charleston, SC.
updated Dec 19, 2019

A Former Church Turned Bachelor Pad Is Reborn Once Again, as Home for a Couple

Written by

Margaret Wright
Margaret Wright
Margaret Wright is an interior and lifestyle photographer located in beautiful Charleston, SC.
updated Dec 19, 2019
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
Bedrooms
Square feet

1600

Sq ft

1600

Name: Hugh and Megan Molten 
Location: Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
Size: 1,600 square feet
Years lived in: 6 years, owned

Hugh Molten had a singular vision for his industrial-style, church-turned-open-and-airy bachelor pad: a space he could share with his motorcycles. (We actually toured his home a few years ago, and the transformation from a dilapidated old church to an industrial modern home is amazing). When Hugh found love and popped the question to an interior designer with her own strong sense of design, the work of creating a place they could both call home began.

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While Hugh described his design aesthetic as dark, moody, and industrial, Megan Molten, (his now wife), has built a thriving business off of her light and coastal design style. “We joke that we are the perfect representation of the Yin and the Yang—complete opposites!” Megan laughs. “But when we come together, we create something beautiful and unique, and that has been the best part.”

When asked about the process of moving in together and collaborating on the space, Hugh describes it as the biggest challenge they’ve had to overcome as a couple, but also one of the most beneficial things their relationship could have gone through. “It took a while to realize it, but the church had become my identity,” Hugh said. “I was the guy that lived in the church. So when all my stuff started getting moved out into the yard, it was like my identity was being thrown away. Once we realized this, and had the important talk about compromise, things went much more smoothly.”

“When we compromise… we learned that it truly does represent each of us equally and creates something so unique; it’s better and beyond anything we could have planned.”

Megan says her best advice to couples going through the same struggle is to focus on the bigger picture. As a couple, Hugh and Megan agreed on a lot of the staples: paint colors, lighting, floors, doors, hardware, and countertops. Where they differed was the filler—furniture, art and decor. “When we compromise… we learned that it truly does represent each of us equally and creates something so unique; it’s better and beyond anything we could have planned,” Megan says. “Remembering this and thinking more big picture is what makes us a good team.”

Included in Hugh and Megan’s house tour gallery are “before” images from Hugh’s solo house tour. But unlike a typical before and after post, Hugh’s “before” home was already beautiful. This tour is to illustrate how the home’s design evolved as Megan moved in; it’s an honest look at how to merge styles as a couple.

Apartment Therapy Survey:

My Style: Hugh: Dark, Moody, collected, a mix of many design eras. 
Megan: Clean, modern, feminine, airy, light, bright, and a little coastal 

Inspiration: Hugh: France, my dad’s work, The Bauhaus school. 
Megan: France, Charleston, Art, Fashion

Favorite Element: Hugh: The wide open space. It feels uniquely different from a traditional home. The kitchen is a close runner up. 
Megan: The ceilings. I love vaulted ceilings and how open it makes a space feel. 

Biggest Challenge: Megan: Finding room for my clothes. It was a a struggle for real and Hugh finally went to IKEA and bought me my own closet and put it together in a night. I think he saw my frustrations with no where to put my things.

Hugh: Allowing for change. I had become so accustomed to everything being exactly the way it was and where it was, it was tough to be open to so much change so quickly. I also learned in the process that the church had become part of my identity. It was something I had worked on and become so emotionally invested in; it felt like I was losing part of my soul. Once I got past this, I realized the gain was much greater than the loss. 

Proudest DIY: Hugh: The entry chest wins this prize. I found it in the trash pile of the Local Habitat for Humanity Re-store, so you know it was in bad shape. I then found a scrap piece of Carrera marble on Craigslist, cut it down to size, added news handles, and painted the whole thing black. Looks brand new! 

Megan: I wish I could say I have a proud DIY moment but it’s honestly not my strength. That’s why I have Hugh!

Biggest Indulgence: Hugh: The kitchen island. Carrera is such a naturally beautiful stone that I never get tired of looking at it. I love how cold and soft it always feels. 

Megan: My bag collection, art, lighting, and rugs. These are the types of items I like to collect. I justify it because I use it and see them everyday plus they make me happy! 

Best Advice: Hugh: Don’t be afraid of change. Definitely cliché, but it’s worth being reminded of. Change was hard for me in this case, but it was worth it in the end.  

Megan: Only do what you can do. This rings so true for me in my personal and professional life. I’ve learned to delegate (it’s not easy for me because I’m kinda a control freak) but it’s so worth it in the end! It’s much more efficient and gets things done! Plus you just have to know that there are people out there that can do it better than you and it’s okay. 

Resources:

PAINT & COLORS

  • Sherwin Williams — Sealskin (ceiling)
  • Benjamin Moore Super — White (walls and trim)

ENTRY

  • Black Woven Chest — Hugh’s trash pile find he painted, added new hardware and a marble top to make new again. 
  • Wood Sunburst Mirror and Blush Lamp — Celadon
  • Black Woven Pendant Light — Leanne Ford for Target 
  • Vintage Rug — Megan’s find at Highpoint Market 
  • All Accessories — Megan’s Shop 

LIVING ROOM

  • Harmony Sectional — West Elm
  • Occasional Chairs — Four Hands
  • Cowhide Rug — Southeastern Salvage
  • Jute Rug — Overstock 
  • Coffee Tables — Four Hands
  • Bone Inlay Side Table and Black and White Lady Art — Celadon
  • Louis Vuitton Chest — Vintage-gift from Megan’s Mother
  • Blush and Blue Watercolor Art framed in Acrylic — Amanda Norman
  • Black Floor Lamp — Wayfair
  • Pillows on Sectional — Fabric we found at the Chelsea flea Market in NYC and had made into pillows locally. 
  • Planter on Stand — Target
  • Media Console — Four Hands
  • Vintage Chair — Gift from Megan’s mother
  • All Accessories — Megan’s Shop
  • Overhead Lights — Hugh Made

DINING ROOM

KITCHEN

  • Barstools — IKEA
  • Pendants — Rejuvination
  • Rose Art — Benini (gift from Megan’s mother)
  • Baskets — IKEA
  • Rug — Vintage

HALLWAY

  • Wallpaper — Clay McLaurin Studio
  • Chest — Vintage from Indigo Market
  • Art — Vintage (Hugh found in Madrid)

MASTER BEDROOM

  • Bed — Noir
  • Bench — Vintage find (craigslist)
  • Rug — Target
  • Nightstands — CB2
  • Lamps — Visual Comfort
  • Art — Celadon 
  • Pillows — Etsy
  • Moroccan Throw — Wayfair
  • Bench — Vintage 
  • Deerskin — Hugh’s harvest
  • Curtain Panels — IKEA
  • Eames Chair — Vintage 
  • Floor Lamp — Hugh’s trash pile find 
  • African Drum — Vintage (gift from Megan’s mother)

GUEST ROOM

  • Bedding — Target
  • Pillow — Vintage find at High Point Furniture Market
  • Gold Floor Lamp — Target
  • White Side Table — Amazon
  • Vanity — IKEA
  • Tall Chest — Vintage find from Indigo Market 
  • Faces Art — Sally King Benedict
  • Silhouette Art — Celadon
  • Gold Plant Stand — West Elm
  • Acrylic Chair — Amazon

GUEST BATHROOM

Thanks Megan and Hugh!

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