Before & After: Carolina Colonial Christmas

Ask event designer Calder Clark what's most essential to a good party and she'll tell you it's a warm, inviting setting. "Setting is synonymous with ambience, and ambience is everything," she says. So when she and her husband, Chauncey, bought a less-than-charming seventies-era Colonial house with little curb appeal, closed-off rooms, and an unlandscaped dirt pit of a backyard, she knew an overhaul was in order. They focused their efforts and budget on the spaces most critical to entertaining—the kitchen and outdoor living areas. She finished off the redo with a face-lift for the facade and porch, which now greets guests with a hefty dose of farmhouse style.

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Builder: Bart Beasley; beasleycustombuilderssc.com.

Ditched the Railings"They just felt out of place and unwelcoming, and we realized we didn't need them," says Calder. In keeping with the more streamlined look, she also replaced the original columns with larger, squared-off ones that have a simpler, bolder presence.

Brightened the Entry
After experimenting with several shades of orange, Calder settled on a seafoam hue for her front door to hint at her coastal location. More modern galvanized sconces and metal house numbers replaced traditional brass versions.

Before: Victorian railings and columns, concrete floors, and unsuitable shutters created a style mishmash.

Painted Top to BottomFor inexpensive upgrades to the porch's plywood ceiling and concrete floor, Calder brought on the color by giving the ceiling a coat of classic "haint blue" and the floor a bold cabana-stripe pattern. She also swapped the exterior's yellow-and-cream scheme for a fresher pairing of warm grays.

Wide stripes of gray floor paint in alternating shades give the porch's concrete floor the look of a flat-weave rug.

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Siding paint: Fawn Brindle (7640); floor paint: Fawn Brindle (7640) and Worldly Gray (7043), and door and ceiling paint: Waterscape (6470); sherwin-williams.com. Sconces: The Original Wall Sconce and house numbers: barnlightelectric.com. Sofas: Rustic; summerclassics.com.

Replaced the Shutters
Calder traded the too-narrow, fixed-in-place shutters for operable plank ones she had crafted from basic yellow pine that was pressure washed to bring out the grain. A decorative artist limed them to achieve an aged look.

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Shutters: custom, through Andrew Wall; 843/442-8757. Shutter faux finish: Suzanne Allen of Wall Candy, Inc.; wallcandy.us. Solid pillows: Jute Trim Pillow in Terracotta; pier1.com.

Removed WallsDufford Young Architects designed the plan to enlarge and open up the small kitchen by leveling the wall between it and an adjacent den as well as the wall (with a pass-through window) between the kitchen and dining room. A hidden steel beam framed into the ceiling joists eliminates the need for a load-bearing wall. With double the square footage, the kitchen now has enough space to accommodate a large central island (about 7 by 3½ feet), ample prep and storage space, and plenty of room for friends and family to congregate.

Before: A tight kitchen with dated materials, inadequate storage, and minimal lighting made serving a crowd difficult.

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Pendant lights: For a similar look, try the Carlton Pendant by Arteriors; lumens.com. Stools: Twist Swivel; worldmarket.com. Island corbels: Antiques Market; 843/849-8850.

Added Mirrors"This isn't a bright house, so we wanted to make the most of available natural light," says Calder. Mirrored backsplashes and cabinetry inlays reverberate light and help the room feel more spacious. To get the look of antique mirrors, she hired a local craftsman to age new ones. "I wanted that mercury-peeled, imperfect look found on mirrors that have been around forever," she says.

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Mirror panels: custom, by charlestonarchitecturalglass.com. Countertops: Carrara honed marble; vitoriainternational.com. Range and hood: Professional Series; thermador.com.

Customized CabinetryCalder wrapped the room with chalky gray, floor-to-ceiling Shaker-style cabinets and used matching paneled overlays to disguise the appliances. Vintage corbels and X-shaped details give the island an extra layer of farmhouse charm. Every surface is topped with honed Carrara marble for a seamless design.

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Wall paint: Pavilion Gray (242), reduced 50%; ceiling paint: Pavilion Gray, reduced 90%; and trim and cabinet paint: Pavilion Gray, 100%; farrow-ball.com. Cabinetry: custom, Disher Cabinets; dishercabinets.com. Cabinet pulls: Normandy (M592) in Pewter; topknobs.com. Sink: Shaws Original Single Bowl Fireclay Apron and faucet: Bridge Kitchen with Sidespray; rohlhome.com.

Made Room for DiningSquaring and bumping out the original bay window allowed the space to accommodate a large farm table capped with punchy slipcovered wing chairs. A trio of new elongated six-over-one windows floods the area with light.

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Table: Windwood Antiques; 828/295-9260. Host chairs: Pascal Arm; aidangrayhome.com. Slipcover fabric: Seafoam Ikat and window treatment fabric: Dots in Turquoise, both by Domesticate; spoonflower.com. Window-treatment fabrication: jvcustominteriors.com. Chandelier: Luigi Lantern; claytongrayhome.com.

Built an Outdoor RoomOpen to the elements and topped with a standing-seam metal roof, the new 15- by 17-foot structure is a year-round getaway. The stucco fireplace keeps it warm and cozy during the winter, while the 16-foot-high vaulted ceiling helps with airflow during warmer months. To add visual texture, Calder had the backer board of the far wall painted turquoise. Taupe-colored planks were then applied to the wall with enough space between them to allow a bit of the blue to peek through.

Added Extra Amenities
With its plush seating, dimmer-controlled chandelier, and flat-screen TV (to the right of the fireplace), this outdoor room has all the comforts of its indoor counterpart. On the left of the fireplace, a built-in cabinet with a 2 3/4-inch-thick soapstone counter houses a bar on top and a stocked mini-fridge below.

Before: An empty plot of dirt left the Clarks without space for outdoor living and lacked charm—and grass!

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Chandelier: Regina Andrew Wooden Quatrefoil; shopcandelabra.com. Fireplace: Isokern Outdoor Fireplace; earthcore.co. Seating: Rustic; summerclassics.com.

Laid a PatioCalder skipped grass and instead created a classic paved patio. "We were pushed to take the less expensive route of stamped, stained concrete," says Calder. "But the moment I saw this bluestone paver, I was sold." Paths of bricks crafted from antique molds add texture, pattern, and contrast to the gray stone.

Created a Dining Area
Centered on the patio, a farm table can serve as a buffet and (with its added leaf) can seat 10 to 12 people. Calder left a 3-foot perimeter around the table to allow both congregating and trike riding.

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Dining table: Hampstead Teak; potterybarn.com. Host chairs: Isola in Kubu Gray by Artesia; dovecotedecor.com. Side chairs: Marais A in Hot Dipped Galvanized; industrywest.com.