A Designer's Guide to Charleston

Charleston is what happens when good manners and fine taste commingle for a few centuries. In short: a paradisiacal heaven on earth for aesthetes, where horse carriages clip clop along rows of pastel Charleston Single Houses and the gardens are as lush as a dragoon punch in the sultry air.

For this insider’s guide, we polled our designer friends Aldous Bertram and Betsy Berry—both resident Charlestonians—for their favorite places to stay, eat, shop and play in The Holy City. “What makes Charleston so special as a designer is the architecture, both the age of it, and the style, creating a microcosm of 18th century classical beauty,” Bertram says. Here, our little powder blue book.

Stay

The Cooper | 176 Concord St.
This newly opened darling is Charleston’s first ever waterfront luxury hotel, with 191 evocative rooms by Champalimaud Design, exquisite details (note the bronze-finished iron balustrade) and a nautically inspired Lowcountry restaurant, The Crossing.

They offer a private yachting experience on board their custom Hinckley Yacht—another made-in-America brand committed to craftsmanship, and a McKinnon and Harris partner.

The Dewberry | 334 Meeting St.
A new build by Charleston standards, the 1964 L. Mendel Rivers Federal Building has been reborn as a charming hotel with loaner bikes, doting concierges, and a fleet of South Carolina-made Volvos as house cars. Head to the rooftop bar, Citrus Club, for “yummy cocktails made for sunsets with a view,” Berry says.

Hotel Bennett | 404 King St.
The blush and bashful-hued Camellia cocktail bar is only the beginning of the fun at this retreat. (Case in point: a cabana-lined rooftop pool and pâtisserie by a James Beard Award nominated pastry chef).

Zero George | 0 George St.
Tucked within three circa 1804 homes, this sixteen-room hotel offers unforgettable amenities—from bubbles at check-in to wine and cheese hour, plus Frette bed linens and an indulgent European breakfast. Book the Anson Suite for heart pine floors and a piazza of your own.

Experience

Charleston by Design
This annual three day festival is held in support of the Historic Charleston Foundation, with unmissable events (last year included a walking tour of Charleston’s iconic pink houses and a conversation with Michael S. Smith, who famously decorated the Obamas’ White House.)

Charleston Wine + Food Festival
An edible and sippable ode to the region’s delectability held each spring, with everything from cooking classes to in-restaurant brunches on the menu, all to benefit the city’s hospitality and culinary industry.

Charleston Library Society | 164 King St.
Founded in 1748 (yes, before the United States), this private lending library is home to some incredible collections, including letters of George Washington and Alexander Hamilton. (Out-of-town visitors are welcome to purchase a day pass.)

Dock Street Theatre | 135 Church St.
Built within the shell of the 1809 hotel where the Planter’s Punch was born, this renovated theater holds more than 100 performances each season. Note the intricate wrought-iron balcony on the facade, added in 1835.

Drayton Hall | 3380 Ashley River Rd.
This Palladian house tour is unlike most others in that it was never ‘restored,’ but stabilized. Translation: you’ll experience this grande dame with her wrinkles intact. Bertram highly recommends an afternoon trip here to stroll the gardens, “especially in the spring to catch the astonishing array of camellias and azaleas.”

Gibbes Museum of Art | 135 Meeting St.
Unmissable since 1905, Gibbes has “a fine central hall with a small but beautiful collection of decorative arts pieces,” Bertram notes. Be sure to see the 600-work-deep hoard of ‘miniatures,’ arguably the original selfies.

Joseph Manigault House | 350 Meeting St.
“Charleston’s best museums are its preserved historic houses,” Bertram says. Guided tours of this former home of a rice baron are chockablock with the eye candy of 1803, including a snaking spiral staircase and manicured period garden.

Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon | 122 E. Bay St.
George Washington dined and danced in this 1771 landmark, which is also home to sobering history—including a dungeon employed by British forces during the Revolutionary War and regular auctions of the enslaved—making it a site for reflection as much as visitation.

Randolph Hall and Porter’s Lodge, College of Charleston | 66 George Ct.
Even if your college tour days are long behind you, the College of Charleston is a must-see. At the circa 1770 university, landmarked Randolph Hall and Porter’s Lodge are required stops for classicists.

Spoleto Festival, and Piccolo Spoleto Festival
Each spring, Spoleto Festival USA turns Charleston into a 17-day stage set for opera, theater, dance, jazz, and more, while Piccolo Spoleto fills the city with a broader, more local-leaning cultural swirl, including outdoor art exhibitions.

SHOP (for yourself)

A Maker’s Post | 2019 Middle St., Sullivan’s Island
Part boutique, part plant-happy community hub, this Sullivan’s Island mainstay curates artisan-crafted goods, locally produced art, Insta-worthy books, and lush greenery.

Buru | 128 Market St.
‘Small-batch’ apparel inspired by the founder’s mother’s and grandmother’s wardrobes, with a micro-factory in Los Angeles and playful motifs.

Croghan’s Jewel Box | 155 King St.
If you didn’t inherit an exquisite jewelry collection, beeline here. Charleston’s oldest family-owned jewelry store has been delivering heirloom-level sparkle for more than a century, with both estate pieces (such as a gold snake ring with diamond eyes) and exclusive designs, plus the kind of old-school service that makes buying a bracelet feel like joining a bloodline.

Hampden | 314 King St.
New York has Bergdorf’s; Charleston has Hampden. Nearly 10,000 square feet of designer fashion in an 1878 King Street building, this is a serious destination for the sartorially committed. Expect an expertly chosen mix of ready-to-wear, handbags, shoes, and accessories from brands ranging from Lanvin and Marni to Rothy’s.

HART Jewelry | 650 King St.
“Personal, meaningful pieces with a modern heirloom sensibility” can be found at HART, Berry says. Among them: charms and talismans depicting picnic baskets, oysters, and more, designed by seventh-generation Charlestonian Hart Hagerty.

Preservation Society of Charleston Shop | 174 King St.
For gifts with regional bona fides, the Preservation Society of Charleston Shop is a reliable hit: handcrafted goods from Charleston and the surrounding areas, including, for example, bow ties adorned with the feathers of blue pheasants and high-carbon steel and burl wood knives made by blacksmith Ben Spurrier.

RTW | 186 King St.
An exquisitely curated women’s boutique with labels from England, France, Italy and beyond, plus a highly polished downtown address.

Shirtini | 192 King St.
The name kind of says it all: this crisp little King Street boutique specializes in women’s shirts with menswear roots (and dresses with origins in shirting).

SHOP (for clients)

Alexandra AD | 156 King St.
With its distinct European accent, this is a top source for Swedish, French, and other Old World antiques with patina. Among recent finds: 19th-century Gustavian chests and a circa 1800 Swedish sofa.

Antiques of South Windermere | 22 Windermere Blvd.
Treasure abounds in this beloved antique shop, where on any given day you might spot a turn-of-the century Birds Eye maple wardrobe or a circa 1820 mahogany sideboard from Boston that was previously sold at Sotheby’s.

Carolina Antique Maps & Prints | 91 Church St.
If John James Audubon were heading to Charleston today, this antique map and print dealer would be his first stop. Spotted recently: an egret from 1850 and corals from 1734.

Charleston Artist Collective | 414 Whilden St., Mt. Pleasant
Colorful works by entirely local artists, including Chelsea Goer and Liz Burnet, with proceeds supporting local charities.

Elizabeth Stuart | 215 Coleman Blvd., Mt. Pleasant
The place for the deliciously unconventional, whether your project might benefit from a collage of a heron or Jimi Hendrix; striped Murano tumblers made in Italy; or a side chair wrapped in leather and hand-stitched.

Geo. C. Birlant & Co. | 191 King St.
For more than a century, this has been a Charleston institution—the kind of antiques shop that your grandmother might have frequented. Their regular hops across the pond result in bounty; you might find anything from a Dutch burr marquetry bureau to a circa 1850 Belgian oak buffet adorned with a buck.

Golden & Associates Antiques | 197 King St.
A serious antiques mecca with a very deep stock of English and Continental furniture—the sort that can make the most boisterous decorator go silent, even in a town not short on antiques.

Hagan Fine Art Gallery | 125 Church St.
For contemporary work with color, texture, and a pulse, including serene, modern pieces by Daniel Klewer and Bonnie Edelman.

Helena Fox Fine Art | 106-A Church St.
A darling gallery next to the Battery’s favorite wine shop, with pieces by Edward Rice, Donald Demers and Swedish expat Kent Ullberg.

John Pope Antiques
With rotating pop-up trunk shows at The Dewberry and elsewhere, John Pope always feels delightfully fresh—hard to achieve in the world of antiques.

LePrince Fine Art Galleries | 183 and 184 King St.
Warning: these are the types of art pieces heirs fight over. Artists represented here include John Poon (who perfectly captures the light of the Lowcountry) and Mark Bailey, whose paintings of cocktail bars will have you hearing giggles and clinks.

Michael Mitchell | 414 King St.
Within this 12,000 square foot showroom, designers can source practically anything they might require for a project, including Farrow & Ball paint and head-turning objet.

Mirth Studio | 620 Dobbin Rd.
Who doesn’t want a house of mirth? Decorative surfaces here include wallcoverings, wool carpets, and hardwood and recycled cork floor tiles in various motifs for a hand-painted look underfoot.

The Lampshade Library by Sorella Glenn | 141 Market St.
Pleated lampshades handmade in the U.S. from European linen and American-printed cotton, plus painted options in Benjamin Moore colors.

Tucker Payne Antiques | 169 King St.
In one word: bounty. Recent treasure spotted here has ranged from a 19th-century carved wooden deer from the Black Forest in Germany to signed photographs of Sir Sean Connery as Bond. James Bond.

The Urban Electric Co. | 2120 Noisette Blvd., North Charleston
A pilgrimage site for lighting people, full stop. The Urban Electric showroom is the home-field advantage version of one of the most influential names in American decorative lighting—and now, a cornerstone of Charleston’s rapidly expanding design district. Set within the evolving Navy Yard campus, where a new wave of showrooms and maker spaces are transforming the area into a true design hub, it’s worth the short detour for anyone who gets a little fluttery around beautifully made fixtures.

Wentworth | 162 Wentworth St.
“Wentworth by Blake Sams has been truly a sensational addition to the design shopping scene in the past couple of years and cannot be beaten for moody elegance and Grand Tour influenced collections,” Bertram says of the curated trove. Berry adds that it’s the best shopping experience around, with international and antique finds: “You feel sophisticated just walking in,” she says.

Wynsum Antiques & Interiors | 648 King St. and 903 Houston Northcutt Blvd., Mt. Pleasant.
Two locations—one on King Street, the other in Mt. Pleasant—mean more to love; wares have recently included a circa 1760 George III inlaid cellarette and a 1920s crystal beaded basket chandelier from Paris.

Taste

Breakfast

Harken Cafe & Bakery | 62 Queen St.
Locally beloved for its toothsome quiches and sandwiches (you want the strawberry and jalapeno slaw sandwich on housemade focaccia at lunch), the coffee here is superb—including unexpected offerings like an earl grey lavender latte.

Millers All Day | 120 King St.
Doing the South’s edible vernacular well keeps Millers thronged, whether you’re here for red corn grits, pimento cheese, fried chicken, biscuits and gravy with pickled okra, soft-shell crab with Carolina gold dirty rice, or all of the above.

Sorelle Mercato | 90 Broad St.
You might feel like you’ve teleported yourself to Sicily when you walk onto the herringbone floors of Sorelle, on Broad. The breakfast paninos are legendary, with their layers of pistachio pesto, fontina cheese and Storey Farms Eggs, and the caramel lattes are phenomenal.

Lunch

Basic Kitchen | 82 Wentworth St.
They call it Basic, but with their emphasis on sustainable and locavore sourcing, it’s anything but. The menu here is pure comfort food, with dishes like local corn ribs or fish tacos served with pickled pepper slaw.

Ellis Creek Fish Camp | 1243 Harbor View Rd.
Fronting the marsh on James Island, this is an idyllic spot for hush puppies with honey sumac butter; whole fried okra served with smoked chipotle aioli; extremely fresh peel & eat shrimp; and unforgettable crab rolls.

The Obstinate Daughter | 2063 Middle St., Sullivan’s Island
Jacques Larson is a two time James Beard Award nominated chef and his Obstinate Daughter is so lauded it’s firmly anchored in the Michelin Guide, but that’s not why you’re here. You’re here for the exquisite Lowcountry (and locavore) dishes like Marsh Hen Mill polenta fries and Carolina gold rice risotto that’s heaven on a plate.

Dinner

Chez Nous | 6 Payne Ct.
The menu changes daily at Chez Nous, which Alan Richman once called the best small restaurant in America. You’ll be able to get a taste for the evening’s fare on Instagram, where recent dishes have included pork chops with borlotti beans and asparagus served with egg and caper.

Chubby Fish CHS | 252 Coming St.
Berry says “The long line is worth the wait” at this walk-in-only, Michelin Guide restaurant, for its “fresh, creative seafood with a laid-back, local feel.” The caviar sandwich is exactly as divine as it sounds.

FIG | 232 Meeting St.
This Michelin Guide restaurant “hits the spot every time,” Berry says. On the current menu? Broiled Steamboat Creek oysters with green garlic; blue crab ravioli; and a cast iron bavette bordelaise served with rapini.

Little Jack’s Tavern | 710 King St.
“Little Jack’s is a regular favorite of mine,” Bertram says. “You can always walk in and get the best burger in town in a vibrant but relaxed atmosphere glowing with every style of dim bulb imaginable.” (That burger is iconic for a reason—served with tavern sauce, griddled onion and american cheese on a petite sesame seed bun; balance it with their farro spoon salad with whipped ricotta, miso, apples and pistachio.)

Sorelle | 88 Broad St.
Southern Italy meets Southern hospitality at Sorelle, which is tucked within three renovated townhouses and is lauded in the Michelin Guide. Your nonna would tell you not to miss the hand-cut egg yolk pasta bolognese with pecorino romano.

Vern’s | 41 Bogard St., A
This Michelin starred restaurant is “Effortlessly cool, delicious, and welcoming every time,” says Berry. On the menu: charred sourdough with allium butter and dill and pappardelle with ‘nduja and whipped ricotta.

Wild Common | 103 Spring St.
The Michelin-starred and James Beard Award semi-finalist chef here churns out bold, inventive dishes from his open kitchen. Recently: seared Hokkaido scallops with chanterelle mushrooms and seafood tartlets in lobster nage.

Libations and Such

Husk Bar | 74 Queen St.
Housed in an 1890s ‘kitchen house’ next to the main restaurant, the bar and patio is the spot to walk in last minute and indulge—in Port Royal oysters from Beaufort; Hunter Cattle beef tartare with egg yolk jam; and a spiced rum and blood orange Smooth Sailing cocktail.

Off Track Ice Cream | 6 Beaufain St.
Sweet tooths are advised to proceed directly to this spot for the “best ice cream in Charleston, all made in-house,” Berry says. Flavors lean mostly traditional (Tahitian vanilla bean; chocolate fudgy brownie) with some unexpected gems (vegan fluffernutter blondie, for example.)

Peninsula Grill | 112 N Market St.
People have the 12-layer coconut cake here overnighted to them around the country. It’s that good. But the cocktails are equally transcendent, and best enjoyed in their lush courtyard garden where crepe myrtle trees loom and hand-lit carriage lanterns flicker. Did we mention the restaurant is a member of the extremely coveted Relais & Châteaux network?

Seahorse | 254 Coming St.
For an evening that feels like it may appear in one of Ralph Lauren’s fever dreams, look no further than this dimly lit cocktail bar lined in antique paintings— which is “cozy and stylish with a sophisticated cocktail menu,” Berry says. The Bridgetown cocktail is a favorite, with 12-year-aged rum, Cocchi Rosa and the herbal Amari di Angostura.

Team Building

Candlefish | 270 King St.
For teams that like their bonding with a side of fragrance, Candlefish’s candle-making workshops are an easy win. Participants choose scents from their candle library, learn the pouring process, and leave having made two custom 9 ounce candles—ready to tote home with them the next day.

Charleston Library Society | 164 King St.
The Library Society’s classes and workshops—such as paper marbling and other bookish arts, such as leather tooling—offer a team-building option that feels unusually civilized. It is hands-on and ideal for a design crowd that would enjoy learning something lovely.

Juliska | 268 King St.
Juliska’s flagship is already a happy place for anyone who cares about a well-laid table, but the real move for larger groups is booking into the brand’s beautifully staged brick walled event space for an entertaining- or tablescaping-centered workshop.

Kristin Gee of MahjonGee
Known by her Instagram handle MahjonGee, Kristin Gee offers private lessons, events, and fundraisers centered on American mahjong, making her a particularly chic option for groups who prefer their icebreakers lacquered.