How to Choose Your Interior Design Style: A Guide for Lowcountry Homeowners

Designing the interior of a home in the Lowcountry from Hilton Head Island to Bluffton, is about more than picking furniture or paint colours. It’s about aligning your space with the way you live, the architecture around you, and the coastal setting you call home. At Group 3 Designs, we believe a strong interior style acts like the home’s personality: it guides decisions, streamlines selections and helps you feel at ease in your spaces.

Popular Styles That Suit the Lowcountry Setting

When you scroll through interior-design magazines or Pinterest boards, you’ll find many styles—but some fit the Lowcountry context particularly well. “Coastal interior design,” for example, draws directly on sand, sea and sky, with blues, greens, beiges and natural textures. Meanwhile, modern and traditional styles are still highly relevant. Both “traditional” (rich wood finishes, classic furniture) and “modern” (clean lines, minimal clutter) remain among the most searched design styles. 

Within the Lowcountry you’ll often see these styles take shape:

  • Coastal — light, airy, natural textures, a palette that reflects the shoreline.
  • Lowcountry Traditional — formal yet relaxed, with architectural character (millwork, built-ins) and comfortable elegance.
  • Modern / Transitional — for homes with cleaner architecture or owners who prefer fewer fusses, this style uses simplified forms, open layouts and more restrained finishes.

Recognising the possibilities helps you decide what resonates for your lifestyle.

Recognizing Your Own Aesthetic Voice

It’s one thing to understand styles in theory; it’s another to know which one is you. The key is starting with reflection: What kinds of homes or interiors do you naturally gravitate toward? Which fabrics, colours, and textures feel comforting? What lifestyle do you lead (or want to lead) in that space?

For example, if you’re drawn to linen upholstery, driftwood accents, and indoor/outdoor flow, you may lean toward coastal. If you appreciate tailored furnishings, wood detailing, and defined rooms, traditional may feel right. If you favour open spaces, monochrome tones, and fewer ornamentations, modern might be your lane. Also, consider your home’s architecture: a historic Bluffton home may lend itself to traditional or transitional styles; a brand-new coastal build may lean more modern or coastal.

Aligning Interior Style with Architecture (and When You Might Free Your Style)

A good rule of thumb: the home’s architectural language influences but doesn’t rigidly determine—your interior style. If your home has classic columns, rich mouldings and historic charm, a traditional or transitional interior naturally complements. On the other hand, if your architecture is sleek, minimalist and glass‐heavy, a modern or coastal aesthetic may align better.

That said, mixing is absolutely possible and often desirable. A modern shell with traditional interior accents can produce a layered, unique feel. The key is intentionality rather than mismatch. The interior design should feel coherent with the home’s bones, but also reflect you. At Group 3 Designs, we ensure the architecture, interior finishes and furnishings all speak in concert.

Blending Styles Without Losing Cohesion

Mixing design styles is less about confusion and more about curated harmony. You might love the airy palette of coastal interiors but also appreciate the structure and richness of traditional furnishings. You can bring both together by choosing a dominant style and a secondary one. For example, the main living spaces may lean coastal in tone and texture, while a library or den incorporates traditional furniture and detailing.

Consistency across the home helps: repeating colours, materials or textures in different rooms ensures the mixed styles still feel linked. Natural fibers, woven textures and soft neutral tones are excellent “bridging” materials in Lowcountry homes. Also, keep scale and proportion aligned: a room with high ceilings needs furniture and lighting that match; mixing styles works when each element is thoughtfully sized and placed.

Questions to Ask Yourself Before Meeting a Designer

Preparing ahead of a design consultation makes your process smoother and your results more aligned with expectations. Consider asking yourself:

  • What moods or feelings do I want each room to evoke?
  • Which colours, textures, materials consistently draw my attention?
  • How much do I want my interior to reflect the Lowcountry setting (beach, marsh, outdoors)?
  • Will this home primarily serve entertaining, family life, quiet retreat?
  • What items, art pieces or furnishings are non-negotiable for me?
  • What budget or timeline constraints must we work within?

Your designer will ask many of these anyway but if you arrive with some clarity, the process moves faster and the results feel more “you”.

Moving Forward With Confidence

beautiful lowcountry home interior by group 3 designs

Choosing your interior design style isn’t about following the hottest trend or copying someone else’s home. It’s about finding the language that fits your life, your architecture and your place in the Lowcountry. Whether you lean toward coastal ease, traditional refinement or modern simplicity and no matter if you mix those sensibilities, the outcome is a home that feels coherent, authentic and beautifully suited to you.

At Group 3 Designs, we welcome the opportunity to help you explore these options, refine your style, and create interiors that reflect your vision and the region you love.