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New House, Old Soul

Photography Julia LynnPhotos 23Issue July 2026
John and Jeannie Dobsonbeach retreat: John and Jeannie Dobson hadn’t planned on living at the beach, but when this beautiful oceanfront home presented itself at exactly the right moment, they took the plunge. The challenge? How to fit four decades of art and antiques into a contemporary home. The couple enlisted the help of interior designer Melissa Ervin, who used the home’s clean, neutral backdrop to highlight their impressive collection.The large antique rug in the expansive entryway has traveled with the couple since their early years together. “I never would have thought it would fit in the hallway of any house!” John says.A wood-accented hood complements the 1940s-inspired “Athletic Club” counter stools, by Hollywood at Home by Peter Dunham. The beadboard ceiling is a throwback to early beach houses on Sullivan’s Island.A wood-accented hood complements the 1940s-inspired “Athletic Club” counter stools, by Hollywood at Home by Peter Dunham. The beadboard ceiling is a throwback to early beach houses on Sullivan’s Island.Django and Boogie hold court near an English sideboard discovered in Kentucky. An antique mirror tops the piece, flanked by lamps from Michael Mitchell.A sculptural wet bar pairs quartzite countertops with a mosaic backsplash. Glass-front cabinets display the family’s collection of stemware, while brass hardware adds warmth.Brad Nietert of Nietert Antique Restorations hand-planed oak to craft this dining table with a pedestal base that feels both current and timeless. Chaddock chairs are upholstered in linens by Colefax and Fowler and Le Gracieux.A William and Mary highboy dating to the late 1600s, passed down from Jean’s father, anchors a quiet dining corner beneath a moody oil painting inherited from her mother’s collection.On the back porch, a teak table from Elizabeth Stuart Design sits beneath the beadboard ceiling, paired with woven chairs from GDC for catching the salt breeze.Two Ferrell Mittman “Madison” sofas in Colefax and Fowler “Croft” fabric in “Old Blue” break up the dark wood of the room’s antiques. A marble fireplace surround and the Samsung Frame TV mixes in some modern.The Dobsons’ existing chairs were recovered in Colefax and Fowler’s “Aran” in “Old Blue.”A Fritz Porter antique chest grounds another of Jean’s mother’s antique artworks.Tucked near the bookshelves, an antique chair in crewel fabric invites a quiet read. Above and around it, books, framed photographs, and personal mementos form the “last layer” designer Melissa Ervin loves: that final, lived-in feel of family history.The custom Charleston Forge iron bed is upholstered in Zak + Fox “Khotan” in “Rubia,” repurposed from the clients’ Old Village den curtains. This is one of the few entirely new statement pieces in the house. “I fell in love with a bed I saw in a magazine,” Jean says.“Missi told me new sofas were more important, but then she found this, which was even better.” The porcelain-wrapped primary bath hosts a freestanding tub framed by Hartmann & Forbes “Cassimere” roman shades. A beloved rug from Camden’s Rutledge Street Gallery warms the porcelain underfoot, and a whimsical hippo painting overlooks the scene.Upstairs, Jean’s office is wrapped in warm, white oak that allows the large, built-in bookcase painted in a bold Benjamin Moore “Balsam 567” green to pop.A wingback chair and tiered antique side table are nestled among equine paintings—one from the Paul Mellon estate, others discovered at auction over the years.A mahogany antique chest inherited from Jean’s mother anchors the upstairs landing with its curated gallery wall.A massive antique linen press that once served as an MIT lab cabinet presides handsomely in the den. The slipcovered sofas and chairs invite relaxation.Antique twin beds, an inherited side table, and a tea caddy lamp create a soft, pink-tinged nest perfectly suited to two visiting granddaughters. Lisa Fine “Samode” fabric in “Poppy” forms the curtains, and pillows trimmed with Samuel & Sons pom-poms add a playful touch.A Hickory Chair “Simone” bed and Carleton V curtains in “Oxus” pair with a bench from Michael Mitchell in the upstairs guest room.The downstairs guest room is filled with furnishings from the couple’s Old Village primary bedroom, including a Boykin Furniture Company pencil-post bed crafted by Joe Mazurek.

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New House, Old Soul: A couple traded the formal charm of the Old Village for beachfront living on Sullivan’s Island
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