119 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.MountPleasantPodcast.com The first step to launching the project, Whitlock said, involved reaching out to Ben Zeigler, one of the cofounders of the Hotel Florence, and Jay and Joe Keenan, whose portfolio includes four thriving hotels in Charleston. Having secured the location on the site of what was the Post and Courier building and previously the Georgetown Times, Joe Keenan joined forces with his wife, interior designer Jenny Keenan, and from there the project took on a life of its own. A private tour of the property, guided by Whitlock, revealed an enchanting design concept that blends English flair with Lowcountry culture. Downstairs, the walls are hung with paintings from the Charleston Artist Collective, while bespoke wallpaper portraying a lush forest covers the interior of an archway leading from the lobby to the port side of the hotel. Bougie yet comfortable custom-designed furniture invites guests to slow down and lounge awhile. Further accent touches such as Gullah baskets and round shadow boxes displaying Indigenous nature-derived artifacts such as rice, indigo and cotton intertwine the past with the present. “We try to incorporate as much history as we can,” said Whitlock, explaining that these crops are significant to the Lowcountry theme as they were once the largest exports for Georgetown and surrounding areas. Once the courteous staff checked us in, Sophie and I went upstairs to see our room, which featured an accent wall papered in a pale blue floral, one of many patterns that Jenny curated for the project, which are hanging in the 56 guest rooms throughout the hotel. Also, upholstered headboards anchored plush bedding that promised a delicious night’s sleep. Having stashed our bags, Sophie and I changed clothes for dinner and headed back downstairs for our reservations at the posh onsite restaurant, The Independent, a unique Indigo Road Hospitality Group establishment. Named for the Independent Seafood market, a familyowned business that served the Georgetown community for 80 years, the restaurant was booked solid on a Tuesday night. The clinking of glasses and laid-back laughter amongst stylishly-clad friends sharing a meal, set against a merlot wall color, coffered ceilings and cane-backed chairs, dwellings
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