Quarantined in the quintessential retreat
Story by Paula Magrini + Photography By J. Savage Gibson
Upon arrival at the home of Betsy and Jim Utterback, I’m greeted by two of the most energetic, engaging grandchildren, Imogen and Seamus. They’re communicating with walkie talkies but politely pause on their flight down the stairway to chat with an unfamiliar guest. They lead me through the bright beckoning foyer to their grandmother, who is completely unflustered by all the activity surrounding her in the midst of her signature Colleton River Club retreat.
What makes the home a signature production is the fact that Utterback herself has steered all the interior design. While her selections are as measured and deliberate as her theories on transforming house into home, she says the sequence of events following the purchase of the Colleton River property was anything but planned.