Tucked beneath the oaks of Rose Avenue sits a 1925 cottage that tells its story in beadboard, brass, and quiet perseverance. For over two decades, Bellamy Jaubert Murphy has called this house home, drawn to Isle of Hope for its history, nature, and easygoing rhythm.

True to the home’s roots, Murphy embraced its original cottage character rather than erase it. “When I pulled back carpet and linoleum, there it all was—wood floors, beadboard walls, even the old ceiling,” she said. Rather than repaint, she sealed the existing layers of color and time, carefully scrubbing and sanding to preserve their texture. The only exception: the ceiling in the living room, which she brightened after years of wood-stove smoke.

Murphy reversed an earlier renovation that had enclosed the front porch, reestablishing its rightful place and adding a side porch and enclosed back porch, now a cheerful laundry room and bath. The original bathroom was reimagined with period touches—a clawfoot tub, brass fixtures, and vanities fashioned from furniture.

Her creativity extends to the smallest details, from handmade light fixtures to antique curtain hardware sourced from England. “I wanted everything to feel either original or like it could have been,” she said.

A favorite stop during the Isle of Hope Art Show, Murphy’s cottage has also hosted festivals, reunions, and weddings. Up next: she hopes to restore the small carriage house in back, once used to make shrimp nets.

Her advice to others: “Avoid trends. Honor what’s already there. Classic never goes out of style.”