Designing the Cape Fear: Former Wilmington church transformed into travel-inspired luxury retreat
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A Wilmington church dating back to 1945 has been given new life, combining historic character with travel-inspired design. In this week’s Designing the Cape Fear, WWAY’s Tomika Jackson takes us inside The Abbey Haus, transformed by owners Carly and Jason Foreman.
The couple purchased the property about 11 years ago without knowing exactly what they would do with it. Today, the former sanctuary is the heart of a unique accommodation reimagined into three luxury residences that can host up to 22 guests.
During renovations, the Foremans preserved original features, including heart pine flooring, exposed brick, and metal doors. “We wanted it to keep the character and charm of a 1940s church, kind of that Gothic Revival style, but also give it a little bit of an edge,” Carly said.
Travel also played a major role in the design. The Abbey Haus features 10 king bedrooms inspired by destinations around the world. “The bedrooms were inspired by all the places that we’ve traveled that we loved,” Carly said.
The couple also mixed higher-end finishes with secondhand finds, many from Habitat for Humanity ReStore. “Don’t sleep on the ReStore,” Carly said, adding that more than half of the furniture, artwork, mirrors, and some materials throughout the property came from there.
Their biggest advice for homeowners is simple: take your time, avoid designing solely around trends, and allow a space to evolve. For the Foremans, the finished project is also highly personal.
“It’s part of our life, really,” Jason said. “It’s places we’ve been. We wanted to kind of share the places we’ve been in life here.”
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