When Sue Mac begins work with a client, she brings four generations of insight into what makes a pleasing room, home or environment.
Sue Mac was influenced by her great-grandmother, grandmother and mother, each of whom were known as an arbiter of taste and style. As a child she saw her families’ homes in various publishings. Sue Mac learned from a young age about style and placement from her mother. She traveled with her mother to the North Carolina Furniture Market and the Atlanta Merchandise Mart as a buying assistant for her mothers’ home furnishings store, she opened after all the children were grown. It was during those times that Sue Mac discovered her love for design.
Using a series of questions coupled with visits to their homes, she elicits her client’s tastes. Sue Mac is a respecter of her client’s budgets, often by repurposing furnishings or working in stages on a project when needed. “Many people are afraid to use the services of a decorator or designer, because they think it will be too costly. But in reality, the opposite is true! Using someone with experience can save the client a lot of time and money. The experience of a decorator can relieve much stress and also save them money by buying at wholesale and adding a percentage of the wholesale price. If the client were to buy at full retail they would see quite a difference! Depending on the client, I will determine what is important. For example: Some of my clients want only “originals” and others want the “look” of the original, but are less concerned with the actual “stamp” of origin. Once their style of choice is determined, as well as their taste in color, fabrics and furnishings, I can then, begin to help them achieve their desired look! Most of my clients have a sense of what they want, they are just unsure as to “how” to accomplish their desired look. It is not unusual to go to a client’s home who has never used a professional decorator or designer in the past and find the house in chaos and several “test” coats of paint on the wall. Many have given up after struggling for months trying to pick just the right color for their walls. They are frustrated and need rescuing! Colors can be very deceiving depending on the lighting, background etc.”
“All of my clients get a bit of ‘homework as we begin’. I ask them to mark images of interiors indicating their tastes in lighting, colors, style, etc. Then I work with them to understand what it is exactly that they want and why. Building on this, I find out how they want each room to function. From there, we inventory their home, determine what they’d like to keep, replace or repurpose. Then, I begin to pull fabrics, surface finishes, furnishings, and fixtures together for their review,” says Sue Mac.
“I approach each design job individually. My job is to help my client achieve their desires. It is not about what I like or what is in style but what the client likes or desires. However, I do have clients that want to be less involved and have asked me to completely decorate and design their rooms according to my taste. Usually these are clients that have seen some of my previous work and have grown to trust my choices for their home. I get to know my clients rather well as we spend much time together in the planning stages. I learn much about their lifestyle. These insights allow me to create an environment that fits each client.”
“Whether using neutrals or strong bold colors, I can achieve a palette that will be pleasing to my clients.”
Sue Mac works with builders and contractors in many different capacities such as project management, décor and design, or as supervisor. Whether the project is a rehab of a historic Charleston home, redesign of a beach-front vacation home, condo or a new home in Mt. Pleasant’s I’On, she “is 110% committed” to achieving the results her clients have come to expect.
Click on over to www.smruggles.com to find all of your home decor needs. SM Ruggles is a collection of some of Sue Mac’s favorite accessories, furniture, lighting, rugs, and artwork. We are constantly adding new products all the time. We’d love to help you find the perfect addition to your home, whether it’s a chandelier or an entire room. Please give us a call and we can help guide you through the process!