Whether it be via Instagram, her Netflix show, or now her Session on MasterClass, designer Shea McGee always shares designs tips with her fans and followers. “A lot of the design world is kept under lock and key. From the beginning I set out to change that,” she says.
Last month, the cofounder and chief creative officer of Studio McGee and the host of the binge-worthy series, Dream Home Makeover, launched a MasterClass Session titled “Design a Space You Love.” Split into eight sections, the pro guides viewers from conceptualizing a plan to placing finishing touches on a project. “My session on MasterClass is aimed toward people who want to make a change to their home but are having a hard time getting started. The first step of a project—a floorplan or moodboard—is always the hardest. Once you get the foundation set, it’s easy to build up from there,” McGee says. “My goal is to help our audience set the foundation.”
McGee’s second book, The Art of Home, will be available in bookstores starting September 12. “The Art of Home is the first book showcasing the visual aspects of Studio McGee—all the beautiful spaces myself and my design team have created in the past nine years,” McGee says. The designer says she is also excited about the educational aspects readers will takeaway from this book. “Per usual with Studio McGee, it was important that The Art of Home was just as much about education and inspiration as it was a visual retreat.” Studio McGee will celebrate its tenth anniversary in 2024.
C&G: How would you describe the Studio McGee aesthetic?
Shea McGee: The Studio McGee aesthetic is centered around the notion of home. In all of my designs, the goal is to create a warm, inviting space that’s both beautiful and livable. I never want anything to be too precious or not meant to be touched. I love incorporating a lot of natural materials—wood, linen, leather, and fresh greens—for a rich, layered look.
How do you maintain the Studio McGee look while still making each project unique?
I think the defining element that carries throughout all of my projects is the materials I use and the way I use them—beautiful Belgian linen on a steel frame chair or a quaint café curtain above a marble soaking tub. There’s a push and pull that’s palpable.
Favorite room to design?
The kitchen is where we gather, the place where meals and memories are made. In my own family, it’s where we come together at the end of the day to do homework, talk through our upcoming travel plans, and reconnect as a family. I love designing kitchens for the amount of emotional sentiment they hold, but also because it’s a space with endless design possibilities—you can swap out a sink for a completely different look, you can add in time-honored elements like a plate rack, you can carry marble up the entire backsplash. There are so many styles that you can combine in fun, new ways. It’s also a space where form and function collide, which is one of my favorite challenges as a designer.
Do you prefer designing a new build or an older home?
I’ve had really fun projects on both sides, but I do like getting involved with a project from the start. Seeing the vision of the architect on new builds will help dictate the direction of the interior design. I enjoy the process of putting together a comprehensive finish package on new builds as well, from the laundry room light fixture to the kitchen cabinet pulls, they should all speak to each other and to the character of the home.
A current trend you are excited about?
I really love seeing the design world opening back up to so many nostalgic interior elements of the past, like plate racks, café curtains, and reeded glass. These design features carry so many memories for so many of us. It’s a thrill for a designer to get to use them in new, exciting ways, and sometimes that “new, exciting way” is exactly how they were once used. The trend is the nostalgia itself.
You share a lot of tips via social media, your show, and now this MasterClass Session. What do you see as the benefits/drawbacks to social media in the design world?
I’ve embraced social media from the start of my career. For me, it was a place to build community and exchange ideas. There’s endless amounts of inspiration to be had from Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest. I’ve also always been open to fans of Studio McGee on social media.
