AFTER 26 YEARS SHAPING ATLANTA’S MOST REFINED INTERIORS, president and lead designer Kim Regas of Regas Interiors has debuted a second studio in Charleston. Her love of the historic city’s architectural diversity and eclectic design styles drew her to the Lowcountry. “My heart has been drawn to this city for years,” she says. “With each visit, I’ve seen and done more that kept me coming back. I felt it was time to put down some roots.”
Regas brings her eye for luxury residential design to Charleston and the surrounding sea islands with an approach she has honed over many years while designing residences throughout the Southeast from her base in Atlanta. Her first project is already underway on Seabrook Island. “I want to infuse a different spin on marshland living,” Regas explains. “Regas Interiors aims to bring a fresh perspective to the Lowcountry with our uniquely elevated design style.”
While its initial Lowcountry project is a whole-home renovation, Regas Interiors specializes in new construction, where its designers’ skills in interior architecture shine. “We take pride in building relationships with architects and ensuring that a home has the interior architectural details that are foundational before we layer in the home’s design style,” says Regas.
A designer knowledgeable and experienced in interior architecture is a desirable skill set in an area that sees frequent historic residential renovation projects. The ability to focus on the structural and functional aspects of a home’s interior in addition to bringing a fresh design style is a coveted combination. Regas Interiors works alongside architects and contractors to manage renovations, create layouts, and spatially plan and execute detailed plans of readapted spaces.
“Our methodology is especially important during the new construction of a home,” explains Regas. “By getting in on the ground floor of the project, we can be heavily involved from start to finish, which is particularly important when collaborating with architects on the interior architecture. One of our goals is to ensure the home functions well and that the client’s needs are represented during the design and construction processes. We encourage homeowners to think about what makes a house a home to them. Above all, the client—and designing for their personality—is our priority.”
In addition to its experience in interior architecture, the firm brings its own special skill set to the Charleston market, with a design process that is relationship-forward. “We build a design process that works for each individual client; we don’t impose an inflexible system onto a client,” says Regas. “We tailor a malleable process, adapting and shifting for each client’s needs.”
“We never let the process get in the way of the relationship,” echoes Tom Sabonis-Chafee, vice president of communications and operations for Regas Interiors and Regas’ spouse. “We form a true collaboration with our clients so they feel heard as we’re designing their homes. We get to know our clients’ world and not just their homes so we can design something that contributes to their lives.
“Kim is unique in that she got her start in the advertising industry, and she brings that sense of business acumen to design. While she’s good at making things beautiful, she also understands people. In fact, many of our clients become our friends by the end of their projects. Kim gained that expertise working in advertising, where clients were put first. Now she prioritizes building relationships and then develops the design around the homeowners.”
One of the firm’s recent projects in the Atlanta area is a case in point. The newly constructed home oozes charm, while showing that Regas Interiors can quite easily stretch its imagination to meet a client’s vision. “It is so different from what I might choose to do, but it matches the client’s personality,” Regas says. “The project moved me outside of my box, but it made the client so happy.”
Another client, Diane Duane, worked with Regas Interiors to design a townhome and, later, a newly constructed North Carolina mountain home. “Whether Kim is choosing a new sofa or designing an entire home, she honors what is important to the client—the budget, the function of a space and personal style,” Duane says. “Plus, working with Regas Interiors is fun! For example, when choosing a custom rug, I got a chance to visit the showroom, learn about the weavers and touch the yarns. It helped me appreciate what I was placing in my home.” Duane leaned on the designer to help her prioritize the decisions that needed to be made to keep the process manageable and to introduce creative ideas. “The townhouse was on a property where a 100-year-old barn was standing,” she says. “Kim used that reclaimed barnwood to design an amazing focal wall in the living room and also sourced a craftsman to build a custom cocktail table using it.”
“We strive first and foremost to keep our clients actively involved in the process and consistently informed along the way,” Regas explains. “This means setting intentional checkpoints for input and collaboration. While every project is different and the process is tailored to each client, there are some common steps across all project types. Timing, order and specifics of each step are defined and applied on a per-client basis. Ultimately, what I want my clients to say is, ‘This is what I wanted but better.’”
There are additional characteristics that differentiate Regas Interiors from other firms. The designers have quite a bit of experience in cabinetry design, which is beneficial for homeowners who want to keep that part of the built environment in sync with the overall home’s design plan. In addition, the firm has a resident artist on staff who curates artwork, performs color analyses and even creates custom art that matches the colorway and aesthetic the homeowner needs to complete a space.
That artist happens to be Regas and Sabonis-Chafee’s daughter, Emily Sabonis-Chafee. Along with what the couple calls their “honorary family members,” the firm’s other designers, the small but mighty team thrives in a family-owned and -operated atmosphere. That feeling of camaraderie is echoed in the relationships the group builds with its residential clients.
As a firm rooted in faith, the team is driven by a mission to serve its clients in the way that matches its core values—practicing with integrity, honesty and fairness. The ultimate goal is to create beautiful, functional spaces while simultaneously making a positive impact on their clients’ lives. “I consider myself 26 years blessed in the Regas Interiors journey,” Regas says. “Many of a family’s most cherished memories take place in their own living spaces. To be a small part of that journey is a privilege I don’t take lightly. My prayer is simply to receive my portion of the design work that is set apart for my team.” *
Dana W. Todd is a professional writer specializing in interior design, real estate, luxury homebuilding, landscape design, architecture and fine art.
