Love by design: Couple brings chic innovation to transforming spaces

When Samara Singleton shared the dream of starting a business with her husband Michael, it sparked a surprising and uplifting response, one that encouraged her creativity and led to them joining forces later on. Today, the power couple transforms residential and commercial spaces with stunning interior designs.

“We’re all about designing spaces that people can feel happy to come home to or to work in. We don’t put rooms together just for show, we do so to nourish one’s well being, breaking down walls, both literally and metaphorically speaking, to build in alignment with your heart’s desire. Renovation is more than a project to us; it’s a passion,” Samara told Saturday Living.

After gaining experience from her previous place of employment, she got the urge to branch out on her own. “It was my dream. But I was terrified to go out there and start a business on my own,” she admitted. Recognising that his wife had been outgrowing the space, Michael shared, “Samara is super talented and has an excellent eye for details. I used to ask her why she didn’t take the leap of faith and start something for herself.”

Space is an inspirational concept that allows one to dream big. So, it’s no wonder their design journey started at Spaces Jamaica. “We worked together at Spaces Limited. We even did our courses together at Edna Manley College for the Visual and Performing Arts. We were the duo that flowed together and we decided to take full advantage of it,” Samara shared. It was during this work sojourn that things went from platonic to romantic.

With a family background in construction, Michael, an interior decorator and contractor, said the field opened his eyes to finer details, from understanding layouts to appreciating the engineering aspects.

Samara, the duo’s interior designer, shared that her mother’s enthusiasm for decorating their ever-evolving home inspired her and her sisters to pursue creative fields.

Making the best possible use of her space, Samara found herself in a bit of a dilemma, “I met in a car accident and broke my femur,” she shared. While at home recovering, Michael noticed that she had produced some of her best work to date. He took this as a wake up call for his wife to pursue her own passion. And even went ahead and kick-started the journey by creating the company’s Instagram page.

This encouragement to take a leap of faith has attracted an impressive clientele. Starting with Miss Pocket Rocket herself, the duo was honoured to provide interior design services for Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. From there, business boomed so much that Michael jumped ship and coupled up with the right company for him.

When it comes to the client process, Samara explained that the approach is broken down into six stages.

The initial consultation discusses the vision for the pending renovated and created space. Here, she gets a feel of preferences, personal style and functional capacities. And it is also the place where the budget and timeline enter the chat.

From there, she moves on to concept development, taking the previously mentioned gathered information to create a design concept. “This includes mood boards, colour schemes, material samples, and an initial floor plan layout. By creating a visual representation of your ideas, we are able to review and refine together with our clients,” she explained.

Next on the playlist are design drafting and space planning. The layouts harmonise function and flow, helping the team maximise the space. Decor and furniture suggestions are welcome to complement the design.

Then comes material and product selection, often a challenging step as it reveals the difficulty of sourcing quality materials, furniture, finishes, and accent pieces. Resources can be both costly and limited, but the couple presses on, providing flooring, wall finishes, light fixtures, and furniture.

To tackle this, Michael plans to expand the business by importing materials for their projects and offering them to others on a retail basis.

The fifth step moves into execution and precise management. Clients can expect the company to coordinate with contractors, handle material orders, and arrange deliveries. Samara stays on-site to oversee installation and ensure everything goes as planned.

Then it is time for the final styling and big reveal. Samara jumps in to style the space with décor, art and just anything that will work towards completion.

“Once everything is in place, a final walkthrough occurs to ensure the clients are completely satisfied with the beautiful renovated or created spaces,” she added.

Much like their personality, Samara stands as the face and décor beauty of SM|MS Designs, getting the ball rolling with the concepts, bringing the fine tuning and finishing into play. While Michael works behind the scenes, handling sourcing, construction, and execution.

Their advice to those stepping into the décor and design industry are twofold. Michael is a strong advocate for believing in yourself, noting that it is only through this individual motivation that you can get the ball running. For Samara, however, it helps to have a solid support system to encourage and drive you in the right direction. And it is through these differences that they are able to inspire each other and present an even strong business front. “As an entrepreneur, you have to work twice as hard and you have to remain relevant. But understand that every day is a new day to create content and get innovative, so keep at it,” the couple added.

krysta.anderson@gleanerjm.com

Renovation and décor tips from SM|MS Designs for your home:

1. Refresh your living room area

Accent walls with panels are trending for living rooms. For a timeless look, consider natural texture accents and clean-lined furnishings. Furniture is becoming more minimal, with people choosing floating shelves, sleek sofas, and sectionals. Switching out rugs and cushions can also refresh the space. Putting greenery in every single room can bring more life to your space.

2. Bring simple luxury to your bathroom

For a warm, comfortable bathroom, consider large-format tiles with fewer grout lines. A floating vanity maximises space and pairs well with a sleek towel shelf underneath. Lighting is crucial: warm lights add a cosy feel, while bright lights make the space look larger. Showers are becoming more popular than bathtubs for a streamlined look, with porcelain tiles recommended for their non-slip surface. Shower wall niches, ideal for added storage, bring a chic sophistication to the bathroom — the bigger, the better.

3. Elevate your kitchen

Every kitchen should include an appliance bin to maximise countertop space, and trash bin drawers are also recommended for a more self-contained design. Using one tone for the top cupboards and another for the bottom adds character to the space, ideally with a lighter tone to complement the overall look. Cabinets should extend to the ceiling, elongating the walls and helping to keep out pests like cockroaches, lizards, and dust mites. A pull-down cupboard mechanism makes higher shelves more accessible, while fingertip pulls replace traditional handles for a sleek appearance, complemented by spotless facets for a cleaner look.

4. Shared bedroom

Merging ideas in a shared bedroom for couples requires compromise, fusing the desires from each party in order to make the space feel like home. It’s important that the master closet has a ‘his and hers’ layout: it’s more personal and practical.