or some families, Saint Simons and Sea Island have been home for generations. Many current residents used to come to the Golden Isles with their parents and grandparents, enjoying long summers on the beach and staying in beautiful, decades-old family homes. And many of these homes have been redecorated and updated by Mary-Bryan Peyer Designs. Mary-Bryan Peyer, owner of the design firm, is one of those long-time visitors.
Born and raised in Atlanta, she visited the islands and stayed at the family home on Sea Island that has been in her family for three generations. After attending college at the University of Georgia, where she majored in drawing and painting, Mary-Bryan moved to South Carolina to work in marketing. Eleven years ago, after spending several years in Greenville and starting a family, Parker decided to return to the island that she’d always considered as much a home as Atlanta. Several years, Mary-Bryan began managing the island branch of the business. In 2004, when Kathy retired, Mary-Bryan took the opportunity to create her own company, keeping the same location and retaining many of the same customers.
“I’ve been on my own for five years. When I started, I relied on Kathy’s established clients, which kept the business running,” Mary-Bryan remembers. “And Kathy was wonderful about letting me develop my own approach to design.” She continues, “My degree in art gives me the added element of a creative perspective that combines contemporary art and design with the classic Southern look that is so loved here. I like how color can add subtle drama to a room and I’m a fearless editor in determining what will or won’t work. I also work my you-know-what off for my clients!” Mary-Bryan is quick to point out that St. Simons native Brooke Martin is integral to her team. “Brooke’s been with me for four years; we met while she was working in a local home décor boutique. One day, I asked her if she would be interested in working with me and she ended up interviewing me! We work so closely that we usually know what the other is thinking and can finish each other’s sentences!”
Recently, Mary-Bryan was featured in Perfect Curtains, an interior design book by Stephanie Hoppen, renowned British designer and author of eight books on home décor. Natalie Evans, a freelance writer who has worked with Hoppen, had submitted to her a photo portfolio of several homes on Sea Island. Hoppen’s selection was one that Mary-Bryan had designed and had been featured in the 2008 Christ Church Tour of Homes. The designer had planned a trip to the States to personally visit the homes she was to include in her book, and Catherine Klein, the public relations manager for The Sea Island Company, facilitated the meeting between the two designers at the Sea Island home. “It really was a thrill to meet with Stephanie for the day and to watch Simon Upton photograph the rooms and window treatments that had caught her eye from the hundreds that she must have had to choose from,” says Mary-Bryan. “She was looking specifically for layered looks for that chapter and she chose my designs,” Peyer said. “I’m really excited because we’re on amazon. com now and there’s talk of a possible book signing in Atlanta.” Mary-Bryan Peyer Designs does the majority of their business on Sea Island. Recently, though, the firm has been trying its hand at more commercial work. “Though we focus mostly on high-end residential projects, we’ve also done two and a half restaurants. We recreated the interior of Christie’s and did the design work from the ground up for Tramici. We also redesigned the bar at Halyards and a re-vamping of the Halyards restaurant is currently in the works.”
The design firm has been seen all over the community, getting involved in service projects and sponsoring events for local charities. Mary- Bryan notes that along with involvement in her children Will and Sarah Parker’s many activities, giving time to her community is important, too. “We’ve participated in the Festival of Trees for two years as well as working with the Southeast Coastal Georgia Humane Society. We’ve also been involved with CASA of Glynn and Golden Isles Hospice.” Mary-Bryan Peyer Designs’ homes over the years have been featured in the area’s annual spring event, the “Christ Church Tour of Homes” and was featured in this magazine as “Interior Design Firm of the Year,” a title bestowed by its dedicated readers. But the greatest reward is the job itself because of the amount of creativity that’s involved. “I love what I do because it’s creative,” Mary-Bryan says. “It’s business for the sake of designing spaces that are beautiful.”
Mary Bryan Peyer Designs is located on St. Simons Island at 387 Sylvan Blvd. For an appointment or consultation, call 638-0000.