Interior design can be a very intimidating process. Depending on your taste and budget, the possibilities can be endless, and so can the potential for disastrous decisions. Interior design firms, then, are incredibly vital to businesses or individuals looking to make big changes to their spaces. Enter Metal + Petal, an interior-design company that is expanding out of Georgia into the Charleston area.
Founded in 2016 in Athens, Georgia, Metal + Petal is a full service interior design firm serving both residential and commercial needs. They’ve worked on restaurants, stores, yoga studios, bed and breakfasts, and plenty of personal homes. Wife and husband duo Jade and Graham Joyner are the co-founders. Graham serves as CEO, while Jade works as creative director and the principal designer. It’s her style that permeates through Metal + Petal’s work, influenced by her 15 years designing in Europe. Jade’s first boutique was founded in Budapest, Hungary, and Metal + Petal combines Southern style and European flair.
“We love this town, it’s very European, but there’s a lot of sweetness here … We live on the edge a little bit more,” Jade said, describing what sets them apart from the rest of the pack. The team describes their style as a little odd, unique, bespoke, tongue-in-cheek, and a mix of traditional and modern. They pride themselves on the fact that none of their rooms are ever repeated, something that Jade laughingly admits can drive her teammates spare. Every new design must bring something new to not just the client, but Metal + Petal as well.
Whether you’re coming in with an idea and need help executing, or are completely at a loss for where to start, Metal + Petal is prepared to assist you. They try to tailor experiences and designs to the lifestyles and personalities of their clients. It’s not a company that forces a specific style or look on everyone.
“We’re full service,” Graham said. “So we install everything. We do construction if need be. We can do each part of a remodel. I think people feel safer being able to call one company and deal with us. And they know everybody that’s coming in and out of their house. So that makes them feel more isolated and safer.” So anyone worried that they’ll need additional help outside of the designers, know that you’re covered.
Metal + Petal also has an eye on recycling. When renovating a space, everything they remove is taken to one of their warehouses. They then hold warehouse sales that serve as community outreach events. It allows Metal + Petal to connect with their neighborhood while also recycling fixtures and furniture.
“We think of our clients as partners,” Jade said. “We’re really invested in their lives and in their stories. A lot of our clients hire us for one house, and we grow with them. We’re just really invested.”
“So far our response from people has been, like, ‘We need that here so bad,’’’ said Abby Feltner, junior commercial designer. “I think people are a little tired of the same old room and space and look and fabric.”
Since kicking things off in Charleston earlier this year, Metal + Petal have already booked plenty of projects. One of their favorites is a new build for a couple on Johns Island. Many of their clients are former city dwellers who are relocating to the Charleston area and want touches that remind them of the metropolitan decor. They suggest clients who are interested in working with them book now for a new-year installation.
Metal + Petal currently has a location in Athens, but it will be opening in Charleston in late fall. One thing they are proud of is that their physical locations always include works of art from local artists. So they have been getting connected with local Charlestonians to make sure there is local flavor in their new location.
“We are passionate about what we do and who we do it for,” Jade said about her connection to both her team and her clients. She and Graham are hoping to not only make Charleston their home, but make Metal + Petal an integral part of the Charleston community. They host frequent clients days at their physical locations, and intend to hold welcoming events at their new Charleston location when it officially opens later this year.
Jade doesn’t see any obstacles to their extension into the Lowcountry. “I’m not really nervous about our expansion to Charleston. It feels very organic to us,” she said. They aren’t hung up on the idea of competition, but are more interested in the unique and exciting design opportunities. “We just do our thing. We do our thing and we do it well. So we don’t really see many obstacles. We did something from scratch in five years that most people said couldn’t be done. I definitely think we can do it in Charleston, and do it even better.”
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