Dedicated To Design: Q&A With Interior Designer, Laura Davis McCutcheon

Snead Golf Course 30 is a one-of-a-kind fairway home designed by AM Architecture, built by G & G Builders, Inc., and interior design by Laura Davis McCutcheon. Recently, we asked Laura to share with us how she began her career, what inspires her design, and why she loves designing at The Greenbrier Sporting Club. Read below to learn more!
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GSC: How did you get into the interior design field, and what is your background?
LDM: When I was growing up, my father was a contractor with G & G Builders, Inc. and my mother owned a gift and accessories store. In addition to the homes I grew up in, my parents would periodically build spec homes. Over time, being on a construction site and choosing residential finishes became second nature as my parents always involved my sister and I in the process. After years of going on buying trips with my mother, I thought I want to open a retail store of my own one day. With that thought in mind, I started my freshman year of college in Charlotte, NC at the (Hugh) McColl School of Business at Queens University. As a sophomore, I realized my true passion was architecture, design, and construction. I had started to really miss all of the time I used to spend on construction sites. That revelation led me to the “Windy City” where I began studying at the Harrington College of Design in Chicago, IL. While at Harrington, I was offered an internship in Florida in the kitchen and bath industry. After a year in the “K&B” world, I was hired by Williamson Shriver Architects in Charleston, WV. While working at WSA, I enrolled in the interior design program at the University of Charleston, (design program formerly known as the Carleton Varney School of Art & Design). I graduated from UC with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Interior Design. One year after graduation, I took a position as a designer with Smith Floor Covering Distributors in order to gain more knowledge about the flooring and tile industry. Finally, with a formal education in interior design under my belt and my commercial and residential design experience in tow, I started my own company, Davis McCutcheon Interiors.
GSC: What interests you the most when designing?
LDM: The purpose of my client’s space and how they work/live within it interests me the most because the best thing I can do for them is create a space that functions properly.
GSC: Is there any particular style or designer that you admire or are inspired by?
LDM: I am truly inspired by retired interior designer, Iris Apfel. She’s 94 year old and still working, not because she has to, but because she loves it. She left the world of interiors years ago, but as an artist she has been able to reinvent herself while still maintaining her individuality. I am impressed by her business sense most of all. Clearly, when the market changed, she made changes, but did not lose herself along the way.
GSC: How would you define your style and how do you gain inspiration?
LDM: I would define my style as “well collected.” I like combining the old with the new when selecting finishes and furnishings. I think it makes a room more inviting and gives your space more character.
GSC: Describe the process in which you develop ideas for homes. What is your approach with clients and how do ideas come to fruition?
LDM: When I am starting a project with a client, I want to know what their short and long-term goals are for their space. Gaining a clear perspective of how they intend to make use of it, now and in the future, helps me to develop a strategy that not only serves their short-term needs, but helps me to create a plan that doesn’t infringe upon future design possibilities.
GSC: How many homes have you designed at The Greenbrier Sporting Club?
LDM: Snead Golf Course 30 is my first project at The GSC. I love working in a new or different environment because your perspective is constantly changing. What I may design for my client in one location will certainly differ in another. They are the only constant, so I work to make sure the space is a reflection of the people who live there. Whether it is an environment they live in full-time, their place of work, or where they go to relax and get away from it all, I want my clients to be comfortable.
GSC: What inspired the design for Snead Golf Course 30 here at The Greenbrier Sporting Club?
LDM: I wanted to create a timeless foundation for the homeowner. Something they could decorate with ease for years to come.
GSC: What makes a home at The Greenbrier Sporting Club different from other homes or projects you have worked on?
LDM: Greenbrier Sporting Club (GSC) homes are legacy homes. Traditions begin at The Sporting Club, generations gather and a lifetime of memories are made. Knowing you are a part of a team that is literally building the foundation for a family to experience that is truly special.
GSC: Why does The Greenbrier in particular hold such a special meaning to you?
LDM: As a child, it was the first place I recall seeing that truly possessed a unique interior. Now, as a designer, it’s more impressive to me that Carleton Varney and his team have provided updates over the years, but have been able to maintain the hotel’s original charm.
GSC: What is the best advice you could give to a client when designing a home?
LDM: #1: Develop a clear understanding of how you and your family currently function in your home! The more I know from the beginning, the better. The interior design of your space should above all, revolve around the way you live within it.
#2: Don’t overuse design trends! If you do you run the risk of putting a giant year or decade stamp on your interior. Let your personality shine through. If you start with a timeless foundation, sparingly use trending décor, and accessorize with personal items you have collected over the years, your interior will always be in style.