Native Charlestonian, Chelsea Handegan, holds a Master of Arts degree in Interior Design from Savannah College of Art and Design, and began her career working under Amelia T. Handegan, Inc. As a senior designer, Chelsea oversaw the design of both residential and commercial projects such as a Bahamian residence, a Lowcountry plantation, a historic Charleston single house built in 1791, as well as a ranch in Montana.
In 2019, Chelsea launched her eponymous studio in an effort to create beautiful, comfortable interiors with an enduring quality for generations to come. As such, Chelsea’s firm offers comprehensive design solutions from conception, including traditional construction details, techniques, and operations, to installation, all the while infusing each projects with a touch of southern refinement and an eminently livable update.
Chelsea currently resides in Charleston with her husband and young daughter, and was most recntly appointed to Frederic Magazine ‘s inaugural It List; awarded to 13 talented designers from around the world who are defining the next generation of style. We couldn’t be more excited to sit down with one of our favorite designers, whose dazzling future undoubtedly shines bright, to chat about where she turns to for inspiration, what living beautifully means to her, and more!
Where did you grow up and how has your past shaped your design aesthetic?
I grew up in the South Carolina Lowcountry, where no occasion is too small to celebrate and no facet of life is too small or unimportant to be beautiful or interesting. My very southern grandmother enjoyed showing me which antiques in her home had been passed down from her relatives. I learned to notice the details and to consider the past lives of furniture.
How would you describe your style?
Increasingly simple. Somehow, everytime we move, I wind up with a closet smaller than the last. With limited space, I have to be thoughtful and selective about my wardrobe. I eschew fast fashion and trends in favor of pieces I know I will reach for many times over. Is this maturity?
Who are some of your style icons?
Sofia Coppola, Princess Alessandra de Osma, and Melanie Masarin.
How did you start your company and what do you love most about what you do?
I have worked for my hugely talented mother-in-law, Amelia Handegan, since 2013 on residential and commercial projects ranging from a megayacht to a Montana ranch. Her knowledge, mentorship, and encouragement have been invaluable. Her eye is unmatched, and I am so lucky to work alongside her. When I had my daughter, I moved to working for her part-time. Then, when I was ready to dive back in, and with Amelia’s blessing, I started to take on my own projects as well. It is a privilege to design spaces for people, because above all, you are creating a feeling.
Where do you turn to for inspiration when you begin a new project?
Usually books, but there is typically an epicenter to every project, which could be something as small as one fabric, and it develops outward like a web. A client once brought in an antique children’s shoe of dusty pinks and blues to use as a jumping off point for color direction.
What would your dream project be?
A ramshackle seaside cottage with painted floors and chintz slipcovers galore.
Which decorators from the past do you most often turn to for inspiration?
Albert Hadley and Robert Kime.
If you could hire any decorator and/or architect from the past to design your home, who would it/they be?
All still alive and well, but Jasper Conran, Ben Pentreath, and Miranda Brooks would be an unmatched triumvirate.
What are some of your indispensable items when entertaining and how do you ensure a memorable dinner party?
Good music, good vibes, and good company. After that, the rest is gravy. I like an oxymoronic dinner – I’m dying to have a weenies (hotdogs) and martinis party.
Which tabletop items do you invest in, and which ones do you save on?
I invest in beautiful salad plates to dress up my simple white Wedgwood dinnerware. I save on silver pieces and funky glassware that are easy to come by at estate sales and antique stores. A couple yards of ticking from a fabric store can be fashioned as a classic and inexpensive tablecloth. I rarely purchase florals when entertaining; I just pinch some blooms (camellias in winter, hydrangeas in summer) from the garden or magnolia branches from a neighbor.
If you could invite any three individuals from the past, who would they be and what would you serve for dinner?
Julia Reed, Princess Margaret, and Barbara Bush. A bucket of fried chicken and bourbon cocktails is all we would need for a big time.
What does living beautifully mean to you?
Being thoughtful about how I live – spending my time with people who make me feel good, working on projects that are fulfilling, prioritizing breaks and trips, finding happiness in small things.
How do you make every day feel special in your home?
Little luxuries like lighting a fire, playing Louis Prima, cutting flowers or branches from the garden, and celebrating small milestones (like making it to Friday!) with ice cream and a movie.
What is your typical morning routine?
I do all of The New York Times puzzles by phone when I first wake up. Then I get my daughter up, and we walk to her school as a family. Coffee is non-negotiable. I am at my most productive in the morning, so I will churn out emails, purchase orders, drawings, or whatever is on the docket that day.
How do you like to unwind after a busy day?
Our front steps have become a late afternoon gathering spot for neighbors. I live on the best block in Charleston and cherish the wonderful people who live nearby.
What do you love most about living in Charleston?
I live in historic downtown Charleston, and I love being able to walk everywhere. My husband and I are lucky to have grown up here and have our families nearby, and my daughter attends the wonderful school I attended. Summer is the price we pay to live in this magical city, though. I not-sosecretly dream of moving to rural Connecticut.
While traveling, are there any objects you enjoy collecting?
I am not inherently a collector. My only true collection is butterflies from Deyrolle, where I always stop in Paris.
What is at the top of your bucket list?
Seeing Mick Jagger in concert. Also visiting Stockholm and Tokyo.
What are some of the greatest lessons you learned from your parents?
Check your oven to make sure last Christmas’s breakfast isn’t still in it. The greatest lesson they taught me was I better teach myself to cook. My daughter and I are Julius Roberts obsessed, and we enjoy watching his videos and following his recipes.
What can we expect to see from your eponymous firm in the near future?
I am excited to be working on a classical new construction home on an island off of mid-coast Maine.
Chelsea's Favorites
Favorite Travel Destination?
I grew up visiting Antigua, so it will always be the most special destination to me. We getaway to my family’s home in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina as much as possible to unplug.
Favorite historic house museum?
Villa Santo Sospir, which I had the great fortune of touring by a fluke several years ago.
Favorite interior of all time?
Furlow Gatewood’s Americus, Georgia home.
Favorite design era?
Swedish Gustavian.
Favorite wallpaper pattern?
Currently, George Spencer’s Anna Maria.
Favorite design book(s) you most often turn to for inspiration?
They run the gamut, but the oeuvres of Gil Schafer and Tom Scheerer, One Man’s Folly, Caribbean Style, and The Swedish Room are a few I reach for over and over.
Favorite movie(s) every design lover should watch at least once?
Greta Gerwig’s recreated Orchard House in Little Women is a perennial favorite: warm, layered, and lived-in.
Favorite home scent?
Scent 03 from Alicia Adams.
Favorite shops in Charleston?
Croghan’s, Preservation Society, and Buxton Books. And I absolutely adore Pixie Lily’s heirloom quality children’s clothing designed in Charleston by my talented friend, Leda Jackson.
Favorite family tradition?
My maternal grandmother, who we lost this year and with whom I was incredibly close, was so proud of our Swedish heritage. I have loved celebrating Saint Lucia’s Day with my own daughter each December.
Favorite piece of advice from your mother?
My mother-in-law proclaims every room needs a pop of red, so it must be true.
