The coronavirus pandemic changed a lot about American life—the way we shop, our entertainment habits, even holiday celebrations.
It also left millions of people stuck at home for months on end, making that space more important than ever.
And that’s meant a boon for Tribus Interior Design in Greenville, which has seen its business grow by more than 50 percent as many people took advantage of working from home to do room remodels and even build new homes, according to Susan Peace-Vernon, principal of the company.
“If you spend that much time at home, it needs to be something you enjoy,” she says. “Everybody likes to live in a lovely space.”
Tribus is a full-service design firm with offices in South Carolina and North Carolina that also serves clients in Georgia, Florida, and New Hampshire.
With a staff of ten, including interior designers, cabinetry designers, construction specialists, and a showroom manager, Tribus offers everything from kitchen and bath remodels to new construction interiors.
For most of its four and a half years, Tribus was headquartered on Greenville’s bustling Main Street. Over the summer, it moved its offices and new showroom to the Village of West Greenville, where it aims to be a part of the community’s revitalization.
Peace-Vernon says the pandemic client is one who wants to build a home in a place like Greenville, which is nestled between the scenic Blue Ridge mountains and the sandy beaches of the Lowcountry, with Keowee and other picturesque lakes nearby.
“If you have the opportunity to work for your company and live wherever you want to, why not South Carolina or North Carolina? It’s such a great place to live,” she says. “And they want to move into a house that is fully furnished—just bring their clothes and leave the rest of the world behind.”
Others want to make their existing homes more comfortable or more expansive or adaptable now that they’re working from home—a staycation, if you will, she says.
“We have one homeowner who called and said, ‘Can you design a pool house for me with an office over top of it?’” she says.
“They also want [homes] to function properly to run their lives and their children’s lives while also doing their jobs,” she adds. “The interior of a home is like a rocket ship. The control panel has to be just right.”
While business during the pandemic blossomed, it’s been anything but routine. At the outset, Tribus learned to be flexible, especially with out-of-town clients, Peace-Vernon says.
“We did a lot of Microsoft Teams and Zoom calls,” she says. “And we mailed out boxes of samples from hardwood flooring to fabrics, and we’d discuss them once they received them.”
Often, that meant shipping sizeable packages filled with multiple choices for shower tile or sofa fabric or even paint samples.
“We’d learn our client and exactly what they were looking for,” she says, “so we were able to deliver a few great choices rather than the whole store.”
Like other industries during the pandemic, Tribus struggled through supply-chain issues such as shortages of materials from upholstery foam to paint, Peace-Vernon said.
“It was the same all over,” she says. “So we tried to front-load everything we could. If we wanted to order a tile, we ordered it that day if we needed it in six to eight months.”
Meanwhile, products from appliances to furniture were on backorder for as long as 23 weeks—up to four times the typical pre-pandemic wait.
“That is really something I have never experienced in 30 years,” she says.
But Tribus adapted and now most of the issues have resolved.
Tribus’s designs feature soothing color palettes, relaxed and open spaces, and elegant but durable furnishings. Nonetheless, Peace-Vernon is quick to point out that her firm is not pigeonholed into one style.
“I’ve said all along, over the 400-plus homes I’ve done, it’s not about me or one of the designers that works with me,” she says. “It’s about the homeowner, the client.”
That means designing surroundings that are comfortable and enjoyable for clients, their families and friends, she says. While these spaces are beautiful, homeowners also need to feel like they can put their feet up and live in them.
“We just completed a home in Walnut Cove [NC], and while I feel like their great room and view and 22-foot ceilings are Architectural Digest worthy, it’s still their home,” she says. “You have to feel good about using the space.”
So what can homeowners expect of upcoming design trends? Peace-Vernon says that while the farmhouse style is the rage now, its popularity will fade. Meanwhile, kitchens in creams and other soft-white shades will continue to be fashionable. Velvet sofas are stylish now, she says, while the big trend in plumbing is a return to brushed brass fixtures. And though people have been trending toward calming grays in recent years, most don’t want to get stuck in “50 shades of gray” anymore, she says.
“Greens are coming on really strong,” she says. “And blues are something everybody likes. It’s like the little black dress of interior design. “It’s not builder beige anymore.”
Are you dreaming of a new interior space? The Tribus design team is ready to help. For more information, go to www.tribusinteriordesign.com, send an email to Hello@TribusInteriorDesign.com, or contact the showroom at (864) 729-4148.
