Margaret Bosbyshell & Clary Bosbyshell: FACES of the South
We are celebrating Mother's Day early by introducing this mother-daughter duo who's known around Atlanta for their interior design skills. Meet the pair and learn about their full-service design company!
With Mother’s Day approaching, we found it fitting to feature this mother-daughter duo. The pair behind Margaux Interiors Ltd., Margaret Bosbyshell and Clary Bosbyshell are forces in the design world. Margaret started her full-service interior design business in 1982 and was joined in 2009 by her daughter. Margaret and Clary both fell in love with design at a young age and solidified their passion while studying in London and Italy, respectively. Both graduated from University of Georgia (a few years apart), and each refined their design skills before working under the Margaux Interiors Ltd. name. Sharing the desire to create chic and timeless looks, mother and daughter work side-by-side and on their own, but for today, we have them together and we’re excited to introduce you to them as our FACES of the South!
How did you enter the world of design?
Margaret: Growing up, my father was a manufacturer’s representative for two upholstery lines and an import line from Italy and Spain, and we had a tall case clock line. I helped in our showroom at the Atlanta Merchandise Mart. While at University of Georgia, I fell in love with art history and the humanities. Junior year, I studied abroad in an interior design program through Michigan State University at the University of London. We studied history of the garden, furniture, the country house, etc. After graduating from UGA’s business school in Marketing, I worked at two showrooms at ADAC, and then worked at Georgia Lighting. I received great training in the showrooms and working with designers. Meanwhile, I was attending the Art Institute of Atlanta in the evenings. All this front door and back door training was invaluable. Clients started calling me in 1982 and Margaux Interiors was launched.
Clary: I also grew up in the design world with my mom being an interior designer. She always encouraged my love for the arts, sending me to art camps and later to study in Cortona, Italy. During college, I worked at Brunschwig and Fils in ADAC, where I learned about wallpapers and fabrics, at B.D. Jeffries and Mrs. Howard. Upon graduating college, I moved to Savannah, GA to pursue my passion for fashion merchandising. I quickly learned that my heart was in interior design, so I took some design classes at SCAD learning CAD, and rendering. I moved back to Atlanta in the fall of 2009 and began working with my mom at Margaux Interiors Ltd. In the last five years, my mom and I have worked parallel, taking on separate projects.
What is your design aesthetic and how does it set you apart?
Margaret: We try to do an updated, edited and fresh timeless look with comfortable, stylish furniture that fits the client’s lifestyle — throw in a few antiques, family treasures, unusual rugs, beautiful window treatments, pillow details, updated lighting, interesting fabrics and try to use the client’s personal color palette so they feel good in the rooms.
How do your aesthetics differ and complement each other?
Margaret: A lot of my clients are in a different time of life than Clary’s clients, so I edit my client’s lovely things, try to infuse an updated transitional look and make sure their house looks fresh and gracious for today. Also, I do a lot of second homes for my clients. For some clients, I have done multiple homes. Clary and I complement each other in that we are both constantly learning and teaching each other.
Clary: My clients are mostly my contemporaries with young children, so I am faced with the challenge of not only making the home beautiful, but also functional and durable. I am not putting a silk velvet on a sofa —my mom’s clients are probably able to do that as they don’t have kids with sippy cups! I also do a more transitional look that has a foundation in traditional elements; I love layering different textures and elements.
Have you learned how to navigate mother/daughter disagreements?
Clary: Yes. Of course from time to time we have disagreements, but we try to keep an open mind, listen to each other’s point of view and be respectful.
What is your favorite project to date?
Margaret: I love what I do so it’s hard to say! You fall in love with all your projects and the clients! Favorites are a Neil Reid house on Andrews Drive that I worked on myself, then with Clary; a home in Nantucket; a condo in Telluride; a ski villa in Vail; and a beautiful home in Sea Island. Choosing just one is almost impossible. Currently, I am working on a wonderful home in Lonesome Valley, NC that is inspired by Rockefellow’s barn.
Clary: I love what I do, too, and have been lucky enough to work on some really wonderful projects. I am currently working on the same Neil Reid House on Andrews that my mother and I decorated once before, but by myself this time. I also really loved collaborating with Architect Katherine Lowery on a complete renovation of a home in Argonne Forrest for a young family.
Do you have any go-to stores for interior design finds?
Margaret: For antiques I like William Word Fine Antiques, The Gables Antiques, Foxglove Antiques & Galleries and Dearing Antiques. For lamps off the floor, I like WebbMarstellar, Joseph Konrad, Holland & Company and Acquisitions. For rugs, Moattar Ltd and Designer Carpets.
Clary: I also shop at most of those stores. I also love Max and Company, Bungalow Classic and Scott’s Antique Markets.
If you could design one person’s house who would you choose?
Margaret: Richard Branson
Clary: Gwyneth Paltrow
When you are not working where can we find you?
Margaret: Outside in nature, traveling, shooting sporting clays, on the yoga mat and with my family (husband, Clary’s dog Magnolia, and most often with my grandson Rayfe).
Clary: When I am not working, I am spending time with my four-and-a-half-year-old son Rayfe and my husband. I enjoy walking on the Beltline, doing Pilates at Sculpthouse, eating at Atlanta’s amazing restaurants and traveling.
What is the best piece of advice you received, and from whom?
Margaret: My father, Bill Clary, advised me that a lot of people are creative, but it is important to run a good business or you will not be successful and be able complete your jobs.
Clary: My mom has always taught me to not sweat the small stuff and to put good vibrations out in the world.
What are three things excluding faith, family and friends that you cannot live without?
Margaret: Art, music and yoga
Clary: Fashion, art and monogrammed napkins.
Thank you to the uber-talented CatMax Photography for today’s fantastic photos!
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To read about more inspiring women, check out our FACES archives.
Alex Hendrickson
Alex is a Southern writer known for hunting down delicious stories and traveling the world with hunger. Her passions and interests lie in food, travel, interior design and inspiring people, and her dream is to eat a dozen oysters a day.