Guilded Home is the interior design practice of Mae Hight and Kristen Levy.
MAE HIGHT
Born & raised in Montgomery, Alabama I was inspired throughout my childhood & early adult years by my father who built beautiful custom homes in stately southern settings.
In following his work & spending summers visiting job sites with him I was exposed to countless outstanding projects which featured classic southern charm & timeless design. These foundations have carried over into my own design aesthetic & continue to inspire me daily.
As a graduate of Auburn University’s Interior Design program in 2010, I followed my heart to Telluride, Colorado, where I was mentored & worked under Bruce & Jodie Wright of One Architects, Inc. Our projects focused on mountain contemporary style with a restrained rustic edge that were both one of a kind & completely ageless. A stark contrast from my Southern roots, but none the less, great design is fully transcendent of style & time. When a home has been thoughtfully conceived and carefully executed it is known in the heart & carried in the spirit. There is no place quite like home, & I suppose a little piece of me will always remain deep in the heart of the San Juan Mountains.
As life happened & brought us back to Alabama in 2014 I continued my work in Interior Design under both architects & designers until once again our hearts brought us to the high country & we made our home right here in the Western North Carolina Mountains. As a mother of two boys & wife to one amazing fella, I work to be inspired for them. Thankful to the core for the opportunity to follow my dreams & own my very own interior design business I look forward to combining 10+ years experience into one incredible vision – Restrained Rustic Elegance with Whimsical Southern Charm.
It is truly a blessing to curate environments where families create memories & shelter life, love, & all things dear to the heart. After all, it is the tiny details of our lives that make us who we are & so, it is the tiny details of our homes that make them a home! What an amazing gift to be given the opportunity to create such a special place in the lives of my clients! What joy it brings this little ole heart of mine!
KRISTEN LEVY
A Philadelphia native, I began my career working for brands including Free People, Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters. There, I specialized in adaptive reuse and honed my talents for creating new architectural details just as bespoke as the historical ones I was able to preserve in each project.
Working on designs nationally and internationally, there was an added task of making each space relevant to the end user, which became an enjoyable challenge.
In recent years, I've been fortunate enough to translate my experience in high end retail design, to create branded brick and mortar locations for various start up companies who wanted to create their brand identities and expand. The personal connection and attention to detail needed on these projects bridged the gap from commercial to residential design.
Since moving to the mountains and starting a family, residential design has been my main focus, but enjoy working on the occasional commercial project as it arises. Designing homes that are an extension of the people residing in them has been the aspiration, and there is no greater reward than achieving that.
