Design Authentic captures Timeless Design
that is Authentically You.
Design Authentic is the leading boutique design studio in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. With over 37 years of experience, we offer design services from pre-construction space planning to full completion.
Our mission is to become your dedicated design partners, not one-and-done project managers. Transformation happens at many different stages of life. We are long-term collaborators, creating spaces to which you feel deeply connected and evolve with you over time.
With deep roots in the Winston-Salem community and nearby High Point — the furniture capital of the world — we have nurtured relationships with some of the country’s premier vendors, which we pass on to you in the form of exclusive offers and top-grade materials.
ABOUT US
Our Roots
Principal and Lead Designer Susan Carson knew a creative life was her calling when she joined her first art class at 5 years old. One of her first drawings was of a tree using charcoal. Susan recalls marveling at all the elements required to make up the final image, like the texture of the bark, the wispy strokes of the leaves, and the contrast of shadow and light.
From then on, Susan noticed the intricate details that come together to create a complete vision everywhere she looked; this would be the foundation upon which she’d build her future design career.
As her artistic pursuits continued (in a delightful foreshadowing event, her first award-winning drawing in first grade was of a house!), Susan was inspired by the European influence and classic Southern design she grew up with in her native Virginia, further encouraging her love of art, history, and her global travels.
Susan sees the beauty that exists all around us; her goal is to help people discover that beauty for themselves, using her ability to harness a creative vision, structure it, and execute it with precision. Her philosophy draws upon the past — both in our personal experiences and timeless design principles — to inform the present and shape the future.
Our Team
