Coley Home Spotlight: Megan Molten
Meet Megan! Based in Charleston, SC, she's the Founder and Chief Creative Director of Megan Molten Design + Shop. With her signature mix of modern flair and Southern charm, Megan creates bright, welcoming spaces that feel like home. We’re obsessed with her eye for detail and love how she brought her Coley Home favorites to life in her serene, family-friendly living room.
Tell us about yourself and your journey to a successful interior design business and storefront!
I studied business and marketing in school and, right out of college, landed a great job in medical sales. I spent 12 years in that industry, which gave me the opportunity to purchase my first home on my own. When I started designing and decorating my home, I shared the process on social media, and to my surprise, people loved it! I never realized I had a distinct style until I started receiving such a positive response.
Around that time—when I was 31 or 32—many of my friends were also buying their first homes and asking for my help. We were all working with tight budgets, but I documented every project, sharing before-and-afters on social media. Again, people really responded to my aesthetic, and that’s when it started to click for me—I truly loved design. I never imagined it would become my career, but as I started taking on paid clients in addition to my full-time job, I realized: Wait, this is what I love. My corporate job? Not so much.
I was lucky to be in the right place at the right time. Charleston was booming, especially during COVID, and people were moving here in droves. I was able to establish a strong brand and a signature design aesthetic, which has been key to our success. It’s authentic to who I am and what we do, and I think people are drawn to that.
Today, we have a luxury interior design business serving Charleston and beyond, as well as a retail store—both a brick-and-mortar location and an online shop. We’ve also expanded to include a warehouse where we manage our online store and house merchandise for our design clients. And beyond that, we have licensed collections in lighting, mirrors, wallpaper, and more to come!
What’s your starting point when designing a living room? Do you typically begin with furniture, color, or something else?
Lately, we’ve been starting with wallpaper, paint, or a fabric print because clients are craving color more than ever. Once we establish that focal point, the rest of the room naturally falls into place.
How do you find the balance between aesthetics and functionality when designing frequently used spaces like living rooms?
These days, performance fabric is a must. Almost all of our clients expect it on their upholstery—it’s just become standard. The great thing about working with a designer is that we have access to an incredible variety of high-end performance fabrics that aren’t available to the average consumer. So, we can create spaces that are both beautiful and incredibly durable.
Our clients have kids, grandkids, pets—they live an indoor-outdoor lifestyle, especially here in Charleston. Everything we design has to stand up to that while still looking stunning. It’s all about finding that perfect balance of style and function.
What is one design element or trend you always try to incorporate into your projects, no matter the size or scope?
When clients hire us, they expect creativity and personalization. It’s our job to push them beyond their comfort zone and introduce ideas they wouldn’t have considered on their own. That’s part of the value we bring! We don’t want to do what everyone else is doing—we want to create something fresh, unique, and exciting.
What are your favorite areas to splurge when decorating your home, and favorite places to save?
Lighting—splurge always! It’s like jewelry for your home. You want the real thing, not the knockoff. There’s a noticeable difference between good lighting and bad lighting, and if you cut corners here, it shows.
For key spaces like kitchen pendants, dining room chandeliers, and powder bath sconces, invest in high-quality lighting—it makes all the difference. But in areas like guest rooms, guest baths, and kids’ rooms, you can save by opting for stylish but more affordable options, like Mitzi lighting.
Another area where you should never skimp? Upholstery. Your main furniture pieces—your sofa, your chairs—these are things you use every single day. It’s like a mattress; you want it to be high quality, comfortable, and built to last.
Other categories can go either way. With wallpaper, for example, you can splurge on grasscloth or save with vinyl. For rugs, wool is a luxury option, but polypropylene can be a great budget-friendly alternative. It’s all about knowing where to invest and where to cut costs.
What are your go-to places for inspiration when designing new spaces?
Our sample library is a huge source of inspiration. We receive so many incredible materials—wallpapers, fabrics, finishes—and we’re always waiting for the perfect project to use them in.
I also love drawing inspiration from a project’s location. For example, if we’re designing a home in the Bahamas, we take in the colors of the palm leaves, the ocean, the sand, and think, Oh my gosh, this is the perfect project for that lime-green palm print wallpaper we’ve been dying to use!
Color is such a huge part of our design process, especially in Charleston, but exploring other places and seeing how different environments influence color is a really fun way to get inspired.
What are your favorite Coley Home pieces to incorporate in a living room?
The Upholstered Bennett Sofa—hands down! We’re actually using it in a project right now with Lilly Pulitzer and Lee Jofa. It’s upholstered in the new Lilly fabric, and we added the cutest little skirt to give it a fresh, modern take on a traditional shape. It’s perfection.
I also love the Loza Chair. We’ve used it in a few projects now—it’s big, cozy, and oversized but still has that modern silhouette.
That’s what I love about Coley Home—they take classic shapes and reimagine them in a fresh, modern way. Plus, everything is made in North Carolina, which our clients love.
Read Article
