By Fiona Slusarev
As a well-known name in the western communities for more than three decades, Gracie Street Interior Design has become synonymous with timeless design and thoughtfully crafted interiors. The new Wellington studio and boutique opened its doors earlier this year, returning to the community that started it all.
M. Douglas Mutch, owner and cofounder, moved to Wellington in 1981 chasing a lifelong dream to be around horses and design homes. Her career has spanned designing a field-side VIP tent for Prince Charles at the Palm Beach Polo & Country Club to creating beautiful interiors for multiple equestrian Olympians.
As a licensed interior designer, Mutch partnered with Susan Elhilow to create Gracie Street, before recently taking sole ownership of the business. Though it was located in downtown West Palm Beach, the design studio has had a prolific history creating interiors for equestrians who call the western communities home.
“How many times have I been asked: ‘So, you do equestrian interiors?’ No, we do interiors for equestrians,” Mutch explained.
And there is a difference. Mutch’s designs aren’t equestrian-themed, they are created and styled with the equestrian lifestyle in mind. Growing up riding, and now back in the saddle again with her own horses, Mutch understands how a working equestrian’s home needs to function.
“When our current client base heard we were coming back, they were so excited. There’s a long history of people we work for out here because we have a really strong understanding of how the horse world ticks,” she said.
With this approach, Mutch and her team can design interiors that are both beautiful and functional. The Gracie Street team offers all levels of design services from selecting flooring and wallpaper, to sourcing antiques and fabricating the perfect pieces. Whether a project calls for large undertakings like new cabinetry, or just the final finishing touches, Mutch is dedicated to bringing the vision to life.
Mutch and the team at Gracie Street strive for their designs to be timeless and unique. She wants her clients’ homes to feel “collected, not decorated.” Instead of following trends, she aspires for her clients’ spaces to reflect their individuality and tell their story.
“Our job is to get to know the client’s likes, dislikes and lifestyle enough to make it look like we were never there. Let’s make [the space] an extension of who the person who lives there is,” Mutch explained.
The Gracie Street boutique is a mirror of these ideals, complemented with an array of furnishings, accessories, art and treasures to choose from. With a mix of new and old accoutrements, and neatly organized towers of fabric swatches reaching the ceiling, the shop is a décor-hunter’s dream.
Some pieces have a nod to horses and riding, but overall, each curated piece is unique and approachably elegant. A large portion of the art and ceramics are sourced from local artists in the western communities.
Mutch’s goal is to have an offering that is current, but not trendy. She additionally wants the atmosphere of the shop to be welcoming to all and uplifting to local artisans, without competing with them.
“I want it to be a place where people want to hang out,” Mutch said.
Gracie Street Interior Design is located at 3500 Fairlane Farms Road, Suite 3, in Wellington. For more information, visit www.graciestreet.com.
