We had the good fortune of connecting with George & Shaynaeh Thomas and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi George & Shaynaeh, maybe we can start at the very start – the idea – how did you come up with the idea for your business?
George was born and raised in Effingham, SC and comes from four generations of builders and contractors – needless to say, construction literally runs through his veins. He and his family completed renovations for both residential & commercial properties all over the low country. Shaynaeh, was born and raised in Charleston, SC surrounded by tons of rich history, art forms, leisure activities, architecture, and cultural traditions.

All of these elements drove her passion for interior design at a young age and still contributes to her design inspiration when collaborating with her clients. George and Shaynaeh wedded in October 2014 and always felt that both their unequivocal talent, love, and genuine passion for construction and design would one day serve them well, hence in 2017, they formed “G & S Construction & Design”, a full-service construction and interior design firm. A few years later
they decided to expand their offered services by rebranding to become “Thomas Grae Interior Design & Construction”. Thomas Grae is not just a business name they agreed on one day, Thomas Grae (derived from their last name “Thomas” and their first-born son’s name, Connor Grae) ensures that their legacy and deep-rooted connection to family is relevant in their day to day business.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Thomas Grae is a full-service Interior Design + Construction firm that specializes in residential and commercial projects – from small to large scale projects and everything in between. Our mission is to simplify the interior design and construction process by applying creativity and industry knowledge to guide our clients from conception to completion.

We bring a combined experience of twenty years in this industry and will continue adding years under our belt. We genuinely enjoy what we do and are always finding new ways to grow our business, enhance our client portfolio and offer the finest customer service. Shaynaeh’s approach to interior design is intentional and comprehensive. Every object she brings into a home is carefully considered for both form and function – that thoughtfulness and attention to detail makes for a stunning interior and a space that is specifically designed.

George’s love for construction stems from his family’s upbringing. Being a 4th generation builder, and having many years of diverse experience in this industry, he has cultivated his skills. George has gained an even greater passion for residential and commercial construction. He prides himself on being extremely knowledgeable in his field, a professional collaborator and just a simple guy who works hard. Bringing together two individuals who operate with integrity and collaborate with a ‘client-first’ mentality is the best way to achieve construction & design success. We stand behind all we do and through offering an approach like this, we keep our clients at the forefront. Being able to experience the personal joy of our clients drives our energy. We will truly bring you a one stop shop experience with both design and construction creativity at your doorstep.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

We live in a coastal city, surrounded by tons of beaches. The first place we would take friends and family would be to a beach. Water is so therapeutic, at least for us. After a few hours at the beach we would take them around the city and do all the “touristy stuff”. Lol.

We love to support local businesses, so we would continue the visit with trips to the local “mom & pop” restaurants and hidden retail treasures. I mean, who does not like retail therapy?

There are a few local bakeries we love …the pastries are absolutely amazing, so that would be a pit stop. Museums…there are a couple here with tons of rich
history – they would be on the list too! It is always good to share these kinds of experiences since most of our friends and family are history buffs like us.
Keeping our toddlers busy when family and friends are in town is always on our itinerary – parks, picnics and kid-friendly activities are always best.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
We give thanks to our Creator above for allowing our business to flourish in the way that it has. We are so very grateful for the continued support of our family,
friends, vendors, tradesman, distributors and social media community. The referrals, shares, likes, comments and feedback are greatly appreciated – it encourages us to continue even when things get tough. We truly could not ask for a better support system.

Website: www.thomasgrae.com

Instagram: thomasgrae_

Image Credits
Marc Mauldin Photography Jason Page Photography Kenny Onufrock Photography

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