Daring and Elegant Design with SMAC Studio


Shona McElroy, principal at SMAC Studio.

people • designers

SMAC Studio is an award-winning interior design firm with projects published in Vogue Living, Belle and Domino. With degrees in Architecture and Interior Architecture, the team has a knack for clever spatial planning. Fresh, young and easy to work with, they never build the same thing twice.

WEBSITE: smacstudio.com.au INSTAGRAM: @smac_studio


Words: designeers
September 2023

designeers

The most important thing you’ve designed to date?

shona mcelroy

The first two residential projects where I was given real creative freedom, Mirror Image and First Blush, are my most important designs to date. They allowed me to showcase my style and images of them were published in press around the world. 


designeers

What is your favourite way to add wow to an interior?


shona mcelroy

Marble. Each slab is extremely unique. Marble is filled with diverse and beautiful colours to use as inspiration for other elements of the interior. 

 
 
 
Elegant bathroom with modern design by SMAC Studio.
Unique and stylish bathroom interior by SMAC Studio.
 
 
 

designeers

Describe your interior style:


shona mcelroy

I have a great appreciation for all interior styles, so my own personal style is ever-evolving. I like to merge different design aesthetics. The end result is always layered with detail — I love natural materials and textural elements. Every project I build is daring and elegant.


designeers

How do you communicate with a client in order to understand what they want?


shona mcelroy

I listen carefully and make sure the clients' wants are reflected in my designs from the start. You have to build trust early, it's incredibly important. I get new clients to fill out a detailed brief on how they live, relax and entertain. This is the foundation of the space. After that we talk about non-negotiable things they want, like butlers' pantries and walk-in robes. From there I create an initial concept with a detailed spatial plan, we re-work it together and then it's all systems go.

 
 
Serene bedroom with elegant furnishings by SMAC Studio.
Modern bathroom with artistic design by SMAC Studio.
Stylish staircase with artistic elements by SMAC Studio.
 

“You have to build trust early, it's incredibly important.”

shona mcelroy

 
 
 

designeers

Three names in your suppliers black book?


shona mcelroy

Christopher Boots (via Est) for artistic lighting, Bauwerk Colour for limewash paint in lots of colours and CDK Stone for the most stunning marble.

 
 
 

More Stories

Previous
Previous

Introducing Beautiful Stone Work from Atelier278

Next
Next

Introducing Alessandra Melchiorri of Studio Sam