Sean doughtie has been building custom luxury homes for 33 years. He has always been in close proximity to the construction and remodeling industries; his father also was a builder. “I have built hundreds of homes over the years,” says Doughtie, who also took on some high-end remodeling jobs along the way. His wife, Michelle, is a designer who owns Atlanta-based Schilling & Co., a full-service interior design firm. “One day I realized Michelle and I were working separately, but she had so many clients that needed my services,” he says. “It didn’t make sense to continue working apart, so we combined services so that Schilling & Co. could become a true design-build firm.”
The combination of award-winning construction and design services ensures the husband-and-wife duo, along with their employees and subcontractors, can provide consistency in style and services for their clients. “Our clients love that they have a single, reliable point of contact during the course of their projects, and they have come to rely on that consistency and seeing the same professionals time after time to implement their construction and renovation visions,” Doughtie adds. “We only take on a few projects at a time to ensure we handle all of the details for each homeowner’s project start to finish.”
One of Schilling & Co.’s clients, who has worked with them over the course of a decade, is a perfect example of how the company delivers a full set of services to homeowners. The clients purchased a Buckhead estate on about 3 acres, extensively renovating the home and hiring Michelle Doughtie to handle the interior design. During this time period, Schilling & Co. transformed its services to offer comprehensive design-build capability, so when the homeowners came back to the company a year later and wanted to build a 3,400-square-foot detached pool house, they decided to take advantage of Schilling’s design-build services to consolidate everything with one team. Sean Doughtie oversaw the process of building the pool house, situating it adjacent to the existing pool. He and his wife listened to the homeowner’s needs, designing a cabana, outdoor kitchen, outdoor shower, bathroom, gathering space, a 1,200-square-foot guest cottage on the second level, an art and TV room for the couple’s children, and connecting it to a new three-car garage. The building’s architecture, with triple arches and a balcony, blends with the main house so it appears as if all were built at the same time. The interior design also flows with the main home, with a similar color palette. Schilling coordinated with the landscaping professionals so the entire estate relates and communicates as a cohesive design.
Once that project was completed, the homeowners again contacted Schilling & Co., inquiring about renovating their existing pool and spa. “Most builders wouldn’t agree to do a project like this, but with our history of working together and my experience in the industry, it was a no-brainer to continue helping them,” says Doughtie. He brought in the appropriate pool renovation and landscape professionals to assist. They moved the pool’s cover under its coping for a more seamless appearance, retiled it and updated the plumbing and landscaping.
A few years went by, and the homeowners called once again to ask Schilling & Co. to transform two smaller closets into one large closet in the primary suite. “The homeowner didn’t want to see any of her clothes and shoes when she walked into the room, so we designed and installed floor-to-ceiling custom cabinetry and shelving accented with millwork specifically for different types of clothing and shoes,” says Doughtie. At the same time, Michelle Doughtie worked her magic, choosing fabric to inlay on paneled walls, creating a tufted ceiling effect with wallpaper and adding a crystal chandelier. A vanity tucked into a formerly empty dormer completed the renovation project.
Shortly afterward, Sean Doughtie performed an emergency tennis court repair for the homeowners’ 40-year-old court to stabilize it. Just a few months later, the homeowners asked the Schilling team to renovate their basement in time for an upcoming party they were hosting. With a short timeline, the duo—along with Schilling designer Kat Gebhardt—planned and implemented a new basement floor plan with an updated kitchen, renovated bathroom and a new wine and bourbon room with lit walnut shelving, while opening up cased entrances to create a more open feel to the entire space. “We had a lot of planning to do, as there were a lot of pipes and ductwork in the ceiling that had to be relocated,” says Doughtie. The expedited construction timeline of just two months included a masculine-themed redesign, topped off by a double glass-and-steel door custom made in California. “We even squeezed in a new bar, and the designers created a Ralph Lauren feel with plaid wallcovering and leather chairs,” he adds.
The homeowners are thrilled to have the Schilling construction and design team handle all of their renovation projects as their needs change or as maintenance is necessary. With the duo’s deep experience in both high-end construction and interior design, there is no project they can’t tackle. “What we do is very unique and specific,” Doughtie says. “Our clients appreciate that they can call one person to deal with everything.”
Together, the Doughties and their team offer a full set of services in interior design, new custom construction and remodeling. They can start from a blank slate or refresh and update an established home, with projects spanning the Southeast. With a small, seasoned team working together to serve clients, the Doughties take great pride in the knowledge that they can create a personalized experience for each client. “We take an active approach in being a part of the entire construction and design process while dealing closely with the architects, contractors and craftsmen involved in every project,” Doughtie says. “Fixture and finish selections, site visits, communication and interiors are all important facets of building a strong foundation for a beautiful home inside and out. Our goal is to create a home that is a reflection of the client and bring their vision to life.” *
Dana W. Todd is a professional writer specializing in interior design, real estate, luxury homebuilding, landscape design, architecture and fine art.
We only take on a few projects at a time to ensure we handle all of the details for each homeowner’s project start to finish.
