Company Highlight: Group 3 Designs

There are architecture experts, and there are interior design experts. And then there are those who are experts at both—a rare combination indeed. That’s what Group 3 Designs brings to the table: a deep and wide-ranging understanding of engineering and design that has made them the premier architecture, interior design and renovation experts in the Lowcountry. 

The other thing they bring to the table is a tireless commitment to listening to their clients. Group 3 Designs doesn’t create cookie-cutter homes in its own style; it puts the customer in the driver’s seat, ensuring that every design choice revolves around the customer’s vision. 

Taylor Stone, who has worked as an interior designer at Group 3 for over 10 years, puts it quite simply: “We don’t try to fit them into our look, we try to tailor their look into a beautiful design.”

That dedication to letting the client guide the way holds true whether the team at Group 3 is working on envisioning the layout of a single room, remodeling a historic home, or designing a new build from the ground up. Every project is unique, and one style definitely doesn’t fit all. 

No Job Too Big, No Detail Too Small

Since 1986, when architects Rick Clanton and Mike Ruegamer first joined forces to create Group 3 Designs on Hilton Head Island, the firm has earned numerous awards, along with a reputation for originality, quality and dedication to creating homes and spaces that reflect the distinct lifestyle and personality of the owners.

And while they bring a commitment to excellence to each project, regardless of its grandeur or modesty, there’s also no job too small. They’ve built luxury vacation homes and resort properties from the ground up, remodeled homes and condos of every size, and also been called upon to provide decorative touches to a single room. 

Every project is unique, and there’s no such thing as typical. “We do full scope,” Taylor told us, “for some, we can do the plans, and it can go from dirt to turnkey, so when someone walks in they can literally just bring their clothes. Or, we can just do the small little details to update the bathroom or refresh a bedroom.”

Tradition and Innovation in Lowcountry Style

There is, without a doubt, a distinct Lowcountry Style when it comes to architecture and design. Its elements will be familiar to anyone who has spent time on the coast between Charleston and Savannah: broad porches, large windows, breezy open floor plans, symmetrical layouts, high ceilings and elevated foundations.

Lowcountry homes are practical, understated, and have developed through generations of informal tradition. First and foremost, they’re designed to coexist with the coastal landscape rather than clash with it. 

The team at Group 3 Designs are masters of this style, but they are by no means confined to it. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. These skilled designers and architects are all too happy to gleefully break away from tradition and create something new, unexpected and unique. Getting an opportunity to meld styles and materials to produce eye-catching spaces that merge form and function is one of the great joys of this field. But again, it’s all about staying true to the firm’s customer-is-always-right philosophy.

Says Taylor Stone, “If they want it to be traditional and formal, that’s great. If they want it to be very casual and friendly, that’s great. At the end of the day, it’s making sure that it’s beautiful but also functional and exactly what the client wanted. That’s what would make it a great success in my book.”

The Group 3 Approach

Though Group 3 Designs doesn’t work in a specific style or push specific design elements, they do have a distinct approach. The hallmark of a Group 3 home isn’t a specific design flourish or decorative element; it’s attention to detail.

“Interior design can be anything from architectural elements—all the selections you have to make, from the paint to the flooring to the trim work to the cabinetry—to little nuances like picking door hardware. Or it can transition in a later phase to the furnishings element, which is more the lighting and the fun rugs and pillows and those finishing touches, like accessories. So when we talk to someone we first determine where we are in that process.”

So, what makes a job a success? What makes the team at Group 3 stand back, look at a completed project, and consider it a job well done? “I want us both to look at the final product and be satisfied, “Taylor says, “I want to check all the boxes that the client wanted—fix all the problems, and make the house is functional but also aesthetically what they’re looking for.” 

Where Architecture and Design Meet

Though it started as an architecture firm, Group 3 now focuses equally on architecture and interior design. And there are some major advantages to doing both. 

“The fact that we are both an architecture and an interior design company—and we’re kind of a smaller boutique one at that—we really can focus on a client’s needs. Even if a client isn’t asking for architectural plans, that doesn’t mean that the knowledge isn’t there.”

Wearing multiple hats is also an asset because it streamlines decision-making. “In-house we can do so much more. It’s a simple question for an architect: ‘Is something possible?’ we can achieve that a lot faster because we have one two steps away, versus another firm that’s strictly interior design is going to struggle to find someone who can answer those questions.” Everything harmonizes when it’s part of the same well-oiled machine, and it’s better for the budget as well.

Hilton Head and Beyond

There’s no doubt that Group 3 Designs is one of the top firms to call for architecture and interior design in the Lowcountry. But this Hilton Head-based company puts no boundaries on how far they’ll go to help design your dream home. “Our sweet spot is Hilton Head to Palmetto Bluff, but we’ve gone as far as Mexico, the Caribbean… there is no limit per se.”

And of all the accolades they’ve received—including winning National Home of the Year by The National Home Builders Association—it’s clear that the recognition they value the most is that of a satisfied customer.