“Putting together a room isn’t very different than putting together an outfit,” says interior designer Mary Wright, who worked in fashion for more than a decade before starting her own interior design and furnishings business nearly 25 years ago. “You have basic pieces, like a sofa and armchairs, and then you layer in lighting and accessories, like pillows and throws.”
Since 2017, Mary’s showroom Design Wright Studios (DesignWrightStudios.com) has been a mainstay of Denver’s River North enclave. When culling furniture and decor for any project, she often begins with a rug as the foundational piece, using its colors as inspiration for fabrics and finishes, or choosing one based on a client’s art collection. After considering a client’s style, she focuses on comfort and well-being. For example, a sofa’s seat depth depending on a person’s height, performance fabrics for pets and children, and how a space really makes someone feel. “Some people want to come into their home and feel energized,” Mary says. “Others want it to be quiet and serene. The furnishings and design should create a space that's unique and suited for whoever is going to live there.”
In her showroom, Mary represents 40 lines of high-end and exclusive artisan furniture, lighting and accessories in addition to her private upholstery label, DWS Upholstery. Her portfolio includes residences and commercial spaces throughout Denver, across the Front Range and in mountain resort towns. She’s furnished everything from single rooms to large residences with eight bedrooms.
Mary appreciates quality and advocates for repurposing items, advising that “fast furniture” is akin to fast fashion. Both practices encourage wastefulness and cause significant harm to the environment. “I’ll always encourage someone to refinish or paint a nice piece of furniture instead of throwing it out," Mary says. For a women’s locker room in a country club outside Denver, she reupholstered 20 chairs and refinished several tables, which gave the space an entirely new look without exceeding the budget or creating excessive waste.
As an established name in the interiors world, Mary has recently shifted her attention to supporting emerging designers in Colorado. A few years ago, she assisted a designer working on a three-bedroom Aspen townhome that was part of a larger collection about to hit the market. It was the first one sold, and the designer in turn earned additional work.
Working with Mary can be like working with a close friend. Just last month, she loaned her own dining table to a client when the delivery of a table they ordered was delayed by a week. “They were having a party at home with 200 guests,” Mary shares. “I knew the size [the client] ordered, and I knew that I had a similar one. I try and do what I can to fill a need or find a solution.” Like most local businesses owned and operated by smaller teams, her goal is to consistently provide superior service. “I believe that the energy of the people who make a product is in that product,” Mary says. “The sacredness of home is everything to me. People who believe that are my kind of people.”