Empty Nest to Second Nest Design

meet SND Studio lead designer, mary anne

Childhood stomping grounds, the new Trail Hotel in Bardstown

At a young age SND Studio co-founder and lead designer Mary Anne Potter developed a love of design and an appreciation for beautiful things.  Her entrepreneurial family helped pioneer early tourism that paved the way for the Kentucky Bourbon Trail in the hospitality industry, which involved building and renovating hotel properties. She pursued similar creative interests in textiles and design during college, leading to a professional career in luxury retail buying with Filenes (Boston) and later, Neiman Marcus (Dallas) executive development programs. She also spent time on the other side of the buying table managing national sales for a luxury suede apparel startup in Austin. During that same phase of life Mary Anne renovated her first home in the Austin Hill Country and privately designed and renovated 3 more homes in Austin. She has been actively designing for over 25 years.. 

what's the point of a bucket list ... unless you do the thing

Since the bucket list launch of SND Studio with a former colleague from Neiman Marcus in 2024, Mary Anne has worked on estate home projects in some of the most beautiful neighborhoods in Texas, Kentucky and Colorado. With a uniquely honed eye for quality and collecting, she brings curated beauty and interesting storytelling to every project. Her luxury retail buying background and passion for design naturally serve clients through a concierge-level design service, reflective of, and prioritized to meet their interests by employing an intentionally limited project roster.

Known as The Merchant Prince - "We want to sell satisfaction, not merchandise."

Stanley Marcus with Grace Kelly

Known for spaces that feel timeless and refined, natural and deeply comfortable, rather than overly formal, Mary Anne is dedicated to the unwavering philosophy of the original master of luxury: Stanley Marcus, an avid fine art collector who maintained "The customer is always right."

Aesthetically trained by the best, Mary Anne's proficiency with customization, curation and careful material selection evoke sensory richness and bring an element of personal charm to every project. During a time when e-commerce and online shopping have made modern living feel hurried and a little less special, Mary Anne understands that a counter cultural approach to more meaningful, slow design is preferred by many discerning clientele.

concierge-level design service

Subtle Transitions + Warmth = Inviting

As primary founder and lead designer for SND Studio, Mary Anne is known for an inherited old school work ethic and a lively warm Southern personality. SND Studio clientele typically match her energy and prefer a relatable professional design leader they can trust to keep projects personalized, orderly and well managed. Her design business is naturally creative and highly relationship driven.

Dark Contrast + Layered = Moody

IN HER OWN WORDS “SND Studio is a boutique design firm offering clients more than just good taste in design.  We care for your home personally, the same way you would care for your personal appearance or overall health. We respect, support and protect all aspects of the design process, including our client’s privacy.  Those three key words set us apart and make our design technique different from designers who are simply there to deliver floor plans, mood boards and material goods. 

Emerging first in fashion elementally, as so many interior design initiatives do, luxury interiors embrace authenticity and tailored simplicity inviting meaningful interplay between intentional details. Nothing is left to chance, but happy coincidences occur often. SND Studio celebrates the nuances of timeless classic and high end design qualities that have really been around forever, adding a touch of warmth, personality and southern hospitality. These hallmarks of SND Studio make a house of any size feel more like a home. And we believe that home is where you hang your hat and your heart."

everyone has to start somewhere

Before personal stylists created "the look", wardrobe departments dressed actors both on and off screen. In the 80s & 90's wardrobe managers and personal assistants often called the buying offices of luxury retailers to source haute couture for the Grammys, Emmys and CMA's. During her early career Mary Anne was already sourcing merchandise to outfit recognizable figures of the entertaining elite in New York, Texas, Nashville and L.A. Notable clients included actors from the TV show Dallas, musicians such as Cher during her Uninhibited perfume launch, and charity mavens like fashion icon Betsy Bloomingdale who still looked great in luxurious suede fringe in the 90's! Mary Anne also worked hand in hand with well known Texas politicians and A-list philanthropists to develop shared charitable initiatives as a community volunteer leader in Austin for 20+ years.

Best borrowed philosophy: "Use what you've got" - Betty Hallbreich, personal friend and mentor.

Personal Motto: What's the best that could happen?

Happy Place: Wherever my family happens to be at the moment!

Mary Anne is originally from the Bourbon Capital of the World, Bardstown, KY and holds a Bachelor of Science in Textiles and Design from The University of Kentucky. She is thankful for her solidly grounded Bluegrass State roots and also cherishes half a lifetime spent raising her family in the heart of The Lonestar State, where she first began designing and decorating beautiful homes in the Austin Hill Country.