Today we’d like to introduce you to Morgan Shone.
Hi Morgan, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Interior Design has always whispered to me, but I never let it completely wash over as a possible career choice. Sometimes, it’s the uncertain circumstances that birth the most dramatic changes.
Before the pandemic, I started posting my home designs on Instagram, as a hobby. But when the world shut down, I was hit with a triple whammy: I could no longer continue my sales job after a move to California, and I was becoming a Mom, two times over, with twin boys on the way.
Becoming a Mom helped me tap into a new part of me. After bringing two healthy lives into the world, at the same time, I felt like anything was possible. I finally had the clarity and freedom to build a life, and career, that felt deeply aligned with who I am, which has always been an interior designer.
Which is when my hobby officially turned into Shone Mason.
I’ve been fortunate to travel the world, and even circumnavigated on a boat in 108 days. Along that journey, I noticed that I would be deeply impacted by a well designed space, subconsciously learning how spaces shape our emotions. From sensing the way light made a room come alive, to how moody colors created intimacy, and how poorly designed spaces could make me feel unsettled. This strong intuitive sense was building inside me that would guide me going in designing intentional and beautiful spaces.
So I took a leap. I enrolled at The Interior Design Institute, determined to pursue this calling with intention and skill. I studied while my babies napped, early mornings, and late into the night —and within a year, I graduated with a sharpened design eye and a full heart.
During that time, our family experienced another big change, a move from California to Franklin, Tennessee. Our home here has become my living breathing portfolio. Every room tells a different part of our family’s story, by using thoughtful layers, meaningful objects, and pieces passed down or handmade. We feel extremely grounded here and it shows in curated spaces of history and hope.
Shone Mason began many years ago in Chicago, then in California, and now Franklin is where I’m really excited about my business to take root.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Not smooth in any capacity, but I’m grateful for all the bumps in the road that got me here. I want to share something I hope resonates with others, but in my younger years, I never truly believed I could be an interior designer. I was raised in a time where pursuing anything in the “arts” felt risky or irresponsible, so I chose safer, more traditional career paths. In those traditional careers, I would daydream about Interior Design and work on fun projects on the weekends. However, I believe that everything unfolds in perfect timing, I have no regrets.
I could have never guessed that a global pandemic and twin pregnancy would finally put me firmly on my path toward interior design. The pandemic forced me to slow down and being a twin parent taught me to stay centred in the midst of constant chaos. The exhaustion is real in motherhood, but something powerful came from it: clarity. I wanted this one sweet life we were sharing to be ours so I finally gave myself permission to pursue the exact life I had always dreamed of.
Design became so much more meaningful for me, it’s about creating the backdrop of the most important moments in our lives. The little moments like chats at the breakfast tables, movie nights, and hosting friends and family over. I want to help other people design spaces where their families can thrive and be completely themselves.
We’ve been impressed with Shone Mason, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Since we’ve been in Franklin, Shone Mason’s aesthetic is coming into focus: grounded, timeless, with a mix of eclectic California energy and Southern warmth. A place where people feel welcomed and at home.
If you’re looking for an interior designer who’s walked through reinvention, who understands the mess and the magic of creating a home—you’ve found her.
I’ve been recording my journey on Instagram where I share my home, styling tips, and give interior design advice. When I’m ready, that is the platform that I’ll announce how / in what capacity I’m taking on clients.
Always open to inquiries and making great connections!
How do you define success?
Success isn’t something I’m fixated on right now, because I’m still in the incredibly messy middle. I haven’t “arrived” because I’m still “becoming”. I feel grateful to have the freedom right now to explore, to create, and to pursue what lights me up—while also being present with the people I love most. That will always feel like success.
Even though this is a joyful path of becoming a mom and finally stepping into the career of my dreams, it doesn’t always look shiny or linear. In fact, I haven’t started providing services for clients yet. But what I do have is a clear sense of who I am and what I want to share: my love of thoughtful, intentional spaces, and the joy that comes from designing a home that reflects who you truly are.
So for now, success looks like showing up vulnerably, designing with purpose, and inviting others to follow along for the ride.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: shone_mason
- Other: https://substack.com/@shonemason
