See how interior designer Melissa Lee uses SUNPAN outdoor furniture to style her historic front porch in North Carolina.
Step onto the front porch of New South Home’s design studio in Matthews, North Carolina, and it’s immediately clear why Melissa Lee calls it “an experience.” Tucked into a restored 1880s white clapboard house with black shutters and delicate ironwork trim, the space sets the tone for the very design philosophy her firm stands for: gracious living. “When people come to our office, we want it to feel like a home,” says Melissa, New South Home’s founder and principal designer. “They’re getting the New South Home experience that we’re going to provide for them in their home.”
That vision comes to life on the porch, where SUNPAN’s Palermo Dining Chairs, paired with the Geneve Dining Table, anchor a space that feels equal parts curated and relaxed. Set against tailored robin's egg blue drapery and grounded by a graphic outdoor rug, the seating area blends Southern charm with clean-lined simplicity.
Melissa spotted the pieces styled together in a vignette during the Spring 2023 edition of High Point Market. “I walked up to the showroom, I was just like, oh, this is it,” she recalls. “We have to have this on our front porch.”
The pairing of clean lines, natural textures, and classic materials reflects how Melissa balances familiarity with freshness in her projects. She gravitates toward pieces that feel modern yet rooted in tradition. “We always ask, how can we mix modern with classic to create something timeless?” she explains. “That [High Point vignette] hit all the marks.”
The result is a space that feels welcoming but polished, styled but lived-in. It's exactly what Melissa envisioned when she moved her team into the historic studio two years ago. “That true Southern front porch, gracious living mantra, is what we’re really going after.”
“We always ask, how can we mix modern with classic to create something timeless?”
It’s also why she approaches outdoor spaces with the same intention as any interior. “We want the outdoor space to feel as comfortable as the indoor space.”
To achieve this, Melissa layers performance fabrics, soft cushioning, and select pieces from SUNPAN that are known for their modern silhouettes and durability. “We want you to feel like you can sit at the dining table for two hours. You're going to have a meal, you're going to have a couple glasses of wine or cocktails. You're going to sit with your guests for a long period of time.”
That sense of hospitality is something Melissa has been cultivating since long before founding her studio. A former fashion retail buyer, she credits her background with teaching her to curate for lifestyles rather than trends. “That job taught me how to design for other people. It’s about understanding what the client wants and how they live.”
Melissa’s relationship with SUNPAN spans more than a decade, built on a shared appreciation for modern furnishings that suit a wide range of client styles. “If I need a barstool, I go to you guys first,” she laughs. “SUNPAN's definitely our go-to when we’re working with clients who want that Mad Men, mid-century modern look.”
Whether she’s creating a welcoming front porch or designing interiors that reflect how her clients live, Melissa continues to bring her gracious living philosophy to life. It’s an approach that echoes what we offer here at SUNPAN: intentional design, enduring style, and the belief that well-made furnishings can elevate the way we live.