Founders Corner - Madrona Interiors

This is Founders Corner, a series where we get to know the stories behind local businesses and the founders who started them.

Dina Holmes and Sue Mackay are the founders of Madrona Interiors.

Having worked closely together for 10 years as leading designers and project managers for DEKORA, Vancouver’s largest luxury staging company, Sue and Dina combined their considerable skill-set, expertise, and experiences into an innovative design company, Madrona Interiors, in 2021. ​

During their time with DEKORA, Dina and Sue took the lead on hundreds of projects, including home staging, interior decoration, display suites, and turn-key rental furnishing. ​ The experience of delivering these projects on-time, on-budget, and to the delight of their clients has allowed Sue and Dina to build a deep knowledge of local furniture and decor sources that enables them to execute incredible designs at the highest level and still streamline the process. ​

Part of Dina and Sue’s business ethos is to treat every home and every project they undertake as if it were their own. Their reputation in the design industry is built on trust and their client connections, working to understand their needs, and delivering outstanding and stress-free results.

Why did you start Madrona Interiors?

Sue: To follow a dream and work doing something we are passionate about.

Dina: After years of spending time on the Sunshine Coast, Sue and I both independently decided to move here. We had worked together in the Staging and Design Industry for 15 years, so it was truly what we loved to do, so the decision to start a business was purely inherent. We carefully researched our idea and found that there was a need here that we could fill. And not only that, but we both understood that marrying our skills together, we would make a perfect team!

How did you come up with the idea for your company?

S: We have been working together for over 10 years and found ourselves both on the Coast and saw a need for our services.

D: Sue originally had the idea and floated it with me. We were in kayaks in that moment so we were actually ‘floating’ the idea! We could see that Sue’s background in management and client relations directly involved with staging and design, and my background of interior decorating and home staging, we could make a great team doing what we love and where we now lived.

What makes your company unique?

S: Our unique skill sets, our deep knowledge of furniture and decor sources. This enables us to execute incredible designs at the highest level and still streamline the process.

D: Our combined years of experience. Sue managing big companies, and myself previously a decade in film and tv, and then together another decade of design and home staging, we made things happen that normally wouldn’t be possible. Together we are able to provide a really valuable service here on the Coast.

What's up next for your company? Or business goals for the next year or so?

Getting to know our clients and community. We want people to get to know us and our business and how we can help. We are just starting out and have lots of ideas and want to share our passion for decor. We love the work of creating beautiful and calming spaces to live in and reset from daily life.

What is a piece of advice that you would give to another entrepreneur to help them get started on their journey?

Hire professionals for areas of your business you are not an expert in. Such as accounting, marketing (thank you COASTR!) or social media.

To learn more about Madrona Interiors, visit https://www.madronainteriors.com/.