Hi, I'm Sommer Tate, owner and lead designer of Folkway Design & Wares Co. When I was younger I wanted to be a fighter pilot…during college I was in ROTC and was legitimately on the road and committed to becoming a military pilot. (how I came came to this conclusion on a boat one night in Galveston Bay is a story for another day…) 

That all changed the year after I commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant into the Air Force and started pilot training. My childhood inner ear problems had one last go at me (as if wearing a swim cap every summer until I was 11 wasn't enough), and let's just say pulling Gs and flying inverted left me greener than kermit the frog. In a matter of a few months my dream was gone.

I transitioned into a new career field and became a Logistics Readiness Officer. The unofficial motto of the career field was “jack of all trades, master of none”. We did a lot of things but at the core we made sure things ran smoothly. We were expected to get in there and figure it out. It was the best on the job training you could get. I sharpened so many skills in those years… time and task management, attention to detail, creativity and communication…

When it came time to decide to extend my time or leave I made the decision to leave. I had learned so much but it wasn't my passion. I had to dig deep and figure out what was next for me. I started to think about my interests and what I gravitated towards. Houses…and buildings. I liked architecture, design, gardens, how all of the details come together and how a room could make you feel a certain way. 

So that's where it began. First working for a homebuilder in Charleston, SC and then opening my own design business. Over the next 12+ years I worked with so many clients on their homes. From tiny laundry rooms to multi-million dollar custom homes and everything in between. I love combining vintage and new elements to create timeless yet fresh spaces. I still love how a thoughtfully designed room can make you feel.

These days life is full of family, work, our mini Aussie Hank, backyard chickens, and camping when we can. I love getting to help clients make their homes what they have always wanted…and although I'm a long way from where I thought I would be…I wouldn't change any of it…even the crooked road that got me here…because those experiences and skills learned along the way help me everyday in helping my clients achieve the homes they've always wanted.