Background

I grew up in my mother’s antiques and design shop, soaking up arts and interiors. She was a talented decorator and expert dealer in European antique decorative arts. I watched in admiration as she forged creative partnerships with her clients and artisans building spaces reflecting their personal lifestyle in a timeless blend of the old with the new. At college I concentrated in decorative arts and architecture within my History of Art major, then I worked for a respected dealer in North Carolina. I later opened my own decorative antiques shop there and although it thrived, my real passions were the vision and the hunt. I returned to Houston, earning a degree in interior design, and joined the family business in 1986. I focused exclusively on interior design from 2001. My strengths are being attentive to clients’ dreams and needs, sourcing customizing and problem solving to help build their vision, and specifying exterior and interior color palettes to enhance it.

Vision

Every detail is added in layer upon layer to create a home and reveal their story. I see it like this. We are given a complex puzzle and it is up to us to combine design elements to manifest that vision, from the finish of kitchen cabinetry to the texture and durability of flooring to the turn of a door handle to the appropriate lighting for each activity in a room.  It is thousands of details (decisions) that when layered together solve the riddle of home. I especially love creating kitchens and baths. Kitchens are spaces that feed us literally and psychically. They are the are the hub of a home, the center for connection and communication. Baths can be such restorative retreats and are underutilized in their power to support a person’s well-being.

Interior Design

Americans spend 90% of their lives indoors. Our homes and workspaces are the number 1 and 2 places we spend our time. For many of us those spaces are combined, putting more weight on how a space sustains you. The heartbeat of my business comes from significantly improving the quality of clients’ lives through the spaces we co-create. We take a journey where I get to know how they currently live, what works for them, what doesn’t, what their passions are and what they hope for. Then we prioritize, pin down our concept, space plan, and select the elements to meet their needs and manifest their vision. Home is body and soul. Physically, the home should function optimally for their requirements, health, safety and well-being. Spiritually, a space should uplift them in that moment, whether it is for sanctuary, enveloping and recharging, or for stimulation and social connection. 

I love taking a client on a journey to help them express their personal story in their home, but also to gain spaces that work for them and make life more pleasant. When my clients’ quality of life is enriched and improved, that is significant. I work with successful professionals who struggle with time and the desire to create a personal home for their sanctuary and celebrations. What separates my services from others is my ability to assimilate a client’s requirements, wishes, and treasures and design a classic and contemporary home that reveals their story. If you’re looking to enrich your space, I’d love to connect to see how I can help you tell your story.