That’s right! A. Houck Designs turns 20 this year! When I launched my interior design firm in 2000, it was impossible to imagine the wonderful clients we’d meet, the exciting projects we’d complete, and the industry accolades we’d receive over the years. As we start our third decade in business, we are grateful for each and every one.
Best of Arlington 2020
We cannot think of a better way to kick off our milestone year than making Arlington Magazine’s Best of Arlington 2020 list! A. Houck Designs was a top vote getter for Interior Designer under the Home category in the annual reader survey.
Reader Pick – Best Interior Designer
Thank you, readers of Arlington Magazine, for voting for us once again (we first made the Best of Arlington list in 2016). It’s a privilege to share the spotlight with such talented Arlington interior designers.
Best of Virginia, Too
We were also in great company in 2018 when A. Houck Designs made The LuxPad‘s roundup of the 14 Best Interior Designers in Virginia! What a thrill it was to join the list of top interior designers from around the state.
Design Projects on the Boards
The Best of Arlington honor aside, this year is shaping up to be a great one for A. Houck Designs. We hit the ground running, with some amazing projects on the boards. One couple asked us to reimagine their lower level and create a billiards room to be enjoyed by players of all ages. Here’s a sneak peek of our vision for the fun space:
We often collaborate with architects and builders on new construction and renovation projects. Decision overload is real, ya’ll! We help narrow down the choices and then develop a cohesive selections package and design plan. Here’s our presentation board detailing the selections for a kitchen in a new build: As you can see, we proposed a feature wall, showcasing a terra cotta tile with a big, bold pattern. The to-scale, color perspective rendering helps the homeowners visualize how the selections will look in the space.
And take a look at the selections, along with the perspective drawing, for the master bathroom in the same new-construction home:We can’t wait to see the elements of these projects come together. Stay tuned in the coming months as we share more about the design process and reveal the finished spaces.
As it turns out, these two works in progress really encapsulate our business model — full-service interior design, coupled with construction-consulting services. More than that, though, they speak to the range of design styles we craft. For the past 20 years, our motto has been: Creating spaces you will love…traditional, modern or somewhere in between.® We want every client to be overjoyed with their new spaces — spaces we created specifically with them and their lifestyle in mind.
An A. Houck Designs Retrospective
So as we look forward to the new year and new decade, we’ve also been looking back, reflecting on past projects. Below is a brief retrospective of some highlights. Again, these point to the diverse styles that make up our portfolio.
We updated a historic Capitol Hill row house, creating a comfortable seating area in the living room’s bay-window nook:
A skirted table softens the lines of the tall windows and doors, kept bare to usher in natural light, in this McLean great room. The family’s furry friend obviously approves:
This Arlington living room goes way back in the A. Houck Designs archives. The warm colors look just as fresh and inviting today.
This pretty and practical vignette graces a Fredericksburg family room. I love how the mirror captures the space’s lovely architecture:
A young family wanted a sophisticated dining room to entertain friends and host holiday gatherings. We mixed silks, velvets and metallic finishes to create just the right look:
Bold colors, patterns and artwork combine in this Arlington family room’s lively tableau:
Custom buffet lamps add a bit of bling to this eclectic Washington, D.C., dining room. The furniture selections mix refined and rough-hewn finishes:
We redesigned a Bethesda kitchen to create a more functional layout. Then we instilled a fresh new look, balancing warm wood tones and light neutrals in the selections:
Giving Back: The D.C. Design House
We are blessed to live and work within the greater Washington area, and we enjoy giving back to our vibrant community. For ten years, the annual DC Design House, which raised over $2 million for the Children’s National Health System, was the region’s preeminent design event (it closed its doors in 2018). A. Houck Designs was selected, through a competitive process, to participate twice in the much-anticipated showhouse. In 2013, we created a glamorous side hall, complete with a modern French bar, where owners and guests would want to linger:
Invited back in 2016, we concocted the Mademoiselle Chambre, a Parisian-inspired bedroom for a teenage ingénue:
We believe in paying it forward, and, over the years, have supported numerous other charitable causes. We created and sold a holiday tree and tabletop to raise funds for Medstar Georgetown University Hospital’s pediatric cancer programs. A home and garden tour we helped organize benefitted our local elementary school’s outdoor learning program.
Thank you for joining us on this look back at our first 20 years. But most of all, thank you for your loyal support of A. Houck Designs and Creating Spaces (this spring will mark the blog’s 5th birthday!). We hope you’ll continue on this design journey with us. Here’s to health, happiness and beautiful spaces in 2020 and beyond!
Creating a Custom Rug for the Home
