Historically, interior design was never about the client. it was about displaying wealth, status, power and beauty for nobility and aristocracy, rather than functioning for the needs of those who lived within the space. Comfort and utility were sacrificed on the altar of outward appearance, abandoned in the interest of grandeur and social standing. It has only been in the last century that interior design has become client-focused, built around their needs, health and daily life. And while many design firms fall into the trap of form over function and trend over utility, Dawn Heuer and her team at The Design House believe that a space should reflect the people living in it and feel as personal to them as if they had designed it themselves.
An independent designer since 2019, when she launched the Heuer Design Collective, Heuer grew her operations during the pandemic, focusing on residential renovations and virtual design over the next few years before opening The Design House in early 2025. The brick-and-mortar storefront concept blends full-service design, showroom, home décor and merchandise to offer what Heuer considers “accessible design.”
“I’ve always believed that great design should be accessible,” she says. “I wanted to create a destination where people could explore thoughtfully curated spaces without feeling like they had to be in the middle of a massive interior design project. The Design House is a reflection of that vision, serving as a livable, inspiring collection of one-of-a-kind vintage pieces, art and furnishings. It also fills a distinct need in Atlanta. With so many of the city’s design centers being ‘trade-only’ and concentrated in Buckhead, I wanted to step outside that bubble and open our doors to everyone seeking a layered, designer aesthetic.”
For Heuer, opening the store has both broadened her customer base and also afforded her the ability to expand her team. It’s also been a great opportunity to see what people respond to in real-time, giving her a new level of understanding her clients—both in design and in retail. “We’ve been able to be more dedicated to sourcing and curating for the store, from the boutique home fragrances we offer to vintage clothing pieces for the little rack in the corner of our shop. As we’ve grown, I’ve learned more about what clients and customers are looking for and how we can continue making great design feel effortless,” Heuer says. “It’s so important to me that anyone who comes into The Design House as a customer or works with us as a design client understands that beautiful design can be both elevated and approachable. The Design House is about finding pieces with character, creating spaces with soul and surrounding yourself with things you genuinely love. We pride ourselves on our ability to grow with our clients and customers, and we hope they can find a little piece of themselves every time they visit the shop. A home shouldn’t feel like a showroom. It should feel collected, personal and entirely your own.”
Located in Atlanta’s historic Old Fourth Ward, The Design House occupies the renovated Highland Bakery building, dividing the space between design showroom and retail shop, where clients can not only walk through a three-dimensional portfolio of the design team’s work but also browse and purchase a curated collection of furniture, home décor, artwork, lighting, tabletop pieces and artisan-crafted lifestyle goods sourced from around the world. The space is also available for private parties and functions, offering a unique and beautiful setting to host an event.
In many ways, The Design House embodies the very shift that has transformed interior design over the last century. Instead of expecting clients to conform to a particular aesthetic, Heuer uses design as a means of supporting their lives, highlighting the personalities and easing the routines of the people who inhabit each space. Whether undertaking a full-scale renovation, furnishing a new home or refreshing a single room, Heuer and her team approach every project with the same guiding principle: good design begins by listening.
“In any project, the first and most important thing to determine is how the clients actually live. I want to understand what their days look like, how they use their home, what they love about it and what isn’t working. The more we understand about their routines and priorities, the more personal and functional the design can become,” says Heuer. “That understanding comes from listening and paying attention to the details—which is also how we tap into their personalities and make sure it isn’t lost in design. What are they drawn to? What do they already own and love? Where have they traveled? How do they entertain? We take all of those clues and translate them into materials, colors, art, furnishings and objects. The finished home should feel like the client, just through a more refined design lens.”
That philosophy is one of The Design House and Heuer Design Collective’s key differentiators, focusing customization and curation to the extent that every space feels layered, timeless, unique and—above all else—deeply personal.
“Because a home should reflect the people living in it, we apply an exacting level of detail to everything we source,” Heuer says. “I am constantly searching for pieces with real character, focusing on items you simply will not see everywhere else. We intentionally mix old and new, high and low, custom and found. Whether we are designing an entire home or selecting inventory for The Design House, our goal remains the same: Every space should feel uniquely yours and organically collected over time rather than purchased all at once.”
Beyond simple aesthetics, Heuer believes that good design removes friction from everyday life. “It considers where you put your keys, how your kitchen functions when everyone is home, where people naturally gather, how lighting changes throughout the day and whether a room actually supports the way you want to use it,” she says. “Those decisions may seem small individually, but together they can completely change how a room or even how an entire home feels. A space can be beautiful, but if it doesn’t work for the people living there, it’s not a successful design. Some of the best design decisions aren’t the ones that you immediately notice but the ones that make everyday life easier.”
Heuer’s end goal, regardless of the scope of the project or budget, is for a client to feel immediately at home when they walk into their completed space. “Of course, I want there to be that moment of excitement when they see everything finished,” she says. “But ultimately, I want it to feel deeply personal and comfortable—not like they’ve walked into someone else’s idea of a beautiful house.”
As The Design House continues to develop its scope of services and retail offerings, Heuer envisions the brand as being synonymous with thoughtful, distinctive design—a destination for finding the incredible and unique work of artists, makers and brands she believes in, in a space where beauty is tangible, accessible and personalized. In an industry that was once all about pleasing those looking in, Heuer and The Design House have made their mark by placing the client—not the spectacle—at the center of every design, proving that the most beautiful spaces are those that tell the story of the people who call them home. *
Liesel Schmidt is a freelance writer and book editor based in Navarre, Florida. She is the author of three novels.
