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How We Design Truly Custom Homes From the Inside Out
- Robin Heard
- Sep 11
- 5 min read
When you hear “custom home,” you probably think of getting the exact size, shape, and layout of rooms you want and need. You might even think about architectural details and elevated finishes. But at Robin Heard Design, custom goes far deeper than just the overall design and primary finishes. It means designing a home that is unapologetically, unmistakably you. A home that’s crafted with thoughtful intention, tailored details, and one-of-a-kind elements that bring your personality, lifestyle, and values into every square foot.
Achieving this for my clients means not simply defaulting to whatever is readily available. Instead, we hunt down, unearth, or create from scratch everything that’s needed. And that isn’t just true of the big decisions like custom cabinetry and site-specific artwork. We carry that same approach through every detail, right down to the hinges on your doors and the lighting on your gate.
Here’s a look into exactly how we use curated, meaningful, and original elements to design a home that not only looks like you live there but that feels like you couldn’t live anywhere else.
Custom Artwork & Creative Displays
As I always say, art has a powerful impact on a home’s look and feel. It has the ability to add not only color and style, but also soul. Whether commissioning original pieces or curating collections of our clients’ existing work, we go the extra mile to make sure each piece feels fully integrated into the space. That includes custom framing, display design, and thoughtful placement to ensure the art feels personal and meaningful, not just decorative.
As much as possible, we work with local artists and makers, in addition to established names from all over the world. For every piece, we carefully consider scale, color palettes, and what the piece will say in a room. The result? A space that makes an artfully distinctive statement about who you are and what you love.
Tailored Floorplans for Real Life
Working to solve our clients’ design challenges involves optimizing the flow and functionality of their spaces. This frequently means reconfiguring the floorplan in whole or in part. Whether that means opening walls to connect indoor and outdoor spaces, reorganizing circulation paths, or designing from scratch with every lifestyle detail considered, we design layouts that truly support the way our clients live.
For me, the functionality of a home is never an afterthought. In fact, it’s the foundation. And when the layout flows, everything else has room to shine and to be fully appreciated for its contribution to the space.
Bespoke Finishes: Paint, Stain, Materials
If you’ve ever picked the wrong paint color, you know firsthand that paint and stain colors can make or break the character of a space. Instead of simply defaulting to standard selections, we often develop custom colors for cabinetry, floors, and more. These aren’t trendy shades or off-the-shelf picks. They’re hues created just for you, in the exact saturation, warmth, and depth your space needs and deserves.
Custom finishes extend to all the materials we specify, as well. The sheen of a waxed plaster wall. The texture of a hand-poured concrete surface. We thoughtfully curate it all to tell part of the story.
Built Just for You: Cabinetry, Fireplaces, Millwork, & More
Every millwork element is custom-designed to suit the home’s architecture and the homeowner’s needs. Every cabinet, every fireplace mantel, every piece of trim is designed, sourced, and crafted from scratch.
That means cabinetry that fits the space exactly, in dimensions, in scale, and in function. It means fireplaces that feel at once like sculptural centerpieces and natural extensions of the home itself.
It means staircases, ceiling treatments, trim profiles, and built-ins that are designed just for you and fabricated by craftspeople we trust.
It’s not just about luxury. It’s about achieving a deeply personal result by leaving nothing to chance.
Custom Tile & Wall Treatments
Whether it’s hand-cut mosaic tile in a powder room or a limewashed plaster wall with just the right glow, we take pride in creating custom wall and tile designs that simply don’t exist anywhere else.
We work with artisanal tile makers, specialty installers, and custom finishers to dream up and bring to life concepts that are fresh yet timeless.
This is how we ensure that your home is layered and full of interest without being loud or fussy.
Thoughtfully Sourced Makers & Materials
From handcrafted hardware to sculptural light fixtures by lesser-known artists, we love introducing our clients to beautiful items and elements they didn’t know existed.
Although we maintain strong relationships with major vendors in the design industry, we don’t limit ourselves to the usual showrooms or catalogs. Instead, we tap into our network of independent artisans and trusted vendors (both local and global) who bring a level of care and quality that can’t be mass-produced.
The result is a home that doesn’t just look different. It is different.
We believe every piece in your home should feel like it belongs because it was designed specifically to be there. To that end, we design and create custom furniture in the perfect scale, silhouette, and material for your space. We design window treatments that layer softly with light and complement your home’s architectural features. We work with custom rug makers to ensure the tone, pattern, and proportions are just right. It’s all part of our vision to give you truly custom spaces.
Every Detail Matters (Yes, Even the Switchplates)
I believe true luxury is about thoughtfulness and intentionality. And (though they’re small in scale), nothing ruins that quite like builder-grade switchplates, hinges, or door stops.
When I say my team and I hand-select every detail of your home, I mean it. Every hinge, bracket, latch, and plate is chosen with care to coordinate with finishes and align with the home’s architectural style. We source it all from lines that specialize in high-quality craftsmanship. It isn’t about finding expensive details. It’s about finding details that make sense in the design.
Exterior Materials, Landscaping, & Lighting
From roofing materials and siding to custom-designed gates and water features, the exterior of your home should feel as personal as the interiors. We design key elements and partner with trusted vendors, craftspeople, and fabricators to get every detail just right.
We think about how your home will look in the morning light and under the stars. About how a water feature will sound from your bedroom window. About where the gate should open for the most elegant first impression. Every decision is made with intention and care, both inside and outside of your home.
Why Custom Design Choices Matter
The truth is that the quickest way to water down a truly custom home is to leave details to chance. That’s exactly why we simply don’t do default. When clients come to us, they’re looking for more than beautiful spaces; they’re looking for something as unique and tasteful as they are.
They’re looking for a home that supports them, reflects them, and delights them. A home that feels just right because every choice was made with intention. And we’re here to make sure they get it.
Are you ready for a home that’s designed just for you? Let’s talk about what’s possible. Contact us today!
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