With and eye for the unique, Connie LeFevre, ASID, RID and her company, Design House, Inc. are noted throughout the community. With fresh design ideas and a medley of different items all over the showroom it is not hard to figure out why the company is so successful. “I search the globe for one-of-a-kind items for my Houston showroom, Design House, Inc.” she said. Among her finds are European antiques, art, accessories, lighting and custom pieces, which she uses to expertly dress spaces for discerning clients. “One unusual piece can complete an entire setting, giving it personality and flair,” she said.
Combining three existing warehouses into one spacious showroom years ago has enabled the respected firm to expand their products and services, which benefits their clients as well as other designers. Designers enjoy bringing their clients in to the showroom or taking items out to try in a space. “Trying out a chair or seeing a piece of art before purchasing helps establish trust, and it also prevents errors,” Connie said. The showroom is available to the public as well. “They shop our showroom when looking for an exceptional piece with which to anchor their designs. Because we find our selections worldwide they are unique and everyone is guaranteed something fresh and exciting,” LeFevre said. Right now, the showroom is currently adding the second floor to increase their space an additional sixty five percent. A demand to furnish everything from luxury homes to the more moderate, ranches and offices will hopefully be staved by the new space.
Design House’s design clients rely on LeFevre and her staff to compose creations that translates the client’s lifestyle needs in both a functional and aesthetic way. “Design House is a full-service design firm with experience in new construction, remodeling, custom design, space-planning, lighting, material specification, purchasing and installation,” Connie explained. “Regardless of the style—traditional, contemporary, transitional, etc.—my team listens carefully to our clients’ needs during conception and we partner with them throughout the entire process to ensure that their visions are realized.”
Connie, now a seasoned professional interior designer with 30 years’ experience began her trek towards her career as a student as the University of Louisiana. After she married and moved to Houston, she enrolled at the University of Houston and received a fine arts degree in interior design. “I’m an artist at heart,” the successful businesswoman said.
Today, Connie and her team of 9 full-time employees and several part-time employees—including a rotation of interns from the neighboring universities—tackle projects of all sizes. In addition to incorporating unique elements to create individual designs, they rely on the latest technology to get the job done. “Technology can be used creatively to produce special, unique, and exciting looks with sophisticated materials,” says LeFevre. One project involved outfitting the ceiling of a seaside home with fiber optics to recreate an astronomically correct star chart. By punching holes in the ceiling and installing “stars” made from bundles of fibers she simulated the night sky while eliminating the need for replacement bulbs in a hard to reach area.
Innovations like this one contributed to the Design Times’ declaration that Connie is one of the “10 Designers to Watch”. Connie is quick to give credit to her supportive staff. “We are a team that works together to efficiently and effectively serve our clients.” This approach has led to numerous accolades by industry organizations and features in national and local publications.
Connie looks for opportunities to give back to the industry that she’s enjoyed so much. She is a former president of the ASID Texas Gulf Coast Chapter and the former vice president and board member or TAID. Her active involvement in these groups has contributed to her achievements, which, in turn, have led to a loyal following. “My staff and I are blessed with extraordinary clients who trust us to deliver personalized designs that are functional and aesthetically pleasing,” LeFevre said. “We consider a project successful when our clients declare that we provided the right solutions to their design challenges.”