JULY/AUGUST 2011

Marika Meyer launched her Bethesda firm, Marika Meyer Interiors, after earning a degree in fine arts, studying design at the Corcoran—and working at the Corporate Executive Board in DC. “Learning project management and business skills was crucial in enabling me to run a business successfully,” she says.

One early project that tested her mettle was the complete makeover of a Georgetown rowhouse for a client who was downsizing; it involved gutting and renovating the entire house. “I managed the project on my own,” Meyer recalls. “It gave me a lot of confidence. After that, my business just started growing, even in the downturn.”

In the narrow kitchen of that home, Meyer designed banquette seating with storage above and below as a “space-saving maneuver.” The designer prides herself on listening to clients and understanding their likes and dislikes. She recently helped a young, budget-conscious couple furnish their Logan Circle home using vintage furniture and created an elegant living room in Georgetown with built-in millwork for clients bent on displaying their books.

Meyer says that one of her design philosophies is that “there has to be a merging of form and function. The majority of our clients are families, so we make sure there is realistic, approachable space that they can live in.”

**Out of the array of interior design magazines, Home and Design magazine stands out as a primary idea source for luxury home designs.  Wonderful visuals of inspired décor and lush landscapes are combined with expert advice to provide a fundamental reference point for bringing amazing home interior design ideas to life.