Design Fusion JULY/AUGUST 2010

Susan Major was an IT project manager until 2000, when she and her husband bought a townhouse in Columbia, Maryland, that she describes as “an uncarved block.” That purchase was the catalyst for a major career change. She started playing around with the space and, as she phrases it, “became interested in the process.”

After transforming her own home, Major decided to fuse her organizational and analytical skills with her creative side. The result was The Hestia Group, her Columbia-based interior design business, which she started in 2002. “I really like to help people achieve a creative goal,” Major says. “I try to be a reflection of who my client is. It shouldn’t look like me so much as my client.” 

In the case of the Bethesda home featured here, the challenge was to create a space that would suit the homeowner—a young executive who wanted his house to represent “someone successful with great taste, but masculine, not overdone,” Major explains. The house had Craftsman elements, and the designer combined them with British Colonial-style furnishings to create a clean-lined, tailored vibe. Asian pieces scattered throughout lend the space a calm, restful air. 

According to Major, the palette of rich gold hues and black accents took some selling on her part. Her client was hesitant—but educating homeowners is something Major enjoys. “I partner creativity with risk-taking,” she says. “Then I under-gird that with a systematic process.” 

INTERIOR DESIGN: Susan Major, The Hestia Group, Columbia, Maryland. 

**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.