During her years as a corporate recruiter, Shannon Hickok longed for more creativity. Eventually, she decided to embrace her love of home décor, completing a BA in interior design at Marymount University while working for DC designer Lisa Bartolomei “to make sure I was on the right track,” she says. Subsequent positions with Knoll and Herman Miller resulted in her first big job: furnishing the IMF’s Washington headquarters.

After that, Hickok redesigned a 10,000-square-foot building in Arlington for Eagle Hill Consulting while tackling residential projects that included an apartment at the Ritz Carlton in DC’s West End. Hickok’s practice still combines commercial and residential projects. “I like a mix,” she explains, “but I find residential work more creative.”

Her aesthetic emphasizes bright colors in vibrant, transitional spaces. “I enjoy mixing old and new elements—always infusing lots of color,” she relates. “I try to get clients to step outside their comfort zones.”

Interior Design: Shannon Hickok, Allied ASID, Shannon Hickok Design, Alexandria, Virginia. Renovation Contractor: Robert Douglas, Creighton Construction, Arlington, Virginia. Styling: Kristen Alcorta, Pursuing Vintage.