As a residential architect and principal of her own firm, Colleen Healey takes pride in the seasoned, collaborative approach she embraces on every project. “I get joy out of helping my clients understand what they want out of their homes and creating something beautiful, functional and fun,” she avers.

Known for a timeless yet modern aesthetic, Healey and her team take their design inspiration not only from a well-traveled and culturally diverse client base, but also from the building site or home itself.  “I feel strongly about letting a site or an existing house help inform our design,” she notes. “Our homes are all one-of-a-kind and are intimately tied to their site and occupants.”

Healey’s work can be summarized with one word: flexibility. “I’m a firm believer that there is always more than one right answer in design—so we start with functionality and then the aesthetic options fall into place,” she explains. “Having children and a pet of my own have helped me understand how to blend high-end, modern architecture with choices that can withstand young children, and how to design flexibly for a growing family.”

Sustainability is another important consideration in her practice—partly because today’s clients expect it. Many of Healey’s projects involve rehabilitating and modernizing historic homes “so that they can be here another 100-plus years,” she affirms.

Colleen Healey has received more than 50 local and national awards—among them, six RDAA National Awards in the past two years.