As a child growing up in Asheville, North Carolina, Carmel Greer would sneak through the woods with her sisters to nearby Biltmore Estate—the celebrated Vanderbilt mansion—and wander through grounds designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. “It was probably those carefully crafted outdoor rooms that first inspired me to become an architect,” Greer observes.

Today, she is a graduate of the Yale School of Architecture and the founding principal of District Design, which she launched in 2010. She and her team design residential, commercial and multi-family projects in the DC area, emphasizing value and enduring beauty.

The process begins with an assessment of the structure or lot’s strengths. In renovation projects, Greer looks for ways to retain and showcase unique and beautiful existing elements—and in every case, she puts the client’s vision first. “We approach each project as a collaboration with the client,” Greer says. “We listen carefully and share images to make sure we’re all on the same page.”

Projects by District Design have been published in The Washington Post, Washingtonian, DC Modern Luxury and Home & Design.