ABOUT THE STUDIO

About the studio


Who we are

We're a hands-on and solution driven design studio that focuses on inviting, approachable design for everyday life.

We work within a variety of budgets and specialize in mixing old and new pieces to create one-of-a-kind spaces. We believe in designing and planning homes that can grow and evolve as you do, but are grounded with timeless elements that will never go out of style.

We work within a variety of design styles - check out our projects page to see our work.




 

DESIGN PHILOSOPHY

“Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.”
— William Morris
HLS-Circle.jpg

Notice the fern in our logo? It’s a symbol of protection and shelter - a place for refuge and restoration, which is exactly what we believe your home should be. HLS was formed to help you create a home that is comfortable and inviting – a respite after a long day and a place where your friends want to come over and put their feet up. Each space we design is specific to you and your family and should be a place you're proud of everyday. 

Your home should be your haven, and if it's not now, we’re here to help. 

 

Start here

New to HLS or never hired a designer before? Here’s how to get the ball rolling:

  1. Check out our FAQs page.

  2. Fill out the Tell Us More questionnaire, which is sent directly to our team and provides us a little more information on you and your project.

  3. We’ll schedule a 15 minute call to make sure we’re a good fit as well as answer any questions. Depending on your needs and if you’re ready to move forward, we’ll either schedule the initial consultation meeting or go ahead and prepare a general proposal that outlines the project scope, design fees, overall timeline and next steps.

  4. Initial Meeting - we’ll begin the Inspiration phase here and get rolling on the overall design concept for your project.


 

Hannah Lowman

Owner | Principal Designer & Creative Director

Hannah is North Carolina bred, but spent stints in New York City and Richmond, Virginia before moving back to her home state and settling in the blue ridges with her husband, two sons and two dogs. Her love of design and styling started young, and if she's not enjoying the outdoors or trying new restaurants, you'll find her rummaging in antiques stores or rearranging her living room (again).

Hannah is deeply passionate about helping folks move past the overwhelm of designing their spaces. She believes homes evolve over time and that it’s better to start small than wait until you’re ready to tackle the picture perfect space. Her number one priority is giving you a space you love and can enjoy right now.

 

Our Design Process


LET’S CHAT
Every project is different, so we’ll start by talking through your needs, timeline and vision. We believe that a great project begins with a great relationship so it’s important for us to understand your goals for the space and how you’re most comfortable working with our team. After we meet, we’ll send over a working proposal that outlines the project scope, timeline and how we can most effectively work together to complete your home. If you’re ready to get started, we’ll send you our contract and get rolling!

THE DESIGN CONCEPT
We’ll digest the information from our initial meetings to form an overall design concept for the space(s). We’ll send you various inspiration images and our initial project plan to walk you through the concept. We’ll discuss and tweak as needed so that we’re all on the same page as we move forward with specific design plans and selections.

THE SPECIFICS
Time to start making some selections! This is where we determine the specific elements of your project from floor plans to architectural elements. Paint colors to furniture selections. Depending on the scope of your project, this is where things will really start coming together! There may be a lot of decisions to make during this phase, but not to worry. We have a unique process to help clients avoid overwhelm and stay on track.

LAYERING
It’s time to add the layers! A project will not feel complete without decor, art, textiles and accessories, and it’s so important not to overlook this step. We’ll work with you to use or repurpose existing pieces, source new items or hunt for the perfect vintage find. This is where a space truly comes to life, and we’ll present these options based on our initial design concept with both budget and timeline in mind.

PURCHASING & INSTALLATION
There are a number of ways to navigate this phase, and we’ll work together to ensure your needs are met. Our goal is to leave you with a space that feels inviting, accessible and unique to you and your family, but, most importantly, we want to leave with you a space that feels finished. Even if you have some additional design related items to accomplish down the road, we want to give you a space you love and feel proud of right now.