3 min read
To Chloe Heath, the recipe for a well-designed room is deceptively simple: one part patina, one part practicality—add in some personality, and stir well. In other words, “nothing is meant to be perfect,” she says, an ethos she’s abided by since she was in her early twenties.
In many ways, it’s an outlook shaped by her own personal experience, because nothing was perfect—or at times, easy—about growing her now-successful firm, Heath Interiors. The interior design program at her college was shuttered shortly after she enrolled, so she pivoted to graphic design and spent years doing branding and art direction in the luxury hospitality industry. The desire to curate interiors never waned, though, so Heath went to Pratt at night to build up her technical chops, freelanced for two New York designers, then moved to Los Angeles right as the pandemic shut the world down. Still, through all of it, she somehow ended up exactly where she was always headed all along. If that sounds like a lot of detours, Heath would probably agree, but overcoming friction has become her biggest motivator.
The same holds for her namesake firm, where she worked hard to earn the trust of new clients while having “zero portfolio” and contended with difficult contractors that didn’t respect her leadership. “Having good partners is always important, but the harder experiences have helped us level up to be better advocates for our clients,” she adds.
These days, the client-designer relationship is paramount to Heath, who aims to create homes that are layered and personal, but also expertly managed. “Our firm operates at the intersection of design, construction, and financial stewardship,” she adds. “It’s not just about creating something beautiful; it’s also about making the right decisions early, so the home is highly functional, ages well, and truly supports the way our clients live.”
As for her next chapter in design, Heath’s open to whatever comes next, though she’s partial to projects that will allow her to explore new destinations, like mountain chalets, vacation escapes, and homes abroad. For someone accustomed to wandering a winding path, that feels just right.
Get to Know Chloe
House Beautiful: What materials, palettes, or details are you drawn to again and again?
Chloe Heath: We’re big on using natural materials whenever possible—wool, linen, natural stone. Many of our clients have young children or pets, so we also incorporate a lot of highly durable textiles and finishes that age well. We love to play with different color palettes, though some form of green almost always finds its way into every room we design. I think of it as a neutral!
HB: What’s one design decision this year that felt bold or risky—but paid off?
CH: In our Santa Monica Spanish project, we chose a bright green paint color for the cabinets. I had initially suggested something more muted, and our client wanted to go punchier. I’m obsessed with how it turned out. When we found the perfect green Calacatta marble for their countertops, it was a match made in heaven.
HB: What’s the smartest inexpensive decision you’ve made in a luxury space?
CH: One hack we use often in dining rooms that aren’t overly formal is choosing a simple, inexpensive wood chair and adding a custom cushion in a fun pattern. Upholstered dining chairs can quickly drive up the budget—especially when you need eight of them—and this approach delivers the same look for far less.
HB: What has been the biggest shift in your business in the last year?
CH: Realizing that my time is my biggest asset and I have to fiercely protect it at all costs. That means making sure my team’s roles are very clear and delegating parts of the business fully so that I can keep my focus narrowed to the things that I need to be doing. In practice, this meant changing our team structure, saying no to projects, and taking risks, but it’s already paying off tenfold.
HB: How are you building a sustainable design practice?
CH: We think about sustainability through the lens of material integrity and longevity. We prioritize natural, high-quality materials that age well, stone that develops patina, solid wood cabinetry, and finishes that improve over time rather than deteriorate. Our goal is to create homes that don’t need to be replaced in a decade because they were designed and built to last.
