Houston to Colorado: My Interior Design Philosophy, Evolved
From Shanghai to Houston to Berlin to Centennial: What 20 Years Taught Me About Where I Actually Want to Work
I started Jamie House Design designing homes in Wuxi and Shanghai. Then I built a practice in Houston with a focus on The Heights neighborhood. In 2017, I moved to Berlin and continued working with Houston clients remotely. In 2021, we moved to Centennial, Colorado. In 2022, I joined an architecture firm. By the end of 2024, I'd left to rebuild my independent practice.
After 20 years designing homes across three continents, I'm clear about what I want to build: a hyperlocal practice where I'm genuinely present for every project.
This is the story of how I got here.
Shanghai: Where It Started
Before I ever had Houston projects, I worked in China, designing American style subdivision homes in Wuxi and clubhouse amenity levels in high-rises in Shanghai, learning to navigate international vendors, understanding how design principles translate across cultures.
That experience taught me to source globally, work with fabricators across continents, and recognize that while good design is universal, context is everything. A home in Shanghai requires completely different thinking than a home in Houston, even if both families want beautiful, functional spaces.
It also taught me I wanted to work closer to home.
Houston: Building Something Real
When I started taking Houston projects, I focused deliberately on The Heights, the historic neighborhood where I lived. 1920s bungalows with pier-and-beam foundations. Historic district restrictions that required fighting for many design decisions. But I’ve always been devoted to history and preservation so it was a joy.
I spent two years getting approvals for one renovation. I learned to read the neighborhood intimately; which homes were worth saving, which contractors could execute difficult work, how to navigate preservation requirements while modernizing for contemporary life.
That hyperlocal focus worked. I knew my territory. The business grew because I understood the specific challenges of Heights homes in a way someone driving in from across town never could.
Berlin: When Remote Work Taught Me What I Actually Value
When my husband and I decided to move to Berlin in 2017, I thought I'd build a practice there. German industry regulations made navigating that without German fluency nearly impossible, especially with a small child.
So I kept my Houston clients and worked their projects from 5,000 miles away.
My talented assistant managed installations and contractor meetings on the ground. I flew back several times a year for client presentations and project walkthroughs. We made it work; the projects turned out well, clients were happy, the business stayed afloat.
But I hated working that way.
Video calls can't replace being there when a contractor needs a real-time decision that will affect the entire project. You can't assess how afternoon light hits a newly opened kitchen over Zoom. You lose the crucial conversations that happen standing in someone's living room, understanding how they actually live, not just what they say they want.
Berlin gave me access to incredible European design markets, vendors I'd never encountered in the US, materials and fabricators that expanded my sourcing capabilities considerably. I visited showrooms across Germany and Scandinavia. I learned a tremendous amount.
But I missed being present for my work. The gap between doing good work remotely and doing great work on-site became undeniable.
From Berlin, I became much more selective about which projects I'd take on. If I was going to work this way, it needed to be worth the frustration of not being able to show up when it mattered.
Colorado: The Path to Independence
When we moved to Centennial in 2021, I took a position at an architecture firm. On paper it looked right; high-end mountain homes, sophisticated clients, a legitimate firm with an impressive portfolio.
The reality didn't match. The culture wasn't what I'd hoped. The projects were beautiful houses, but I wasn't solving the design problems that interest me; understanding how families actually live, balancing beauty with function, creating spaces that work for decades, not just for the photoshoot.
I left at the end of 2024 to rebuild my independent practice.
What I'm Building Now
After two decades of designing homes internationally, I'm doing something I've been circling for years: focusing exclusively on South Denver suburbs within 20 minutes of my Centennial home.
Not because I can't work farther, I've proven I can work from another continent if necessary. But because I've learned that being present for projects produces better design than being remotely excellent.
I want to know these neighborhoods the way I knew The Heights in Houston. I want to understand that Smoky Hill ranch homes from the 1980s have specific challenges; closed floor plans from a different era, builder-grade materials showing their age, layouts that don't reflect how people actually use kitchens now.
I'm learning which Centennial contractors consistently deliver quality and which ones need close management. I'm understanding how light works at 5,800 feet versus sea level, how to choose paint colors that won't wash out in Colorado's intense sunshine, which local vendors I can rely on.
I want to work with Castle Pines families whose custom homes have builder-grade interiors that don't reflect their actual taste. I want to help Littleton homeowners modernize Mid-Century Modern and Craftsman homes while respecting architectural character. I want to serve Highlands Ranch families who need spaces that balance beauty with the durability their active households require.
This is the work that interests me, solving real design problems for people who'll live with the results for decades.
What 20 Years Actually Taught Me
Global experience matters. Shanghai taught me to source anywhere, work with craftsmen across continents, understand how design evolves in different cultures. Berlin expanded my vendor network and material knowledge. Those capabilities are assets I bring to every project.
But presence matters more. Remote work taught me that transformative design requires being there for crucial decisions. You can't delegate the conversation that happens when you're standing in someone's kitchen, understanding how they actually cook, where the real bottlenecks are, what drives them crazy every morning.
Architectural training is non-negotiable. My minor in Architecture from Texas Tech matters more now than when I graduated. Being able to read construction drawings, understand structural systems, and coordinate effectively with contractors is what separates surface-level improvements from transformative renovations.
Independent practice serves clients better. I'm not tied to furniture showrooms or specific brands. I source from custom fabricators, trade-only vendors, vintage dealers, Colorado artisans; wherever I can find exactly what your project needs. Recommendations are based solely on what serves you best.
Clear focus beats constant growth. Early in my career, I took every project I could. From Berlin, I became more selective because logistics forced me to be. Now I'm choosing limits deliberately: South Denver suburbs only, 20 minutes from Centennial, 12 homes per year maximum.
I recognize that exceptional design requires presence.
How We Can Work Together
I work with clients at different stages of their design journey. Some need comprehensive project management; others want expert guidance while managing execution themselves.
Design Consultation — Two-hour in-home assessment with design direction, material guidance, and contractor recommendations. $500, credited toward full-service within 60 days. For homeowners who need professional insight but will manage their own project, or who want to understand what's actually involved before committing to larger scope.
Partial Design Services — Kitchen and bathroom design, space planning, material selections, furniture plans, design coaching. Professional design for specific project phases while you handle procurement and installation. For capable DIYers or those with budget constraints who want professional design direction.
Full-Service Design — Comprehensive project management from architectural planning through final installation. Custom millwork, contractor coordination, complete procurement, styling. This is how transformative design actually happens; when someone who understands both architecture and interiors manages every decision from concept through execution.
What Makes My Approach Different
After 20 years, here's what I bring to your project:
Architectural expertise. I read construction drawings, understand how buildings work structurally, and coordinate effectively with contractors. This isn't decorating, it's architectural problem-solving. When renovating older homes especially, you need someone who understands the building, not just the finishes.
International perspective, hyperlocal focus. Years designing homes in Shanghai and Berlin, sourcing from European vendors, attending international design markets, that global perspective matters. But I'm applying it exclusively to South Denver neighborhoods I'm learning intimately.
Independent practice. No sales quotas, no showroom affiliations, no pressure to specify particular brands. I source from custom fabricators, trade-only vendors, vintage dealers, wherever I can find exactly what your project needs.
Flexible service structure. Three service tiers accommodate different budgets and involvement levels. Many consultation clients convert to full-service once they understand what's actually involved. Others successfully manage their own projects with professional design direction.
For Centennial, Littleton, Castle Pines, and Highlands Ranch Homeowners
If you're considering renovation or furnishing your home, here's what you should know about working with me:
I'm building my Colorado portfolio deliberately, with clients who value the design process and understand that transformative results take time. I don't take every project, I work with people who want a designer genuinely present for their work, not just collecting fees from across town.
What I bring is 20 years of experience designing homes across three continents, architectural training that means I understand how buildings actually work, and a deliberate commitment to focusing exclusively on South Denver suburbs.
I've designed everything from Shanghai apartments to Houston historic bungalows to new construction mountain homes. Now I'm applying all of that experience to the neighborhoods within 20 minutes of my Centennial studio.
If that approach resonates with you, let's talk.
About Jamie House Design
With 20+ years of international design experience and a minor in Architecture from Texas Tech, Jamie House brings both creative vision and technical expertise to every project. Based in Centennial, she works exclusively within South Denver suburbs, bringing a global design perspective to the neighborhoods she calls home.
Related Articles:
Interior Designer Centennial CO — Why I focus on established homes in Smoky Hill, Walnut Hills, and Southglenn
How I Approach Ranch Kitchen Renovations — The specific challenges of 1970s-1990s ranch layouts
Littleton Historic Home Design — Preserving character while modernizing Victorian, Craftsman, and mid-century homes
What Interior Design Actually Costs in Denver — Real numbers for consultation, partial, and full-service projects
