Meridith Hamilton

“In my personal and work spaces I focus on very few accessories and large art,” says interior designer Meridith Hamilton of MLH Designs in Little Rock. She and her husband and business partner Chuck, with Chuck Hamilton Construction, recently moved into their new offices in downtown Little Rock after much renovation. “The original building was built in 1903,” Chuck says. “Unfortunately, several of the previous owners had altered the building's structure by removing the arches above the front windows and adding awnings,” he says. “We spent 10 months renovating the building and bringing it back to its original character.”

For Meridith the office remodel was similar to any other project, although in this case, she was the client. “We wanted more room, more light and a lot more storage,” she says. “I was really inspired by the loft-feeling of this building, including the brick walls and high ceilings. We wanted the client-focused spaces, such as the conference room and the materials library, toward the front, and we placed our offices and the kitchen in the back.”

Meridith began her design career in 2000 by interning with several prominent designers after completing her degree at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway. “Interior design, and kitchens and bathrooms in particular, seems to suit my way of thinking,” she says. “It's like a puzzle that you have to fit together all of the pieces, from the floor plan to the finishes and the hardware to the furnishings. For me, design is a mix of very structured ideas and creative art.” The design-build partnership between Chuck and Meridith continues to benefit both the clients and the Hamiltons. “About 70 percent of my projects are with Chuck,” Meridith says. “It makes it so easy because he knows how I think and what I mean when I say certain things. It's also nice to be involved in every aspect of the project from the building phase to the end. It helps to create a full sense of how the house or room will live.”

Although Meridith enjoys entire-house projects, she has a certain love for kitchen and bath design. “Kitchens and bathrooms are extra fun for me. They are such functional rooms, but you get to make them fabulous by using great materials, clean lines and textures.” For her, good design is all about creating a clean, uncluttered environment. “I can do any style,” she says, “from traditional to modern or something in between, but my designs are always clean-lined and uncluttered. I focus on the existing lines in the space and use texture a lot. I do love color, and I find that selected punches of color tend to be more dramatic.” Meridith's well-edited designs have won her 13 ASID awards to date, and she's continuing her education through National Kitchen & Bath Association certification. “There's always more to learn, and I want to always bring something new and exciting to my clients,” she says.