Almost nine years since its founding, Harper House Design has hit its stride. High-end builders and their clients are turning to the company for its seasoned design team and proven track record.
Harper House Melds Art and Eras for Timeless Effects
Interior Designer Lucy Roland opened Harper House in 2015 and enlisted Allie Stoddard as her creative partner in 2017, both bringing a wealth of education and experience to the task. Roland’s passion for design emerged during her upbringing in Portland and Central Oregon, living in a design savvy environment created by her mother and grandmother. She went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in interior design from the Art Institute of Portland. After working for 12 years at Maison, a prestigious interior design firm in Portland, Roland launched Harper House in Bend.
Allie Stoddard earned degrees in fine art, including a master’s in painting and drawing from the San Francisco Art Institute, which brings extra depth in textiles and fine art to Harper House. In fact, since becoming part of the team, Stoddard has been creating custom artwork for clients.
One reason for Harper House’s success is its focus on building trust and rapport with clients. “Establishing trust with clients is our top priority,” Roland said. “Without it, clients may start to question our decisions. A strong relationship is the key to delivering the best design.”
According to Roland, the best time to seek interior design help is during the early stages of a project when clients are choosing their architect and builder. “To create a harmonious design, we like to be involved in the overall direction of each home in conjunction with architects who value our input on selecting hard surfaces, such as plumbing and lighting fixtures, flooring and cabinets,” she said.
Whether engaged in new construction or home renovations, Harper House follows a meticulous process. Through interviews, architectural renderings and detailed questionnaires, the designers gain insight on client preferences. “We want to know whether they have kids or pets, whether they are attracted to natural stone versus a manufactured slab, stained cabinets or painted, and how our clients really live to create the overall feeling of the house,” Stoddard explained. “We get down to the nitty gritty of it.”
After extensive interviews, the Harper House designers then put together a visual presentation for clients in their downtown Bend studio, pulling from an extensive collection of colors, tiles, fabrics, plumbing finishes, wood finishes and flooring. For new construction, they offer two to three distinct styling options for each room. Remodels and renovations follow a similar, albeit more concise, process. “We curate the experience so our clients don’t have to look at 5,000 samples,” Roland said.
“Lucy has an incredible sense of style and an eye for unusual fabrics and details, elevating each individual piece,” said Sarah Goracke who has sought help from Harper House on home projects in Bend and Tumalo. “She’s fun to work with and isn’t someone who dictates her own design sense. She works in a collaborative fashion to come up with something very tailored to your own aesthetic.”
Rather than follow the latest design trends, Roland and Stoddard tend to choose classic and timeless pieces. “There are a lot of hot things now, like curves and arches,” Stoddard said. “The problem with trends is that people don’t know how to be conservative with them, and they take them into the end zone. It becomes overkill, and that’s when everything starts to look dated,” she said. “It’s about balance and not turning your house into a time capsule of 2024.”
The designers enjoy offering clients a fusion of styles that reflect Harper House’s unique aesthetic. “Even if your house is ultra contemporary, we like to throw in an antique piece to give it a more curated look. Likewise, even with a home on Mirror Pond, it’s beautiful to have an ultra modern piece mixed with traditional, historical cabinetry,” Roland said. “The juxtaposition between styles and eras is where the magic happens. We have our own look, which seems to be working well.”
The company doesn’t advertise, but instead relies on referrals from satisfied clients. “Our job is to make the process fun from day one to putting the bow on the house,” Roland said. Given the ever-evolving landscape of Central Oregon’s high-end residential market, Harper House emerges as a distinctive voice, contributing a unique perspective to homeowners.
See More of Harper House Design’s Work
Remodeled Mid-Century Home in Northwest Bend
A Modern Remodel Complements the Deschutes River
Inside a Tetherow Home with Private Courtyard, Art and a ‘Snuggery’
Expansive Glass Wall Openings Trending in Central Oregon Homes
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