Today we’d like to introduce you to Calla Parker & Helen Hankla.
Hi Calla & Helen, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
After each moving with our spouses to Austin over the summer of 2012, we met through volunteering at a non-profit and became fast friends. We shared similar interests and both had backgrounds in design and construction, as well as an affinity for creating order out of chaos. At the time, we had other responsibilities with young families and jobs, but we made it known to the people around us that we loved design, offering free advice and DIY construction to friends and family over the years. In 2015, we awoke one morning to a message from a local church asking if we would be interested in redesigning their kids building, and that led to overseeing the construction too. We called in favors from every family member and close friend with any construction know-how and brought our fresh ideas to life, creating a beautiful, fun, engaging kids space. From there, we were entrusted to design that church’s office space and we officially launched C&H Design Studio.
In the early days, many of our clients were people who we knew—or at least knew of. We grew slowly and organically, by word of mouth, and considered it more of a hobby. As time went on, our client base grew and we developed into a full-time design-build business. In 2020, we transitioned out of construction, deciding to focus exclusively on the design of residential remodels.
Today, 10 years later, we are more committed than ever to creating cohesive and beautiful spaces that enhance everyday life!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has NOT been a smooth ride—it’s been an adventure with struggles and successes, ups and downs. Pricing was a huge struggle for us early on, one that took many years to refine, in order to ensure that we are treating each client fairly and providing them great value. We also experience communication challenges—there’s always the tension of being accessible to our clients and construction teams while maintaining work-life balance. I think this is a common struggle for small business owners and we find ourselves regularly refining our communication methods to serve everyone well.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about C&H Design Studio?
C&H Design Studio is an interior design firm located in Cedar Park, serving the greater Austin area. We specialize in spatial planning and finish & fixture selection for residential additions and remodels of any size. We have been in business for 10 years this fall, and are passionate about creating spaces that are both beautiful and functionally serve the everyday needs of our clients.
We are committed to making design accessible and enjoyable. Planning for and executing a construction project can be overwhelming and frustrating, but it doesn’t have to be! We strive to be a trusted resource and guide for our clients, while creating space for joy throughout the experience.
It is a priority for us to communicate to our clients and their contractors clearly and help construction go smoothly, ending on time and within budget. To that end, we create full Construction Documents and Finish Schedules; and we also stay on the project team through construction to assist with issues as they arise and ensure the integrity of the design. We’re committed to making the design-build process as delightful as possible for all involved.
We offer a wide range of customizable services: Design Consultations, Spatial Planning, Finish & Fixture Selections, Furniture Selection, Accessible Design, Individual Room Design, and Pool Design.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
Our earliest supporters, including Kenny Conley, who entrusted us with our first paid design and construction job. He took a risk on us, and that was catalytic to the founding of our business.
Our husbands and kids, who gave up nights and weekends to support us. They have sanded, painted, demo’d carpet and concrete, put up framing and lights, and staged furniture; they’ve done coffee runs and food deliveries; they offered their time and talents freely and championed us all along the way.
Our clients and close contractor relationships who see value and believe in our talent, and champion our business by word of mouth.
Our Studio Manager, Audrey, who keeps us on track and moving forward. Her giftings have taken us from surviving to thriving
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.chdesignatx.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chdesign.atx/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chdesign.atx/
- Other: https://share.google/nkzUTkEale3hOELE4
Image Credits
C&H: Jenna McElroy
Circleview: NM Hoffer
Maravillas: NM Hoffer
Milky Way: Alan Duggins
Monaco: Jenna McElroy
Riviera Springs: Alan Duggins
Stony Meadow: Alan Duggins
Travis Country: NM Hoffer
