Who We Are

Susan Hergenrather and Jim Knox first met over 20 years ago in Alexandria, Virginia when Jim was an interior designer with the GSA and Susan was a stay at home mom with 2 kids. Within a few years of their meeting, Susan was enrolled in graduate school earning her masters degree in interior design and was frequently calling on Jim for advice and mentoring. Jim moved on from GSA to become Senior Design Manager at Xerox. Their relationship eventually turned into a partnership and business after they had both worked as successful independent designers. They bring contrasting, yet complimentary philosophies to their work and share a mutual respect that is reflected in their projects and appreciated by their clients.


Susan Hergenrather has always been an artist. She studied painting and drawing from childhood, culminating in a bachelor's degree in painting. Her undergraduate experience also imparted an interest in architecture and art history. After undergraduate school her primary focus became raising two children and homemaking. The combination of artist and homemaker inspired her friends and family to frequently ask for her help in making their houses homes. The quest for the ideal home environments led Susan to complete her Masters degree in interior design. As a graduate student, she excelled, winning the Academic Excellence Award. Susan also became an adjunct professor of interior design at Marymount University.

Since completing her master’s degree in interior design, Susan has worked as an independent designer, creating home environments for a variety of clients. Susan's design philosophy is rooted in the fusion of the fine and applied arts. She believes that there are certain aesthetic constants that evoke a positive response in most people. At the same time, she resolutely thinks that understanding the unique characteristics of individuals—their past, their present, and their future aspirations is critical to creating "some place like home". In addition, Susan works in the real world of design with a thorough knowledge of building codes, sustainability issues, accessibility and universal design. Susan's philosophy is, "A design can be beautiful, but if it cannot be built within the client's budget, is not functional, or evokes the wrong associations for its users, it is not a successful design."

James Blair Knox, affectionately known to his clients as “JB” graduated from the Auburn University School of Architecture with a Bachelor’s degree in interior design. He was a member of Omicron Kappa Pi Design honorary fraternity. He began his career as an interior designer with GSA and rose to the position of Senior Interior Planner and acting department head. During his tenure he was the design consultant for the United States Department of State, Overseas Building Division. Jim went on to become the Facilities Design Manager for Xerox Corporation, Coastal Operations, USA. He designed over three million square feet of commercial space the old fashioned way-he hand drafted them all.

In addition to these career positions, Jim acted as a consultant for the George Washington University Regional Urban Planning Special Studies Group. As a retired professional, Jim has worked on numerous historical, restoration and residential interior projects in his home town, Alexandria, Virginia.