Tucked between two restaurants in the middle of the 700 block of Frederick Road in Catonsville sits an unassuming home décor store.
A peek in the window of Domain reveals a colorful assortment of pillows, candles, diffusers and throw blankets – just enough to entice passersby to want to step in to see more.
Inside, the scent of dried lavender greets you at the door, and a table filled with napkin rings, wooden spoons and other tactile goods require visitors to explore the smooth and rugged textures of the items just because they are there.
Each piece in the 300 square-foot store has a story – about its origin, the artist who made it or why it was chosen for the coveted space. That thoughtful curation is what makes Domain and its owner, designer Laura Hodges, special and why visitors from around the world flock to a store that has graced the pages of publications like Architectural Digest and House Beautiful.
Hodges has found her place in design based on talent and philosophy. Since she started her design business and opened her shop in 2018, she has promoted eco-friendly, locally sourced goods based on a design ethos that minimizes the environmental footprint while focusing on spaces that express her clients’ “individual style and taste,” she said.
“Our clients are coming because they’ve seen our portfolio that is tailored to clean, vintage and antique pieces. From what they see, they say ‘I can tell you listen to your clients’ and they know their style won’t get lost in design.”
A native of northern England, Hodges said her international aesthetic along with a love for unique and dynamic pieces, was influenced by her Norwegian grandmother, British mother and Jamaican father. She said she developed an early appreciation for travel and diverse cultures, having traveled extensively to over 30 countries, which influences her designs and what she curates for her shop.
Hodges was a latecomer to interior design, at first studying business. After graduating college, she spent five years in marketing, but found more joy in the creative side.
Hodges began her interior design pursuits digitally through a series of compact discs that taught fundamentals like fabric swatches and paint palettes.
“These were horrible and too basic, but it opened my eyes to what design could be.”
She subsequently earned a degree from the New York School of Interior Design and earned her LEED accreditation, which means she completed rigorous sustainability training including sourcing fair trade and renewable resources, which, she said, has become a hallmark for her business practices. Hodges counts among her mentors acclaimed New York based interior designers Jamie Drake and Thomas Jayne, known for their high style and eclecticism.
Hodges, who is Black, is a minority in a field in which only two percent identify as Black compared to 56 percent White. She has consistently been touted as an influencer and designer to watch.
She was featured in Architectural Digest, Traditional Home Magazine as a “New Trad,” and in House Beautiful Magazine as a “Next Wave” designer. Hodges was named one of the top 20 Designers for 2020 by Sotheby’s Home, and received a Luxe Red award for best Contemporary/Modern space from Luxe Magazine.
She serves as a brand ambassador for the Sustainable Furnishings Council which works to increase awareness for sustainable interior design.
These days, Hodges said she has reached capacity and won’t take on any new design clients until next year. Her work will soon be on display in Fredericksburg, Texas, as part of House Beautiful Magazine’s Whole Home, an annual built-from-the-ground-up showcase of current design products and trends. As a Next Wave designer, Hodges was asked to design a home office and gym for the show home.
Despite Hodge’s accolades and awards, she said she is content in her shop and interior design space in Catonsville, which she owns and runs with her husband, Tim, who oversees operations. The couple and their two sons live five minutes from their shop (she jokingly tells the boys that there is a tunnel that stretches from their home to their business and only she has the key.)
“I love Catonsville and wouldn’t want to be anywhere else because it is so approachable,” Hodges said. “We even have a bumper sticker that says it best: Life is great in 21228.”
For more information about Laura Hodges’ studio or to see her work, visit https://www.laurahodgesstudio.com/.
