MHLI
Radical individuality is the ultimate luxury.
MHLI © 2026. All rights reserved.
A design for how you actually live.
INTERIOR DESIGN + ARCHITECTURAL ADVISORY:
FURNITURE DESIGN, ART ADVISORY, LIFESTYLE CURATION
ABOUT US
BOLD MOVES. BENT RULES.
_edited.jpg)
We're dogged defenders of original
design, fiercely anti-trend, and
perpetually averse to the obvious choice.
We champion the inherent value of the
genuine object over the expedience of
imitations, and we reject the use of
knockoffs, replicas, and facsimiles.
We take the time to do things right, even
the parts no one will see. We'll never
abandon quality for speed. Our high
standards are our investment in our
clients. We give our best to deliver the
best, and we expect the same of those in
our orbit.
Our next work is our best work. We
make something amazing, then we do it
better. Our ravenous curiosity about
the world around us and the way
things work inspires us to learn, evolve,
and improve.
Radical Individuality
Excellence on Every Level
Big Thinking
Perpetual Growth
Creative Partnership
Trust is our fuel for every endeavor and
we'll do what it takes to earn it. We're
ride-or-die partners committed to the
optimal outcome and equally to our
convictions. Even when we tell you
what you may not want to hear, we've
still got your back.
We always swing for the fences and
we're relentless in our pursuit of
territory beyond the known horizon. Our
instinct compels us to tackle the
inconceivable no matter how seemingly
insurmountable the challenge. In
impossibility we find our greatest
opportunity.
OUR MOTIVATION
There are a million design firms out there. Here's what makes us different from them, and better for you.
.jpeg)
MEET
MARC
LET'S GET PERSONAL
SPACE TRANSFORMATION & LUXURY LIFESTYLE SPECIALIST
I'm a proud Bostonian (less the accent) with severe wanderlust.
Among the cities in which I've taken up residence, London solidified my affinity for Indian food and my Italophilia. On that note...
Italians do it better.
And by 'it', I mean everything. Italy is both heaven on earth and mecca of enduring style. Expect Italian-designed furnishings to show up in your design presentation.
Distance biking and weight training keep me sane.
I'm a speed junky who enjoys my 30-mile loops around Manhattan and Houston and pilgrimages from Boston to Ptown. A Dolomites bike tour and a luxury gym project are on my bucket list.
I cut my teeth selling lighting to architects.
My first design job while attending the UofMD was at a contemporary lighting showroom in Washington, D.C., I'm a lighting geek to this day, which means you'll have the coolest fixtures on the planet.
My mother was my principal.
And I wore a tie to school from first grade. The takeaway: fastidious care (and grammar) were ingrained in me from youth, and I feel equally at home in a Full Windsor as I do a hard hat.
As an ex-Evangelical and recovering cult member...
Not much phases me. Comparatively, gut renovations are a walk in the park.
Inside the studio...
There's likely a mix of 90's hip hop, film scores, Motown, tango, Chopin, and Tori Amos playing. She's my personal Jesus.
Outside the studio...
You can find me bingeing historical, biographical, and war documentaries or happily sweating over a stove. I'm a whiz in the kitchen and select clients have been invited to my admittedly fabulous dinner parties.
In another life...
I'd direct music videos or compose film scores. For now, designing baller homes absolutely lights my fire.
I've had the textbook design entrepreneur journey:
1) pay your dues at top notch London and NYC firms,
2) bruise your knuckles in the various pots of interior design, lighting design, furniture design, product design, and project management, 3) get fired on a boss's whim or recruited to a more prestigious firm and, 4) repeat ad infinitum. I quickly tired of that cycle, and churning out cut-and-paste projects to satisfy metrics, profits and principals' egos. And I wanted to connect directly with clients, find out what makes them tick, and learn about their curiosities, fears and aspirations—the critical components of the intensely personal and sacred crusade that is building a home.
I founded my studio to bring the very best the world has to offer to those who recognize quality inherently, revere ingenuity and, like me, run from mediocrity. To inspire those who crave a revolutionary experience of home that captures their unique essence, not a showroom concept recycled for the masses. For 15 years I've helped CEOs, film directors, TV personalities, real estate developers, private equity managers and beyond to capture their most authentic expression in homes that exceed their wildest imaginations. In that time, I've learned that a bond of mutual trust is essential to fuel the personal excavation and limitless vision from which truly signature spaces are built. I want to partner with those for whom only the rarest and the finest will do—who insist on not just different, but distinct.
Services
,
WE SHALL NOT CEASE FROM EXPLORATION. AND THE END
OF ALL OUR EXPLORING
WILL BE TO ARRIVE WHERE WE STARTED AND KNOW THE
PLACE FOR THE FIRST TIME.
T.S. ELIOT
.jpg)
[hover to discover]
CONSTRUCTION SUPPORT
PROCUREMENT
PRODUCTION
FULL SPECTRUM SERVICE
Deluxe renovations without the stress. You grant approvals,
we handle the rest.
Production
No fretting about the wrong size sofa or keeping track of thousands of project details. We orchestrate all necessary third parties for custom furniture, lighting and millwork and oversee installations to ensure they meet design intent.
Procurement
No waiting around for furniture deliveries that may arrive late or be canceled without notice, or spending hours on hold to remedy a damaged shipment. We manage the entire purchasing process, handle claims, and transport all goods to your home in a single delivery.
Construction Support
No 7am site meetings with contractors or mediating disputes between electricians and painters. We administer the entire bidding process for our clients and act as their liaison for construction matters related to spaces we design.
Press & Recognition
Press & Recognition
MHLI awarded Top 100 Designers in the US;
Best Interior Design Studio
Luxury Lifestyle Awards | November 2023
MHLI featured in ADPro Directory
Architectural Digest | August 2023
Marc Houston Designed this Brooklyn Townhouse With a Focus on Art, Color and Whimsy
1stDibs Introspective | September 2022
.jpg)
Schedule a
Private Consultation
Entrust your home to someone who understands its significance.
It's All Up From Here.
Just browsing Sotheby's? Perusing options from your broker? Already working with an architect or builder? Contemplating upgrades to your forever home? In whatever stage you find yourself, let's talk it through.
JOIN OUR UNIVERSE
Treat your inbox to our inspiration, latest projects, and insider advice.
Marc Houston Lifestyle & Interiors [MHLI] specializes in fully customized, concept-driven, cosmopolitan homes that strategically balance utility and fantasy.
We view interior design as an art form of spatial storytelling that prioritizes atmosphere, longevity, and intent over trend. Our creations are immersive, evocative experiences that champion rare and radical beauty and capture unexpected fantasy.
Our Vision
To elevate daily routines into anticipated rituals of ease and delight.
Our Mission
.jpg)
Our DNA
We're undeterred by the constraints of tradition, possibility, and expectation. We don't dictate what should be—we explore what can be. We're compelled to chase the inconceivable, no matter how seemingly insurmountable the challenge. We detest mediocrity. Defy convention. Ignore the noise. Dare to do things differently.
THE STUDIO
For 15 years, our obsession with detail, sense of discovery, compulsion for rarity, reverence for craft, and excitement to innovate have driven us to create radically individualized, once-in-a-lifetime spaces that raise the heat and set the standard for sophisticated modern living. Our MO: quality, ingenuity, and a white-glove experience delivered with clarity, certainty and decisive leadership.
25
years of international industry experience
12
project cities
3950
average project size (sq ft)
16
average length of full gut
renovation (months)
34%
average post-renovation
property value increase
0
prisoners taken
OUR MOTIVATION
There are a million design firms out there. Here's what makes us different from them, and better for you.
Our Values
01
Radical Individuality
We're dogged defenders of original design, fiercely anti-trend, and perpetually averse to the obvious choice. We champion the inherent value of the genuine object over the expedience of imitations, and we reject the use of knockoffs, replicas, and facsimiles. If it's already been done, we'd sooner stay in bed. And that includes our own work. We don't repeat our past selections. Does this demand more of our time, energy, and resources? Sure. But you deserve better than a cut-and-paste home recycled from someone elses dream.
02
Excellence at Every Level
We take the time to do things right, even the parts no one will see. We'll never abandon quality for speed or artistry for convenience. Our exacting standards are our investment in our clients. We give our best to deliver the best, and we expect the same of those in our orbit.
03
Big Thinking
In impossibility we find our greatest opportunity. We'll always swing for the fences and we're relentless in our pursuit of territory beyond the known horizon. Our instinct compels us to tackle the inconceivable no matter how seemingly insurmountable the challenge because we know the rewards discovered in the unknown far surpass results achieved through convention. On this ride, you can expect the thrill of cutting edge over the familiarity of tradition.
04
Perpetual Growth
Our next work is our best work. We make something amazing, then we do it better. Our ravenous curiosity about the world around us and the way things work inspires us to learn, evolve and improve.
05
Creative Partnership
Trust is our fuel for every endeavor, and we'll do what it takes to earn it. We're straight shooters and ride-or-die partners. We're committed to the optimal outcome and equally to our convictions. We've still got your back, even when we tell you what you may not want to hear.
Have a project in mind?
STAY IN TOUCH
Join our email list and give your inbox something to look forward to.
MHLI is a full-service, Black-owned boutique specialized in luxury residential renovations, new builds and comprehensive furnishing projects. Read more
I WORK WITH THOSE FOR WHOM ONLY THE RAREST
AND THE FINEST WILL DO. THEY CRAVE NOT JUST DIFFERENT BUT DISTINCT.
PRESS & RECOGNITION
TALK OF THE TOWN
.jpg)
After a flood destroyed their home, we helped them rebuild with a design for good luck.
In Chinese culture, monkeys are talismans of good fortune and success. While some might call it 'woo woo,' we call it relationship. Our design is an investment in our clients' lives, families, and futures, and we only want to see them win.