In the 2019 premiere of “My Houzz,” NFL quarterback Deshaun Watson finds design-build firm Infinite Home on Houzz and hires them to create his mother’s dream kitchen, living room and dining room (watch the video here). Laurel and David Mullikin, the wife and husband team behind Infinite Home, share what guides their designs, their best design trick and more insights on the My Houzz renovation in this Q&A.
How did you get started in your career?
David: I’ve always loved being really hands on and making things – I was one of those kids that built legos. When it came time to choose a career, I tried out different home renovation trades and worked my way up to managing projects. I really found my passion in the design aspect of construction.
Laurel: I always loved looking at design magazines and would help friends decorate their houses. I decorated a few of David and my houses and when we sold them, people would ask if they could buy all the furniture along with the house! When our kids were young, I consulted on David’s projects and came on board full-time as a designer when they were older.
What is your design philosophy?
David: Our design philosophy is that every space should have a blend of function and fashion. Our goal is to create spaces that are beautiful enough to be featured in a magazine, but also where every detail is thought through, like how the client makes their cup of coffee in the morning. Essentialism is key, so we often think about avoiding space for space’s sake. We evaluate every room and ask do you need this or why do you need this?
What trend are you most excited about right now?
Laurel: Color! We loved incorporating colors into this project and, while we still love neutrals, we will continue to pull color into our projects.
Technology is also a big piece of design right now. We try to incorporate it in a way that makes a home more intuitive, like touchless kitchen faucets for when your hands are covered in spaghetti and lighting controls and automatic shades in the living room.
What do you geek out on when it comes to design and construction?
David: We love designing bathrooms and the challenge of identifying our client’s morning routine so that we can help give them the best start to their day. There are so many creative elements when it comes to tile, shower systems and more. If I could only design one space, it would be bathrooms.
What is one of your design secrets or tricks?
David: When we renovate or build kitchens, we get a lot of requests for walk-in pantries. Our trick is to install a well designed pantry cabinet that gives more storage in six square feet than you have in a 40 square foot walk-in! It’s a better use of space and we can give that space back to the kitchen with counters, appliances, cabinets, storage drawers or whatever the client needs.
What excites you the most about going to work every day?
David: Solving problems and challenges for our clients and seeing how it changes their lives. Hearing about how much more functional the space is after a project is the most rewarding and biggest driver for what we do.
What did you enjoy most about this project?
Laurel: It was a really cool experience to have a big reveal at the end of the project. Getting to see the expression on Deann’s face when she saw her home was very rewarding, and I breathed a sigh of relief that she loved it. Watching her walk around and touch everything and explore the space was my favorite part.
What is your favorite element of this project?
Laurel: The big island in the kitchen. At the reveal, having the family stand around the island was really special. They loved the living room and the fireplace and dining area, but seeing how many people fit around the island and the flow in the kitchen was the best.
When you’re not designing, where can you be found?
Laurel: Early in the morning, you can find us running – David did four miles and I did three this morning. We also love cycling, mountain biking, outdoors activities, adventuring and traveling with our kids.