Frost & Lawrence Interiors • Pflugerville

Frost & Lawrence Interiors • Pflugerville

By Christi Covington Friday, 03 April 2009

When interior designer Carolyn Frost Hiza meets with new clients, she often finds herself digging through their cabinets and closets in search of something that expresses or reflects their personality and taste.

“It’s fun to see how people live,” Hiza said. “It’s so very personal because I am working in their homes with their things. I end up with a lot of friends.”

Frost & Lawrence Interiors opened in 1980, but moved to downtown Pflugerville in 1997. Later Hiza bought and remodeled an older house at the corner of Pecan and Second streets. She opened as The Little Yellow House Gift Shop and Boutique and ran both businesses out of it for a while.

Hiza majored in interior design at the University of Texas and earned a minor in architecture. Now, with more than 30 years of experience behind her, the majority of her projects, which come from all over Central Texas, originate from referrals. Many of her clients appreciate that she is willing to work with their personal items and treasures — no matter what they are.

“I don’t say, ‘Get rid of this,’” she said. “I never say that.”

Hiza advises clients on everything from paint colors, window treatments, upholstery and custom bedding to completely remodeling kitchens.

If clients have not chosen an item or piece of furniture that they want to be the central focus, Hiza spends time visiting with them and exploring their belongings until she gets a feel for their taste.

Then, back at the office, she comes up with options and samples for clients to touch, feel and see. Hiza said the process is often transforming, and not just for the home.

One recent client had lost her husband and was having to make decisions alone for the first time in her life. Hiza felt a sisterhood through the project because it was not long ago that she had a similar experience.

She and her former husband, Larry Buckley, fixed up the yellow house while Buckley was dying of cancer. Building a little white picket fence around the house was his special “chemo-project,” Hiza remembers.

“He had so much to do with this,” she said.

Her business has been a mainstay through difficult times. She used it to support her two sons, Anderson and Clayton Smith, both graduates of Pflugerville High School.

Now, instead of struggling through the recession like some other business owners, Frost & Lawrence Interiors is thriving. Hiza attributes this to something greater than herself.

“It’s the Lord,” she said.

How to choose a decorator

Carolyn Frost Hiza, owner of Frost & Lawrence Interiors, encourages consumers to be cautious as they choose someone to work on their homes. Because interior decorators are often handling large amounts of money, she advises people to check references and verify certifications.

Hiza is licensed by the Texas Board of Architectural Examiners, and while she knows excellent decorators who are not professionally educated, she said it is important to confirm qualifications and experience.

Frost & Lawrence Interiors, 100 S. Second St., 251-0285