What started as a small artificial floral business operated out of a home has grown into one of Clark County’s longtime interior design destinations.
For more than two decades, Heidi and Ryan Townsend, owners of Creative Interiors and Design, have built their business around relationships, personalized design and customer service — a philosophy they say continues to shape the company today.
“I started the business in 1998, actually in South Carolina, and started out doing just florals,” Heidi Townsend said. “I actually sold them out of my house, and people would come into my house, and then they would be like, ‘Hey do you do interior design?’ … So, that’s kind of how I got into just doing interior design.”
Heidi Townsend moved to Washington in 2000, where the business and her life continued to grow. Heidi Townsend said she originally worked out of her garage in Battle Ground before opening a retail storefront on 112th Avenue.
From there, the business began designing model homes for New Tradition Homes.
“We ended up opening the retail store on 112th Avenue, and we were there for three years, and from there started doing all of New Tradition Homes’ model homes and did about 60 model homes for them over the years,” she said.
The company later moved into its current building in 2008, just before the economic downturn. Ryan Townsend, who became Heidi’s business partner after the couple married in 2002, said the company refined its mission during that period with the help of a consultant.
“Our mission is to help our clients create a look and feel in their home that they love through knowledgeable and caring associates, wonderful products and exceptional service,” Heidi Townsend added.
That customer-focused approach has helped build repeat business over the years, including second-generation clients.
“I’ve always said, you know, if you make a friend, you’ll have a client for life,” she said, adding that people have used Creative Interiors for four-plus homes as the families move. “Literally, we have second-generation people coming who have bought from us for 20 years.”
Creative Interiors also offers far more beyond what customers will see on the showroom floors. Heidi Townsend said the company provides a wide range of services and products tailored to each client’s style and needs. Offerings range from furniture and lighting to mattresses, outdoor furnishings and custom decor. She added that furnishings and decor fit every style one could imagine, from modern to very traditional.
The Townsends said the business prides itself on providing a full-service experience from the beginning stages of design to the final installation inside a client’s home. Heidi Townsend described the company’s process as “white-gloved,” with the team handling the finishing touches after furniture and decor arrive.
“What we have in our store is just a little bit of what we can actually do,” she said. “We go in and we are very white-gloved, and so what we do is like what you see on TV, when we leave, the mirrors are hung, and the pictures are hung, the lights are plugged in.”
The company also handles projects nationwide, completing homes from Florida to Hawaii, sometimes through virtual methods.
“We’ve done homes all over the country,” Heidi Townsend said. “We’re not limited just to the Northwest anymore.”
Despite the growth, the Townsends said their focus remains on understanding clients and helping create spaces tailored to their lifestyles.
“I always tell our team, ‘you find a need and you fill it,’” Heidi Townsend said.
Ryan Townsend said the strength of the company’s team has been key to its longevity.
“We’re only as good as the people we have,” he said. “The people we have reflect our values.”
As the business continues forward, Heidi Townsend said community support remains the source of their gratitude.
“The people in Clark County and the people that have supported us over the years, I am so grateful and so thankful to our community,” she said. “We feel very blessed.”
Creative Interiors and Design is located at 11815 NE 113th St. in Vancouver, open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, call 360-944-1151 or visit creativeinteriorsanddesign.com.
