R. Cartwright Design was founded more than twenty-four years ago by owner and lead designer Rebecca Cartwright. Today, we are a full-service interior design studio that prides itself on delivering the highest quality in design, products, and customer service. Our studios in Clive, Iowa and Serenbe, Georgia have designed and managed residential remodel, new build and design projects in the Des Moines and Atlanta areas, as well as, lake houses and vacation homes in Florida, Utah, Arizona, California, and Costa Rica.
We believe in a collaborative design process, where we provide design concepts, guidance and suggestions and work in collaboration with our clients to make selections for their spaces. We work closely with each client to understand their design preferences and vision for their home, while taking into consideration their design needs, budgetary constraints, and time frame. We then develop a design plan including all desired elements. We have access to a large array of furnishings, lighting, art, and décor from virtually any line within our industry, upon which we draw to create a custom design plan.
R. Cartwright Design offers various design packages to serve clients with different needs and budgets. You can read more about how we work on our Services page.
Rebecca Cartwright
Rebecca Cartwright has been designing fresh spaces in private residences and businesses since 1995. Her expertise extends from a multitude of new home construction, commercial interiors, and major remodeling projects. Throughout her career, she has collaborated with many of Iowa’s elite builders, developers, and their clients. She is renowned in the design community for her knowledge of the remodeling process, her sense of style, and her ability to hone in on a client’s style to achieve a beautiful finished space.
Before finding her path in interior design, Rebecca worked in social work and psychology for several years. This experience helped to inform the type of designer she is today – giving her a unique perspective on the importance of listening to her clients’ needs and understanding what they desire in a home.
Rebecca comes from a family of architects (four generations on her father’s side) and a mother who valued gardening and the organic side of design. Growing up on job sites, drawing on architectural pads, and creating her first home model at the age of eight, design came naturally to Rebecca. When she isn’t traveling to Costa Rica to consult on design projects, relaxing at her lake cottage in Clear Lake, IA, or spending time with her husband, two grown sons and two grandchildren, Rebecca splits her time between her two design studios in Clive, IA and Serenbe, GA
Alicia Held-Morris
Alicia Held-Morris joined the R. Cartwright Design team in 2012. She holds a Master’s Degree in Interior Design from Iowa State University.
Before returning to Iowa to complete her education in interior design, Alicia lived in Tucson, Arizona and New York City, studying art photography at the University of Arizona and Pratt Institute. During that time, she also completed studies in drawing, sculpture, color theory, art history, and graphic design. New York offered exposure to numerous museums, art galleries, antique stores, and design shops, providing an informal education in art and interior design history, design trends and concepts, and the world of luxury interiors. Additional travels throughout Europe – and many afternoons spent in castles and art museums – provided further education in world interiors and design history.
Alicia has a passion for the constantly evolving world of interior design, analyzing and applying current design trends and incorporating them into her work while striving to create interiors that are timeless in style. Her attention to detail and obsession with fine-tuning elements that make good design – color, texture, balance, repetition, contrast, harmony and unity – make her a strong partner in the design process. She loves collaborating with clients to create elegant, thoughtful interiors that are also comfortable, practical and beautiful.
Maddy Kolb
Maddy Kolb became a member of the R. Cartwright Design team in 2017 as Project Manager. She achieved her Bachelor’s Degree in Interior Design from Iowa State University.
Throughout her life, Maddy has traveled and studied abroad in search of new and exciting ideas. In countless cities throughout Europe, South America, and Asia, she’s found inspiration. The Palais Garnier Theater in Paris and Borghese Museum and Gardens in Rome are just two of the places that have impacted her design sensibility.
Although Maddy has studied and worked in health care, educational, retail, and residential design and construction, residential design is her passion. She loves to help clients during the design process, while creating beautiful and inviting spaces.
Claire Pickford
Claire Pickford joined the R. Cartwright Design team in 2019 as a Junior Designer. She received her Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Interior Design from Iowa State University.
Claire finds joy in searching for beauty in the world. Whether it is in the big cities of Europe, or nestled in the woods of small-town Iowa, she looks for inspiration anywhere it can be found. Her design sense is strongly impacted by nature, and she is highly interested in sustainable design practice. Claire sees is as her vocation to build trusted client relationships, improve quality of life, and do her part to care for the world that gives us our home.
Collaborating with clients to make their space a reality for them is one of Claire’s favorite aspects of design. She loves to create spaces that are unique to the client, all while being functional and, most importantly, beautiful.
