about

timeless interiors designed for living

Our surroundings—both natural and built—have a powerful impact on our well-being. As interior designers, we consider it our mission to deliver deeply personal, well-considered, and inspiring spaces.

Great design starts with great relationships. That’s why we approach every project with warmth, curiosity, and responsiveness. Our ethos is simple: Form + Function + Fun. We strive to deliver projects infused with functional beauty—and have a little fun with you along the way.

  • Black and white portrait of a smiling woman with shoulder-length wavy hair, wearing a dark long-sleeved top, standing against a plain wall.

    MARGARET RITTER

    Owner & Creative Director

    Margaret is a process and detail-oriented designer, passionate about creating beautiful and efficient, research-based solutions to complex problems. Inspired by her artist parents, she earned a Bachelor's degree in Fine Art with a focus in printmaking. After discovering a penchant for expensive cheese and international travel, she went on to earn a Master of Interior Architecture degree from the University of Oregon.

    With twenty years of experience in architecture, furniture design, and project management, Margaret now enjoys the creative freedom of entrepreneurship. She is both NCIDQ Certified, and a LEED Accredited Professional who equally enjoys the technical and artistic aspects of her trade.

    In her spare time, Margaret enjoys hosting dinner parties, tending her vegetable garden, and dabbling in oil painting. She and her husband have two beautiful daughters and one very entitled cat.

  • Black and white photo of a woman with wavy hair wearing a blazer, t-shirt, and jeans, holding a folder and smiling.

    LAUREN REIMER

    Senior Designer

    Lauren is an NCIDQ Certified designer who is confident combining creative ideas with technical know-how. Having earned a Bachelor’s degree in Interior Design from British Columbia Institute of Technology, she has professional experience working on various project types and scales. Lauren brings a refined design sensibility to everything she touches, and all of her work is imbued with subtle sophistication, clarity, and warmth.

    Lauren holds her own in a crowd by bringing the perfect mix of class and sass to the table. She is a careful listener with strong opinions, and she’s certainly not afraid to share them. Lauren is a doting mama to two lovely little girls and a Frenchie named Frank. She’s a self-diagnosed clothes horse, avid world traveler, fitness enthusiast, and amateur sommelier.

  • Black and white photo of a woman with long, wavy hair sitting in a modern chair, smiling at the camera.

    HEIDI SOLMONSON

    Designer

    Heidi is a keen observer and an insatiable design sponge. She possesses a “can do” attitude and approaches her work with determined tenacity and creative flair. With a degree in Interior Design from Bellevue College, Heidi pays attention to the details and can shift seamlessly between traditional and modern typologies.

    When she’s not busy making beautiful spaces, Heidi can be found chasing chickens, mountain biking, and renovating her country cottage. She is mama to two beautiful little girls and more furry friends than we can keep track of, yet somehow manages chaos with kindness and grace. A native Washingtonian who enjoys adventuring far and wide; she never turns a down snack and can definitely out pace us all on the soccer field.

“The Counterbalance team have been an absolute joy to work with. Their enthusiasm for their work and fun personalities are evident through every step of the process. We look forward to as many more projects as possible with them!”

FUN FACT:

The state made it official: we’re a Girl-Boss business! Counterbalance Studio is proud to be certified by the Washington State Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises (OMWBE) as a Women’s Business Enterprise, and recognized in King County as a Regional Small Contractor & Supplier (SCS) with Public Works Small Business Enterprise (PWSBE) status. Phew! That’s a lot of acronyms.

our approach

Our body of work varies widely in scale and style. Working on both single-family and multi-family residential projects keeps us nimble, and we often enjoy participating in the design process from the earliest stages of project conception.

By working collaboratively with builders, tradesfolk, artists and artisans we regularly unearth efficiencies, cost-savings, and opportunities that positively impact end results.

“We worked with Counterbalance Studio to design a complete remodel of our kitchen. The Counterbalance team worked direct with us throughout the design and product sourcing process to ensure our vision and timelines were met. Their design exceeded our expectations, and attention to detail and service was impeccable. We would absolutely recommend working with this interior design team.”