Coton House
Houston, TX

Mariana De La Garza first realized she had an eye for design while she was a student—in the first grade. “My mother let a six-year-old design and rearrange her room numerous times,” she recalls. “I wanted it to look like a garden, so we painted the walls sage green and had butterflies, dragonflies and ladybugs hung on the walls. I had a floral duvet and a classic white furniture bedroom set, and I had to have all my dolls and their closet organized.”

Two decades later, Mariana, who graduated with a B.A. in Interior Design with a minor in General Business Administration from Sam Houston State University in Texas, is an Interior Designer with Coton House, a Houston-based real estate and design firm. She spends her days immersed in everything from CAD drawings for permitting on a remodel to selecting furnishings for a design project. She also aids the business development team in creating design content for social media and the company’s website. “But the best part of my job is seeing the client’s reaction when they see our design come to life,” she says. “I always strive to design spaces that make a big difference in people’s lives. I think kitchen and bath designs do precisely that and increase the value of our client’s homes.”

“I always strive to design spaces that make a big difference in people’s lives. I think kitchen and bath designs do precisely that and increase the value of our client’s homes.” 

Mariana, who describes herself as “determined,” says she believes in “design-centric design and creating the perfect style for each client.” Her most memorable project? It was actually her first solo effort, a family kitchen and bath remodel for husband-and-wife doctors who are world travelers and wanted “a calming Mediterranean Oasis in their primary bath that provided the ability to relax after a long work day.” Asked to describe her own personal design aesthetic, she says, “If I had to pick one style, it would be Mid-Century Modern with a contemporary twist.” 

Her work has been recognized by The American Society of Interior Design–Texas Gulf Coast Chapter with two Ruby Awards (The Best of Residential Award and The Best of Commercial Award) and NKBA’s Texas Gulf Coast Chapter awarded her the Best Mood Board Integration Award in the 2021 Student Design Competition. 

Outside of work, Mariana enjoys sketching, shopping and spending time with family and friends—and her Maltipoo, Rocky, who also loves to visit the office. And when she needs to disconnect she knows the perfect place. “Sometimes I need to take a break and I love to visit my grandfather’s ranch in Mexico,” she says. “It brings me a sense of peace to be in nature.”