A New Chapter is Unfolding

It has been an absolutely incredible journey building Lee Waters Design. When I reentered the design field in 2018 after several years away raising my children, I poured my heart into this work. Offering both consultation and full-service design allowed me to meet and help hundreds of incredible people across RVA and beyond.

As I’ve navigated these two fundamentally different types of services, I’ve realized a few things.

Consultation work is wonderfully fast-paced and fun, but it often means stepping away before the final layer is complete. Alternatively, Full-Service work is a deep, committed relationship. There are complex logistics and challenges to keeping things at a top-notch level, but seeing a holistic vision come to life pays off in every single way. It is where my true passion lies.

I also realized something about how I work best. I am highly collaborative. Just as I cannot function at my best in my private life without the support of my husband Sam, I realized I felt the same about my work life. I didn't want a carbon copy of myself; I wanted someone whose strengths perfectly complemented my own.

Yes, I'm admitting that I've been slowly and carefully looking for partnership potential across the RVA design community for a while now. This year, by intentionally pausing new full-service projects to give myself mental space, I was able to truly see the possibilities around me. When it came time to discuss it with the right person, it flowed so easily. And ahead of my originally planned hiatus from full-service work. When you know, you know!

That is why I am thrilled to announce that my solo studio is evolving.

I am thrilled to officially introduce you to my new partner, Robin. We are both designers at our core, but we each bring a distinct superpower to the table. Robin excels in the intuitive, creative, and highly relational side of design. My passion lies in bringing those designs to life through rigorous operations, meticulous procurement, and flawless project management. Together, we provide a perfectly balanced, equally contributing dynamic—a true merging of breathtaking creative vision and elite structural execution.

So, what does this mean for you? It means an entirely elevated, frictionless experience. By combining our strengths, we are building a firm designed to offer a seamless, white-glove journey from the very first concept sketch to the final, breathtaking installation. It means you get the deep, committed relationship of full-service design, backed by a powerhouse operational framework that takes the heavy lifting completely off your shoulders.

We are putting the finishing touches on our new brand identity, and we cannot wait to share it with you. Keep a close eye on your inbox in mid-September for our official introduction and a special invitation to celebrate with us in person.

Thank you for your incredible support!