Susan Hentz
Founder & Principal | Hentz Inspired Living
Susan Hentz is a residential architectural and interior designer based in Alabama and the founder of Hentz Inspired Living, a design practice focused on thoughtful, process-driven homes that balance beauty, constructability, and long-term livability. With a career rooted in both design and construction literacy, Susan brings a rare hybrid perspective to residential projects—one that bridges vision and execution. Her work spans custom new construction, major renovations, additions, age-in-place planning, and design-build consulting, serving homeowners, builders, and real-estate professionals across the Birmingham metro and beyond.
Susan’s approach is grounded in the belief that great design is not decoration—it’s decision-making. She is known for translating complex client needs, site constraints, and budget realities into clear, buildable plans that support how people actually live. Her role often extends beyond traditional design services into project quarterbacking—anticipating issues early, coordinating teams, and protecting clients from costly downstream mistakes.
¡Bienvenidos a Hentz Inspired Living! Nos entusiasma ser su recurso de confianza en este viaje para crear el hogar de su familia. Aquí encontrarán inspiración, orientación y apoyo para convertir su visión en realidad. Juntos, construiremos un espacio que refleje la historia y el estilo únicos de su familia.
En Hentz Inspired Living Inc., creemos que un hogar es más que cuatro paredes; es un lienzo para la historia de tu vida, un santuario donde se crearán recuerdos y se compartirán recetas familiares alrededor de la mesa, transmitiendo tus tradiciones más preciadas y dejando una huella en tu hogar que refleje a tu familia.
Cuando nos preguntan qué hace feliz a un hogar, la mayoría diríamos que está lleno de calidez y amor, creando un ambiente relajado donde se forjan recuerdos maravillosos juntos. Que esto nos recuerde disfrutar de las risas, las comidas compartidas y las aventuras que hacen que cada día sea memorable con nuestros seres queridos. ¡Celebremos la alegría que inunda nuestros espacios y los momentos especiales que atesoramos!
En Hentz Inspired Living, nos especializamos en crear diseños arquitectónicos elegantes que combinan a la perfección la practicidad con un toque de creatividad. ¡Te invitamos a descubrir cómo nuestra experiencia puede transformar tus ideas únicas en espacios que reflejen fielmente tu visión! Como empresa de diseño y construcción, arquitectura e interiorismo dirigida por mujeres, considera esta tu invitación oficial: entra y descansa bajo nuestras alas, únete a nosotras y forma parte de nuestra familia HIL. Nuestra misión es simple: queremos ser tu guía, un recurso confiable que te acompañe en cada paso del proceso de diseño, comprometiéndonos a estar presentes y ser transparentes en nuestras prácticas comerciales, educando a nuestras clientas, compartiendo consejos y sabiduría de más de 20 años de práctica profesional, y participando en una auténtica colaboración equitativa con otros profesionales, proveedores y contratistas calificados que trabajan juntos para dar vida a un conjunto de planos y diseños arquitectónicos.
Somos oyentes apasionados, deseosos de comprender su visión y necesidades. Nuestro objetivo es garantizar que su hogar no solo satisfaga las necesidades prácticas de su familia, sino que también enriquezca su día a día. El diseño cuidadoso es la esencia de nuestro trabajo; creemos que la base de un espacio bien diseñado reside en una planificación minuciosa y un diseño conceptual. Ya sea que trabajemos en su cocina, baño o ese rincón íntimo, nos enfocamos en armonizar belleza y funcionalidad, creando un ambiente que inspire alegría y confort. Cada hogar tiene su propio carácter, y nos encanta descubrir la magia que se esconde en esos detalles inesperados.
Susan’s passion for residential design began early. As a child, she spent countless hours creating functional layouts in a handmade dollhouse, focusing not on aesthetics alone but on how spaces worked together. This instinct was reinforced during her teenage years when she accompanied her father daily to the construction site of their family’s custom home—watching the process evolve from raw earth to finished residence. Originally pursuing a career in healthcare, Susan later pivoted into interior architecture and residential design, drawn by the intersection of systems, human behavior, and the built environment. That early healthcare influence continues to inform her work today, particularly in accessibility, aging-in-place strategies, and empathetic design.
Professional Practice
Susan has worked across the residential spectrum, collaborating with:
-
Custom home builders
-
Trades and fabricators
-
Engineers and consultants
-
Homeowners navigating complex renovations
-
Clients requiring ADA-conscious or future-proofed homes
Her deliverables often include feasibility studies, schematic design, construction-ready drawings, 3D models, and client education materials, all structured to reduce risk and increase clarity before construction begins.
She is especially recognized for:
-
Breaking down overwhelming projects into manageable phases
-
Teaching clients how to think like builders without losing creativity
-
Designing homes that evolve with their occupants over time
-
Advocating for transparency, documentation, and informed decision-making
Design Philosophy
Susan’s design philosophy centers on these core principles:
-
Function first, always.
-
If a space doesn’t support daily life, it doesn’t matter how beautiful it is.
-
Process creates freedom.
-
Clear planning and documentation allow creativity to thrive without chaos.
-
Homes should serve people—not the other way around.
-
Design must respond to bodies, habits, seasons of life, and change.
Her aesthetic sensibility leans warm, timeless, and grounded—often blending architectural clarity with layered, human-scaled interiors.
Leadership & Thought Leadership
Beyond client work, Susan is building a broader educational and advocacy platform within the residential design and building industry.
She is actively developing:
-
Educational content for homeowners and emerging professionals
-
A podcast focused on residential design, construction realities, and client education
-
Speaking and panel participation for home & garden shows and industry events
-
Resources supporting women in architecture, design, and building
She is known for her ability to translate industry complexity into accessible language
—empowering clients and professionals alike to make better decisions.
Today
Through Hentz Inspired Living, Susan continues to push for a more thoughtful, ethical, and human-centered approach to residential design—one where creativity is paired with accountability, and where clients feel guided, protected, and confident from first idea to final build.
WHAT CLIENTS SAY
"She Saw Problems BeforeThey Became Expensive"
During our Builder Consult, it was explained to us that every builder expects surprises during construction and that we should put aside $ in a contingency fund...hope for the best, plan for the worst!
While working with Susan, she started talking about potential problems during Phase 2, it's like she expected them too—but she planned for them before they happened, she told us that it was her goal was to reduce the number of change orders during construction by planning.... Her ability to anticipate construction challenges, coordinate details, and think several steps ahead saved us time, stress, and unnecessary change orders, those could of cost us $5,000 - $7,000 each! She doesn't just create beautiful drawings. She designs homes that can actually be built well. That level of foresight became one of the greatest investments we made in our project.
New Build Custom Home
Modern French Country Style Home
WHAT CLIENTS SAY
"Luxury Isn't About Square Footage"
We originally believed that what a luxury home meant was adding square footage, More rooms. More features. Expensive finishes. Susan completely changed our perspective. She showed us that luxury is thoughtful space, intentional design, effortless function, and the feeling that every room belongs exactly where it should, and that we could stretch our budget by mixing low, mid, and top tier level finishes that when put together looked cohesive. Our home isn't impressive because it's large. It's impressive because every square foot has purpose, and those surprise details, even down to the hardware we used for out door hinges.
Whole Home Redesign w/AdditionCraftsman Style Home
WHAT CLIENTS SAY
"We Felt Educated, Not Sold To"
Building a luxury home can be intimidating because every decision carries significant cost. What impressed us most wasn't Susan's creativity—it was her willingness to teach us. She explained every option, every tradeoff, and every long-term implication without pressure. Instead of telling us what to choose, she gave us the confidence to make informed decisions ourselves. We finished the project feeling empowered instead of exhausted, and that's something money alone can't buy.
Kitchen & Master Bathroom Remodel
Traditional Style Home circa 2004
WHAT CLIENTS SAY
"We Never Felt Like Just Another Project"
Before meeting Susan, every architect we interviewed wanted to tell us about their style. Susan wanted to learn about ours. She asked questions no one else had considered—she wanted to know about how we hosted family, how we started our mornings, where natural light mattered most, and even how our routines changed throughout the seasons. She wasn't designing a beautiful house. She was designing a home around our lives. The process was calm, thoughtful, and incredibly personal. Every decision felt intentional, and we always understood why it was being made. When we walk through our home today, it feels less like a custom house and more like someone translated our family into architecture.
New Build Custom Home Plan
Modern Farmhouse Style Home
"We Never Felt Like Just Another Project"
Before meeting Susan, every architect we interviewed wanted to tell us about their style. Susan wanted to learn about ours. She asked questions no one else had considered—she wanted to know about how we hosted family, how we started our mornings, where natural light mattered most, and even how our routines changed throughout the seasons. She wasn't designing a beautiful house. She was designing a home around our lives. The process was calm, thoughtful, and incredibly personal. Every decision felt intentional, and we always understood why it was being made. When we walk through our home today, it feels less like a custom house and more like someone translated our family into architecture.
New Build Custom Home Plan
Modern Farmhouse Style Home
"We Felt Educated, Not Sold To"
Building a luxury home can be intimidating because every decision carries significant cost. What impressed us most wasn't Susan's creativity—it was her willingness to teach us. She explained every option, every tradeoff, and every long-term implication without pressure. Instead of telling us what to choose, she gave us the confidence to make informed decisions ourselves. We finished the project feeling empowered instead of exhausted, and that's something money alone can't buy.
Kitchen & Master Bathroom Remodel
Traditional Style Home circa 2004
"She Saw Problems Before
They Became Expensive"
Every builder expects surprises during construction.
Susan expected them too—but she planned for them before they happened, her goal was to reduce the number of change orders during construction. Her ability to anticipate construction challenges, coordinate details, and think several steps ahead saved us time, stress, and unnecessary change orders, those could of cost us $5,000 - $7,000 each! She doesn't just create beautiful drawings. She designs homes that can actually be built well. That level of foresight became one of the greatest investments we made in our project.
New Build Custom Home
Modern French Country Style Home
"Luxury Isn't About Square Footage"
We originally believed that what a luxury home meant was adding square footage, More rooms. More features. Expensive finishes. Susan completely changed our perspective. She showed us that luxury is thoughtful space, intentional design, effortless function, and the feeling that every room belongs exactly where it should, and that we could stretch our budget by mixing low, mid, and top tier level finishes that when put together looked cohesive. Our home isn't impressive because it's large. It's impressive because every square foot has purpose, and those surprise details, even down to the hardware we used for out door hinges.
Whole Home Redesign w/Addition
Craftsman Style Home
What Our Clients have to Say...
Meet Susan Hentz
Susan Hentz founded Hentz Inspired Living to help homeowners feel informed, supported, and empowered during one of the biggest investments of their lives.
Her background spans residential design, interior planning, construction coordination, functionality, and aging-in-place principles — giving clients a trusted guide who understands both the beauty and practicality of home design.
Rather than overwhelming homeowners with technical jargon or rushed decisions, Susan focuses on education, transparency, and thoughtful collaboration. She believes clients deserve to understand their options, ask questions confidently, and make decisions that support how they truly want to live.
Whether helping a family reimagine a kitchen, navigate a remodel, plan a custom home, or prepare a space for long-term accessibility, Susan’s approach blends smart strategy with real-life function.
The result is a process that feels calmer, clearer, and more intentional — helping homeowners move forward with confidence, avoid unnecessary regrets, and create spaces designed for everyday living.
