Katharine Harris, Owner & Designer
For interior designer Katharine Harris, your home should reflect who you are. It should be personal, authentic and comfortable. “It should be the story you want to tell,” she says.
A walk-through of Harris’ home tells you she likes color and lots of it — from sunny yellow bath tiles to green kitchen cabinets to light chartreuse trim. “It is eclectic with a little vintage mixed in,” she says. “And it is just fun.”
Harris grew up in Louisburg, N.C., in a house built by her dad and grandfather. Her parents still live there today.
A graduate of East Carolina University’s interior design program, Harris launched design firm Sixth and Steel in 2022, after working with a designer and custom homebuilder in Wrightsville Beach and Figure Eight Island. And while her home base is Wilmington, she works with residential and commercial clients throughout North Carolina and the United States.
Her services range from full-service to by-room design to hourly consultations, both in-person or virtual. An initial complimentary session allows her to understand a client’s vision and build a design package that makes sense.
Whether you want a vibe that is casual and calm, diverse and collected, or minimal and relaxed, Harris strives to empower clients to choose pieces, materials and fabrics that excite them and to add details that showcase their personality and style. “If you love it, it’ll work,” she says. “That’s what makes a house a home in my opinion.”
Understanding her clients and the way they live guides Harris in each design. So do her years of construction knowledge. “A lot of people assume that designers are decorators only,” Harris says. “While it’s fun to pick out the rugs, fabrics and all the details, design is so much more than that.”
Pleasing her clients fuels Harris’ passion, and every design is meaningful. “It always makes me proud when I can complete a project for someone that looks nothing like any other past client,” she adds. “Every space is truly a reflection of each individual.”
Sixth and Steel
919.612.2742
@sixthandsteelinteriors
