Charles Neal

Charles Neal Sumlin’s opulent contemporary and neo-Victorian award wining designs have been captivating the world for years. He has been feature on numourous tv show including HGTV's "Showhouse Showdown", "Design Wars", and soon to come "My favorite Place." A jack of many trades and a master of each as well, Charles is well-versed in the design and architecture arenas. He specializes in creating cozy and inviting home designs that are both attractive and functional. With a diverse collection of exceptionally pleased, high profile clients spanning the East to the West coast, Charles is at the forefront of the interior design realm.

Charles’ philosophy, “You don’t have to be great to start, you have to start to be great,”and he embodies its message to a tee. From a very young age, Charles began taking on projects with a determination and enthusiasm that would see him through to the position he now holds as a lauded creative professional playing with and expanding on the basic concepts of interior design.

The entrepreneurial spirit has been bubbling in Charles’ veins since childhood. At the mere age of six years old, he started the traditional neighborhood lemonade stand, which inspired him to design, produce, and sell custom jewelry. Several years later, he entered a technology phase, during which he mastered the complex inner workings of computers, eventually building his own. This would come in handy during his unorthodox entry into the interior design market, using photo-like 3D CAD sketches and renderings to showcase his ideas to clients in an innovative 21st century approach.Charles’ entrepreneurial ventures didn’t stop there.

He exercised his burgeoning sales skills by selling exotic birds, vacuum cleaners, and luxury cars. While attending a private school, he excelled at gymnastics and academics, scoring the highest grade in mathematics on a junior college entrance examination. His innate mathematical ability has enabled him to utilize architectural principles in new and captivating ways during each interior design project he undertakes.

Charles’ longtime relationship with graphic design has also been fruitful. He has owned and operated several retail printing businesses over the years, during which he designed captivating brochures and party invitations for celebrities and famous sports figures. In addition, he  has worked on marketing campaigns for major corporate entities such as Porsche. Unlike many other current designers, Charles utilizes his numerous hands-on skills in unusual areas that he then brings together seamlessly to create works of unparalleled sophistication and richness.

Charles is adept at using unique technologies and forms to create and showcase his designs, including CAD software and plotter, design graphics, embroidery designs, antique mirrors and other surfaces, and Venetian plaster walls. Charles handcrafts his own mirrors, as well as designs and produces his own stencils. Vividly colored decorative painting, faux finishes and murals are a staple of the Charles Neal design method. His intuitive sense of color and the mathematical principles underlying a well-outfitted room merge with a bold take on color and an unbridled passion for producing luxurious, visually stunning environments.

Awash in deep shades and shapely furnishings, rooms that speak of grand intentions, elegant soirees, and storied histories are Charles’ signature contribution to the design world. Combining his singular design sense with a mastery of technology, architectural form, and entrepreneurial prowess, Charles has a fearless, unconventional approach to interior design… unlike anyone else’s in the business today.