A Unique Gem in Downtown Waco

by Julie Benitez-Ibarra, Design House

Design House Jewelry Studio is more than a typical jewelry store and small business – it’s a hidden gem located in the heart of downtown Waco. It provides a crafted experience and casual atmosphere that is bound to leave a mark on each and every customer that walks through the door. Design House offers everything from custom design services, irresistible creations, repairs, and even permanent jewelry!

Owner and artisan, Linda McEathron, opened her doors in downtown Waco on Austin Avenue over 18 years ago with one bench and one small jewelry counter and a mission to provide one-of-a-kind custom jewelry and exceptional service to the Waco community. In October 2020, the growing Design House team moved into its current studio and storefront in the Silo District, just behind the historic Dr Pepper Museum and a block from the beautiful Fabled Bookstore and Cafe.

The more than 100-year-old building that is now home to the new Design House Studio has housed many ventures over the years including a garage and an avocational trade school within the city. It was lovingly restored to carefully save the original details of the building. The studio showcases exposed brick mixed with massive steel beams and natural organic wood that preserves the history of the building. The space was designed with the customer in mind and to create a space for customers to make memories. The studio includes a raised workspace that encourages customers to stop in and watch the jewelers work and a designated area for customers to take photos, complete with a grass wall and neon sign reading “This is where the magic happens.”

Unique Projects & Materials

With over 35 years of experience as a goldsmith, Linda’s passion is working with rare and unique gemstones, diamonds, and ancient coins. Linda and her team at Design House have worked to combine their love of creativity and goldsmithing with their customers’ jewelry needs and desires. Customers can choose from the studio’s vast collection of gemstones including exotic colors like tanzanite, watermelon tourmaline and pink sapphire as well as an extensive collection of diamonds.

A favorite of the team is the opportunity to help customers re-design or restore heirloom pieces of jewelry. The jewelers at Design House work one-on-one with each customer to ensure their sentimental pieces are cared for with the utmost attention to detail and passion for artistry.

Linda and her team invite customers to be as involved in the creative process as they wish to be. They encourage customers to share ideas and photos and even bring in their own gold and diamonds to utilize and transform into a new, custom piece of jewelry. Even the simplest inspiration can help bring their jewelry wishes to life. Design House offers flexibility and involvement in the process which adds an extra touch of sentiment and additionally forms a lasting bond to be cherished for future generations.

Another unique facet of Design House includes the collections of ancient artifacts that Linda has curated into a history buff or world traveler’s dream! For example, the latest and most unique collection includes shipwreck coins and coins minted from places such as modern-day Turkey, Rome and Bolivia originating from 400 BC to the 17th century. Linda has handcrafted the frames for these coins with 14 karat gold, diamonds, rubies and more. Aside from the exclusive, custom jewelry pieces, Design House offers quite a selection of mixed-metal jewelry and crystals that catch the attention of the customers of all ages, genders and backgrounds. There is something for everybody, including many handmade-in-studio pieces crafted in sterling silver, with genuine gemstones. Proudly, the studio is able to fit the desire of their customers for fine jewelry into almost any budget and cultivate a loyal customer base.

Commitment to Community & Team

Waco is a beautiful mixture of both a small and big town – it’s the best of both worlds! There is something about the community that has allowed Linda and her team to grow and flourish. The move to the new studio in the Silo District downtown has been exhilarating. Greeting and meeting tourists visiting Waco, watching locals explore their own city and families enjoying a morning or afternoon walk throughout the streets of Waco makes for an exciting day.

Design House strives to create a positive and supportive environment for employees to show them that amazing things can happen when individual talents are encouraged. Linda believes that being a small business owner is an opportunity for her to encourage other women and artists to develop and pursue their passions. Just recently, a team member of five years, Odalys Andrade, known as “Loly,” expressed interest in becoming a goldsmith. With no hesitation, Design House sent her to her first jewelry repair and design class. Loly brings a strong work ethic and desire to show her artistic side, which first appeared in hand-drawing the storefront signs and quickly grew into a custom intake specialist. The ambition that Design House and its team members capture brings creativity and inspiration not only to the Waco community, but to so many lives by creating wearable memories in the process.

Design House connects regularly with other local small businesses and is committed to supporting the local small business community. For example, the team works to curate content on its website and social media to highlight local favorites, including shops, restaurants and photo spots for customers exploring Downtown Waco. Design House also believes in supporting local charities, such as the Family Abuse Center, Shepherd’s Heart Food Pantry, Pack of Hope, The Arc and countless school programs. Design House believes that philanthropic efforts to give back are the core of building a strong sense of community.

Future Forecast

After surviving the pandemic in 2020, Design House quickly learned to pivot and rethink a traditional store path. The studio realized that customers are hungry for a connection. With this in mind, the team seeks to reestablish unique experiences for customers to share with friends and family. One of these experiences is the addition of permanent jewelry to Design House’s repertoire. Permanent jewelry is a new trend which allows customers to choose a chain and charms while getting pampered by their stylists. Customers can feel confident leaving the studio with a high-quality low maintenance chain. Linda and the team consider it a gift to be part of their customers’ special moments and are excited for a bright and prosperous future in Waco.