by Christy Heitger-Ewing | photos by Adam Gibson Architectural Photography and Sarah Shields Photography
A beautiful build comes to fruition through collective collaboration, constant communication, and the creative assembly of talented people. The talented women of the construction industry know this to be true. Cori Brown, Emily Handke, Kristen Shaffer-Hale, Sarah Wilson, and Sunshine Brooks all recognize that to get a job done, not only does it take a village, it takes a knowledgeable, creative, reliable village.
Emily Handke, President of Emily Handke Design, has been designing luxury homes for eleven years. After starting her career in Seattle, she returned to the greater Indianapolis area. In 2021, she launched Emily Handke Design (EHD), which offers varied architectural designs—from modern to traditional.
“Our homes are all customized to how our clients live,” says Handke.
Innovation is king in the construction industry as new products and technologies continually enter the market. 3-D architectural designs are one such innovation that allows clients to visualize the design of their future home.
“It’s exciting presenting a new home to a client in 3-D for the first time,” says Handke, who believes the best floor plans begin with a focus on the home exterior design and style. The 3-D process allows Handke and her team to design both the interior and exterior simultaneously. They layer many softwares together to offer a holistic view of the project, including architectural details and exterior building materials.
Handke, who regularly collaborates with other women-owned businesses, loves watching industry friends excel. Her friend, Kristen Shaffer-Hale, President of Kent Shaffer Homes, is a third-generation builder and one of the only female luxury custom home builders in the state. Growing up on job sites, watching her father and grandfather build homes, laid the foundation for the builder she is today. After graduating from Purdue University, Shaffer-Hale briefly worked in the production home field before ultimately joining her family in the construction of custom homes. A few years ago, she took the reins as President of the company.
“I never wanted a career that was monotonous. This certainly is not that,” she says. “This job is about problem solving and creative thinking as every build presents new challenges.”
Shaffer-Hale loves the fact that in the field of construction, something’s always trending.
“Fifteen years ago, it seemed homes were either comfortable/ livable or a show-home, and you had to pick one,” says Shaffer-Hale. “Now, no matter how extravagant the homes that we build are, they seamlessly blend comfort and fun for the whole family.”
In addition to working with Emily Handke Design, Hale has partnered with Sarah Wilson, President of Wildflower Designs.
“These two women have been absolute forces of nature to work with, and they have been dropping clients’ jaws on job after job,” says Shaffer-Hale.
Wilson has worked in the design industry for more than a decade. A Minnesota native who moved to Indiana 20 years ago, Wilson is involved in projects from blueprint consultation to pillows on the couch. Her specialized approach involves visualizing the design of a whole house—from front door to doggy door, adding accents and pops of color in just the right places.
“Homes shouldn’t feel like independently designed rooms. They should have a cohesive design all the way through,” says Wilson, who feels humbled that her clients place their trust in her vision. “This is one of the biggest investments people make. I’m honored to play such a vital role in it.”
Meanwhile, the team at Shine Design Interiors specializes in bringing homes to life with texture, layers, comfort, and personality.
“We bring the icing to the cake, if you will,” says Sunshine Brooks, President of Shine Design Interiors. “We believe our surrounding environments have a direct impact on our well-being. Helping people achieve what feels right for them and their family is everything to us.
Shine Design Interiors, which launched in 2010, has grown to include a team of five amazing women who run Shine Design HOME, a brick-and-mortar shop. HOME allows Brooks to curate furnishings, art, textiles, and unique finds for her clients and customer base.
Connecting all these threads of women in the home construction industry is Cori Brown, owner of Franklin Window & Door. Brown started the company in 2012. A specialty trade window and door company specializing in luxury residential, their niche is sourcing specialty architectural products from all over the world to elevate their architects, builders, and designers.
“We allow them to create new and unique projects,” says Brown. Marvin Window And Doors has been an integral part of this with their continually shaping the window and door industry with new and unique product offerings.
Brown and her team with the help of Marvin Windows and Doors are taking the industry to the next level with architects who are continually stretching the limits of design. Through the years, Brown has relished being a part of some of the most incredibly designed and built homes in the market. Many of the homes that Brown has been a part of creating have been featured in national publications like Architectural Digest and Traditional Home.
“We’re blessed to work with the most creative and talented trade partners in all of Central Indiana,” says Brown. “Many of them work on projects all over the country.”
Brown loves collaborating with other women in the building industry. In fact, she happily collaborated with a team of talented women for this year’s Home-A-Rama show home for Kent Shaffer Homes. The property was designed, built and decorated by an all-female team.
If you’re eager to build a beautiful home with women who care, communicate, and connect all the dots to make the process fun, contact them today.
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200 S Rangeline Road, Suite 117
Carmel, Indiana 46032
