Rodolfo Castro exemplifies what it means to transform a passion into a career. The son of a civil engineer and an interior designer, he has been immersed in the world of home creation since birth. “My first memory is walking a job site with my dad,” Castro said, a core memory that ultimately led to his desire to enter into the industry as well. “I needed something more creative than the engineering side, but my mind does not really work in color and furniture, so I needed to do something in between,” he said. “I’ve always loved thinking about spaces and details, not necessarily saying what color a wall should be.” As a result, Castro became a residential home designer whose name continues to spread with great regard.
Little did he know the extent to which his name would spread, though. After leaving his job at a different design firm, Castro started his own firm in a home office doing two to three projects a year in the metro Atlanta area. The economy crashed shortly afterward, but he did not lose faith in his passion. Now, he has an office located off of Paces Ferry with a team who “knows what I’m thinking without me even having to say it” and undertakes dozens and dozens of projects all over the country, stretching from the Southeast to Idaho, each year. “Doing this every day is a giant blessing,” Castro said. “Getting to do something you love beyond simply not minding being here.”
Drawing inspiration from everywhere, whether traditional homes in Georgia or modern residences in Europe, Castro’s designs vary greatly per client. While many elements of the home have to do with its surroundings, such as the styles of other nearby houses, each design is specifically tailored to the client’s wants and needs. Castro intently listens to his clients, working with them to develop their desires, and strives to create something new and original for them. Through clients sharing picture representations and telling him what they want, Castro is able to piece together a pattern that inspires him to design what no one has done before. With a need to do something different and interesting in each design, Castro thinks of something unique for each client and crafts what “is not a home for everybody, but for the ones who really get it.”
While every home design differs, a common theme persists amongst them. In his designs, Castro emphasizes open and light-filled spaces. “I think it has a lot to do with the fact that I’m claustrophobic, so I like to make things airy,” Castro said. “I grew up in Costa Rica when there was an energy shortage. I was scared of being stuck in a closet with no windows and no light.” Some homes are very traditional while others are ultra-modern, but the majority of his designs lie somewhere in between. “It’s all about finding a balance of what a home feels like to [the clients],” Castro said. No matter which way they lean, his designs are cleaner, lighter, and light-filled with a hint of restraint. One client said, “Our house was underdone in the best possible way.”
In the beginning, Castro’s typical clients were people who were building their first homes. “I really loved it because I got to educate them about what the next few years were going to be like and walk them through the process step by step,” he said. Now, clients are returning to build their second, forever home, which allows him to focus less on the process and more on the details, details which can be a little more out of the box than before. Castro says that the return of clients “is a giant compliment. Especially since many end up being friends, and it is great to work with friends again.” One client said, “Working with Rodolfo is such a joy. He consistently gives excellent ideas and demonstrates remarkable talent.”
Regarding his contributions in Fayette County, Castro designed a home in the Town of Trilith in 2022, and so many fell in love with that home, he has since designed another and has eight more in development within the town.
Castro struggles to determine which project is his favorite. “I have a different favorite one every day, or sometimes multiple ones in a day,” he said. “I spend so much time thinking about them and creating them and putting special things into them that they are all favorites.”
For more information or to see Castro’s portfolio, visit castrodesign.com.
“It’s all about finding a balance of what a home feels like to [the clients]”