Mark D. Sikes has always been inspired by classic American style; more recently he’s had the opportunity to actually design American classics. The Los Angeles–based tastemaker just completed a renovation of Blair House, an official residence in Washington, D.C., often referred to as “The President’s Guest House,” which has hosted everyone from Winston Churchill to Justin Trudeau. And before that, he worked with First Lady Jill Biden on her office in the White House East Wing. “With both commissions I look at it as my ability to serve our country,” Sikes tells host Dennis Scully on the latest episode of The Business of Home Podcast. “You’re not just representing yourself or your own subjective design perspective—you’re really representing the country and looking out for what’s best for everybody. There’s an immense sense of responsibility, but with that comes amazing joy and fulfillment.”

Sikes’s take on American style draws on both fashion—white shirts, stripes, blazers—and a grander sense of the country as a cultural mash-up. “When I think about American design, it’s a little bit of English, a little bit French, a little bit Asian—it’s a mixture of things,” he says. “When it all comes together, there is something classic, crisp, hopefully something comfortable, and something inviting.” Using this theme as a consistent through line in his work and creating his signature aesthetic has helped Sikes maintain a successful design firm (he previously had a career working in visual merchandising for Banana Republic and Pottery Barn). In just over 10 years, he has grown his team to 24 members, landed spots on the AD100 and Elle Decor A-List, and published three bestselling books.

“I’ve always loved what I love—nothing’s really changed. I’ve just taken those things that I’ve loved and made them a part of our work. It’s very authentic in general, and true to who we are,” he says. “That would be the advice that I would give anyone: Just work hard, be consistent with who you are, and at the end of the day, focus on the simple things, because really, it’s what people remember.”

Crucial insight: The designer—whose most recent bestseller, Forever Beautiful: All-American Style All Year Long, was released earlier this fall—looks at his books as a way to create a narrative. “I think where [designers] go wrong a little bit is when they start sacrificing what they love, to do something that they think people will like,” he says. “It’s always been important to me to be really authentic. [My work is] understandable design. It’s not revolutionary, and I’m not going to even try to act like it is—it’s just genuine.”

Key quote: “I think design beauty is a connector, in many ways—a shared and common language. Of course, it’s very subjective, but I do think that what we do can be really powerful,” he says of design’s ability to transcend politics. “I think every election is consequential. I think that we all feel that for sure, but I also know that there is something bigger that can connect us, which is reassuring.”

This episode is sponsored by Four Hands and Surya. Listen to the show below. If you like what you hear, subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

The Thursday Show

BOH executive editor Fred Nicolaus and host Dennis Scully discuss the biggest news in the industry, including a quick end to the dockworker strike, the shuttering of an online antiques site, and a look at whether a wave of silicosis lawsuits will upend the world of engineered stone. Later, East Fork CEO Alex Matisse joins the show to talk about Helene’s impact and what comes next for North Carolina.

This episode is sponsored by Loloi and Isla Porter. Listen to the show below. If you like what you hear, subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.