By combining the concept of a showhouse with a real estate flip, San Diego designer Susan Spath found a way to spotlight her style and make a splash.

I build a lot of homes for clients, but so often I don’t end up getting to add them to my portfolio. Sometimes the client doesn’t want anyone to take photographs. Other times, they don’t finish the project completely, or they make a change that doesn’t reflect my design aesthetic. That’s always been an issue, so about 25 years ago I had this thought: Why not design and build my own house to really show off my work?

Susan SpathKern & Co