Muse | Kirwan Architects

Originally established as Muse Architects in 1983, Muse | Kirwan Architects has extensive experience in both architecture and interior design. “Our work is designed to be specific to both client and site,” founder and partner Stephen Muse explains. “We extend what is best about existing conditions while mitigating problems. At completion, we have hopefully constructed a building that looks like it has always been there.”

Structures designed by the firm are personal and conceived with an aim to surpass their owners’ imaginations. “We ask clients to share life experiences so we can design a home that recalls their memories and has meaning to them,” relates partner William Kirwan.

The firm’s work has received more than 175 design awards from the American Institute of Architects and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Its projects have appeared in more than 200 books and periodicals, including Architectural Digest and Anatomy of a Great Home. In 2025, the firm was named to Forbes’ Best-in-State Architects list.

In addition to its Washington, DC-area portfolio, Muse | Kirwan’s projects can be found on the East Coast, from Martha’s Vineyard to West Palm Beach, as well as in Chicago, Aspen, San Francisco, Big Timber, Montana; and Puget Sound, Washington.

See more at HandD.com/MuseKirwan