Blinn architecture alumna crafts custom homes rooted in client personality

Andrea Hartley found her path at Blinn before transferring to Texas A&M and becoming an architectural designer and project manager in Wimberley

November 20, 2025

Growing up in Deer Park, Andrea Hartley was fascinated by houses.

“My parents used to drive us along this street in Morgan’s Point that had every style of house you could imagine,” Hartley said. “There would be a modern house next to a coastal one, next to the old governor’s mansion. I loved seeing all the different styles and personalities in the architecture.”

Hartley carried that interest into high school, where she took an interior design course and discovered how much she enjoyed the creative, personal side of design. When she began planning for college, Texas A&M was her goal. However, when the timing of her application materials didn’t align with immediate admission, she chose a different path that proved unexpectedly meaningful.

“I still wanted to be in the area and be part of the community,” Hartley said, “so I enrolled at Blinn. Looking back, it was the biggest blessing. I met amazing people, had genuinely supportive professors, and learned so much. I would not change anything about starting at Blinn.”

In three semesters at Blinn, Hartley took courses in architectural graphics, design, and architectural history. Her studio and graphics courses were taught by Craig Jeffrey, who now serves as the Assistant Dean for the Division of Arts, Kinesiology, and Architecture.

“Craig was very intentional about teaching us fundamentals,” Hartley said. “How to use a scale properly, draw door swings correctly, think in 3D, build models, laser cut – the true foundations. Those are things I use every day in my career.”

Blinn’s Architecture Program offers two 60-credit-hour degree pathways: the Associate of Arts in Architecture, designed for students planning to transfer into a bachelor’s degree program, and the Associate of Arts in Architecture (Field of Study), which provides a foundation for students pursuing entry-level roles in the design and construction industries.

Through coursework in architectural graphics, architectural design, computer-aided visualization, architectural technology, and architectural history, students develop traditional and digital design skills while building a strong portfolio.

“At Blinn, everything was hands-on and applicable to real work,” Hartley said. “I learned about hierarchy, proportions, and balance. Those are the fundamentals I rely on at my job today.”

Hartley transferred to Texas A&M in 2019 and earned her Bachelor of Environmental Design in December 2021. Shortly afterward, she joined Brickmoon Design, a residential architecture firm with offices in Houston and Wimberley. Today, she serves as an architectural designer and project manager, focusing on custom homes throughout the Texas Hill Country.

“Our firm is very client-driven,” Hartley said. “My favorite part of the job is really getting to know the client – their personality, preferences, and lifestyle – and designing a home that reflects who they are. Every project feels personal.”

She works closely with her design director and team, and is now seeing several of her early designs completed and lived in.

“Walking through a space that you once sketched on paper and seeing a client happy because they feel at home – that is the best part,” she said.

Hartley encourages students exploring architecture to consider starting at Blinn.

“Blinn gives you the skills and the discipline you need,” she said. “It is a solid foundation, and it will serve you wherever you go next. I am very grateful that my path started there.”

For more information about Blinn’s Architecture Program, visit www.blinn.edu/architecture.