For nearly two decades, Mark W. Kirby has been the creative force behind some of North Carolina’s most distinctive homes. As co-founder and principal designer at DixonKirby, he helped shape a firm known for timeless architecture, balanced proportions, and an uncompromising attention to detail. His work has become a recognizable part of the Raleigh landscape—not through repetition, but through intention. Every design begins from scratch. No templates. No recycled plans. Each home is a one-off, created for a specific place, a specific family, and a specific way of living.

Mark doesn’t simply place a house on a lot—he draws it into the land. Every project begins with a quiet walk of the site, where he studies the natural contours, prevailing light, existing trees, and surrounding views. But it goes deeper than orientation. He considers how the sun moves across each room, how trees can filter light or preserve privacy, and how a single window might frame a view—or deliberately block it.

This level of planning is not theoretical. With over 30 years of experience in residential construction, Mark approaches design with the mind of a builder and the precision of a craftsman. His plans are shaped not only by vision, but by what it takes to bring that vision to life with clarity and integrity. Other designers can replicate a look. What they can’t replicate is the lived-in depth of Mark’s work—the way it fits the land, the way it feels resolved from the first step inside.

Mark W. Kirby Design is a natural extension of that legacy. While Mark continues to lead design at DixonKirby, he is now offering his services independently to clients seeking thoughtful, one-of-a-kind home plans. Each design is created from scratch—never repeated, never recycled—and developed through a close dialogue with the client and the land. It’s a way to bring the clarity and care of his work to those building outside DixonKirby’s footprint, without compromising the principles that define it.

This isn’t a shift in philosophy—it’s a widening of reach. Whether designing a home for a full-service build or offering a standalone plan, Mark remains committed to the same ideal: create something beautiful, lasting, and completely personal.