About Us
Who we are
We are a small team doing amazing things. We place no limits on where or how far our imaginations can take us. We are creators. Innovators. Problem solvers. Dreamers – but have the execution to back it up. We take pride in every part of our process and understand how our work reflects on our partners.
Custom development is at the core of what we do. Whatever you can dream up, we’ll translate into reality. We specialize in annual ornament programs, sculpts/busts and toys of all shapes and sizes. Our team provides a wide range of exclusive custom product to organizations such as The White House Historical Association, Mount Vernon, Biltmore Estate, Gateway Arch National Park in St. Louis, U.S. Capitol Historical Society, Major League Baseball and so many more.
Our open line of Revolutionary War, Civil War and Pirate themed merchandise help to support our smaller museum and historic destination partners across the country.
The Master Mind behind it all
Design Masters® began (as many of the best companies do) in the garage of one smart, determined individual. Byron Whitehurst, owner and CEO of Design Masters, founded the company in 1983 when his innovative ideas outgrew The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation’s vision for the Silversmith Production group he managed.
Byron wasn’t worried. He had built and managed a successful house painting business in the high-end market in DC during his college years. He even developed his own paint removal solution to improve the process and end result. All the while, he graduated with Honors from the Rochester Institute of Technology for his BFA and completed his graduate degree at the Rhode Island School of Design.
Today, Byron is known as “The Silversmith to American Presidents,” producing custom designs and commissions for a variety of clients, including Tiffany and Co., Cartier, the PGA and a host of other internationally renowned companies. His work has been sought after by Presidents Ronald Reagan, George Bush and Bill Clinton.
What sets us apart
- Custom opportunities you haven’t even imagined
- Exceptional in-house design team
- Ability to work in virtually any medium
- Full range of product development capabilities (We mean it - everything from souvenir key-chains to reproduction museum-quality art pieces)
- All of the above with high quality and custom, branded packaging to tell your product’s story
How we help tell your story
Design Masters is focused on what makes each product special, and we accomplish much of our storytelling through creative branded packaging developed in partnership with you.
When it comes to custom development, we know of no one who goes to the lengths we do to develop something truly unique. See what we’re capable of and a few example projects on our Custom Development Page.
