How a Bronc Rider and a Singer Became the Royal Family Behind Castle Homes
For the founders of Castle Homes, the marriage and the business grew up together. From the day they said "I do," their lives have been wonderfully full of children, careers, and a company that has shaped Nashville's luxury home landscape. Image: Castle Homes
If you ask Heather Looney how she knew her husband, Alan, was the one, she’ll point to his days as a bronc rider. The owners of Nashville’s Castle Homes first met at a club in Fort Worth, TX, and as the Shreveport native jokes, she quickly learned “he knows how to hang on.” It’s a trait that has served the couple well for more than three decades as they’ve built a life — and a premier custom home business — side by side.
A Uniquely Nashville Pivot
Like many great local stories, Heather and Alan’s road to Nashville was paved with music. A talented singer-songwriter, Heather had been making the trek from Louisiana to Music City to record demos and perform since she was 15. After marrying Alan, she continued her musical pursuits, ultimately leading the newlyweds to Nashville in 1993. The rest is history.
While music was her initial calling, Heather says design and building were in her blood. With an artist for a mother and a builder for a father, she had been helping on job sites since her early teens.
“I studied art history and marketing because I knew I’d need a career that could sustain me, and I didn’t want to take music jobs I didn’t believe in,” explains Heather, who was working as a market coordinator for Neiman Marcus in Dallas when she met Alan. “You could say music was my hobby, but design was my passion: architecture, interiors, fashion, all of it!”
Meanwhile, Alan had left the rodeo circuit to work as an industrial engineer. Like his wife, however, his heart was in design and architecture.
“Honestly, building has always been my passion,” he says, adding that he was always building houses on the side.
The couple finally decided to pursue their passions and take a leap of faith on their shared “hobby.” And what better way to do that than by building their own home? Alan says the goal was simple: build the house, sell it, and generate interest in custom building.
“The goal was never to just be a builder,” Alan explains. “We always wanted to be a design-build firm.”
The plan worked. Not only did the house sell, but it also led to three custom-build contracts. The couple knew it was time to make a change.
Building a Foundation
That very first project — a house with a wraparound porch perched on a hill in Kingston Springs — taught Alan and Heather a lot about juggling life and work. Alan had taken a job in medical sales and was on the road a lot, while Heather still had one foot in her music career. Combine that with the challenge of coordinating the first build together, and some couples might have been driven apart. But the Looneys aren’t just “some couple.” Rather than let it divide them, Alan and Heather doubled down on how well they worked together.
Alan’s engineering background meant he could meticulously plan, keeping projects on schedule and strictly on budget. Heather, with her lifelong passion for architecture and interiors, used her innate instinct for what makes a home truly “live well.”
“Once we saw how well those two sides worked together, we knew we had the foundation for a real company,” says Alan. “We founded Castle Homes the next year, and that same partnership is still at the heart of everything we build.”
The Chef and the Sous-Chef
Today, Castle Homes is synonymous with bespoke luxury, having reached major milestones like the Southern Living Idea House and the Nashville Symphony Showhouse. But even amid all the success, the Looneys have not lost sight of their core values: namely, the love and respect that have helped them grow both professionally and personally.
“We each have distinct strengths and clear responsibilities,” Alan explains. He handles the financial discipline, construction, and operations, while Heather drives the architectural interiors and client discovery. “We work in different lanes, but we’re always moving toward the same result,” he explains.
When disagreements naturally arise, the couple’s 35 years of marriage guide them through. They approach every challenge with candor and a mutual respect for each other’s expertise.
“We make a lot of decisions together, but somebody has to be the chef, and somebody has to be the sous-chef,” Heather laughs. “And I make a really good sous-chef.”
She adds that on financial and construction matters, she defers to Alan’s judgment, and on design decisions, he steps back, giving her room to lead. That trust spills over to the entire Castle Homes crew.
“With our team, it’s not really compromise,” Heather explains. “It’s conversation, but it always comes from a place of love and respect. Everyone throws their knowledge and opinions into one pile, and that takes trust and vulnerability from all of us. That’s essential to a team.”
Living the Dream
The name Castle Homes came from the expression “A man’s home is his castle.”
“It sounded better than Looney Homes,” jokes Heather. But both Heather and Alan understand it’s what you can’t see that truly makes a house a home. Their own stunning 6,000-square-foot home in Middleton is filled with family, love, music, and faith.
The couple works hard to balance the roles of business owner with husband and wife, and they make a conscious effort not to “talk shop” at home.
“For me, design is 24/7,” Heather says, adding that Alan needs to shut down around 6 p.m. and take a break from the numbers and build details. “You can’t switch off creativity. So our balance is less about a hard boundary and more about understanding what each of us needs.”
After three decades, you’d think it might be hard to keep both the business and the relationship fresh, but this couple is always looking ahead. As for what’s next, Alan won’t reveal too much, but he does drop a hint that some things on the horizon are “going to be a lot of fun, and will really round out what we do for our clients.”
Perhaps it has to do with the next generation. The Looneys have two children who appear to be following in their footsteps — their son is currently studying landscape architecture, while their daughter is working toward an interior design degree.
“My most favorite job ever is being their father and being active in their lives,” Alan says with pride. “I praise God every day for the privilege of growing a well-respected brand and growing a family.”
Heather echoes the sentiments of the man she still calls her “best friend,” adding, “We’ve raised a family, weathered the demanding seasons of owning a business, and we still enjoy the work and each other.”
“That’s the American dream,” she concludes. “We built this from nothing — together.”
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Bonny Osterhage
Bonny Osterhage is a professional journalist with more than 25 years of experience in both print and digital media. An avid fitness fanatic, when she isn't exploring the next trending topic, Bonny can be found cycling, running, and leading classes at SolidCore. Find more of her work at Mind Body Green, The List, Business Insider, and more.
