Services
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We’ve designed our process based on how we aspire to live – working to make it kind, considered and thorough; with room for the occasional detour on the road to completion; all brought with a sense of humor.
Interior Design Services
Nicole Lanteri Design works with clients on a mix of project sizes, from whole-house or single-room decorating, to kitchen and bath renovations, to major renovation work with architects and builders. We reserve some time for hourly consultations, as well – Nicole still loves using her experience to help clients make small but impactful changes to their homes especially with respect to paint, lighting and wallpaper.
Let's connect about your project! Click here to take the first step to working with Nicole Lanteri Design.
Ideal Client
Our ideal client is interested in design and appreciates how a designed and organized home can make them feel, but they don't have the vision or time to achieve it on their own. We create spaces that express the best version of you! Clients who are willing to trust us to do things they never would have thought of are a match for us. Many clients would like to make bold choices but are afraid to – we help by creating a safe space to be daring and advising on when it's worth it! We also can, and generally do, navigate style differences between partners, so don't worry about that!
Design Style
We believe that a home's character matters more than square footage. We love working with a mix of styles, but our talent lies in bringing a curated color palette to each space; making an old house feel modern; bringing charm to a new home; and ekeing out lots of storage in small spaces, so that you don't necessarily need a larger home. We are able to think through the layout of your home and how to organize your kitchen, curate your art collection and add to it, avoid the pitfalls of trends and celebrate new design ideas.
Costs and Budget
We believe it’s important to commit to an appropriate budget for your intended scope, and we can provide you a well-informed estimate of your project’s total costs in our services proposal. This estimate includes all items, from light fixtures to bath towels, to give you a true picture of the costs involved. We typically shop “medium” or “high” vendors for major pieces (e.g., retailers including Room & Board; custom furniture dealers, such as M2L), then mix in more affordable items to drive value in our designs. Our goal is to source well-made products that combine aesthetics, quality, health and sustainability aspects.
With respect to our design fees, for a single-room project we generally charge a flat fee for a design plan and hourly rate for implementation, and we pass through any trade discounts we can (i.e., we do not charge a markup on furnishings). For construction projects, we generally charge a monthly fee for the duration of the project based on our role. For hourly consultation work, our rate is $450.
Sustainability
Respect for our clients, their health, and the health of our planet is a core value of our firm. We incorporate sustainability into our designs in a number of ways, such as by selecting materials that are made to last; choosing natural and organic products over synthetic; and sourcing natural woods over painted ones for cabinetry. We embrace the concept of patina, and rather than return products with slight defects, we prefer to accept them. We love working on smaller or older homes, using design to make them more functional, rather than simply expanding or demolishing them to rebuild. Consistent with these principles, Nicole Lanteri Design is pursuing “Qualifying Member” status with the Sustainable Furnishings Council in 2023.
Perspective
On part with sustainability, Nicole and her team value respect for all our firm’s stakeholders: clients, vendors, architects, contractors, and our own employees. We hold ourselves to high standards of skill, service, and responsibility to earn our clients’ trust. In return, we look for clients who are open to building trust with us, acting decisively on our advice, and being gracious and flexible about the imperfections and mistakes that are inherent to complex interiors projects.
Location
Nicole Lanteri Design is based in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, D.C. and works throughout the DC, Virginia and Maryland area. We have been lured to other areas across the United States by our wonderful clients, and dream of a project abroad one day.