Jenna Kaufman, founder and principal designer of Lovegood Interiors, creates thoughtfully designed homes and commercial spaces that balance everyday function with timeless style.
Q: How would you describe your design style in three words, and why do those words best represent your work?
A: Intentional, livable, and elevated. Whether I'm designing a family home or a commercial space, my goal is always the same: creating environments that feel welcoming, function effortlessly for real life, and look beautiful without feeling like a museum where you're afraid to sit down.
Q: What is one design trend you're loving right now, and one trend you think is on its way out?
A: I'm loving rich earth tones and textured plaster or limewash finishes that add warmth and soul to a room. On the way out? The stark, all-white minimalist look. People are ready for homes with more color, warmth, and personality.
Q: When starting a new project, what is the first thing you want to learn about your client?
A: I always want to understand how the space needs to function day to day. For a home, that means learning about family routines, entertaining, and how they really live. For a commercial space, it's about how customers experience the brand. Great design should always support real life first.
Q: What's one design element every home should have, regardless of size or style?
A: Layered lighting. I believe every home needs a mix of ambient, task, and accent lighting instead of relying only on overhead fixtures. It instantly creates a warmer, more inviting atmosphere.
Q: What is your favorite way to make a space feel both beautiful and livable?
A: Mixing high and low elements. I love pairing durable performance fabrics with vintage finds or statement pieces so clients can host friends, enjoy a glass of red wine, and truly live in their spaces without worrying about every little thing.
Q: What's one piece of decorating advice every homeowner should know?
A: Don't feel like you have to fill every corner right away. Invest in foundational pieces you truly love, let your home evolve naturally, and give each room space to breathe. The best homes feel collected over time, not decorated in a single shopping trip.
Celeste Antoine, owner and principal designer of Spirit Animal Interiors, creates bold, personality-filled spaces that celebrate individuality while blending beauty with everyday function.
Q: How would you describe your design style in three words, and why do those words best represent your work?
A: Unbound, vivid, and intentional. Every project inspires me to create something authentic and meaningful. I don't believe in following strict design rules. My goal is to design a home that feels completely true to my client while adding a little whimsy along the way, even if that means breaking a few traditional design "rules."
Q: What is one design trend you're loving right now, and one trend you think is on its way out?
A: I'm loving the growing use of natural stone beyond countertops. It's showing up on fireplaces, cased openings, and shower accents, adding warmth and character. As for what's fading, I think the fully open floor plan has had its moment. People are embracing more intentional spaces like dining rooms and cozy lounges that feel inviting and offer a little privacy.
Q: When starting a new project, what is the first thing you want to learn about your client?
A: I like to learn about their favorite vacation spots, restaurants, and hobbies before we even talk about the house. Those details tell me so much about who they are and help me create a space that truly reflects their lifestyle.
Q: What's one design element every home should have, regardless of size or style?
A: Art and meaningful objects that tell a personal story. I love seeing pieces throughout a home that spark memories or bring joy, even if no one else understands their significance.
Q: What is your favorite way to make a space feel both beautiful and livable?
A: Layering texture. Combining luxurious fabrics, warm woods, leather accents, and touches of raw brass creates a space that feels rich, welcoming, and comfortable.
Q: What's one piece of decorating advice every homeowner should know?
A: Never underestimate the power of paint and lighting. If you're not ready for a full renovation, updating a paint color and swapping out light fixtures can completely transform a space with relatively little effort.
Kristen Ridler, founder and principal designer of Kristen Ridler Design, creates modern interiors that blend timeless details with thoughtful design choices tailored to the way her clients live.
Q: How would you describe your design style in three words, and why do those words best represent your work?
A: Modern, timeless, and intentional. I believe the most successful spaces are those that feel current while also standing the test of time. Every choice should have a purpose and support the way my clients want to experience their homes.
Q: What is one design trend you're loving right now, and one trend you think is on its way out?
A: I'm loving that clients are embracing more color. After years of neutral spaces dominating interiors, people are ready to bring in personality, warmth, and colors that make their homes feel uniquely theirs.
Q: When starting a new project, what is the first thing you want to learn about your client?
A: I want to understand their goals for their home and how they truly live day to day. My most successful designs happen when a space not only looks beautiful but also supports the client's everyday lifestyle.
Q: What's one design element every home should have, regardless of size or style?
A: Layered lighting is one of the most important parts of the design process. I also believe every home benefits from original art and a few well-placed martini tables. You can never have too many!
Q: What is your favorite way to make a space feel both beautiful and livable?
A: I love incorporating real greenery, whether it's a potted tree indoors or fresh vegetation in a vase. Living elements bring so much warmth, texture, and life to a space in a way accessories simply can't.
Q: What's one piece of decorating advice every homeowner should know?
A: Pay attention to scale. Whether you're selecting tile, a light fixture, or furniture, choosing the right proportions can make or break a room. The right scale is what helps a space feel balanced and intentional.
Erica Kay, founder and principal designer of Erica Kay Design, creates warm, timeless interiors that are thoughtfully tailored to the rhythms, routines, and stories of the families who live in them.
Q: How would you describe your design style in three words, and why do those words best represent your work?
A: Warm, timeless, and intentional. Beautiful homes catch your eye, but warm homes capture your heart. I want every home I design to feel like it gives you a hug the moment you walk through the door. Every decision has a purpose, whether it's creating a kitchen where family memories are made or designing spaces that make everyday life run more smoothly. My goal is to create homes that feel just as good 20 years from now as they do on move-in day.
Q: What is one design trend you're loving right now, and one trend you think is on its way out?
A: I love that rooms are being given permission to have personalities again. Instead of opening everything up, people are embracing libraries, breakfast nooks, sculleries, and spaces designed around how they actually live. I think the "everything must be open" floor plan is fading. Sometimes walls are your friends, and a little separation can make a home feel more functional and inviting.
Q: When starting a new project, what is the first thing you want to learn about your client?
A: I want to know how their home truly functions day to day. How do their mornings unfold? Where does the mail collect? What drives them crazy about their current space? Those details help create a home that feels designed specifically for their family.
Q: What's one design element every home should have, regardless of size or style?
A: Thoughtful storage. A beautiful home isn't much fun if you can't find your keys. I love creating hidden storage, hardworking cabinetry, and custom solutions that make everyday life easier while keeping the home feeling calm and organized.
Q: What is your favorite way to make a space feel both beautiful and livable?
A: I believe a great floor plan is the foundation of a great home. Once the function is right, we can layer in natural materials, beautiful lighting, texture, antiques, collected pieces, and plants to create a space that feels personal and full of life.
Q: What's one piece of decorating advice every homeowner should know?
A: Don't buy the room. Collect it. The most meaningful homes mix old and new, incorporating pieces with stories and memories. Your home shouldn't look like it arrived on one delivery truck. It should tell the story of the people who live there. I don't design homes to impress your guests. I design them to make you love coming home.
Abraham and Christopher Colone, the duo behind Atelier Colone LLC, believe the best interiors are both beautiful and deeply personal. Their approach blends classic materials, thoughtful details and a strong sense of how their clients actually live, resulting in spaces that feel elevated without losing their warmth.
Q: How would you describe your design style in three words, and why?
Abraham + Christopher: Classic, elevated and intentional. These three words represent us at our core because we focus on sustainable design and classic materials presented in a sophisticated way.
Q: What design trend are you loving right now, and what do you think is on its way out?
Abraham + Christopher: We are loving the darker wood stains that are making a comeback. They bring warmth and character to a space. We think very cold, white spaces with no personality are on their way out.
Q: When starting a new project, what is the first thing you want to learn about your client?
Abraham + Christopher: We often sit with our clients and their families in their current space to get a feel for their lives. We get to know them as individuals, family members and business owners and learn what their day-to-day looks like. That allows us to create truly intentional design.
Q: What is one design element every home should have, regardless of size or style?
Abraham + Christopher: Three types of lighting: ambient, task and accent. Good lighting can make even the simplest space visually pleasing.
Q: What is your favorite way to make a space feel both beautiful and livable?
Abraham + Christopher: Great art, comfortable furniture, greenery and, again, lighting. Those elements bring warmth, personality and life to a space.
Q: What is one piece of decorating advice every homeowner should know?
Abraham + Christopher: Invest in great furniture, art and rugs because you will get the most life out of those pieces. And collect from your travels. Those personal pieces are what make a home feel uniquely yours.
Credits: Photoshoot location Cleo Club
Cleo Club - Designed by the Rockhill Restaurant Group team in collaboration with creative design and styling by Molly Kavanagh with The Applied Eye.