Our Approach

Great design starts with clarity around form and function.

We combine strategy, aesthetics, and investment plans to deliver high-performing spaces that are as functional as they are beautiful. Our process is equal parts creative and operational, anchored in insight, guided by intention, and executed by a trusted team. Whether you're reimagining one room or the entire home, our method ensures alignment at every stage — so the result feels tailored, timeless, and entirely yours.

Our Process

01 - Insights & Strategy

We uncover your aesthetic and functional needs using two proprietary frameworks — the Signature Style DNA™ questionnaire and the Home Performance Audit. Together, they surface priorities, goals, and set the strategy for a home that will be well-designed for you.

02 - Design

We craft a cohesive design vision, from color palette and material selections to room-specific mood boards, ensuring clarity, intention, and alignment before we move into execution.

03 - Iterate

With your investment goals in mind, we select furnishings, fixtures, and finishes that reflect both your aesthetic preferences and your lifestyle. Every detail is refined through iteration to get it just right.

04 - Install

From custom millwork to final styling, we lead the installation process with the same clarity and precision that shaped the design — managing timelines, partners, and details until the space is complete.

  • “I didn’t realize how much my environment was affecting my focus until Elissa redesigned this space. It’s elevated and masculine without feeling overdone — I’m almost happy to be on Zoom all day. Elissa was a clear communicator and a strong leader throughout the process, which made everything seamless.”

    — Chad B.

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Our Services

You don’t need more options. You need a plan.
Our services are built to remove friction, bring focus, and deliver spaces that perform — beautifully.


FULL-SERVICE

Comprehensive design transformation of multiple rooms or an entire home. We begin with understanding your unique style DNA and lifestyle needs, then orchestrate every detail—from concept through final installation — to create spaces that are both beautifully cohesive and perfectly functional for how you live.

VIRTUAL CONCIERGE

A comprehensive, full-service design partnership tailored for remote projects. The only distinction is that we manage the design, procurement, and logistics, while you work with your own trusted local team (contractor, trades, receiving warehouse) for on-the-ground implementation.

CONSULTATION

If you’re seeking one-time expert design guidance on specific challenges or creative direction for your space, we offer design consultations to help you make decisions with confidence.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Yes. I work with clients throughout Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, and surrounding areas — including North Hills, Cary, Apex, and inside-the-beltline neighborhoods. Whether you're renovating your primary residence or designing a forever home from the ground up, I offer full-service design tailored to your lifestyle and vision.

    My studio is based in Raleigh, and I’m deeply familiar with the local architecture, contractor landscape, and sourcing ecosystem.

  • I specialize in comprehensive design transformations — typically involving multiple rooms or an entire home. That includes renovations, space planning, custom cabinetry, finish selection, and full furnishing and styling.

    If you're investing in a primary residence or second home in the Triangle, I can lead the design from concept through final installation. I do not offer hourly design services for one-off styling or piecemeal rooms, but I’m happy to discuss project-based design consultations if we’re a fit.

  • Yes. I collaborate with architects, builders, and contractors to design homes from the ground up — or to reimagine spaces that no longer serve your needs.

    From millwork design to material selections and furnishings, I lead the entire design process with intention and precision. I’m also available for walkthroughs and site visits throughout the greater Raleigh area to ensure the design vision is fully realized on installation day.

  • The Signature Style DNA™ is my proprietary method for decoding your aesthetic instincts and translating them into a clear, actionable design strategy. It's more than a mood board or Pinterest collage — it's a guided discovery process that reveals your true style preferences, even if you struggle to articulate them.

    Using a refined digital questionnaire and visual prompts, I analyze your responses to identify recurring themes in materials, palette, structure, and tone. From there, I create a personalized design profile that serves as the creative foundation for your project.

    Clients love this process because it brings clarity, language, and intention to what they’ve always been drawn to — but couldn’t quite describe. It’s one of the key reasons my designs feel both elevated and deeply personal.

  • The Home Performance Audit™ is my proprietary diagnostic tool that helps uncover which parts of your home are underperforming — and why.

    It's a strategic room-by-room assessment designed to surface the friction points you may not even be aware of. Whether it’s a poorly functioning kitchen, a disjointed primary suite, or a lack of rhythm between common and private spaces, this audit gives us a clear foundation for creating a home that supports your lifestyle.

    Combined with the Signature Style DNA™, it becomes the strategic blueprint for your project — bridging function and form.

  • My approach blends strategy, aesthetics, and quality. I’m not here to decorate based on trends — I’m here to help you make smart, lasting design decisions grounded in how you live.

    I combine a proprietary Signature Style DNA™ assessment with a strategic Executive Home Audit to uncover both your taste and your home’s potential. Every project is backed by clear process, white-glove service, and a strong point of view shaped by decades of experience in luxury environments around the world.

    Clients come to me because they want clarity, performance, and an elevated space that reflects who they are.

  • Our first meeting is designed to get aligned. I’ll ask about your goals, how you live, what’s working — and what’s not. We’ll also review your project scope, timeline, and budget range.

    After the consultation, I’ll prepare a proposal outlining your design fee, expected timeline, and next steps. If we move forward, the next phase includes completing your Style DNA™ and scheduling your Executive Home Audit.

  • Absolutely. Sourcing antiques, vintage furnishings, and one-of-a-kind statement pieces is a hallmark of my design approach. I work with trusted dealers, auctions, and markets — both domestically and abroad — to curate elements that bring depth, texture, and timelessness to a space.

    For clients seeking something truly special, I often incorporate sourcing from European antique markets, estate collections, and boutique vendors known for craftsmanship and provenance. Whether it’s a sculptural console, mid-century lighting, or a weathered patina cabinet that anchors the room, I believe these pieces give a home soul — and help avoid the overly “new” or generic look.

    Every item I select is intentional, grounded in your Signature Style DNA™, and designed to stand the test of time.

  • Yes — and there’s an important distinction between the two.

    I include 3D renderings in most full-service and virtual design projects. These visuals are essential for communicating spatial layouts, proportions, and design intent — especially when we’re dealing with custom cabinetry, complex millwork, or remote collaboration. They help ensure we’re aligned visually and technically before moving into procurement or construction.

    Virtual Reality (VR), on the other hand, offers an immersive, walk-through experience of your space. I offer VR selectively, in projects where the scale, investment, or complexity calls for it—such as major renovations, long-distance builds, or stakeholder-heavy decisions. It’s a powerful tool, but not always necessary.

    My goal is to bring clarity to every phase of the design process. Whether through 3D visuals or VR technology, I use these tools strategically—when they serve the design, not just the novelty.

  • Yes — I offer a Virtual Concierge Interior Design Service for clients who are designing a vacation home, investment property, or second residence outside the Raleigh–Triangle area.

    This is a full-service, remote design experience that includes everything from concept development and space planning to curated sourcing and detailed implementation plans. You'll receive floor plans, mood boards, FF&E schedules, and a comprehensive design package your contractor or local installer can follow with confidence.

    If your project requires on-site involvement, I also travel to projects across the U.S. and abroad—particularly for luxury vacation homes, second properties, or larger renovations where my presence during construction or styling ensures a seamless result. Whether you're building in the mountains, furnishing a home at the beach, I can guide the entire process — from anywhere.

  • My full-service design fees typically begin at $30,000, depending on the size and complexity of your project. This includes concept development, space planning, sourcing, project management, and styling.

    The furnishings and renovation budget is scoped separately based on your goals, timeline, and level of investment. During our initial consultation, I’ll walk you through a clear proposal so you know exactly what to expect — no surprises, no ambiguity.

As part of the Style DNA process, we draw from these eight profiles to decode your natural preferences. They’re not prescriptive styles — they’re lenses that help shape timeless, tailored spaces that reflect how you live.

Create a Home That Keeps Up — and Slows You Down