“Thank you Nicole Cavanaugh for taking the time necessary to listen to my needs and understanding exactly what interior design help I need. I am so happy with the first phase and am looking forward to the full transformation and the journey to no more Tommy Bahama-ville! You Rock!” Sherena J., Corona Del Mar
| I am: |
an interior designer, author, animal lover and advocate. clandestine singer and dancer. a good supporter |
| I love: |
laughter. my dog, my family. horses. the coast, cool mornings, tea, a phenomenal outfit. helping others. connecting with people, contributing. feeling joyful, having fun. art history, anything that moves me. |
| Beauty is: |
natural, from within. |
| I am fascinated by: |
beautiful art. vibrant joyful people, travel. texture. |
| I see: |
life and the world from a different perspective. an artist’s eye. beauty, the opportunity for change. |
| I believe: |
in a better life by design. my gifts are for me to share. our environment affects us. always. |
| My causes: |
animals. we were always rescuing abandoned and abused animals growing up.
Designing chemotherapy treatment rooms. I believe environment is a key component to healing and work with Rooms That Rock 4 Chemo to design nurturing, beautiful spaces for treatment and recovery. |
“Nicole, thank you so much for coming out to our home today. We learned a lot from you and are looking forward to moving on with this project…you have a trained eye for color and we appreciate that, and you!” Karen H, Orange
Frequently Asked Questions:
My sole purpose as a designer is to give each client fresh, beautiful interiors that are as individual as each of my clients, who are typically dual-career couples and coastal families looking for a designer to understand and assist in creating a unique vision and style for their home. My clients are typically those who appreciate exceptional interior design and are committed to creating interiors that reflect their own style, along with beauty, livability and comfort.
I also realize that people have opinions, tastes and needs when it comes to the style and design of their home, but perhaps have trouble articulating them. My job is to discover what those needs and wants are and to translate those into fresh, new solutions in the form of color, textiles, furniture, lighting and a space plan.
When working with couples with very different styles, balance is achieved by blending design elements they value most from their individual styles. I bring couples into the design process from the outset, by listening to their needs and desires and understanding their goals and vision for their space. I also work to identify any unknown elements related to their needs for the space so they will also be reflected in the final design concept. Your space is very individual and personal, so I work to make the final design concept personal and unique to you.
At a young age, I was given the gift of art. My mother was a teacher and is quite a good artist in her own right, so we were always working on an artistic project together, particularly during the summer break from school. As I grew my artistic talents and began taking notice of other architectural spaces, interior design became my chosen medium for artistic expression.
My firm is based in coastal southern California and I take much of my inspiration from the vast beauty of the area, with it’s vibrant hues and varied textures. Unintentional items and experiences, such as a beautiful piece of ironwork on a building or even the pattern of light through the trees, also inspire me, as do the people who will inhabit the space.
I am completely passionate about people being comfortable in their space and enjoying it to the fullest. I should probably explain why. Art and design have been an important part of my life from an early age. Growing up in Los Angeles, I lived in a home that was charming and quaint, but was rather small and seemed designed for inhabitants of a lifestyle gone by, or different from what our needs were. The rooms were small and we rarely seemed to have space of our own. We just couldn’t live well in our space the way it was designed and it was an uneasy way of life. So, I spent a considerable amount of time thinking about those interior spaces, designing and creating ways we could feel better in our home and use our space better. It went beyond new paint and pillows. I wanted to create beauty and function within the space, to help it give us a better life while living there.
When I moved out, I chose a coastal community not only to escape the heat and the smog of Los Angeles, but because I loved the beauty and easy with which life flowed at the coast. I began to infuse my own coastal home with those same feelings and elements and noticed how good I felt.
After finishing my degree, I stayed by the coast, and as I worked in both the furniture industry and in design firms, I noticed I wasn’t the only one who struggled with smaller spaces and who wanted to bring this same coastal beauty and ease to their homes. But, my clients really seemed to need help, a starting point, and a plan, and they were afraid to try to do it themselves. They didn’t know where to begin and they were afraid of making mistakes, wasting both time and money. They needed homes that felt good, worked well for them and their lifestyle…homes with more usable space and that had this same sense of beauty and ease. They needed a resource with an educated eye, one who understood them and the lifestyle they led and who could artfully blend it all together.
Through the years, it has become clear to me why I chose my profession. So, I’ve chosen to focus my design practice on coastal homes and small and difficult spaces, to give others the same lifestyle of beauty, ease and comfort, without the hassle and fear of making a mistake. I strive to give my clients the best options for them that result in homes that reflect their own character, values and personality. Because, in the end, it is all about usable, beautiful space that is uniquely theirs and I truly believe that we can create a better life by design.
As a Southern California native, my style is largely influenced by the easy, relaxed way of living and entertaining I grew up with. I appreciate a fresh, clean look and a traditional style, combining regional elements, like Southern Mediterranean or Eastern European, or from a period or movement in history, like Mid-Century or Art Deco. I enjoy playing with history, reworking it and making it interesting, inviting and personal. I have spent most of my life by the coast and work to bring those experiences and elements into my designs in some manner.
I offer my services on a flat fee basis so my clients know exactly what they are receiving for their investment in my services. My services extend from my full design offering, where I design your entire room or home, to my singular consultation services where I can assist in one specific aspect of your design project, such as selecting interior or exterior paint colors and accessorizing with the finishing touches. I work to be as flexible as possible to help my clients get the end result they want.
Design services are priced on a per-project basis, so this are best addressed when we have had an opportunity to determine the level of design services that best fits your vision for your space. We typically schedule a design assessment call, which gives us that opportunity to discuss your project, your specific struggles and how I can best be a resource for you. Once we establish the needs for your project, I can then provide you with a services proposal, so you know exactly what you receive for your investment in your space and my services.
We begin by scheduling a complimentary initial design assessment, which will be done via phone. I ask that you complete and return our brief questionnaire prior to our call, which I find helps organize your thoughts about the space, so I may best understand what you would like to achieve. To begin the process, simply call 949-436-4524 or email nicole at cdgdesign.com to schedule your design assessment.
Yes, we can accomplish this one of two ways. If you prefer I visit the space personally, I arrange a visit with enough time to complete the assessment, pictures and measurements. Alternately, I have a virtual design service offering which allows me to work on the project virtually, with some light assistance from you. This is an excellent choice for those who desire a personalized design experience, feel comfortable using a design ‘master plan’ and implementing design choices on their own, without the hands-on services of a designer.
The process begins with a few key questions, measurements and pictures from you. We can walk you through the measurements, to make it easy. We take your style, color preferences and budget into consideration along with the functional needs of the room, and in 4 to 6 weeks, we return your design master plan You may then use these concepts, pictures and suggestions to implement these choices at your own pace or use them as a basis to pursue similar items on your own.
