Could Your Home Inspire ‘Design Envy’?

Nichole Claprood of DE Interior Designs offers tips for remodeling

 

By D. K. Christi / Photos by SRQ360 Photography

 

Nichole Claprood has been creating beauty and the ‘wow factor’ inside many of the area’s distinguished homes for over a decade. Her business, D.E. Interior Design was recently recognized with a Best of Houzz award – again – given by Houzz Pro to the top 3% of designers in the area and received by Claprood yearly since 2016.

The D.E. stands for “design envy,” which is what she hopes to create in anyone who sees her finished projects. Claprood aims to create a solid relationship with customers who might be overwhelmed by a major renovation project.

“Don’t be overwhelmed, call Design Envy,” said Claprood. “It’s the step-by-step process, imagination and experience that takes the work out of it and makes it a creative challenge to enjoy.”

Claprood, an Estero resident for over 20 years, works with clients in Estero and beyond to understand the extent of their project and develop a plan that makes the most of the budget.

“Of course, the budget is a major consideration with an emphasis on quality,” she said. “Most of my projects are for seasonal customers. Their trust in me to complete a project successfully to their specifications in their absence is an honor to receive. My use of 3D rendering technology creates before and after views that are amazingly realistic.”

Claprood chooses her clients carefully and makes referrals to trusted sources for work that’s outside the scope of her services.

“My work is my joy,” she said. “I select the clients for whom I feel the match is just right.”

Her careful attention to client needs and project details limits the number of extensive projects she takes in a year.

“I may be working with seven or eight major projects that are in various stages,” she said.

It’s hands-on work. She not only travels to customers’ homes but also accompanies them to stores to help select things as mundane as faucets — or as major as the details of a new butler’s pantry.

 

What’s trending in home remodeling?

Adding a butler’s pantry off the kitchen is popular in today’s renovation projects as an out-of-view place to locate some appliances, such as a microwave, Claprood said. Another favorite remodel is adding a coffee bar. 

According to realtors, kitchens and bathrooms are the renovations that most contribute to the value of a home. Popular today are free-standing tubs and large pieces of tile or marble in showers, avoiding as much grout as possible – and no fiberglass. Designs in the tile rather than individual pieces of tile making the design are preferred.

For baths and kitchens, elegant light fixtures with illumination controls outshine the older, standard fixtures. Wallpaper with light texture on the ceilings is another current idea.

With window treatments, mini-blinds are no longer popular. Depending on the amount of outside light the client wishes to control, there are a wide variety of shutters or shades with remote controls.

Claprood also helps with major considerations like paint colors and countertop materials.

Installing quality faucets or replacing cabinet handles can be part of a larger renovation project or an inexpensive way for a handy homeowner to add an update. Watching Claprood’s hints and product reviews on Instagram (d.e._interior_designs) is an opportunity to meet her and get ideas.

Some tips for simple updates include painting and changing out plumbing fixtures (may need a plumber) or light fixtures (may need an electrician.) Her tips are growing online for the brave do-it-yourself person. But for extensive renovations, it might be best to call Claprood.

 

What’s at the core of full-house design?

It’s the view: water, golf course or wildlife preserves, as examples. If there’s no remarkable outside views, a full-wall television or fireplace might substitute. These views are the starting place for selecting furnishings.

The key to a well-thought-out home design is quality, Claprood said. Core pieces should stand the test of time. Her rule is: “specifications, specifications, specifications.” If the budget is limited, high-end, pre-owned items can be refurbished when their specifications meet the quality standard.

Stylish flow throughout the home is controlled by the addition of art, chairs and pieces of interest that could change seasonally or closely relate to the interests of the homeowner.

Knowing the function of each room is essential. A family that hangs out in the kitchen with friends needs space and seating. A chef needs room to work and the necessary appliances. If one room is dedicated to movie viewing, that’s a different comfort level than a conversation area. While these are only a few of Claprood’s considerations, they emphasize the necessity for detailed planning that her interior design expertise provides.

In her youth, Claprood was the only girl in shop class. Through her education, she worked with construction plans, giving her an eye for changing a wall (unless it’s a load bearing wall) or adding a window. Clients rely on her design expertise from the very beginning of construction until the last bit of furnishing is complete.

 

What’s design fatigue – and how can you avoid it?

“You’d be surprised at how many construction projects take longer, not because of construction delays but rather because the homeowners couldn’t decide on kitchen countertops or other features for which the ordering required fitting it into the construction plan,” Claprood said.

“I can help them explore the alternatives for quality and design – the ever important specifications – and reduce the vast number of confusing choices that may lead to customer fatigue – and no choice,” added Claprood.

As an independent designer, Claprood may work with any vendor, tailored to the client’s needs, including the project’s size, time, budget, specifications and personal taste. Her resources are extensive, and the “right fit” keeps the joy in the project, she said.

Her online reviews indicate a breadth and depth of expertise that gives a client confidence in the outcome, whether it’s restoration work after a hurricane’s wrath or a desired full-house makeover. Claprood’s goal is to make the perfect match that produces a quality result.

Catherine Davis shared her experience with Claprood following her kitchen’s total destruction by Hurricane Ian.

“She completely transformed my house,” Davis said. “Her ideas, designs and thoughts included those that had never crossed my mind and were beyond my imagination. From sustainable materials, complete redesign and budget considerations within the insurance framework, the end result was amazing – better than before.”

Bathroom design by Design Envy