MY DESIGN JOURNEY
Meet Me…
Catherine holds a Master’s degree in Interior Architecture and Design from Academy of Art University in San Francisco, where she developed a comprehensive foundation in the principles of architecture, art, and interior environments. Her academic experience combined creative exploration with the technical and practical aspects of the built environment, strengthening her ability to approach each project with both design vision and purposeful functionality.
Throughout her studies, Catherine completed a diverse range of design projects with an emphasis on sustainable practices, thoughtful spatial planning, building code compliance, and accessibility, incorporating ADA Standards into her designs. Her academic work provided extensive experience in developing interiors that balance aesthetics, functionality, safety, and the long-term needs of their occupants.
Her education and project experience have further honed her expertise in lighting design, spatial planning, color psychology, building and accessibility regulations, material selection and application, sustainable design practices, and aging-in-place principles. She approaches each space with an understanding that successful design extends beyond visual appeal—it should enhance how people experience, navigate, and live within their environment.
This multidisciplinary foundation allows Catherine to thoughtfully integrate beauty, function, sustainability, accessibility, and longevity into every project, creating interiors that are intentional, enduring, and responsive to the people who inhabit them.
The Story Behind the Name
Gilded Oak Design Studio
The name Gilded Oak represents the philosophy at the heart of our studio: creating spaces that are grounded in authenticity, elevated through artistry, and designed to endure.
An oak tree begins as a small acorn, developing slowly and intentionally over time. Its strength comes from deep roots, a solid foundation, and the ability to grow and endure through generations. For us, the oak represents the foundation of thoughtful design—purposeful space planning, quality materials, enduring craftsmanship, and a deep understanding of the people who inhabit a space.
Our designs begin at those roots.
We look beyond surface-level improvements to understand the architecture, history, potential, and purpose of a property. Whether designing a client's forever home, thoughtfully renovating an existing residence, or transforming a property for resale, we approach each project as an opportunity to uncover what is already valuable and thoughtfully build upon it.
The gilding represents the artistry that brings those foundations to life.
For centuries, gilding has been a meticulous craft used to elevate the ordinary into something extraordinary. It speaks to refinement, craftsmanship, and the beauty found in carefully considered details. Within our work, gilding symbolizes the elements that complete a space—the glow of thoughtfully designed lighting, the richness of natural materials, beautifully crafted millwork, distinctive hardware, curated furnishings, and the subtle details that make an interior feel personal and complete.
Together, Gilded Oak represents the marriage of the raw and the refined.
The oak is grounded, organic, enduring, and strong. The gilding is refined, luminous, artistic, and distinctive. One provides the foundation; the other brings the artistry. Together, they create a design philosophy that balances warmth, sophistication, character, and permanence.
Refine. Reimagine. Revive.
These three words capture the essence of the Gilded Oak approach.
These three words capture the essence of the Gilded Oak approach across every project—from residential interior design to property renovation and house flipping.
REFINE
We believe great design begins with thoughtful consideration.
We refine spaces by understanding their architecture, improving their function, elevating their materials, and highlighting the details that make them unique. Refinement may mean restoring original character, improving an inefficient layout, selecting more enduring materials, or introducing carefully considered finishes and furnishings.
For investment properties, refinement means identifying the improvements that create meaningful value without sacrificing character or resorting to unnecessary upgrades.
We don't renovate simply to make a house newer. We refine it to make it better.
REIMAGINE
Every property holds possibilities.
We look beyond what a space is today to envision what it could become. Through creative space planning, thoughtful material selections, architectural details, and intentional design, we reimagine homes to better serve the people who live in them—and the communities in which they exist.
Our design-led approach to house flipping allows us to see potential where others may see outdated, overlooked, or distressed properties. We consider not only what will improve a home's market value, but what will make it feel desirable, functional, distinctive, and beautifully connected to its surroundings.
We see beyond the current condition to reveal the possibilities within.
REVIVE
We believe in giving spaces—and the materials within them—a second life.
Reviving a property may mean restoring architectural details, preserving original materials, repurposing existing elements, incorporating vintage or antique furnishings, or transforming a neglected home into a thoughtfully designed residence.
This philosophy extends naturally to our approach to house flipping. Rather than treating properties as disposable investments, we view each one as an opportunity for meaningful transformation. By combining strategic renovation with intentional design, we seek to create homes that have renewed purpose, lasting appeal, and enduring value.
We don't simply flip houses. We revive them.
Design Led Property Transformation.
Gilded Oak Design Studio brings together interior design, interior architecture, real estate experience, and sustainable renovation to approach properties from a uniquely integrated perspective.
Our house-flipping and renovation projects are guided by the same principles as our client work: thoughtful design, responsible resource use, quality craftsmanship, and an appreciation for the character of a home.
We look for properties with potential—homes that may be overlooked, outdated, underutilized, or in need of thoughtful transformation. Through strategic planning and carefully selected renovations, we work to uncover that potential while creating spaces that are both beautiful and functional.
The goal is not simply to increase square footage or modernize a kitchen. It is to understand what makes a property valuable, what makes it livable, and what makes it memorable.
This approach allows Gilded Oak to serve both private clients seeking personalized interiors and property investments requiring a design-driven transformation.
Rooted in the Past. Designed for the Future.
We believe beautiful design should not be disposable.
In an age of rapidly changing trends and fast-fashion interiors, Gilded Oak takes a more intentional approach. We value quality over quantity, thoughtful renovation over unnecessary replacement, and timeless design over fleeting trends.
Whenever possible, we seek to preserve existing architectural character, incorporate vintage and antique pieces, thoughtfully reuse materials, and select durable, responsibly sourced products.
Sustainability, to us, is about more than the materials we choose. It is about extending the life of buildings, reducing unnecessary waste, and creating spaces that people will want to live with—and love—for many years to come.
Even within a renovation or flip, we believe there is value in what already exists.
From the Earth, Elevated
Our design philosophy celebrates the natural beauty of materials such as wood, stone, linen, metal, and other enduring elements. We believe these materials become most compelling when their inherent qualities are respected rather than concealed.
The oak provides the foundation.
The gilding provides the artistry.
Together, they create interiors that feel grounded yet elevated, timeless yet personal, refined yet inviting.
Designed to Become Heirlooms
Just as an oak can stand for generations, we strive to create interiors with the same sense of longevity.
For our design clients, that means creating homes that can evolve with their occupants and accumulate meaning over time.
For our investment properties, it means creating homes with lasting appeal—properties that are thoughtfully renovated rather than simply modernized for the moment.
We believe the most successful interiors are not those that look as though they were purchased or renovated all at once. They are layered with pieces that have meaning, materials that develop character, and details that reveal themselves over time.
They are collected, not decorated.
Thoughtful, not trendy.
Personal, not prescribed.
The Gilded Oak Philosophy
At its heart, Gilded Oak is about recognizing potential and thoughtfully bringing it to life.
We refine what deserves to be elevated.
We reimagine what has the potential to become something more.
We revive what is worth preserving and giving new life.
Whether we are designing a client's home or transforming a property for resale, our philosophy remains the same: good design should create beauty, function, value, and longevity.
Because true luxury is not simply found in what is new or expensive. It is found in craftsmanship, authenticity, thoughtful design, enduring quality, and the transformation of a space into something that feels genuinely worth keeping.