INTERIOR AND ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN

Nurture by Nature is dedicated to realizing the full potential of human relationships with their environments for intimate living, gathering, respite, and ritual.

Founded in 2020 by designer Kate Swanson, the Vermont-based interior and architectural design studio works across residential, commercial, and boutique hospitality formats, from ground-up builds to renovations and the fine curation of contemporary art and design objects.

Believing that design has the power to extend and personify human intentions - whether through an open invitation or a precise, artistic point of view - the studio approaches each project with a holistic perspective. Collaboration with craftspeople, artists, and makers is central to the process, allowing materiality, artistry, and construction to evolve in concert.

Guided by a devotion to craftsmanship, rich histories, and the stories that shape place, Nurture by Nature creates immersive worlds that balance experimentation with precision.At every scale - from granular refinement to complete reimagination, Swanson and her team deliver work that provides clients with a renewed sense of grounding, connection, and aspiration.

As Creative Director and founder, Kate Swanson is a certified New England Chapter ASID Practitioner and a graduate of St.Lawrence University with a minor in Education and major in Art and Art History.

A woman with dark hair and a tattoo on her arm, wearing a sleeveless black top, standing indoors with soft natural lighting and blurry background.

image 003, Kate Swanson founder & creative director. photo: CharLIE SCHUCK

SERVICES (the capabilites)

WITH relationships in the art and design worlds Nurture by Nature designs, directs, and oversees projects from start to finish.

  • Discovery and Visioning

  • Architectural Design and Detailing

  • Interior Design and Production

  • Maker and Artist Collaboration

  • Project Coordination and Procurement

  • Installation and Styling

  • Ongoing Support and gallery connection

Room under renovation with a textured blue wall, a green step ladder, and a black doorframe leading to a bathroom area.

image 004, in process collaboration with anderson wise and osm construction

PROCESS (the 7 phases)

003 design

004 CONSENSUS

DESIGN MANUAL
Translate the concept into buildable detail. Maker intros and possibilities begin.

THE LEDGER
Align budget, scope, and vendors.

005 realize

006 handoff

CONSTRUCTION JOURNAL Oversee construction, delivery, installation, and styling.

THE ARCHIVE
Capture, present, and celebrate.

007 care

A woman on the beach holding a wooden sculpture.

CONTINUOUS EDIT
Keep the project alive, evolving, and curated.

002 envision

001 learn

A medical room with a patient lying on an examination table. The room has cabinets, shelves, and medical equipment on the walls. Measurements are marked in red, indicating a technical diagram or blueprint of the room's dimensions.
Diagram of plant roots showing different root structures and growth patterns

CONCEPT BOOK Explore architectural, spatial, and material strategies.

VISION FOLIO Deep listening, context study, and defining intent.

Architectural drawing of a modern house with a sloped roof, large windows, and a deck.
Technical drawing of a mechanical component with various lines, measurements, and annotations.
Four white bowls of different sizes arranged on a surface.
Two hands holding each other's pinky fingers in a lock

PROJECT ARCHIVE

  • Interior of a rustic living space with a loft, dark wooden cabinetry in the kitchen, an armchair with a geometric-patterned cushion, a wooden coffee table, and a patterned ottoman.
  • Inside a modern shower room with green tiled walls and ceiling, a handheld shower head, and a large glass door leading to a balcony with a view of trees and a cloudy sky.
  • Modern interior hallway with large windows overlooking trees, wooden ceiling, bookshelf with books, and a staircase downstairs.
  • Wooden dresser with a glass vase of white flowers and books on top, with a bathtub visible in the background near a window
  • A modern interior dining area with a dark wooden table, black upholstered chairs, a large floral arrangement of pampas grass and greenery, and a cluster of glass bubble pendant lights hanging from the ceiling.
  • Modern kitchen with large windows showing mountain landscape, wooden cabinets, beige countertops, yellow bar stools, and a red rug.
  • A wooden sideboard with geometric patterns on the doors, placed against a plain white wall with sunlight casting a shadow. On top of the sideboard are a small vase with a flower and a stack of books. A closed wooden door is visible to the left.
  • A wooden coffee table with a vintage rock album cover and a lit incense cone on top, placed on a patterned black and white rug.
  • Room with large windows, wooden desk with laptop and plant, blue office chair, and door leading to bedroom with bed and scenic outdoor view
  • Modern kitchen with white and wood cabinets, a white island with a bowl of green apples and a plant, two chairs, stainless steel oven hood, and large windows showing outdoor trees.
  • Interior view of a modern home with wood-paneled ceiling, black cabinets, a dining table with chairs, a small sitting area, and a workspace with a desk, bookshelf, and office chair.
  • Interior of a dining room with a wooden table, six brown upholstered chairs, a vase with flowers, two lamps on a sideboard, and a black-and-white abstract painting of a river on the wall.
  • Inside the elevator with wooden walls and a control panel on the left side.
  • Bathroom with a large window showing snowy mountains and a blue sky, white bathtub, gold fixtures, a gray vanity, and a mirror.
  • Clothing display with various garments hanging on racks in a store, partially blocked by a dark textured partition.
  • Interior view of a modern home staircase with wooden handrails and metal balusters, sunlight casting shadows on the wooden flooring, stone wall in the background, and ceiling windows letting in natural light.
  • Modern kitchen with dark blue cabinets, a vase with purple flowers, and a copper range hood.
  • Cozy living room with large windows showing trees, a leather sofa with patterned pillows, a round ottoman, a fireplace with a modern brown chimney, a large table with four leather chairs, and a mounted flat-screen TV on a wood-paneled wall.
  • Modern kitchen with wooden cabinets, a stainless steel refrigerator, microwave, and dishwasher, a small dining table with leather chairs, open shelving with alcohol bottles, and a black hanging pendant light.
  • A framed painting of a winter forest scene with bare trees and several black and white birds, hanging on a white wall above a furry bench with a black frame, next to a textured wall and a multicolored rug on the floor.
  • Interior view of a modern living space showing a white wall with framed artwork, a wooden staircase, a potted plant with dark green leaves, and a ceiling with exposed wooden beams.
  • Interior view of a rustic gym space with wooden floors, a black metal rack holding kettlebells and medicine balls, a textured stone wall, and a large exercise ball near an open doorway with sunlight coming through.
  • A round white dining table with a gold vase containing pink and purple flowers, surrounded by four upholstered chairs with patterned fabric, in front of large glass windows showing a green outdoor view.
  • View of a modern dining room with large glass sliding doors opening to a scenic outdoor landscape with trees and mountains in the distance
  • A room with large glass windows overlooking mountains, with a telescope on a stand facing outside, and patterned curtains.
  • Bathroom with a modern black sink, gold fixtures, a small wooden stool, and a hanging light fixture.
  • A bedroom with a bed featuring a wooden headboard with black cushioning, white bedding, and a decorative pillow. Next to the bed, there is a wooden nightstand with a glass carafe of water and a glass.
  • A modern interior with a large black and white lion artwork on the wall, a blue sideboard, and a white vase with pink and red flowers.
  • Modern white kitchen with an island, built-in oven, microwave, and a black coffee machine, with natural light from windows.
  • Modern conference room with a wooden table, leather chairs, glass-paneled door, bookshelf with decorations, and a wooden ceiling.
  • A modern cabin with dark wood exterior and large glass doors, surrounded by greenery. A dog is lying on the grass near a small bush on the right side of the stairs.
  • Living room with wooden staircase, white walls, black sofa with beige pillow, white armchair with purple pillow, and light-colored furniture.
  • Interior view of a modern home with a wooden dining table, gray upholstered chairs, and a kitchen with wooden cabinets and stainless steel appliances. A large wooden carved wall art with tribal motifs is on the right side.
  • Modern kitchen with dark wood and gray cabinetry, marble island with sink, large window, pendant lights, and dining area with chairs.
  • Modern bedroom with large floor-to-ceiling windows showing a mountain view, white bed with gray and patterned pillows, pendant lighting, and neutral-colored decor.
  • Modern living room with large glass windows overlooking a green landscape with hills, a forest, and a cloudy sky; furnished with a beige sofa, armchairs, a wooden coffee table, table lamps, a fireplace, and decorative items.
  • A mural of stylized women with different hair colors and styles, some with blindfolds, standing, sitting, and holding hands against a gray background.
  • A wooden sideboard with round wooden knobs, topped with a gray rectangular planter filled with pink flowers, and a white ceramic table lamp with a light gray shade, placed in front of a window.
  • Modern bathroom with a glass shower enclosure, bathtub, large window, and minimalistic decor.
  • Modern bedroom with large windows overlooking a green landscape, a bed with white bedding, a colorful patterned armchair with a fur pillow, and built-in shelves with decorative items.
  • A throw pillow with an abstract pattern resting on a dark green sofa, next to a white floor lamp with a beige lampshade, in front of a window.
  • Home office with large windows overlooking trees, wooden desk with a chair, wall-mounted shelves with books, and a wall-mounted TV.
  • A cozy rustic kitchen with wooden cabinets, black painted walls, and a large window showing a mountain landscape.

Let’s work together:

Project Inquiry
A rustic kitchen with dark wooden cabinets, open bookshelves, a window showing trees outside, and a central blue table with six brown chairs. There is a modern chandelier above the table.

image 005, kitchen view in collaboration with anderson wise, hammer and spear, and osm construction. photo: roger davies

A clear glass vase with a branch inside, placed on a wooden surface, with green leaves partially out of focus in the foreground.
Image of water splashing or flowing against a wall with a plant with green leaves nearby.
A photograph of a wall with decorative vases, partly obscured by a wooden object in the foreground.

everything

STUDIO

gallery

A round black metal coil resting on a white paper on a green surface, with a wooden desk in the background.
White ceramic dove figurine with painted flower on a wooden table against a brick wall.
Small ceramic bowl with a black, red, and white floral pattern, placed on a dark wooden surface.

press

INFO

JOURNAL