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INTERIOR DESIGN STUDIO & GALLERY

Nurture By Nature is an interior design studio and gallery based in Burlington, Vermont, founded by designer and creative director Kate Swanson.

The practice explores the relationship between people, materials, and the environments they inhabit. Through residential design projects and curated exhibitions, Nurture By Nature creates spaces that feel grounded, intentional, and deeply connected to place.

Operating as both a design studio and cultural platform, Nurture By Nature brings independent artists, designers, and fabricators into conversation with collectors and clients. The gallery program extends the work of the studio, presenting collectible design and contemporary craft within an intimate setting that invites visitors to slow down and engage with objects, material, and process.

Collaboration with makers and craftspeople is central to the practice. Each project evolves through dialogue between material, artistry, and construction, allowing interiors and objects to develop in concert.

Rooted in Vermont’s landscape and creative community, the studio focuses on sculptural furnishings, collectible lighting and objects, and material-driven interiors that blur the boundary between functional space and artistic expression.

Through residential design, commissions, and exhibitions, Nurture By Nature is building a creative ecosystem where makers, collectors, and community converge.

Let’s work together:

Project Inquiry

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

APPROACH (the supportive system)

Our approach is dynamic, thorough, and deeply considered. Each project begins with a blank slate, keeping us in a constant state of creative discovery. We work holistically and remain involved in every phase, from early concept through construction and final installation, ensuring continuity, clarity, and integrity throughout.

NETWORK (the dreamers)

Our network has been cultivated thoughtfully and includes architects, builders, artists, and artisans who share our values. These relationships allow us to work fluidly across disciplines, bringing a rare level of cohesion and craft to every project.

Modern kitchen with gray cabinetry, a dark countertop, a window with green foliage outside, and a vase of purple flowers on the counter.
Water splashing against a dark-colored wall with green leaves in the background.

image 004 and 005, STUDIO + gallery AND SHELBURNE VT PROJECT KITCHEN photo: CHARLIE SCHUCK AND LINDLEY RUST

INTERIOR DESIGN SERVICES (the capabilities)

Nurture By Nature conceives, directs, and oversees projects from concept through completion. Our work is rooted in long-standing relationships within the art and design worlds and guided by a belief that spaces are shaped as much by human connection as by material and form.

Each project unfolds through close collaboration with architects, builders, artists, and makers - allowing interiors, objects, and craft to evolve together as part of a cohesive whole.

  • Digital and analog: Lookbooks, mood boards, and presentations to guide style, materiality, and tone.

  • Relationships are central to our practice. We work directly with artists, makers, and craftspeople, commissioning custom pieces and integrating collectible works that bring authorship, soul, and individuality into each project.

  • Selection and specification of architectural finishes, as well as fully custom furniture and lighting - working collaboratively with vendors on shop drawings and needed technical documentation.

  • Development of cohesive, functional floor plans and wayfinding through furniture placement and flow.

  • Drawings of bespoke furniture, floor plans, and elevations. Including overlays for client-facing presentations, mockups, and photorealistic renderings

  • Creation of budgets and timelines. Purchasing, invoicing, and vendor coordination using trackable systems.

  • Throughout every phase, we act as the design advocate, ensuring that the original vision is honored as the project moves from concept through execution. This includes vendor communication around lead times, custom orders, storage, and deliveries.

  • The final layer is installation and styling. Furniture, art, and objects are placed with intention, allowing the space to settle into its fullest expression.

  • Our work is not static. Through ongoing gallery access and curatorial support, we remain involved as collections evolve and spaces continue to grow over time.

A room under construction or renovation with a blue textured wall, a green ladder, a black doorway, and an unfinished countertop with construction tools and materials.

image 006, in process collaboration with anderson wise and osm construction

INTERIOR DESIGN PROJECT ARCHIVE (the past)

  • Living room with wooden staircase, white walls, black sofa with beige pillow, white armchair with purple pillow, and light-colored furniture.
  • Wooden dresser with a glass vase of white flowers and books on top, with a bathtub visible in the background near a window
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Bathroom with a large window showing snowy mountains and a blue sky, white bathtub, gold fixtures, a gray vanity, and a mirror.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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 black house with metal roof near water, surrounded by trees, during sunset, with illuminated windows.
  • Kitchen counter with a vase of green leafy branches, three muffins on a white stand, and hanging black pendant lights, with a window and cabinets in the background.
  • Empty modern staircase with wooden steps and black metal railings, viewed through a partial blurred foreground wall inside a house.
  • A kitchen countertop with a rustic ceramic jar and a brown bowl filled with eggs, with white cabinets and tiled walls in the background.
  • Modern bathroom with a white marble countertop, black cabinet with black handles, brushed metal faucet, and a built-in shelf with rolled white towels and a potted plant.
  • Modern conference room with a long wooden table, black placemats, leather chairs, large windows, and a ceiling light fixture.
  • A bedroom with two beds separated by a small wooden nightstand. Each bed has white sheets, multiple beige and cream-colored pillows, and a plaid beige blanket. There is a framed mountain landscape photograph hanging on the wall above the beds, and a small vase with white flowers on the nightstand.
  • Interior of a modern living room with large floor-to-ceiling windows showing a snowy mountain landscape outside. There are four white armchairs arranged around a coffee table, with a bottle of wine and glasses on the table.
  • Entryway with a wooden chair on a white sheepskin rug, light wood flooring, paintings leaning against wall near a white door with a black handle, and a built-in light wood closet.
Private portfolio request

POSSIBILITIES (the future)

We are intentional in the projects we take on, seeking collaborations that feel genuinely aligned and creatively fulfilling for everyone involved. Our ideal work centers on full-scale renovations or new builds, where we can engage holistically with the space—from interior architecture through finishes, fixtures, furniture, and the final layers of living. We are also drawn to singular, less conventional projects that invite experimentation, innovation, and a bit of magic.

Project Inquiry

welcome to our world, won’t you come on in?

image 007, STUDIO + GALLERY, Unknown FrieNDS EXHIBITION: CHARLIE SCHUCK

everything

STUDIO & GALLERY

EXHIBITIONS

Small ceramic bowl with a black, red, and white floral pattern, placed on a dark wooden surface.

press

INFO

JOURNAL