Altitude Design Recognized in Tahoe Quarterly's "Dream Space"
How to make it to the cutting edge of interior design in Tahoe, according to three of the region’s top designers
When Fonseca opened the doors to Altitude Design in 2019, she started small. A local architect who’d become her mentor introduced her to some of her first clients as an independent designer.
In this home on Donner Creek, interior designer Colette Fonseca and her Altitude Design team embraced natural materials and textures, which are showcased in the kitchen with harmonizing rich walnut wood tones and natural Jadore quartzite against pristine white quartz counters. The natural abaca dining pendants soften the space and offer a scale commensurate with the vaulted ceilings, photo by Sinead Hastings
“I knew that my best asset was my time and my skill. So I knew that, at least, I could have very, very little overhead and just bill for my time,” she says.
In a tight-knit field like the home-building industry in Tahoe, relationships are vital, not just on the client side but also with other professionals. Most local interior designers have established relationships with leading architects and contractors in the region, who refer business.
