We have both — a signature approach and a signature aesthetic.
The first question we ask every client is simply this: how do you want to feel in this room? Not which style appeals to you, not which colors you like — but how do you want to feel. Everything that follows is built from that answer.
The result is a home that is genuinely hard to define — rooms that feel simultaneously timeless and thoroughly personal, that don’t announce when they were designed, but that are unmistakably and compellingly right. When a room is finished it should feel like it has always been exactly this way.
Our aesthetic has a clear point of view. We work in the tradition of refined, livable classicism — what you might call fresh traditional. Spaces that are elegant without being formal, layered without feeling busy, and grounded in quality that reveals itself gradually rather than announcing itself immediately.
We favor rich wood tones, considered pattern, custom drapery as a design element, and art that feels personal rather than decorative. We layer antiques, contemporary art, and bespoke furnishings to create environments that feel collected rather than contrived — spaces with the patina of time and the polish of intention.
Traditional design is having a well-deserved moment — not the heavy, dark rooms of the past, but something lighter, fresher, and deeply personal. That’s precisely where we live.
You can see examples of our work in our portfolio and read more about how we think about design in our guide to transitional interior design. Pembrook Interiors is also proud to be among the select Virginia designers featured in the AD Pro Directory — Architectural Digest’s curated network of leading design professionals.
We start where most designers don’t — with how you want to feel in your home, not how you want it to look. Everything else flows from that.
Beyond design, it’s how we manage the process. Jennifer brings a unique background in policy advocacy and corporate leadership to her design practice — which means our clients experience executive-level project management, transparent communication, and zero surprises alongside exceptional design. We also move faster than you might expect. From a single beautifully realized room to a whole-home transformation, we’re skilled at delivering results efficiently without sacrificing quality.
Every project begins with a complimentary 30-minute consultation — virtual or by phone. We’ll discuss your vision, your space, your timeline, and your goals, and recommend the right path forward. Some projects move quickly; others benefit from a more comprehensive process. We’ll recommend the approach that serves you best.
After our conversation you’ll have a clear sense of next steps and what working together looks like. We’ll also provide our furnishings investment guide to help you plan accordingly.
Schedule your complimentary consultation here.
We’re based in McLean, Virginia, and primarily serve the greater DC Metro area including Great Falls, Alexandria, Fort Hunt, Potomac, Rockville, Kensington, and surrounding communities.
For Designer on Demand and Custom Window Treatment services, we work within a 30-mile radius of McLean.
For full-service projects—including residential, hospitality, and commercial design—we work throughout the DC Metro region and in St. Lucia. For exceptional projects in other locations, we’re open to discussion during your complimentary consultation.
Yes. Single-room projects typically begin at $25,000–$30,000 in furnishings investment — and that assumes some existing pieces are being incorporated. A room starting from scratch will require a higher investment to achieve a fully realized result.
Multi-room and whole-home projects require a higher minimum that we’ll discuss during your consultation.
What matters most isn’t the number — it’s that your investment reflects the quality of the result you’re looking for. If you’re ready to do it right, we’d love to talk.
Schedule your complimentary consultation here.
No. But understanding how our estimates work will set the right expectations from the start.
There are two estimates in our process — and the distinction matters. The first is a preliminary range established as part of our early conversations and letter agreement, before we’ve worked through the design concept together. At that stage we know your general scope and budget goals, but not yet what you’ll actually want — because you haven’t yet seen the options. The design concept development process exists precisely to give you that opportunity — to explore selections, express preferences, and make informed choices. Client selections during that process are what drive where the final investment lands. Until those choices are made, any number is an educated guess rather than a true reflection of your project.
The official estimated project implementation investment comes after design concept development — when we actually know what we’re building together. That’s the number we commit to and manage against. It covers furnishings, materials, freight, and procurement management, and reflects the real scope of your project based on your actual selections rather than preliminary assumptions.
Our pricing structure is straightforward and consistent. Furnishings are priced at retail — the same price you’d pay sourcing them yourself. Trade services such as custom fabrication, specialized installation, and delivery coordination carry a management fee that covers the considerable logistics of procurement, freight inspection, and quality control. Sales tax and any additional services required during implementation are reconciled in a final true-up invoice — typically modest relative to the overall investment and never a surprise.
What we commit to, we deliver. Our track record on hitting the official estimated investment is something we’re genuinely proud of.
For a deeper understanding of how luxury interior design billing works and what questions to ask any designer you’re considering, read our Interior Design Billing Transparency Guide.
Our most rewarding projects share a common thread: clients who come with a clear sense of how they want to feel in their home, engage fully in the decisions that shape that vision, and trust us completely to bring it to life.
Our clients tend to be accomplished professionals who lead demanding lives. They’re decisive, they value their time, and they understand that the best outcomes come from a relationship built on expertise and trust. They want to be involved in the decisions that matter most to them, hand off the details, and share in the genuine excitement of watching beautiful design unfold.
If you’ve worked with a designer before and felt like something was missing — perhaps too many surprises, too little communication, or a result that felt more like the designer’s home than yours — our approach to transparency may be exactly what you’ve been looking for.
Ready to explore whether we’re the right fit? Start with our Six Essential Questions or schedule an exploratory call here.
Most clients come to us focused on one room or particular furniture requirements. That’s completely natural — it’s the room or need for new furniture that’s bothering them most. But designing rooms in isolation, without a master vision for the whole home, is how homes end up feeling disjointed — rooms that don’t flow together, spaces that don’t quite fit how you actually live, and a home that never feels fully resolved no matter how beautiful any individual room might be.
The $3,500 Strategic Design Assessment exists to solve that problem before it starts. It’s our version of a gap analysis applied to your home — a comprehensive examination of every space, what’s working, what isn’t, and where the greatest design potential lives. The result is a clear-eyed view of your home’s possibilities that becomes the foundation for defining our work together.
This is where our strategic conversation begins. Rather than reacting to one room at a time, we establish a master vision first — so that every decision we make together serves the whole house, not just the moment.
You own this plan completely, whether you implement immediately or return to it later. Most clients find it’s the most clarifying conversation they’ve ever had about their home.
You might be surprised how quickly we can move. Single-room projects with no construction — including custom upholstery and window treatments — can often be completed in as little as four to eight weeks. The right scope, the right client, and a clear vision can come together beautifully and fast.
For larger projects, timelines vary based on scope and complexity. During your complimentary consultation, we’ll assess your project and recommend the right path.
Designer on Demand
Immediate scheduling based on availability; written summary delivered within 2 business days.
Custom Window Treatments
Immediate scheduling based on availability; most custom window treatments are fabricated and professionally installed within 4-6 weeks.
Strategic Design Assessment
2-3 weeks from booking to final report review.
Full-Service Design
Most complex, full-service projects are complete within 5-6 months from Design Concept approval. Timelines can be affected by product availability, custom furnishings lead times, and the construction schedules for any architectural work involved in your project.
Our most comprehensive projects follow a three-phase process designed to take you from vision to fully realized space — with no surprises along the way.
Phase 1: Strategic Design Assessment
We begin with a comprehensive whole-home analysis delivered through two in-depth meetings. During our first meeting, we walk through your entire property together, discussing what works, what doesn’t, and how you live in each space. In our second meeting, we review your detailed written report with room-by-room recommendations and curated design inspiration. This phase establishes a clear vision and scope for your project.
Phase 2: Design Concept Development Through 4-5 collaborative sessions, we dive deep into the elements that will define your space. These hands-on meetings are substantive and enjoyable — we’ll explore textile samples curated specifically for your project, review furniture selections, and refine every detail together. You’ll see your aesthetic preferences translated into a cohesive Design Concept that captures exactly how you want to live. Once you approve the overall concept and key elements, we move into implementation.
Phase 3: Implementation
We handle all sourcing, project management, vendor coordination, and installation. You’ll watch your space transform without being burdened by countless decisions and purchase orders. We manage the complex details behind the scenes while keeping you informed with clear, concise updates. Many clients choose to be away during major installations and return to their beautifully transformed home.
This phased approach creates natural decision points and ensures complete transparency from start to finish — which is what allows us to create interiors that don’t just look beautiful, but change how it feels to live in your home.
You’ll be involved in all major design decisions, but we handle the heavy lifting.
Your involvement includes:
–Initial discovery meetings to establish vision and preferences
–Selection meetings where you choose from curated options we’ve pre-vetted
–Design Concept review and approval
–Final walk-through and styling review
We handle:
–All research, sourcing, and vendor coordination
–Measurements, specifications, and technical details
–Scheduling deliveries and installations
–Problem-solving and project management
–Quality control and damage inspection
We provide weekly written updates so you’re always informed without being overwhelmed. Most clients appreciate that they can make the fun, essential decisions while we manage the complex logistics.
Good outcomes require good inputs. Before we can deliver a design solution that is truly custom — built around how you actually live, what you already own, and what you genuinely love — we need to know you. That’s why our design discovery process is structured and intentional, typically spanning six to eight weeks of working together before a single piece of furniture is specified.
We want to get to know everyone who will live in the space — both partners, family members, even the children, especially if we’re designing their rooms. The more voices we hear during discovery and concept development, the more the final result reflects everyone who calls it home. Design decisions made without all the decision makers present have a way of unraveling at exactly the wrong moment, and we’d rather get everyone around the table from the start.
During this phase your engagement is active and meaningful. We’re not asking you to manage logistics or make hundreds of isolated decisions in a vacuum — we’re working through the building blocks together. Color direction, textiles, finishes, layouts, lighting — all the individual elements that define a great room. This structured discovery is how we arrive at one cohesive design concept that feels completely right rather than presenting multiple generic options and asking you to choose between them. We do the work upfront to understand you deeply enough that when the concept comes together, it feels inevitable.
Once concept development is complete and approved, your time commitment drops dramatically. Implementation is our responsibility — the sourcing, the vendor coordination, the freight management, the installation. Your weekly touchpoint is a written project report. Many clients choose to be away during major installations and return to a transformed home.
This front-loaded model exists for a reason. Clients who are genuinely invested in the process from the beginning are the ones who love the result. Interior design is not a catalog — nothing is generic, nothing is returnable, and everything is created specifically for you. That’s exactly why we take the time to get it right before we begin.
We work on projects of all sizes, though our approach is always comprehensive.
Single Room Projects Single-room projects with no construction can often be completed quickly. We always consider how the room connects to the rest of your home to ensure cohesive flow, and single-room projects often naturally expand over time as clients see the transformation.
Multi-Room & Whole-Home Projects We develop a comprehensive vision for the entire home — even if you’re implementing in phases — to ensure every space works together harmoniously.
Not Sure of Your Scope? Our Strategic Design Assessment ($3,500) analyzes your entire home and helps you determine which areas to prioritize and how to phase your project based on your budget and goals. During your complimentary consultation, we’ll help you determine which path is right for your project.
We love photographing our completed projects—not only to showcase our work, but also because exceptional projects often attract interest from design publications, which delight in homeowner participation in telling the story behind the design.
We completely understand that privacy matters to many clients, and we’re equally happy to work on a fully confidential basis. We’ll discuss your privacy preferences early in our process, as photography permissions are formalized in our Letter Agreement—whether that’s full portfolio and editorial opportunities, limited use, or complete confidentiality.
Your privacy preferences won’t change our commitment to creating exceptional design work!
We hear this occasionally — and it’s a fair question given Jennifer’s background. The short answer is no, and here’s why.
What looks like a corporate background is actually something more personal and deliberate. As a first grader, Jennifer’s answer to “what do you want to be when you grow up?” was an artist. Her great-aunt — a commercial artist and designer whose work included Chanel — gave her formative advice: learn the business side first, train your eye, and the creative work will follow with real staying power.
What followed wasn’t a detour. It was a decades-long, deliberate preparation — studying art history, painting, antique authentication and valuation, and design theory alongside a successful policy career. Jennifer founded her design practice in 2014 — over a decade of continuous client work that built the systems, vendor relationships, and design sensibility that define Pembrook Interiors today. This wasn’t someone who discovered decorating between jobs.
The structure — the weekly reports, the milestone tracking, the detailed procurement logs — exists entirely for your benefit. It means you never have to chase us for an update, wonder where your sofa is, or manage a contractor conversation you shouldn’t have to have. The discipline runs quietly in the background so that your experience of the process is the opposite of clinical — it’s creative, collaborative, and genuinely enjoyable.
Our clients often tell us the process felt far more personal and creative than they expected — precisely because they weren’t burdened by logistics.
Absolutely — and in our experience, the most personal and meaningful rooms are built around pieces that already belong to you.
Clients often ask us what they should keep and what they should replace. Our answer is that the question itself is usually premature — because pieces that seem hopeless in isolation often become exactly right in the context of a well-composed room. We’ve pulled unframed paintings off basement floors, rescued pieces from attics, and incorporated furniture clients had mentally consigned to donation — and made them central to the design. We’ve even made a blue “hippo head” work.
This is one of the things that genuinely distinguishes our approach. A blank-slate room filled entirely with new furniture can look beautiful but rarely feels lived-in or personal, and rarely works with the rest of your home. The pieces you already own — the heirlooms, the travel finds, the things with history — are what give a room its soul. We know how to find that potential and build around it.
When you work with Pembrook Interiors you’re paying for a professional assessment — not a neighbor’s opinion over a glass of wine. That means you get the truth: what works, what doesn’t, and a fresh take that might surprise you. We’ve seen a lot of homes and we’ve made a lot of unusual things work. Sometimes the piece you were ready to throw away becomes the one everyone asks about.
Our sourcing is a significant part of what sets Pembrook Interiors apart — and it goes well beyond what’s available at retail. For full-service design projects, our sourcing includes benchmade upholstery from Hickory, North Carolina, made-to-order casegoods, artisan European lighting, fine art, and curated antiques. Window treatments are custom-designed in-house and fabricated through our U.S.-based workroom partners.
We curate sources specifically for each project rather than working from a standard vendor list — because the right solution for your home may come from a small artisan workshop, a European lighting atelier, or an auction house, not a showroom floor.
Our vendor relationships and sourcing strategies are proprietary, developed over years of investment in trade relationships that directly benefit our clients. This expertise is part of what you engage when you work with Pembrook Interiors — and it’s part of why our results look the way they do.
For clients who prefer to source items themselves, our Designer on Demand service can provide guidance and retail resource suggestions.
Jennifer Fordham is the CEO and Principal Interior Designer of Pembrook Interiors, with more than 10 years of professional interior design experience. She holds the RIDQC certification, is an ASID Associate, and maintains active membership in the Interior Design Society and the Designer Society of America. Pembrook Interiors is listed in the AD Pro Directory — Architectural Digest’s curated network of leading design professionals — and Jennifer was named Virginia’s Interior Design CEO of the Year 2025.
Before founding Pembrook Interiors, Jennifer spent thirty years in energy policy, regulatory affairs, and corporate governance — including Executive Education at Harvard Kennedy School and designation as an NACD Governance Fellow. She holds a U.S. Public Trust security clearance.
This background is not incidental to her design practice — it’s what makes Pembrook Interiors operate differently. Read Jennifer’s full professional background here.