Nashville’s residential and commercial design market draws on a deep bench of credentialed practitioners, with several established studios building portfolios that span historic Belle Meade renovations, new Franklin construction, and adaptive reuse projects in The Nations and Wedgewood Houston. The three firms profiled below each carry more than fifteen years of work in the metro area, with published portfolios and traceable design provenance.
Interior designers in Tennessee can pursue voluntary state registration under TCA 62-2-208, which establishes a title-act framework administered through the Tennessee Board of Architectural and Engineering Examiners. National credentials that frequently accompany this work include NCIDQ examination certification, ASID Professional Membership (requiring a minimum of six years of combined education and experience plus exam passage), and IIDA professional-level membership. Press tiers that signal national reach include Architectural Digest’s AD100, Elle Decor’s A-List, and House Beautiful’s Next Wave list.
Quick Comparison #
| Firm | Credentials | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Marcelle Guilbeau Interior Design | NCIDQ qualified, LEED AP principal; ASID and IIDA award recognition; Best of Houzz seven consecutive years; Watkins College of Art, Design, and Film. | Full-service residential plus commercial, retail, healthcare, and hospitality interiors, with kitchen and bath, custom-furniture design, and adaptive reuse. |
| Eric Ross Interiors | Founded 2009; principal with 20-plus years of interior design experience; co-authored "Enduring Southern Homes"; Southeastern service area. | Luxury residential interiors with traditional design sensibilities, full procurement and installation project management from the Franklin Pike studio. |
| Beth Haley Design | Founded 2000; eight Houzz Awards; Star Houzzer and Recommended on Houzz designations; StyleBlueprint editorial feature; 12 South studio. | Kitchen and bath renovations and whole-home interior work focused on remodeling and renovating established Nashville homes with material craft emphasis. |
1. Marcelle Guilbeau Interior Design #
Founder Marcelle Guilbeau leads a Nashville studio whose principal holds the NCIDQ qualification and LEED accreditation, with a degree from Watkins College of Art, Design, and Film. The practice has received recognition from ASID and IIDA award programs and has been named Best of Houzz for seven consecutive years, with editorial coverage in Elle Decor, USA Today, Domino, Apartment Therapy, DesignSponge, Rue Daily, StyleBlueprint, Nashville Lifestyles, nFocus, and Nashville Interiors.
Marcelle Guilbeau scope and project types #
The firm covers full-service residential work alongside commercial, retail, healthcare, and hospitality interiors, with additional capability in furniture curation and procurement, custom-furniture design, kitchen and bath design, and adaptive reuse of historic properties. Mixed-use development engagements are part of the studio’s recent project mix, and the office partners with architecture firm Building Ideas, LLC for integrated architecture and interiors delivery.
Marcelle Guilbeau credentials and contact #
- Founder: Marcelle Guilbeau
- Credentials: NCIDQ, LEED AP, Watkins College of Art, Design, and Film
- Recognition: ASID and IIDA award programs; Best of Houzz seven consecutive years
- Press: Elle Decor, USA Today, Domino, Apartment Therapy, DesignSponge, StyleBlueprint, Nashville Lifestyles, nFocus, Nashville Interiors
- Address: 5411 Centennial Blvd., Nashville, TN 37209
- Phone: (615) 585-9709
- Website: Marcelle Guilbeau Interior Design
2. Eric Ross Interiors #
Eric Ross Interiors was established in 2009 and is led by founder Eric Ross alongside co-director Ruthann Ross, with principal designer Eric Ross drawing on more than twenty years of interior design experience. The studio is published in trade and lifestyle media and its principal co-authored the book “Enduring Southern Homes,” with a follow-up volume continuing the firm’s documentation of regional residential work.
Eric Ross scope and project types #
Work centers on luxury residential interiors with traditional design sensibilities that pair classic detailing and timeless palettes with client-specific personalization. Project delivery covers detailed planning and procurement, furniture and finish design, and full project management through installation, with a service area that reaches across the Southeastern United States from the Franklin Pike studio. A curated product line is offered through the firm’s website to extend the studio aesthetic to a wider audience.
Eric Ross credentials and contact #
- Founder: Eric Ross (founded 2009)
- Co-director: Ruthann Ross
- Principal experience: 20-plus years in interior design
- Publications: “Enduring Southern Homes” (co-authored)
- Address: 4011 Franklin Pike, Nashville, TN 37204
- Phone: (615) 472-8236
- Website: Eric Ross Interiors
3. Beth Haley Design #
Beth Haley founded Beth Haley Design in 2000, building a boutique practice focused on reimagining established Nashville homes with a contemporary perspective. The office has been recognized through the Houzz awards program with eight Houzz Awards and platform designations including Star Houzzer and Recommended on Houzz, and the studio’s work has been featured by regional editorial outlet StyleBlueprint.
Beth Haley scope and project types #
The studio specializes in kitchen and bath renovations and whole-home interior work that balances function, comfort, and material craft, with a focus on remodeling and renovating established Nashville homes. Project scopes include space planning, material and finish selection, furnishing, and styling, with the boutique studio format keeping principal involvement central to each commission. The Linden Avenue studio location places the firm within the 12 South and Belmont-Hillsboro corridor of established residential work.
Beth Haley credentials and contact #
- Founder: Beth Haley (founded 2000)
- Recognition: 8 Houzz Awards; Star Houzzer and Recommended on Houzz designations
- Press: StyleBlueprint
- Address: 1207 Linden Avenue, Nashville, TN 37212
- Phone: (615) 228-3664
- Email: [email protected]
- Hours: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Website: Beth Haley Design
https://www.bethhaleydesign.com/
How to evaluate an interior design firm in Nashville #
When narrowing a shortlist, prospective clients typically weigh practitioner credentials (NCIDQ examination certification, ASID Professional Member status, IIDA professional-level membership), portfolio depth in the relevant project type (new construction, renovation, commercial, hospitality), and editorial provenance. Tennessee’s title-act registration under TCA 62-2-208 offers an additional signal for projects that benefit from a registered interior designer of record, and reciprocity pathways through organizations such as ARIDO and the IDC support multi-jurisdiction work.
Fee structures across the Nashville market range from a la carte hourly consulting and design-only deliverables through full-service procurement with cost-plus or flat-fee billing on furnishings. Trade-only showroom access, custom-millwork coordination with local fabricators, and integrated work with architects on new-construction packages are typical components of the full-service tier represented by the three studios above.
Selection Methodology #
Interior design in Tennessee sorts on three credential signals: NCIDQ Council for Interior Design Qualification certification (the national interior-design certification examination), ASID Professional Member or IIDA professional-level membership, and voluntary Tennessee title-act registration under TCA 62-2-208 administered through the TSBAEE Tennessee State Board of Architectural and Engineering Examiners. The three firms above each list NCIDQ certification or ASID/IIDA professional standing on a principal, hold continuous Davidson or Williamson County practice tenure under named ownership, publish a built-project portfolio with photography crediting and project scope detail, document trade-resource partnerships (to-the-trade showrooms at Decoration and Design Building, AmericasMart Atlanta), and operate from a verifiable street address with continuous lease. Resident-only stagers without NCIDQ certification were excluded.
Frequently Asked Questions #
Q: What is the typical lead time on furniture and custom pieces?
A: Custom upholstery and case goods often run twelve to thirty weeks from order to delivery; rugs and lighting frequently arrive sooner. Ask the designer for a written furniture lead-time schedule at the start of procurement, and request status updates from the showroom rather than relying on verbal estimates.
Q: How does the designer handle warranty and damage claims on delivered pieces?
A: Furniture and rug warranties run through the manufacturer rather than the designer. Ask how damage at delivery is documented (photographs, claim filing window, white-glove inspection), the typical resolution timeline through the workroom or vendor, and who manages the warranty claim on the client’s behalf.
Q: Are any of the three firms paid placements?
A: No. The three profiles above are editorial selections drawn from publicly verifiable sources. No firm sponsored placement.
Q: What scope decisions does the client make versus the designer?
A: Ask the designer for a written scope description: which decisions are client-approved (overall direction, budget, major pieces), which are designer-led with client sign-off (finishes, smaller selections), and which are designer-only (back-of-house procurement details). A documented scope avoids friction during the procurement phase.
Editorial Note #
This guide was published on 2026-05-11 and reflects research current as of that date. Verify licenses, phone numbers, and current business status before engaging any firm.