Stanton Design Incorporated in Baltimore: Full-Service Residential and Commercial Interiors

Stanton Design Incorporated is a full-service interior design firm that handles residential renovations, commercial buildouts, and ongoing design consultation for Baltimore clients. The firm operates as a traditional design-led practice, meaning clients pay for design services separately from construction or furnishing costs, giving the designer independence from product markup incentives. This model distinguishes it from decorator-only services or furniture retailers who offer free design as a sales tool.

What Stanton Design Actually Does

The firm manages the full arc of a project: space planning, color and material selection, fixture and furniture specification, contractor coordination, and installation oversight. This includes new construction interiors, apartment renovations, office redesigns, and hospitality spaces. The scope is broad enough to handle structural decisions (wall removal, kitchen layout) and detailed enough to source specific light fixtures or custom cabinetry. Unlike many Baltimore design consultants who work exclusively on styling or staging, Stanton Design takes projects from blank space to move-in ready.

Design Services and Fee Structure

Stanton Design charges design fees on a per-project basis rather than hourly or as a percentage of construction cost. A typical residential project (kitchen or full apartment renovation) begins with a design fee in the $3,000 to $8,000 range, depending on scope and square footage. This covers initial consultation, floor plans, 3D renderings, material boards, and multiple revision rounds. Commercial projects carry higher fees, typically starting at $10,000 and scaling with complexity and building size.

Construction costs and product purchases are billed separately. The firm coordinates contractors and suppliers but does not mark up their invoices, which is common practice among independent designers and distinguishes this fee model from designer showroom partnerships that embed fees into material costs.

How Stanton Design Compares Locally

Baltimore's interior design market splits between boutique firms (like Stanton Design), design-adjacent services offered by furniture retailers or high-end home stores, and freelance decorators who charge hourly rates between $75 and $150 per hour. Retailers such as Room & Board (at The Shops at Canton Crossing) offer in-house design consultation as a free or low-cost service tied to furniture purchases, which suits clients who want design input without separate fees but have limited flexibility on where products come from. Hourly-rate designers work well for smaller projects like a single room or specific problem-solving but can become expensive if a project expands or requires extensive contractor management. Stanton Design's project-fee model makes sense for clients undertaking substantial renovations where design coordination saves money through efficient planning and prevents costly mid-project changes. It also suits clients who want a designer's independent judgment unconstrained by inventory or commission structures.

Who This Service Suits and Who It Does Not

This firm works best for Baltimore homeowners or commercial operators planning significant renovations, new construction interiors, or strategic updates where professional coordination adds real value. It is appropriate for clients who can invest upfront in design and who want a single point of contact for decisions. It does not suit clients looking for quick styling advice, staging before a sale (where hourly decorators or staging-specific services are faster), or those with a fixed budget and no flexibility on design costs. It is also not the right fit if you want to work exclusively with in-stock pieces from one store.

The First Consultation

An initial meeting typically runs 60 to 90 minutes and involves a site visit, discussion of goals and lifestyle, budget parameters, and timeline. The designer tours the space, takes measurements, and identifies structural or system constraints. Following this, the designer develops a proposal that outlines the specific deliverables, timeline, and fee. Not all projects move forward after this phase, and the initial consultation itself may carry a small fee (commonly $500 to $1,000, applied to the project fee if the client proceeds).

Hours, Location, and Logistics

Stanton Design operates by appointment. Office visits can be arranged, though much of the consultation process happens on-site at the client's home or commercial space. The firm serves all of Baltimore and the surrounding metro area. Confirmation of current hours and scheduling is best done through direct contact, as availability varies with active project loads.

Stanton Design holds a practical position in Baltimore's renovation ecosystem. For homeowners or business owners ready to commit resources to a substantial interior project, an independent designer with full-service coordination cuts through the decision fatigue and contractor chaos that derail many renovations.