What 30 Years Teaches You About Luxury
Lori Gentile on design, decisions, and the clients who keep coming back
There's a moment in every project when a client looks around the room and says something like: "I don't know how you knew, but this is exactly it."
Lori Gentile has been collecting those moments for over three decades. And if you ask her what actually makes them happen, her answer is probably not what you'd expect.
"Luxury isn't about spending the most," she says. "It's about making decisions with confidence and intention — and helping my clients get there is what I love most about what I do."
Earlier this year, Modern Luxury named Lori to their Dynamic Women 2026 list, and also featured her studio in their March 2026 Riviera San Diego edition. For anyone who has followed her work across Encinitas, Rancho Santa Fe, Hawaii, and beyond — neither recognition came as a surprise.
But the recognition did prompt a question worth asking: what does luxury actually mean, thirty years in?
It Starts With the Listening
Most designers will tell you they listen to their clients. Lori means something more specific when she says it.
She listens to the client. To the space. To her own instincts — instincts she's spent three decades sharpening. And then she asks more questions.
"The best design comes from deep understanding rather than trends," she says. "I'm not trying to put my stamp on someone's home. I'm trying to help them find what was already there."
That process can take months. Sometimes years. For clients with projects across multiple homes — a primary residence in North County San Diego, a vacation property in Maui, a pied-à-terre in New York — the relationship can go on indefinitely. Which, for Lori, is exactly the point.
"She doesn't just design a room. She learns how you actually live in it."
— Lori Gentile Interior Design client
The Myth of the Finishing Touch
There's a popular idea that you hire an interior designer at the end — after the construction is done, after the big decisions are made, when it's time to pick the throw pillows.
It's a charming idea. It's also how renovations go wrong.
Lori's studio offers a complete spectrum of services: architectural specifications, custom furniture design, art curation, contractor coordination, installation. That's not finishing touch work. That's the whole project.
When a designer is involved from the beginning, the floor plan makes sense for the furniture. The lighting is spec'd before the ceiling is closed. The hardware finish is decided before the tile is ordered, not after.
"By the time most people think to call a designer, they've already made decisions they can't undo," she says. "We can still help. But earlier is always better."
For homeowners in North County San Diego — where renovation costs are high and good contractors are booked out — getting it right the first time isn't just about aesthetics. It's about protecting the investment.
What Three Decades Actually Buys You
Experience in interior design is not decorative. It's functional.
It means knowing which tile grout will look dated in five years. Which furniture vendor will actually hit their lead time. Which contractor does beautiful work on kitchens but shouldn't be near a bathroom. Which client needs to see three options and which one needs to see one perfect one.
Lori draws ongoing inspiration from designer Kelly Wearstler — whose layered, art-forward approach to interiors she deeply admires. But Lori's own work is unmistakably hers. Refined, warm, livable. Specific to the client and the place.
"A unique point of view is a designer's most valuable asset," she says. "I've been developing mine for thirty years. That's what you're really getting."
"Trust your eye. Never stop learning. Design is equal parts artistry, psychology, and project management."
— Lori Gentile, Dynamic Women 2026
On Being Named a Dynamic Woman
When Modern Luxury reached out about the Dynamic Women 2026 feature, Lori's response was characteristically grounded.
"Being recognized alongside inspiring women in my community means everything to me," she says. "The support of my clients — starting when I was young — is what gave me the confidence to build something real."
That's not false modesty. It's just accurate. Lori Gentile Interior Design exists because of long-term client relationships, not despite them. A studio that has worked in San Diego, Hawaii, Aspen, and New York didn't get there through advertising. It got there through referrals, repeat business, and the kind of reputation that takes decades to build.
The Modern Luxury feature, and the Dynamic Women recognition, are public confirmations of something her clients have known privately for years.
Her Advice — For Homeowners, Not Just Designers
The Dynamic Women feature asked Lori what she'd tell young women entering the design industry. Her answer was worth sharing here, because it applies to anyone making big decisions about their home.
"Trust your eye. Never stop learning. Build genuine relationships and protect your perspective."
For a homeowner, that translates directly. Trust what you're drawn to — don't let anyone talk you out of your instincts. Keep learning about what you want, even if you can't articulate it yet. And find a designer whose perspective you actually trust, not just one with a popular Instagram.
The best interior design relationships work because both sides are paying attention. Lori has been doing this long enough to know the difference.
What This Means for Your Home
If you're considering a renovation in Encinitas, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe, or anywhere in North County San Diego — or if you have a project in Hawaii or New York and need a designer who has worked in both markets — Lori's studio is worth a conversation.
Not because of the press. Because of what the press reflects: thirty years of clients who trust her, projects delivered well, and a point of view that doesn't waver based on what's trending.
That's what luxury looks like, built over time.
Ready to design a home that’s completely, unmistakably yours?
