Integral to The Scout Guide Phoenix & Scottsdale’s mission is telling the stories behind the small businesses Scouted in each Volume. The story begins in print and continues online, after all. As you peruse Volume 3, discovering or rediscovering the faces behind the places that define the Valley, we are thrilled to deepen your connection to them — and the community — through Member Spotlights.

Whether it’s a luxurious Arcadia residence or a charming new event venue, we are fortunate to introduce you to the individual shaping some of the Valley’s most thoughtfully and beautifully designed interiors: Caroline DeCesare, founder, and Design Principal of the eponymous DeCesare Design Group. Amidst juggling a multitude of residential and commercial projects, this fourth-generation Arizonan engages in a conversation with us about interiors and the inspiration driving her work.

TSG Phoenix: Today, you’re one of the most sought-after designers in the Valley. Where did your illustrious career originate?
Caroline DeCesare: Ever since I can remember, I have been interested in interiors. My mom was a ‘decorator’ and was always redoing our house. I spent many days in my grandmother’s backyard building forts and many a late night in my childhood bedroom pushing my giant armoire around the room.

TSG Phoenix: So, a career in interior design was in the cards for you since the start…
Caroline DeCesare: No, actually! I think I did take an aptitude test in high school that suggested interior design, but I never considered myself “artsy.” In fact, I started college as a physical therapy major. It was during a summer job at a family friend’s interior fabric store that I discovered my passion for interior design. After remodeling the store over the summer, I entered Arizona State University’s incredible five-year interior design program.

TSG Phoenix: After graduating from ASU’s Interior Design program — an internationally renowned program, we might add — what was next? Can you walk us through your early days as an interior designer?
Caroline DeCesare: I was so fortunate to start at Wiseman & Gale under the incredible tutelage of Anne Gale. While at W&G I met and began working as a design assistant then project designer under Donna Vallone. After at W&G, I helped Donna start her own design firm, Vallone Design. At Vallone Design I worked as a lead designer on commercial and residential projects. Finally, in 2008, I started DeCesare Design Group!

TSG Phoenix: After decades in the industry, how would you describe your approach to interior design?
Caroline DeCesare: It’s all about the clients — their comfort and lifestyle. I’ve learned that good design is not about the parts; it’s the sum of the parts.

TSG Phoenix: Can you elaborate?
Caroline DeCesare: Interiors should be authentic to the people who live in them. The home should tell the story of its inhabitants, both in its design and decoration. For example, integrating design elements that compliment the client’s lifestyle as well as evoking the client’s personality in design selections. It’s everything from incorporating a makeup vanity and ample storage to meet a couple’s lifestyles to achieving a neat aesthetic for a client with OCD.

TSG Phoenix: What does this look like functionally? Or, in other words, how would you describe your design style?
Caroline DeCesare: I really enjoy mixing styles and periods as well as high-and-low furnishings. I want things to feel collected, rather than staunchly from one period or style. I don’t believe something has to be insanely expensive to be “well-designed.” But I’ll never waiver on my commitment to materials and craftsmanship. I’m not a fan of materials trying to be something they’re not. In the words of my go-to local master plasterer, “Just say no to faux!.”

TSG Phoenix: Your incredible studio is, well, an incredible illustration of your style and your Valley heritage…
Caroline DeCesare: We’re really proud of our new design showroom. The property was originally home to the once-famous Barn Boutique, which housed annual gatherings of artisans, craftswomen, and really great cinnamon rolls. Later sold to a Lutheran congregation and renovated as a house of worship, we acquired it in 2021. It’s sort of an HQ for client meetings, selections, and approvals and we’ve worked really hard to offer (and organize!) an incredible selection of resources for our clients. It’s also HQ for my sister, Allison Tyler Jones and her photography business.

TSG Phoenix: Your commitment to the client experience — whether it’s during the design process or after you’ve styled the last element and handed over the keys — is striking. It’s a common thread throughout your aesthetic and entrepreneurial approach…
Caroline DeCesare: I’m really inspired by the process of both living and creating. My favorite part of any project is finding out how the client really lives and uses their home and then shaping the spaces to meet those needs.

TSG Phoenix: What other experiences inspire you?
Caroline DeCesare: Spending time in new cities or locales and absorbing their varied architecture and interiors fuels my passion for all things design.

TSG Phoenix: Are there any Valley locales that spark inspiration?
Caroline DeCesare: Of course! The Valley is home to so many talented creatives (hint: my sister, Allison Tyler Jones) and a wealth of inspiration. Whether it’s a designer’s choice arrangement from Camelback Flowershop or a piece from Bungalow, I’m always inspired by Phoenix and Scottsdale’s offerings!

TSG Phoenix: What advice would you give to local entrepreneurs or clients?
Caroline DeCesare: It applies to design and life: no one can decide for you what is the right or wrong way to be. Only you can decide what is right and works for you. As a mother, wife, and business owner, I am constantly asking myself, “What is the right way to do this?” In the end, I just have to choose what works best for me and my family, relationship, and business.

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Caroline DeCesare is the Founder + Design Principal of DeCesare Design Group. Their incredible showroom, which appears in Volume 3 of The Scout Guide Phoenix & Scottsdale is located at 1159 North Greenfield Road in Gilbert. Follow along with DeCesare on Instagram and learn more about working with Caroline and her incredibly talented team at decesaredesigngroup.com.