Coley Home Spotlight: Cate Gutter
Meet Cate Gutter, the founder and principal designer of CWG design. Cate recently had the opportunity to design an entire home, and she featured Coley Home in several spaces! She gave us insights into her thoughtful design process and shared that true cohesion of a designed home comes from the people who live there. Read along to learn more about Cate's design process and how she styled Coley Home pieces in her recent project!
Tell us about yourself & how you got to where you are today!
I’m Cate Gutter, founder and principal of CWG Design. As the daughter of a house flipper, I learned early that home isn’t just a place, it’s a feeling. The best ones are layered, lived-in, and deeply personal. My path into design wasn’t typical; I built my firm organically through relationships, intuition, and a genuine curiosity about how people actually live. Five years later, my firm has evolved into a full-service design studio creating homes that feel thoughtful and warm, tailored but relaxed, timeless yet unmistakably personal, always grounded in a strong sense of place.
You recently selected a Baker Bed in Mohair, Herb for a playful yet sophisticated boy’s bedroom. Walk us through the design process!
The room began with the architecture; that sloped ceiling felt like it was asking to be wrapped in stars — perfect for dreaming (day or night). The Schumacher wallpaper felt whimsical from the start, and interestingly, even on the ceiling, it grounded the space rather than overwhelming it. The Baker Bed in Herb Mohair was the perfect complementary color. It has depth and quiet confidence without feeling loud, and the mohair adds softness and texture that instantly elevates the room. In a space with pattern overhead, we wanted something solid and tailored to hold it all together. From there, it was about balance. We layered in classic elements with a vintage rug, the striped Roman shade, and an antique side table. Then we let the personality show up in smaller moments: playful art, layered pillows, collected accessories. I always want a child’s room to feel like it truly belongs to them, but not in a way they’ll outgrow in two years. The bed is the investment piece. Everything else can evolve around it as he does.
The Baker Bed
Do you have any tips for designing a kid’s room? How do you find the balance between fun and functional?
As a mom, I’ve seen how quickly their interests shift, but also how deeply attached they become to the spaces that feel like theirs. I like to anchor the space with pieces that have staying power: a well-made bed, a wool rug that adds comfort (and is forgiving to clean), and nightstands or dressers that can grow with them. Then the fun comes through the layers with art, textiles, whimsical wallpaper, and perhaps something a little unexpected. Those are the elements that can shift as they do. Function matters, but it doesn’t have to be boring. Storage should feel thoughtful, fabrics should be durable, and the layout should allow space for both rest and imagination. The balance really comes down to restraint. Let it feel playful, but ground it in pieces that give the room longevity. A child should feel at home in it, not like they’ll outgrow it next year.
For this project, you were able to design the entire home, giving each room distinct personality yet giving the home a cohesive feel. What is the most important factor to create cohesion throughout a home?
Cohesion starts with intention. When we design an entire home, we’re thinking about the feeling first, long before we’re thinking about individual rooms. Every space should have its own personality, but there needs to be a quiet thread running through it all. Maybe it’s a warmth in the palette, a texture or color that repeats, a certain level of contrast, or simply a shared mood that carries from room to room. But true cohesion comes from the people who live there. Our clients’ personalities shape everything, from the art they’re drawn to, to the books and objects that fill their shelves. Those personal layers are what make a home feel honest and connected rather than styled for a photograph. Restraint plays a big role. Not every room needs to be the moment. When you edit thoughtfully and allow materials or tones to reappear in subtle ways, the home begins to feel layered and lived-in instead of overly designed. To me, cohesion isn’t about sameness. It’s about rhythm, flow, and a home that feels grounded in its place and in the people who call it home.
The Teeny Counter Stool
You used Shiitake Ottoman in Cashmere, Fawn in another bedroom in the house. What are your favorite ways to mix textures and patterns into a space?
With its soaring vaulted ceilings, this bedroom marked a transition into a true “big girl” space. She had her heart set on a fairy room, which we interpreted in a way that felt imaginative yet enduring. We layered in whimsical details with fairy knobs on the Crate & Kids dresser, a wood canopy bed dressed in playful fabrics, and a custom hand-painted mural that brings the entire room to life. Louisiana-based artist Liz Russell flew in to create the mural over several days, painting a blooming garden complete with a tiny mushroom house fit for a mouse. It feels magical, but still grounded. The Shiitake Ottoman in Cashmere in Fawn fit right into that story. Its soft, organic tone subtly echoes the mushroom motif in the mural, while the cashmere adds a quiet refinement that keeps the room from feeling overly themed. I love when a piece can nod to the narrative of a space without being literal, it makes the design feel layered and thoughtful rather than costume-like.
The shiitake ottoman
Cate also used our Lindy Swivel in COM (Customer's Own Material) and we love the way it turned out with the Shiitake Ottoman!
The Lindy Swivel
What design trends are you forecasting in 2026?
I think 2026 will continue moving toward warmth and individuality. We’re seeing richer, more nuanced color palettes, layered textures like mohair and cashmere, and natural materials that feel collected rather than overly styled. There’s less interest in stark minimalism and more desire for spaces that feel personal and lived-in with homes that reflect the people who live there, from the art on the walls to the books on the shelves. It’s less about chasing trends and more about creating rooms with depth, intention, and a real sense of place.
What is your favorite hostess gift?
I tend to gravitate toward hostess gifts that feel personal and meaningful, so I don’t really have one classic go-to. When I travel, I love bringing something back from Charlotte, a Queen Charlotte candle from R. Runberg is always special and feels like a thoughtful nod to home. If we’re going to dinner, I’ll often bring a bottle of wine my husband and I have collected during our travels, something we can open together and share the story behind. For a more casual cocktail gathering, I might bring one of Reid’s snack mixes or a jar of local honey. I love gifts that feel connected to a place or a memory — something simple, but intentional.
Are you currently binge reading/watching anything?
I laughed out loud when I saw this question because it’s a running joke among my friends — and the CWG team — that I’m usually off in a faraway fae land or watching a blushable series on Netflix. Contrary to what some may believe, I do pause for a great documentary or nonfiction book — but more often than not, I fully embrace indulgent escapism. And of course, the new season of Bridgerton delivers — dramatic storylines, over-the-top costumes, and sets so beautiful they almost steal the show. Sometimes you want depth. Sometimes you just want decadence.
Thank you, Cate!
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