Good Neighbor Podcast: Pittsburgh

E23: Interior Design with Love, Empathy, and a 'French-sational' Touch

• Leila Carter & Catherine Montague • Episode 23

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What makes Catherine Montague with Montague Design a good neighbor?  

Luxury interior design isn't just about beautiful spaces—it's about creating environments that truly reflect and support the people who inhabit them. Catherine Montague brings a distinctly European sensibility to this approach, infusing her designs with what she playfully calls a "French-sational sense of fun."

Born and educated in France, Catherine's path to interior design began unexpectedly during a semester at San Diego State University, where she fell in love with American culture. After relocating to New York and working in home furnishings, she discovered her passion for transforming spaces. This international perspective gives her a unique advantage in understanding diverse architectural styles and adapting her designs accordingly.

Montague Design specializes in comprehensive interior architecture for both residential and commercial projects. Far beyond simply selecting furniture, Catherine's team designs custom cabinetry, fireplace details, wall and ceiling features, and coordinates everything from flooring to plumbing fixtures. This holistic approach ensures cohesive, thoughtfully crafted spaces that balance beauty and functionality. What truly distinguishes her practice, however, is her deeply collaborative process—working closely with clients, architects, and contractors as a unified team.

Catherine's business philosophy centers on three core values: love for her craft and clients, empathy in understanding each client's unique needs without judgment, and bringing joyful energy to every project. Beyond her design work, she leads a giving circle called "Inspired Women, Paying it Forward," raising funds for women's charities locally and globally—a reflection of her commitment to community and connection.

Ready to transform your space with luxury design that truly speaks to who you are? Discover Catherine's approach at montaguedesign.com or connect through Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn to see how French-inspired design might elevate your home or business.

To learn more about Montague Design go to: 

https://montaguedesign.com/about/

Montague Design

(412)638 2696


Speaker 1:

This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Lila Carter.

Speaker 2:

Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast. Are you in need of a luxury residential and commercial interior designer? One might be closer than you think. Today I have the pleasure of introducing your good neighbor, catherine Montague, with Montague Design, catherine, how's it going.

Speaker 3:

Very well. Thank you so much for having me on the podcast.

Speaker 2:

Thank you for being here. We're excited to learn all about you and your business, so tell us about your company.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, so we are, as you mentioned, a residential and commercial interior design company. We offer services from anywhere from a one-hour interior design consultation to half a day to full day, but really our specialty is renovation, a new construction. So what does it mean is that we actually design all the interior architecture for the project. That includes cabinetry, fireplaces, any kind of details on the walls and ceilings and so forth. We select the finishes flooring, walls, again, cabinetry finishes, vanities, plumbing, tiles, and to ensure that there is a cohesive design for the space that we are working on, and then we also select furniture. And then we place the orders, organize, follow up with everything and organize the installation so that we are, you know, full service design company. And then, of course, during the project, we collaborate with our clients. We are the architect, if there is one, and contractor to help the clients make decisions in timely manner so that we keep the project going during construction.

Speaker 2:

Very good. How did you get into this business, Catherine?

Speaker 3:

Well, you can tell from my accent that I am French. So I grew up in France and studied international business and I had the opportunity to spend one semester at San Diego State University and I discovered and fell in love with the US. And when I was able to come back I moved back to New York and worked in home furnishings stores and fell in love with interior design. So I took classes and started working right away into interior design.

Speaker 2:

Very good. Yeah, that's a Chagall Paris Opera ceiling behind me. You'd appreciate.

Speaker 3:

It's a beautiful ceiling, you're right. Yes, it's absolutely beautiful.

Speaker 2:

What are some myths or misconceptions in your industry?

Speaker 3:

What are some myths or misconceptions in your industry? I think that a couple that I can think of. The first one is the cost People don't understand the value of bringing an interior design on the project and also the fear that people may have that they won't be able to make their own decision, that they're going to be dictated to agree to decisions that they might not want.

Speaker 2:

Who are your target customers and how do you attract them?

Speaker 3:

So we are target customers. As you mentioned, we are a luxury firm, so we're mostly high end, but what we've been doing is really educating people to answer one of the myths of what it is that an interior designer does, and so we created a video series called Behind the Design, where we take the viewers in different situations during your construction what happens when we meet with the contractors? We just did one with a showroom where we take the viewers through the process of doing a bathroom renovation, so we first select the tile and then we select the plumbing and then the hardware. So we feel like educating our potential clients. It's really a nice way to attract our clients and it's fun. We're having fun doing it.

Speaker 2:

Very good. Yeah, people love the video content and the story behind these different projects. Have you ever thought about doing your own podcast?

Speaker 3:

Well, yeah, so I actually am developing the concept of interviewing people in our community. They may be artists, creators and doing the video aspect, so I think it's really interesting for us and to share that. We have so many people around us who are talented and we might not again understand what they do. So, um, yes, so I think I'm developing that concept very good.

Speaker 2:

I know your work might be fun for you too, but outside of work, what do you traditionally do for?

Speaker 3:

I like going in nature, I like walking, hiking, yoga also, and then, of course, when I can, traveling and explore new areas. Another thing that I do that is not necessarily fun, but that is very dear to my heart and it is fun in that respect is that I run a giving circle called Inspired Women, paying it Forward, and we meet quarterly for an hour and raise money for women's charities and locally and globally. So it really fills my heart and complements my life.

Speaker 2:

Oh, I love that. So let's switch gears. Can you describe a hardship or a life challenge that you overcame and how it made you stronger? What comes to mind?

Speaker 3:

Well, I think that I had to. I moved quite a few times, living in the US, and every time I had to start my business from zero, so it's that that was challenging, because, again, I had to start over, and I think what the benefit from that, though, was that it opened my mind to diversity of architecture, to understand that how people live in different parts of the country, to really also understand who people are, really getting to know people. I had to meet new people every time, and so now I feel like we can be very good listeners because of it and really connect with people, no matter where they are, and understanding also the value of integrating interior design with respect of the architecture.

Speaker 2:

That's very good, and staying true to some of those elements that would maybe naturally occur in different architectural styles. I love that. That's great insight. So, catherine, please tell our listeners one thing that they should remember about Montague Design.

Speaker 3:

Our tagline is that we infuse our designs with love, empathy and a French sensational sense of fun. So love, because we love what we do, but we also really have a with deep connection with our clients. We really need to have that connection to create the environment, be it residential or commercial. The empathy is because we listen to them, really understanding again who they are, and there's no judgment. It's really all about them and you know, once we close the door, they're going to be the one living in that space and so making sure that they love it and it really supports them.

Speaker 3:

And then the French sational sense of fun. Well, you guessed, french sational, because I'm French, but it's also fun because we want to have fun and also because we love to collaborate. So it's not only collaborating with our clients, but also with the architects, with contractors and the trade. The key is to be a team that is going to solve problems, create together. The design as a team is so much better when everybody is on board, and so that's really that part that we love also. So that's who we are.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, it truly is a collaborative effort, you know, coming together to create a beautiful space that someone not only feels at home in but is functional and also inspiring to be in right. So how can our listeners learn more about Montague Design?

Speaker 3:

Well, they're welcome to go on our website, and it's montaguedesigncom. Also, we are very active on social media, so Instagram, facebook and LinkedIn, and so and then we, you know, they're welcome to other contact us via email or phone call and I'll be happy to answer any questions that they have very good.

Speaker 2:

Well, katherine, I really appreciate your time today and having you as a guest on the show. We wish you and your business the best moving forward well.

Speaker 3:

Thank you so much for having me again. I really appreciate the opportunity.

Speaker 1:

Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gnppittsburghcom. That's gnppittsburghcom, or call 412-561-9956.