Spaces of Distinction, a multifaceted interior design firm, specializes in high-end, luxury residential and hospitality design. Its founder, Denise Balassi, has earned the respect of the most discerning clients. Her clientele has an uncompromising quest for luxury living and exquisite design delivered with an unparalleled level of service. Spaces of Distinction, based in the New York Tri-State area, services clients worldwide.
See a video fly-through of one of our projects by clicking on the video here.
Spaces of Distinction is unlike other interior design firms.
We're exceptionally skilled at space planning, architectural detailing, and interior design, from creating initial floor plans to placing the last decorative detail. We do more than decorate, we create and design interiors that are beautiful, purposeful, and livable.
Whether we're designing a singular space, renovating an existing structure, or building your ultimate dream home, Denise Balassi and her team at Spaces of Distinction are uniquely qualified to guide you seamlessly from design concept to project completion.
As a design-build partnership among homeowner, designer, builder, and architect, we've created a synergistic approach that has become the cornerstone of our business. This philosophy provides our clients with the peace of mind to make confident decisions while our team remains committed to the proper and timely execution of each design.
Spaces of Distinction combines classic elements with modern pieces to create timeless, bespoke interiors.
Let us take your project to the next level and unleash the possibilities.
Spaces of Distinction is unlike other interior design firms.
We're exceptionally skilled at space planning, architectural detailing, and interior design, from creating initial floor plans to placing the last decorative detail. We do more than decorate, we create and design interiors that are beautiful, purposeful, and livable.
Whether we're designing a singular space, renovating an existing structure, or building your ultimate dream home, Denise Balassi and her team at Spaces of Distinction are uniquely qualified to guide you seamlessly from design concept to project completion.
As a design-build partnership among homeowner, designer, builder, and architect, we've created a synergistic approach that has become the cornerstone of our business. This philosophy provides our clients with the peace of mind to make confident decisions while our team remains committed to the proper and timely execution of each design.
Spaces of Distinction combines classic elements with modern pieces to create timeless, bespoke interiors.
Let us take your project to the next level and unleash the possibilities.
Getting to Know Each Other
Let's see if we're a good match. We'll make an appointment to meet and discuss your design objectives. Because each client brings us his or her individual wish list, we make sure to listen very carefully. Open communication is crucial to a successful relationship. Helping you interpret your wish list is the first step in turning a house into a home.
Let's Get Started
Now that we've gotten to know each other and defined the scope of work for your project, our creative ideas are flowing and we can't wait to share them with you! The way to do this is to develop plans, sketch elevations, and layout design options for you to consider.
As we present these various options, now is your opportunity to explore all the possibilities.
So let's discuss the merits of each.Then, once a direction is established, we'll continue to fine-tune the plans while completing furniture layouts, creating color palettes, and designing the balance of the interior finishes.
Getting It All Done
Putting a plan into action requires an organized and concise set of skills. Our specialized computer software generates the detailed documents that will be essential to the execution of your design. Our team is ready to take over to ensure a successful implementation is followed through to completion. Of course, there may be bumps along the way, but rest assured, we are always there to tackle any design challenges.
Furnishing decisions are finalized by now and orders placed. Our administrative team manages every facet of the ordering process resulting in the successful completion and timely installation of each project. Our clients appreciate the fact their designs come to life with little or no effort on their part.
Installation Day
All of our collective hard work has paid off and your home is ready for Installation Day. The paint is dry, the lighting tweaked, and the movers are scheduled. Our team shows up to ensure the furniture is meticulously placed just the way it was planned. The art is hung, the window treatments installed, and final accessorizing complete. We welcome you to the Big Reveal!
Denise Balassi, President of Spaces of Distinction, is a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology. After graduating, Denise worked for two major NYC design firms whose focus was in commercial design. She later became lead designer for a prestigious Westport, Connecticut, design firm where she specialized in furnishing models for residential real estate developers. Denise went on to form her own company and founded Spaces of Distinction in 1986. Her designs, which encompass creativity and character, have been featured in both local and national publications.
Denise is well respected by her colleagues for her expertise in space planning and architectural detailing. She has traveled throughout Europe and the Far East in an effort to bring an individual and unique look to her designs. The success of her projects reflects the team's creative genius and is fueled with her artistic vision and passion for detail. Denise's dedication to excellence is clearly visible.
Judy Romano has a degree in business administration and brings over 25 years of office and project management experience to Spaces of Distinction. Her extraordinary organizational and problem-solving skills help her to manage each facet of the design process, resulting in the successful completion and installation of each and every project.
She handles each task with respect, patience, and composure. In addition, Judy's genuine concern for the client's well being and her ability to successfully negotiate matters on their behalf ensure that our client accounts are well maintained.
Sage Bardani, a recent graduate of The Fashion Institute of Technology, comes to Spaces of Distinction after working with both Mabley Handler and a residential developer in South Hampton, NY. There she honed her skills in construction coordination and management. Her eye for detail is only surpassed by her dedication to making sure each of our unique custom designs are executed to specification.
Chris Leder, freelance designer, offers over 20 years experience in space planning and design. Her beautifully executed renderings are a demonstration of her artistic vision and diverse technical skills. Even the most demanding projects are executed professionally and with precision. They serve as the source of illustration for our unique and extraordinary design concepts.
Chris is a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC. She comes to Spaces of Distinction after several years in the corporate design field. Her exceptional spatial creativity has resulted in numerous successful interior renovations.
Spaces of Distinction has been a well established part of the interior design industry. To see what has been written, click on the logos below to read the articles.
Feedback from our clients is very important to us. It helps gauge our standing in this very competitive industry.
"Denise and the entire Spaces of Distinction team helped us create the home we always wanted. With Spaces of Distinction you get professionalism as well as years of experience. Normally, any type of construction project could be stressful. We were able to relax and enjoy the planning process knowing all the while that every last detail would be taken care of. In addition to her design talent, Denise coordinated the efforts of several parties to be sure that the project kept moving in a timely fashion. Our home is elegant, comfortable and functional! It was a pleasure to work with Denise, Chris, Judy and Sage. It's no wonder they've designed our home twice!"
Residential Client, Greenwich, CT
"We began as friends with Denise and we ended up being even closer friends after our entire new home design and furnishings were complete."
Residential Client, Roxbury, CT
"We have been working with Spaces of Distinction since 2014, first on the design and decorating of a new kitchen, dining room and entry layout and then on the design and decorating of a new, custom home. Denise and her team are amazing. She excels at the layout of spaces and often revised and improved upon the work of our architect to make our home even more functional and beautiful. The Spaces of Distinction team's attention to details makes all the difference – the lighting, furnishings, fabrics, drawer pulls, and accessories – are all thoughtfully considered so that the end product is a unique and truly customized home. Denise was considerate of our budget and worked hard to help us save money in lower traffic areas so that we could afford to upgrade in more important spaces in our home. She understood our vision and worked with our specific style, but also pushed us to take some risks with design outside of our comfort zone – I'm so glad we trusted her! The external vendors she brought in for things such as upholstery, mirror installation and blinds were all excellent – they were skilled, a pleasure to work with, and showed up when scheduled. When we encountered any issues such as with product coming in damaged, Denise quickly worked to remediate them to our satisfaction. We couldn't be more excited to live in our beautiful, new home that Denise and her amazing team helped us create!"
Residential Client, Saddle River, NJ
"In a nutshell, if you are looking for an outstanding result with top notch professional designers then Spaces of Distinction should be your first choice. I cannot recommend them highly enough. The build/renovation process can be overwhelming to even the most seasoned and it is crucial to have everyone involved in your team be of the highest caliber in terms of skill set and professionalism. Spaces of Distinction bring both in large quantities! I have worked for the past 10 years on 5 separate large projects with Denise and her team. Two of these projects were custom builds of houses in excess of 10,000 SQFT. Three have been soup-to-nuts "gut renovations" of homes in the 5,000 - 9,000 SQFT range. Only one of these projects was in the NY area, the others have been in SC and FL. I have worked with Spaces of Distinction in conjunction with an Architect and more recently in a project that we did not use an Architect."
"Spaces of Distinction were involved from the very beginning in all five projects to assist with any spatial planning requirements and then to propose design layouts for all areas of the homes, including the tile and cabinetry designs for all bathrooms and kitchen areas. Following design, they led the material and finish selection process. They produced furniture and decorative lighting layouts, proposed furniture and lighting options (and also worked with existing furniture when required), and flooring materials while at all times ensuring that they presented options sensitive to the various budgets specified. They selected all the paint colors for the homes interior and provided consultant on the exterior finishes."
"The design process and their management of this aspect was very organized making the daunting steps involved in selection fun and exciting. During the execution phase, Denise and her team worked extremely well with the General Contractors and Architects. They were available to answer their questions and never presented a bottleneck from a decision-making perspective. Denise is very detailed oriented, which was invaluable in the shop drawing process to ensure that everything turned out exactly as envisioned. The team is very creative and was able to always come up with excellent solutions to any unforeseen issues that cropped up during the build process. As a rule, it is hard to find that one-stop shopping that ticks all of the boxes needed for a consummate design professional. Spaces of Distinction are the needle in that haystack!"
Residential Client, Palm Beach, FL
"My husband and I have worked with Denise Balassi, Spaces of Distinction, on four projects, beginning with our first major home construction in Connecticut completed in 1995. It was our first experience with a fully custom home (8,000 square feet), and we were able to depend on Denise's professionalism, knowledge, and hard work, to assure that it became our dream home. We thoroughly enjoy our 5 months each year in this home. The next three projects were all in Florida: one renovation, and two new construction. We evolved into a full life in South Florida living in the beautiful custom home completed in 2009. Again, Denise, along with her wonderful Spaces of Distinction staff, made the process of completing all these projects go smoothly, and finish beautifully."
Residential Client, Southbury, CT
"I can't say enough good things about Denise Balassi and Spaces of Distinction. We worked with Denise on two projects - a kitchen/dining room remodel and designs for a new house. Our kitchen/dining room project is complete and we love it! Denise is extremely professional and is a talented designer. She has a sophisticated style and works hard to incorporate her clients' tastes and lifestyle into each project. She is timely, reliable, highly organized and an absolute pleasure to work with. If there were any problems with things that were delivered, Denise and her team took complete ownership and worked quickly to resolve them and have new product shipped. She truly worked in a collaborative manner with us and our architects. What really distinguishes Denise however, are her skills with plan design. On both our kitchen project and our new home design, Denise was instrumental to ensuring that the layouts worked. She also designed built-ins and made tweaks to the architect's drawings that ended up having a major impact on the look our home. Her taste is also impeccable and everyone who enters our home remarks on how great our two redone rooms look! Our new home project is not complete but I am sure when it is built, it will be special because of her talent and input."
Residential Client, Montvale, NJ
"Incredible Interior Designer with loads of experience in all facets of Architecture and Design."
Architect, Pound Ridge, NY
"Every day I gaze around at whatever space I am in, and I am just overwhelmed at how wonderful it all is. It is such a pleasure to live in this house surrounded by beauty, while also being practical, and so much to my taste. Your amazing talent shows at every turn. Thank you for creating this beautiful home for us."
Residential Client, Palm Beach Gardens, FL
"Throughout the entire process, you were always professional. You know the old expression, 'if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.' We were always able to count on your never giving up and there were times when no one would have blamed you if you ran like hell out of the damn kitchen."
Residential Client, Purchase, NY
"Denise, you are a joy to work with. You are creative, talented, a problem-solver, fast on your feet, and have a great sense of humor. After finishing our house in Chappaqua, we were so happy to have you work with us on our apartment in Manhattan. We couldn't have done it without you especially since we were living out of state. The entire job was completed in four months and we never stop hearing praise for your design and workmanship!"
Residential Client, New York, NY
"Working with Denise and her team was a pleasure from the outset of our project until its completion. We were never in doubt that Spaces of Distinction would be a key member of our design and build team. Their creative ideas, expertise, professionalism and detail-oriented approach helped make our project a unique awarding-winning home."
Residential Client, Greenwich, CT