A modest sign for Elusive Beauty Designs hangs above a door in Wellsboro’s downtown, a door tucked between the Main Street Olive Oil Co. and Hanna’s Nail Spa. It leads to a portal of possibilities. That is, the tall staircase leads up to 73-2B where Adrienne Schloegel makes interior and exterior design dreams a reality.

Open the door and step into a large studio space full of light, white walls with some exposed brick, a shelf of sample books, and a computer station. At the end of the long room a large modern wooden table sits in front of tall windows. On the right wall is a flat screen where Adrienne projects her renderings when she’s meeting with clients.

“Through 3D renderings with colors,” Adrienne says, “clients can see what it will look like, so there’s no guessing.” She can switch up colors and materials with a few clicks. This is really important, she explains, because tile and flooring costs a lot so “getting those choices right matters.”

Adrienne grew up outside of Philly but has been in the area since 2002. She received a degree in art history with a minor in studio art from what was then Mansfield University. She and her husband, Douglas, bought a home in Gaines requiring a gut renovation, and they did a lot of the work themselves. She says her husband is very handy. Then they bought a second house they ripped down to the studs, and then a third remodel…and she knew she’d found work she loved.

During covid she completed a degree in interior design while homeschooling three kids, including a toddler. She started working remotely for a luxury designer in Austin, Texas. While still collaborating with designers on projects all over the country, Adrienne opened an office in Gaines. Working with designers in other areas has taught her a lot.

“The architecture in Scottsdale [Arizona] is dramatically different from that in Seattle,” says Adrienne, who enjoys learning about regional differences in building designs. And she’s open to combining styles in new ways, such as Gothic Victorian when a client requested it.

In October 2024, Adrienne moved her office to Wellsboro to be more centrally located and to have more space in which to meet with clients. Their kids are now eight, fourteen, and sixteen so she can be farther from where they live in Gaines. She has lots of clients in the Williamsport area, more and more in Wellsboro, and has done projects in Corning, Coudersport, Cogan Station, Mansfield, Osceola, and Lewisburg. Many of these were kitchens and bathrooms.

She has added additions to log cabins, and worked with cabin dwellers to keep the log feel but make the interiors not so overwhelmingly wood. Lately she is doing more interior design for custom new-build projects. “I emphasize the importance of designing the interior and exterior together, so the home feels cohesive, intentional, and well thought through from the start,” she says.

She’s recently begun to get into light commercial. Sweetspire Coffee & Bakery in Williamsport used her to help plan the space and for interior and exterior finishes. She also worked on the first location for Wellsboro’s Arise Cafe when it was on Route 6. “The commercial world allows me to be more creative,” says Adrienne. “You can go all out because it’s for lots of people to enjoy, not just you in your home.”

She’s noticed people are leaning into color more in their homes. “I value collaboration in my work so much. I always ask my clients for their tastes and ask the contractors their opinions,” she adds. “This way we really come up with some unique designs.”

In a Montoursville home where they tore out the wall between the kitchen and dining room, Adrienne added a sixteen-foot marble island with under counter lighting. There is also a wine niche in one wall, five-by-four feet and six inches deep, with racks for bottles and lighting to show off the labels.

The Cloetes from South Africa contacted Adrienne when they bought a house on Pearl Street before they moved to Wellsboro. They had seen her website at elusivebeautydesigns.com, and for a year they worked together virtually, juggling the time difference. “We knew we needed direction and help,” says Samantha, whose husband, Uys, has opened ECU Pro, which repairs automotive software. “She was just so lovely straightaway.”

The couple knew they wanted to expand their kitchen and to vault the ceiling, and soon decided to add a master suite to the house and to renovate the other bathrooms and the fireplace room. Adrienne came up with a design based on what they wanted, and she “knocked it out of the park. The renderings look just like what’s been produced,” Sam says. “Our bathroom is picture-perfect, exactly what I envisioned.”

Getting clarity on your budget up front and planning the whole project ahead, which speeds up the process, are the main benefits of consulting a designer, Adrienne says. “Contractors like that I can take the lead and give a conceptual design for them to quote,” she adds. Her web of contractors allows her to find the best one for each type of job, and clients don’t have to leave messages and hope to get called back.

Once the contractor is chosen, “I become the client advocate,” she explains. “At the same time, I understand the contractor’s challenges.” For instance, like with many old houses, the Cloetes’ house wasn’t always square.

Adrienne has other challenges that designers in other parts of the world don’t have. Mostly in urban and suburban areas, the designers she’s collaborated with have large showrooms close by. Out here, Adrienne does a lot of driving. “That’s what makes it more valuable for the client,” she explains. “I’ve become the expert on where to find the best and different resources.”

One of the advantages of being in this area are the skilled tradesmen she has access to, like her Amish cabinet makers. “You can’t beat their craftsmanship and dedication.”

Adrienne prefers the first visit with a client to be on site, if possible, so she can do a LiDAR (infrared) scan from which she creates her 3D models. Then she’ll write up a proposal. Recently, Adrienne hired an assistant designer, Madison Burd. With that help, Adrienne can now branch into offering consultation services on smaller projects. To discuss a possible project, call her office at (570) 439-6919.

Adrienne says, “I want everyone to get exactly what they want for their budget. I want them to have a good experience.”