A bond of trust between homeowner and designer sets the stage for this Nantucket renovation.

Clairvoyance. Intuition. Telepathy. Spiritual layers. These aren’t words you typically hear when referencing an interior design project—but then again, the relationship that formed between the interior designer and the homeowner in order to transform this Nantucket home wasn’t typical. 

Donna Elle, principal designer and founder of Donna Elle Design, says of her client-turned-friend, Lisa Marie Runfola, “Where she has been and where I have been—the universe put us together for a reason. We both have a very real, very strong sense of intuitive clairvoyance that is beyond design.” And it is in this deep connection that the renovation of the homeowner’s second home on Nantucket began to take shape. 

As many magical moments begin, it all started in a bookstore. Runfola and her daughter were leafing through pages and exploring titles in their local book- shop in Lake Forest, Illinois when the daughter was drawn to a cover that featured the alluring isle of Nantucket. The pair mused on their longing to visit someday, when a patron overheard their remarks and shared that she happened to live on Nantucket. The homeowner recalls, “She gave us her name and number and said if we ever made it on island to please call her and that she would love to show us around.” A year later, the daughter decided to plan the family’s vacation on the storied island, and what was supposed to be a two week trip, turned into 23 days and a decision to purchase a home, as they had quickly fallen in love with The Gray Lady. The daughter reminded her mother of the bookstore interaction and encouraged...