Growing up in Chicago, Claire was immersed in various creative art forms from a young age. Between dance & art classes to learning how to use power tools with her dad, she never passed up the opportunity to learn something new.

She studied Fine Art and Dance Choreography at the University of Montana, where her love for the arts was furthered inspired by the beauty of the landscape.

After college, Claire moved to Portland, Oregon to explore her longing curiosity & passion for interior design. While attending design school, she also ran her own interior painting & home styling business, as well as co-founded an art non-profit. Her background in performance arts, trade skills & event production offer a unique perspective to her approach in interior design.

In 2021, Claire moved back to Montana to take a Lead Design position with a local interior design firm in the Flathead Valley and recently branched out on her own to launch Nelson Kane Design.

Fueled by personal connections, Claire values learning how people live & function in their day-to-day; incorporating those insights into both aesthetically pleasing & functional spaces. With interests ranging from architectural history & historic preservation, to the psychology of foot traffic, or how color & design evoke emotion, she draws design inspiration from a diverse array of experiences & creative influences to find the truest potential of a space for her clients.

Claire currently lives in Whitefish with her wife Jessica & their dog Rigby. When she isn't working, you can find her tending to too many house plants or garden beds, hosting her monthly Whitefish International Supper Club (WISC) with friends, or attempting to reupholster the 7-1/2 chairs she bought on Marketplace last week...