Your home should tell your story. We’re here to help you design it.

DESIGNS BY NATURE: FULL SERVICE CUSTOM DESIGN STUDIO

SERVING DESIGN-MINDED HOMEOWNERS ACROSS WISCONSIN’S NORTHWOODS

A white house with a peaked roof, surrounded by trees, reflected in a body of water.

WELCOME TO DESIGNS BY NATURE

WE DESIGN HOMES
BUILT AROUND THE WAY YOU LIVE.

We don’t rely on templates or trends.
Instead, we listen closely, study your site, and translate your vision into a design that functions beautifully and feels distinctly yours.
Thoughtful design creates lasting comfort—and lasting value.

WHERE MEANING
MEETS DESIGN.

Floor plan of a house showing various rooms, including bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen, living room, and garage.

Every home Sheri designs begins with listening—deeply and intentionally. She takes the time to understand the history of the land, the memories held within a space, and the vision her clients carry for the next chapter of their lives. Rather than imposing a signature style, she collaborates closely, translating ideas, sketches, and conversations into thoughtful, functional designs that feel personal, grounded, and truly lived-in. Her work bridges intuition and expertise, honoring both the natural landscape and the people who will call it home.

THE DESIGN PROCESS

CONTACT US →

  • Three women are sitting at a wooden table during an interview or meeting. One woman with red, curly hair is seen from behind, facing two women on the opposite side of the table. There are papers and a laptop on the table, and a window in the background.

    01 Discovery

    A collaborative conversation to understand your vision. Sheri learns what you want to build, where it will live, how you hope it will function, and the timeline you’re working within. This is the moment she begins to understand you—how you communicate, what matters most, and what a successful project looks like from your perspective.

  • A woman with curly hair and glasses is reviewing landscape plans and a topographical map with contour lines, using a pen. There is a laptop on the table displaying an aerial view or map of a green area with water bodies.

    02 Property & Survey Review

    Sheri studies your site through county records, maps, surveys, and environmental data. She assesses topography, water setbacks, easements, and any unique conditions that may influence design. This careful review ensures your future home fits seamlessly and responsibly into its landscape.

  • Three people sitting at a table with architectural blueprints and a proposal document, discussing a house design.

    03 Proposal

    Once the foundational details are clear, Sheri prepares a thoughtful proposal outlining scope, deliverables, expected timelines, and optional or recommended services. It’s transparent, organized, and designed to help you feel confident in the path ahead.

  • Person measuring wooden wall with a yellow tape measure near a window.

    03 Field Measuring (For remodels & additions)

    Sheri documents the existing structure by hand—an old-school approach that ensures unmatched accuracy. She captures the details, quirks, and realities of your home so the new design blends beautifully with what already exists.

  • Architectural blueprints and drawings of a house on a wooden table, with two hands examining the plans.

    04 Design Phase

    With inspiration, function, and budget in mind, Sheri brings your vision to life through floor plans and elevations. She balances beauty with practicality, shaping spaces that feel intuitive, inviting, and uniquely yours.

  • A woman with curly red hair and glasses working on a laptop showing a floor plan, with two people sitting at a wooden table.

    05 Revisions

    Design is a conversation. Whether it takes a few versions or several, Sheri refines alongside you—adjusting, improving, and clarifying until everything aligns. Her goal is a plan that feels deeply right for your life and your land.

  • Person reviewing house construction blueprints and a contractor bid document at a wooden table.

    06 Bidding Support

    When the plans are complete, Sheri prepares and distributes the full plan set to contractors, lumber suppliers, and trades. She can also join proposal meetings to help you interpret bids with clarity and confidence.

  • Someone is filling out a permit application form at a desk, with architectural plans and drawings of a house on the table.

    07 Permitting

    If requested, Sheri handles the permit process from start to finish. She coordinates with town, county, and state departments, prepares all documentation, and ensures each step is completed correctly and efficiently.

KIND WORDS FROM CLIENTS

  • “We tasked Sheri with an enormous and deeply personal responsibility: to design our dream retirement home on a piece of land that has been our family treasure for 34 years. Bringing Sherry onto the project was the best decision we could have made. She was the perfect collaborator—she embraced our ideas, respected our deep connection to the land, and used her incredible expertise to refine and elevate them. She listened, understood the assignment, and transformed my ‘pretty good’ sketch into a functional, beautiful, and truly professional design. She didn’t just design a house; she helped us design the next chapter of our family’s story, and the final home has exceeded our wildest expectations.”

    John and Ann Gallo

  • “We had the opportunity to design and bring our dream log cabin to completion with Sheri. During the entire process Sheri was careful to listen and encouraged us to not just settle. The result is our home that we would not change anything. We are thrilled with the outcome.”

    Bruce and Barb Gabrielse

  • “Sheri has been great!  She assisted me on 2 remodel projects.  She is very responsive, answered all my questions and had great ideas!  I would recommend her to anyone needing someone to design their space – she listens well and provides honest feedback!”

    Linda Long

  • “Sheri was GREAT to work with. She is talented, fastidious and listened carefully to our requests, ideas and specific input! She designed our beautiful lake home with valued and experienced input from load bearing walls to square footage floor plans for each room. She is knowledgeable about types of wood species to use, both inside and out and made qualified recommendations! We highly recommend working with Sheri!”

    Pam and Jack Cooper

  • “Sheri’s knowledge and creativity to meet customer needs are an excellent resource for me and my homeowners. She is committed to every project from the initial ideas all the way through to the finished home or remodel. Her experience and flexibility are an asset to any project.”

    Matt Wirtz

  • “Sheri and her team at Designs by Nature did an exceptional job with our very complicated renovation project. Sheri guided us through the decision whether to renovate or rebuild, enabling us to preserve a unique grandfathering situation.  Most importantly, she carefully listened to our ideas and created a cost-effective solution to make those ideas even better than we could have imagined.  We highly recommend Designs by Nature without any reservation.” 

    Mary and Ed Wynn

  • I wanted to thank you for your creativity, patience, support and guidance as we find our way through this process. It has been an absolute joy and comfort working with you!

    Tarianne Babicz

  • “Sherri met with us, visited our property, and listened to our desires and concerns, and we were very impressed with her translating our ideas into a functional design that fit well with the native landscape. We contacted several builders when we came to Wisconsin from Tennessee wanting to build a lakeside cottage, and were told repeatedly that we should seek out Sheri Jensen of Designs by Nature. When we finally selected a builder, we were pleased by his positive reaction that the plans would be coming from Sheri Jensen, as he felt her plans were consistently straightforward, easily understood, and gave him the information he needed to build a solid home. She was available for questions throughout the process and managed to share our excitement for our project. We would be delighted to utilize her services again and would encourage anyone who needs architectural expertise to seek her out.”

    Art and Jenny Adams

  • We used her two times to design two different additions to our cottage in Manitowish Waters. We liked her a lot, very personable, knowledgeable and very easy to work with. We would highly recommend using her!

    Joy and Chip Stringer

  • Working with Sheri at Designs by Nature has been an absolute pleasure. She helped bring our home vision to life and most recently guided us through designing our addition. She listens well, communicates clearly, and brings forward creative solutions we wouldn’t have thought of on our own. Her strong network and industry knowledge are also invaluable. We are genuinely grateful for her partnership and recommend her wholeheartedly!

    Hillary Anderson

A large house surrounded by dense green trees with a deck, patio, and outdoor seating area.
A woman with curly red hair wearing glasses, a cream blouse, and a rust-colored cardigan, smiling at the camera.
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Meet your Designer

With over 30 years of experience and a deep love for thoughtful home design, Sheri Jensen blends technical expertise with a genuine, client-first approach. She believes great design begins with truly understanding the people it's for—listening closely, studying the land with care, and uncovering what matters most to you.

Rooted in the Northwoods, her work honors both the landscape and the lifestyle, creating homes that are meaningful, functional, and deeply personal. For Sheri, this isn’t just a career—it’s a calling, and every project is treated with the heart and intention it deserves.

Blueprint outline of a house showing the structure and framing details.

BEGIN YOUR DESIGN JOURNEY