Meet Mark Dalton
Mark Dalton founded Chic On The Cheap with a simple premise: design should respect both intelligence and investment.
He moved to Sarasota in the mid-1980s and began working in interior design shortly thereafter. From the beginning, his approach was consistent. Flat fees. Hourly rates. No markups. Long before transparency became a talking point, Mark was already practicing it.
That philosophy sharpened through decades of work, including large-scale residential projects and a pivotal commission in Atlanta, where value engineering wasn’t a budget constraint, it was a design discipline. Making smart decisions at scale taught him that luxury isn’t defined by excess, but by judgment.
When the housing market shifted and Mark returned his focus to Sarasota, a renovation of his own home drew press attention. A reporter coined the phrase “Chic on the Cheap” for an article, and the name stuck. Not because it reflected cost cutting, but because it captured the point everyone else was missing.
Chic On The Cheap has never been about doing things cheaply. It’s about being deliberate. Clients pay for ideas, experience, and discernment, not a percentage hidden inside every purchase. If that distinction matters to you, you’re paying attention.
His Approach
Mark charges for time and expertise, not for what clients buy. No markups. No games.
Every decision is weighed. Not to reduce quality, but to make sure it earns its place.
Projects are built on clarity, trust, and respect, for clients, collaborators, and the work itself.
More Than Just Design
Mark moved to Sarasota in 1984 and has been working in and around design ever since.
As a teenager, he planned to become an architect and spent his early years drafting house plans by hand, a discipline that still informs how he reads space.
He’s a believer in old-school values: say what you mean, charge fairly, and do the work well.
At home, he’s the one doing the dishes. Design, in his view, doesn’t excuse you from participating in real life.
Known for a dry sense of humor and a direct way of speaking, both tend to show up when you least expect them.
If you’re looking for “cheap,” he’s not your designer. If you’re looking for smart, he’s been here all along.
In Studio: Mark & Amanda
Design isn’t theory, it’s lived, felt, and practiced. Here, Mark joins Amanda for a conversation about what drives his work, how he connects with clients, and why the smallest details often tell the biggest story.
His Recent Work
Mark’s recent work is defined by continuity and restraint. Decisions are made deliberately and carried through, allowing projects to resolve naturally. The outcome is design that feels settled, thoughtful, and built to last.
Begin the Collaboration
Want to build a home that doesn’t look like everyone else’s? That feels intentional, curated, and uniquely yours? Mark starts with a conversation, then designs for a lifetime.