//Q& A WITH STEFANIA
Q: What does your work mean to you?
A: It's my everything. It’s what I do to make me happy. It’s how I live at home. There’s no differentiation between my life and my work. I let my work in. I let my clients in.
Q: What does your work mean to your clients?
A: My clients often tell me I'm able to help them manifest their life goals through the design of their home. They tell me it's like magic.
Q: What makes you good at what you do?
A: People tell me they feel comfortable with me. I really spend time getting to know my clients. I’m always trying to tap into the psychology of what that home means to that person. Recently, I made one go out with me for martinis. Also, I’m really big on being at home, so I'm constantly re-examining what works well in a residence.
Q: What sets you apart as a designer?
A: The way I incorporate exteriors with interiors. Also my custom metal work. I love mixing metals with high end finishes, like raw steel with polished brash. My parents were actually metal smiths. I will always use metals. Many of my projects have custom metal build-in pieces, like the bar in the Charles project.
Q: What design projects are you working on these days
A: High end residential, interiors, exteriors and landscapes. I love big jobs.
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: To be honest, all my designs are completely different. But I can say it's all about comfort and living well. I love when there’s no boundaries between the inside and outside. I love giant windows and doors. Also, I like to bring in a little bit of edge to each project. My clients should be ready to take some risks.
Q: Have you ever had a nightmare client?
A: I really work hard to build trust with my clients. Nightmares happen when they don’t trust me and try to take the design into their own hands.
Q: What are your clients usually looking for?
A: Accessibility, a cohesive design aesthetic, an ability to read their needs, and an ability to define and work within a budget.
Q: What type of project wouldn't we find in your portfolio.
A: I usually don’t get hired to do traditional. That said, I just got hired to do a traditional project.
Q: Is there anything that particularly annoys you in the world of design?
A: Overly decorated spaces. Overly pretentious. I want you to come home and put your feet up on the sofa. I use a lot of high performance materials.
Q: How would you describe yourself?
A: What can I tell you... I’m not the type to walk around the set in high heals. On a job site, you'll find me in jeans with coffee in one hand and a paint brush in the other.
Q: How did you get started in design?
A: I started with staging, then event design, then interiors.
Q: Whats's something future clients should know about you?
A: They should know that in some ways I'm going to challenge them more than other designers. The design of their space should be very personal to them, and I will ask them to dig deep.
Q: How do you see a home?
A: A home is not just one style. It's a narrative. A well designed environment evolves with its host. I design not only around someone's current narrative, but their desired future as well. I ask them what their looking to attract in their life, and I design around that.
Q: What's something people may be surprised to know about you?
A: My mom is my right hand. She's very eastern European – a very strong woman. She has an exceptional aesthetic. She just gets it. Her ability brings my work to the next level.