1. Tell us a little bit about your background and how you came to the world of design?

Since I was young, I have weirdly always known this was the only path for me. My father was a builder so I loved tagging along with him to job sites as a child. I think my love affair with design started then and hasn’t slowed down since. I studied at FIT in NYC and after working several years under a prominent design firm, I founded my own firm Studio Seva in the summer of 2017. I’m obsessed with what I do and wouldn’t change it for the world.

It’s all so important. 

Our clients come to us for our neutral interiors so we generally work with an earthy color palette, and play with the value of a color for contrast. Incorporating either black or a blackened bronze finish as an accent in every room is a must for me, no matter how light the overall palette is in the room.

A lot of the dimension we achieve in our homes is done through texture. Whether that’s a washed linen, plush mohair, or tumbled limestone, the combination is what makes a space so interesting to me. 

Scale is a funny thing because while it’s imperative that our furniture is appropriately sized for a room, sometimes I find “undersized” art and decorative lighting to feel best. I think it’s all about knowing where and when the right scale of something should be.

 Biggest challenge would be working with a client’s pre-existing builder or general contractor on a project where their interests may not be aligned with the homeowner. We have been a part of a couple of projects in the past where the rush to get the project completed sacrifices the quality of the work being done. 

I’m a minimalist at heart. I don’t like a lot of stuff and always find myself editing and taking away — especially in my own home. I’ve always preferred one or two amazing pieces to give a space meaning because most times that’s really all you need anyway.

The month prior to our clients reveal, we start sourcing and gathering the hundreds of small but very meaningful objects and accessories to bring in on installation, which to me often create the biggest impact in the overall design. We spend a lot of time getting to know our clients and their needs over the course of the project, so it’s important for us to deliver a home that feels ready to be lived in and enjoyed the moment they walk through the door. Not only are all the cabinets fully stocked with barware and the like, our homes are truly turnkey - when they walk in for the first time, the lighting throughout is dimmed to 50%, a good playlist is on and our favorite candles are burning. It’s all about the client experience for me.

I want the spaces I design to feel like they’ve been lived in. I think the best kind of design is when a space feels comfortable and inviting. I’m not afraid of a natural material that shows patina and age, in fact I personally pay more for this look. Like, I’m not sure why people are so afraid to use their countertops - just cook! Let the stone get even better with time.. this to me is more authentic and what I love most in a home.

I get so much inspiration from my travels throughout Europe. From the marble and cobblestone streets, to the limestone cladded buildings, there’s so much history and design practices across the pond that have stood the test of time. It gives me so much perspective on the application of various materials which is so central to our approach for a timeless and elevated look.

Paul Meyer is another one of my favorite artists. His appreciation for working with natural materials aligns with our own design approach. I’ve always aspired to own one of his Burros and feel so fortunate to have a couple of his pieces in my own art collection.

9. What are you currently excited about? It could be a particular project, a pivot, a new artist, etc. 

We have a very special project we’ll be kicking off soon in the Berkshires. I’ve come to realize our design is only as good as the people you are working with and I’m really excited to collaborate with this new family. This is going to be an absolute labor of love for them and I'm honored to be a part of it.