This 2,500-square-foot luxury apartment is located in New York City in a new building by a top architect. The home design reflects myclient’s international lifestyle and love of art. Each design element is selected because it tells my client’s story. WHAT DO YOU WANT POTENTIAL CLIENTS TO KNOW ABOUT THE SERVICES YOU OFFER? My firm offers many design services, but my concierge turnkey design service is a favorite. So many of my clients live overseas. I work with them from the start, looking for a home, to the finish, when they walk into their new home to find their favorite coffee, teas and breakfast waiting for them when they move in. We offer a complete lifestyle design—even while clients are out of the country. WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE SOURCES OF INSPIRATION IN YOUR WORK? I recently moved to Los Angeles from NYC after spending 15 years living in Tokyo and Hong Kong. Without a doubt, travel is one of my biggest inspirations. I love learning about new cultures and love when a client wants to show their culture or incorporate their favorite finds into their home. Art and design work inspire me equally. I know what inspires my clients by the items they collect and the places where they have traveled. I listen to their stories and work hard to create a space that really speaks to who they are. I love telling my clients’ stories. DESCRIBE SOME WAYS YOU SEAMLESSLY CONNECT INDOOR AND OUTDOOR SPACES. Since moving to L.A., I have been working more and more on the concept of indoor-outdoor living. Using La Cantina doors accomplishes this beautifully. The design industry has heeded the call with great products that withstand the elements: heaters, fans, outdoor furniture, plants, fireplaces, audio/visual, tiles and stone. The design and decor of your outdoor space are just as important as the design of your indoor space. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FEATURE TO INCLUDE IN A HOME OFFICE? A home office today has to function exactly like the office that was left behind because of COVID-19. When I meet with clients, we speak about whiteboards, TV monitors, technology and Zoom lighting first—then we discuss design. Great design only works if it functions too. I CAN ONLY UPDATE ONE ROOM IN MY HOME; WHICH ROOM SHOULD IT BE? Your bedroom. We spend so much time in bed; why not make it beautiful, inviting and simply gorgeous? When I work with clients, I find out what makes them happy, content, comfortable. I often hear that they want their bedroom to be a sanctuary—a place of their own apart from the rest of the house.

Annually, well-known designers gather and transform an upscale Manhattan home into a designers’ show house to benefit the local after school and enrichment programs throughout the city. Originated by supporters of the Kips Bay Boys & Girls club in 1973, the Kips Bay Show House has become a beacon to designers and design lovers wanting a peek into new decor styles that are coming on the scene. I spent a nice afternoon at the 2018 Kips Bay Show House with another interior designer. It is always fun and informative to attend these shows with a like minded friend as we both see different things and see them with our own “design” eye. One design trend we both picked up on is the move away from the “less is more” modern design trends of the last several years.

What makes a Favorite Space? The place where your family gathers? A spot to escape to — a museum or a destination hotel? Or is it a retreat where you gain inspiration and refresh your senses? For me, a favorite space transports me and inspires me to think outside of my daily existence, be it as a solo experience or surrounded by my family or friends. I find that being surrounded by art and beauty are my daily meditation. I recently visited The Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute’s Spring 2018 exhibit Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and The Catholic Imagination. Displayed in the Byzantine and Medieval galleries at The Cloisters, the show is gorgeous, spiritual and witty. Fashion has long been an inspiration in my designs. Haute couture creations by Versace, Dolce and Gabbana, Valentino and many more have found a very comfortable home among the sculptures and art of The Met. They are modern masterpieces and a witty take on the show’s religious theme. It’s fun to hunt for designs amongst the permanent collections in the museum.