MRI scans reveal that artworks with depth, contrast and movement ignite the brain’s reward system, releasing dopamine.
environments enriched with art improve problem solving, reduce stress and increase productivity by up to 15%, according to research from the University of Exeter.
Design increases value because it manipulates subconscious cues:
EMOTIONAL VALUE
People buy how a space makes them feel: calm, efficient, aspirational.
FUNCTIONAL FLOW
A layout that eliminates friction is priceless. It feels bigger without being bigger.
SYMBOLIC CUES OF LUXURY
Materials, proportions, lighting, spatial logic: they communicate value immediately.
Read MoreI see it constantly in New York: the minimalist white box that photographs beautifully but feels like a waiting room. Or the opposite: the maximalist apartment overflowing with personality but impossible to breathe in.
Read MoreWhen was the last time you entered a room and felt your shoulders drop before you even realized why?
That’s what true luxury feels like.
Not the sparkle, not the marble, not even the scent, but the way your body exhales before your mind catches up.
I design for that moment.
That’s what I call a gaslighting home.
It’s the kind of space that subtly contradicts you. It tells you you’re disorganized when in fact the layout is just wrong. It makes you feel restless or heavy, not because you are but because the light, proportions and flow are quietly working against you.
Read MoreShe thought for a moment, then said, “Warmth. I want warmth.”
When I asked what color warmth looked like to her, she smiled, almost surprised by her own answer.
“Yellow. Not the lemon kind. The one that glows, like late afternoon in Paris.”
What no one tells you is that redesigning a home isn’t about cushions and paint. It’s about identity. It forces you to answer questions like:
who am I becoming?
what do I no longer tolerate?
if my home reflected the life I actually want, what would disappear? What would stay?
Designs that start with furniture often end up looking staged. Everything matches, but nothing moves you. That’s because they’re built for approval, not identity.
Read MoreSomewhere along the way, timeless stopped meaning lasting and started meaning safe.
It became a marketing word, not a design principle. The idea was simple: if you choose the “right” neutral, the “right” brass faucet, and the “right” curved sofa, you’ll never have to change again.
And in a world of filters and flat screens, it’s texture that reconnects us with reality.
Read MoreDesigning million-dollar homes taught me that my job isn’t to make things look expensive. My job is to make them feel alive. A home should be both a statement and a sanctuary. It should reflect the person living there, not just the budget behind it.
Read MoreHere’s the secret: ceilings change how we act. Low ceilings make people sit close, talk and relax together. High ceilings make us stand taller, think bigger and even breathe differently. The right ceiling can change the whole mood of a room without anyone realizing it.
Read MoreThe first night after the renovation, I visited. The couple was cooking together in their new kitchen and laughing. They were sitting together at the dining table, something they hadn’t done in years. Their home didn’t just look nicer, it made their relationship feel stronger.
Read MoreOne of my clients, a busy mom, had a brand-new kitchen. The contractor had finished the job, and technically, everything worked. But the room felt dark, crowded, and stressful. She admitted she didn’t even want to cook there anymore.
Read MoreImagine sitting on the couch, trying to relax, but you hear the pots clanging in the kitchen and see the kids doing homework at the dining table. Everything is happening in the same big space and it feels like there’s no escape. That’s the problem with open floor plans.
Read MoreWhen I walk into a home, I’m not just seeing chairs and tables; I’m sensing the energy of the materials, the rhythm of the layout, the weight of textures on the body. For one client, a lawyer in Manhattan, his living room was a gallery of mismatched fast furniture: metal, glossy laminates and plastics everywhere. He couldn’t relax; he complained of headaches and restlessness.
Read MoreBefore I ever choose a piece of furniture, I ask questions. Not “What’s your budget?” or “What style do you like?” but:
What do you want this space to feel like at 8am on a Tuesday?
When you walk in after a long trip, what scent greets you?
If your home could whisper something to you every day, what would it say?
That’s where the design begins: deep in the personal and emotional layers most people don’t expect to talk about when they hire a designer.
Read MorePeople often say, “I want something timeless.”
But here’s the truth: timeless doesn’t mean colorless.
Timeless is about resonance, not restraint. A room can feel grounded and elevated without being beige. It can feel peaceful without erasing your personality.
Plants ask for a kind of commitment. Not much, just a little: light, water, attention. Care. They require you to believe that tomorrow, you’ll still have the capacity to show up. That life will still be stable enough to let something grow.
But when someone’s been through upheaval: a divorce, grief, a breakup, a job loss, an international move, even that feels too much. I’ve had clients say to me, “I kill every plant I touch.” They laugh. I don’t.
Read MoreA few months ago, I received an inquiry from a high-profile couple in New York. Their penthouse had just undergone a full renovation and they were looking for a luxury designer to furnish it from top to bottom: art, lighting, furniture. Budget? Generous. Timeline? Reasonable. On paper, it was the dream.
Read More
