About:Space

Above L to R: Olga Vodeneeva, Josette Murphy, Heather Putnam, Christina Chudabala, Celeste Faber

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Describe the featured project.

Infused with rich saturated colors, all the custom upholstery pieces and handmade area rugs were designed or selected to complement the details of this special home. With such a timeless style, one would never know the house was decorated and finished more than 10 years after construction was complete. 

Thrilled with the outcome, our clients said, “We purchased the property in beautiful Hermosa Valley in 2008 and completed construction on our Spanish Colonial Revival home in 2011. It was very important to us that the house feel as authentic as possible, from the architecture to the ceramic tiles, light fixtures and furnishings. Josette, Celeste and their team did an amazing job helping bring this vision to reality. They immediately understood our desired aesthetic. They designed custom furniture and sourced luxury rugs and antique furniture that perfectly match and enhance the style of our home. We could not be happier with the results!”

How do you strike a balance between timeless design and current trends? 

Design trends interest us only if they interest our clients. We design each project as a unique challenge, and our clients’ preferences dictate the design direction—always! As evidenced by the featured project, we embrace and explore classic styles, if that is where the architecture and client brief lead us. However, our website also shows a wide range of styles in our completed projects. We do not have a “look” or chase trends because we understand that fundamental design principles transcend style. We always exercise restraint, resulting in homes that are comfortable to live with long-term. To quote a longtime client who still loves her home 20 years later, we “know when to stop.”

What defines “creative magic”? 

I have been doing this work for over 30 years, and it’s still a spine-tingling thrill when a client “sees” what their own home is going to look like and realizes what it is possible.  When designing a remodel or new build, that moment comes when we reveal a 3D virtual model of their proposed new home. Sometimes there are tears … the good kind.  “Creative magic” means really “getting” my client and then translating that into space solutions. It never gets old.

Tell us about your team. 

Over the years, I have chosen my studio team carefully. All of our projects are collaborative; we lean on each other and never feel alone. We are all moms too, so we truly understand work-life balance, and we tag-team very well. 

Project photographed by Lauren Taylor  |  Team photographed by Fabien & Laura Castro