From Basement Corners to Bigger Canvases: An Origin Story

 

The story begins in a modest basement bedroom I shared with my three brothers in Highland Park, IL. Four corners, four beds, and a lot of sibling camaraderie and sometimes not so much—those were the boundaries, or lack thereof, in our little world. Each of us carved out our own identity in our corner, but mine became my middle-child sanctuary. It was where I could express the passions that made my young heart race. A place of infinite possibilities limited only by my imagination, and the resources I could scrounge together to bring my ideas to life.

 

Hanging from the ceiling above my bed were model airplanes and space shuttles paid for with my allowance money, carefully assembled and suspended as if caught mid-flight. On the walls, much to my parent's frustration and encouragement, were newspaper and magazine clippings that chronicled my growing fascination with history, science, and art. To me, they weren’t just taped-up pieces of paper—

they were windows into dreams of a larger world.

 

As I grew older, my creativity demanded more space. My corner expanded into the rest of the basement, where I built sprawling Lego cities, complete with their own neighborhoods, industries, and landmarks.

My makeshift “gallery” of clippings also grew, covering larger sections of the basement walls.

Each piece was carefully curated, a visual shrine to the things I found inspiring and important.

 

That drive as a child to create, and share hasn’t left me. If anything, fifty plus years later it has grown stronger, evolving into a passion for helping others craft spaces that reflect their own stories. Today, I feel so fortunate that my canvas is no longer a basement corner but entire homes. The tools are more refined, the materials more luxurious, and the budgets certainly larger, but the intention remains the same: to create spaces that express who we are and what we love.

 

Design, for me, is about rediscovering the elements that make us who we are and helping others do the same. It’s about uncovering the passions we may have put aside and finding ways to weave them into our lives again—through the spaces we inhabit every day. I have no interest in creating style-masks beholden to a trend, but true reflections of what makes us all uniquely beautiful and interesting.

 

In every room I design, I strive to recreate that sense of wonder and personal connection I felt in my corner of that childhood basement. Whether it’s a kitchen that invites connection, a bathroom that restores peace, or a bar that becomes the heart of celebration, each space tells a story. My mission is to help people not only rediscover their own stories but also celebrate them in ways that bring joy and inspiration into their lives.

 

Yes, the corners are bigger now, and the stakes are higher, but the heart of the work hasn’t changed. It’s still about having something to say—and finding beautiful, meaningful ways to share it with the ones you love every day in your home. Creativity and design at it's very best, brings people together.

Especially if the reconnection you desire is with yourself, and those who matter most.

Let's start a conversation.