As owner and founder of her eponymous design studio, Marlaina Teich seeks to create spaces that not only delight the eye, but comfort and inspire her clients. Teich’s background in fashion lends to her aesthetic eye, but her devotion to each client, combined with a passion for design and home furnishings, guides her process. Teich finds the connection between luxury and comfort in the choices of color, pattern, and texture. Through the careful selection of custom-made furnishings and the mindful creation of color palette and spacing, Teich designs for a multisensory home experience. Her design has gained renown in many magazines, including Traditional Home and Better Homes and Gardens, as well as on the Emmy winning home improvement show “George to the Rescue,” where she is a featured designer. Introducing this week’s Designer Friday, Marlaina Teich.
With custom furnishings that mix and match varying textures and patterns, Teich provides her signature combination of sophistication and comfort in this home in Rockville Centre, Long Island.
Andrew Joseph: You’re the newest Crayola color. What color are you and why?
Marlaina Teich: Sandy Sunset – The shade of pink you’d find in a tropical sunset, reminiscent of endless Summer fun and relaxation with a little pop. I’m a lover of the beach and pinks, so why not combine both in a soothing colorway that can be a fun, trendy alternative to your typical neutral colors?
Andrew: Describe your design style as if you were explaining it to someone who cannot see.
Marlaina: One of my favorite projects to date was designing for Paralympic gold medal swimmer, Anastasia Pagonis, who’s blind. Designing her room had to be all about intuitive navigation and texture, elements you’d find as part of MTDNY’s signature glam style regardless of if the client can see or not. My design style is all about luxury for everyday living and that means designing for all the senses. Luxury and glamour are about more than just aesthetics – it’s about creating a vibe and feeling.
Teich’s design balances tones to create client-based aesthetics, demonstrated in this Long Island home by a soothing combination of light reflective neutrals, a calming blue, and strategic sparks of color.
Andrew: If you could guest star on any TV show -on or off-air- what show would you guest star in?
Marlaina: Friends! I’ve always wanted to hang out with the cast and be part of their crew (and I often get compared to Rachel! I want to find out if that’s true).
Andrew: What’s your design pet peeve?
Marlaina: You know that feeling when something is just a little bit off in a room but you can’t quite pinpoint why? – It’s often because the scale of a piece is off or because something is hung too high/too low or off-center. That’s my biggest design pet peeve! It’s one of the little details that a designer never overlooks. While they may seem subtle, having these things calibrated just right does wonders, psychologically, for one’s ability to relax into a space.
Andrew: Must-have clothing item everyone should have in their closet?
Marlaina: A black blazer! Classic and timeless you can use it to dress it down with a t-shirt, or give a more masculine city-chic look to a frilly cocktail dress. Versatile and super chic.
The kitchen of this modern farmhouse highlights Teich’s selection of upscale finishes to create bold and refined environments.
Andrew: Which room in the house do you find yourself working from the most? Why? How does this inform your thoughts about architecture?
Marlaina: When I’m not in the office, I’m between my bedroom and kitchen. This hasn’t changed much of what I think about architecture, because even before COVID, we all had those spaces in the home that were trending towards ‘flex’ spaces. COVID may have just accelerated making flex spaces a must-have feature in the home!
Andrew: Where is the first place you want to travel now that everything is opening up?
Marlaina: Santorini! Greece is my favorite travel destination, hands down, and I cannot want to go back. The palette of the buildings, the sea, the food, the people. I find endless inspiration from all over the country.
About The Designer | Marlaina Teich is the owner and founder of Marlaina Teich Designs, a full-service boutique interior design firm with offices in Long Island and Manhattan. Marlaina’s passion for design and ability to create unique interiors that look effortless has made her an industry leader with projects spanning across Long Island, Manhattan, Miami, Seattle, Palm Springs, and the Caribbean.
Marlaina is known for creating luxury spaces for a discerning clientele. She designs beautiful, one-of-a-kind interiors accented with custom furniture, millwork, and fine finishes. Marlaina has designed a variety of residences, from elegant penthouses to opulent estates.
She combines luxurious textures, high-end finishes, custom furniture, and unique accessories to create the homes of her clients’ dreams whether the client prefers traditional, contemporary, or somewhere in between. Marlaina’s interiors all showcase her signature sense of sophistication and upscale glamour.
Andrew Joseph is a regular contributing editor for aspire design and home magazine. See more of his work here.
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