August Armoire
Andrew Joseph: Can you describe your design philosophy in three words?
Erica Vassalotti: Simple, refined, casually elegant.
AJ: How do you approach a new design project?
Dana Bergman Falcione: Many of our projects gather inspiration from the architectural style of the house as well as the setting. We approach a new project with these aspects in the forefront, along with our clients’ desires for how they plan to live in the house. Concepting is the most exciting phase for us, and Erica and I spend a lot of time together creating and editing the mood board. We refer to these boards throughout the course of the project to ensure we stay true to the original plan. It’s very easy to get distracted with new images constantly popping up, and we encourage our clients to refrain from looking at Instagram once we settle on a design.
AJ: How do you stay creative and inspired?
EV: We love to travel! Dana and I have traveled to Paris, London and Milan for inspiration. We find these trips refreshing, resourceful and always return with a new perspective and beautiful ideas and pieces for our clients’ homes. We also love collecting antiques and are really passionate about sourcing unique furniture and accessories. We recently brought our team to Round Top, Texas, and were fascinated with the amazing pieces, both vintage and antique, that we came across, and even more so with the talented artisans we met!
Roman Side Table
AJ: What was the last book you read and how did it inspire you?
EV: Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek. We are super passionate about building a team that is supportive, collaborative and inspired. One of my favorite takeaways from the book was the perspective that rank does not make you a leader; leadership is the choice to serve others with or without rank. “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader. When leaders inspire those they lead, people dream of a better future, invest time and effort in learning more, do more for their organizations and become leaders themselves.” If we are giving this energy to our team, everyone feels more valued, our work is in turn more inspiring and our client experience is enhanced, passionate and collaborative.
AJ: What is your favorite type of furniture to design?
EV: Starting a furniture collection has been creatively fulfilling for both Dana and I! Being able to not only dream up a space but work with a team of artisans that can craft beautiful custom furniture has given us endless possibilities and fewer limitations. We have both enjoyed designing pieces that incorporate a mix of materials, such as crackled plaster, custom colored lacquer and unique hardware. We also love a sculptural moment! We enjoy creating pieces that feel architectural and bring beautiful shape to a space.
AJ: Can you tell us about a project where you had to incorporate a client’s personal collection into the design?
DBF: We built a very large house for a client who had a stamp and coin collection he had started when he was a boy. He asked that we design a space to house the collections, and we decided to dedicate an entire room directly off the foyer. We designed custom millwork, including a large center island with very narrow, felt-lined drawers and I sourced these teeny tiny knobs for each. The room doubled as the perfect place to set up a formal bar while entertaining, which the client does often.
Primrose Nightstand
AJ: What is your favorite design-related quote?
“Now come on. You know as well as I do that the light in Barcelona is quite different from the light in Tokyo. And, the light in Tokyo is different from that in Prague. A truly great structure, one that is meant to stand the tests of time, never disregards its environment. A serious architect takes that into account. He knows that if he wants presence, he must consult with nature. He must be captivated by the light. Always the light. Always.” – Simon Wyler
AJ: What would your dream project or dream client be right now?
DBF: My dream client would be a sophisticated, garden-loving, foodie with an amazing art collection. They would be collaborative but trusting, have great personal style, and the house they were building would be on the coast of Tuscany. Universe, do you hear me??
AJ: Style (or design) icon and why?
DBF: Carolyn Bessette Kennedy.
AJ: What’s a new hobby/skill that you have learned recently?
DBF: I joined the local arts center and took pottery classes for a couple of years. It was a lot more difficult than I had imagined, especially working on the wheel. I made a lot of very small dishes! I enjoy working with my hands, whether it be pottery, paper art, needlepoint, or cooking.
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