Katiana Chapman serves as the President and CEO of La Bastille, a leading producer of cast metal countertops, range hoods, wall panels, and custom furnishings for residential and commercial spaces. La Bastille is renowned for its expertise in “living” metals—including zinc, pewter, copper, brass, and bronze—that develop an exquisite patina over time. The company’s creations, which combine state-of-the-art technology with traditional craftsmanship, are revered for their timeless appeal, luxury, and versatility. As the driving force behind La Bastille, Chapman shapes the company’s vision and strategy. Since launching the business in 2010, she has established La Bastille as a prominent presence in historic Savannah, where to this day they design and hand-manufacture exquisite products for hotels, restaurants, and residences across North America and around the world. Kick off the week with a journey into the creative process of Katiana Chapman in today’s Maker Monday.
An elegantly brushed cast pewter bar countertop in Saratoga Springs.
Andrew Joseph: What was the last book you read and how did it inspire you?
Katiana Chapman: The last book I read was “A Return to Love” by Marianne Williamson, the book inspired me to look at my life in a positive way and to embrace positive thoughts throughout my day.
AJ: What is your favorite aspect of your job?
KC: Every day is an adventure! No two days are the same – one moment I’m juggling multiple tasks, the next I’m working collaboratively with clients and managing staff. It’s a challenge, but that’s precisely why I love it. I am constantly rewarded when I see everything fall into place.
A rich and warm-toned, custom copper countertop.
AJ: Best advice you’d give your teenage self?
KC: This too shall pass – whatever you are going through will pass – the ups will not last, and neither will the downs.
AJ: What is your favorite design era and why?
KC: I love the Belle Epoque design era – this was the period at the start of WWI in 1914. I just love the opulence of it all – Art Nouveau with its ornate, and organic motifs, the focus on curved lines, the elaborate gold filigree and jewel embellishments.
AJ: How do you approach a new design project?
KC: I approach every new project with a technical eye because we are fabricating away from the job site, we have to look at things this way first. We need to look at the space, we are always looking for tricky areas where we can run into problems later.
La Bastille is known worldwide for their cast zinc countertops and bar tops.
AJ: What’s the weirdest thing a client has ever asked you?
KC: Matching finishes to unique things, we had a client ask us to match a belt buckle finish, another asked us to match the finish of a pot.
AJ: What would your dream project or dream client be right now?
KC: My dream was to do a bar top for the Bouchon restaurant, it’s an elegant and traditional French restaurant with various locations throughout the US. I am happy to say that we recently did a bar top for them, so my dream has come true!
She likes to say that her very diverse background—including a Master of Social Work degree and a dozen years in various business planning roles for Mayo Clinic Laboratories—gave her just the right human insight and business experience to make a success out of a centuries old craft and modernize it for today’s world. A native of Florida and the daughter of a Cuban immigrant, she resides in Savannah with her teenage children and is a regular at the one Savannah coffee shop that serves a traditional Cuban café con leche.
Like what you see? Get it first with a subscription to aspire design and home magazine.