Bya's Story
"Working with my clients, turning their ideas into the living and/or working environment they desire, is just what makes the interior decorator job the best in the world. I get to be the vehicle that delivers happiness.”
BYA'S FOREMOST SPECIALTIES INCLUDE
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Interior Trendspotting
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Interior Design
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Interior Décor
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Interior Furnishings Specification
Fabric Design & Development
Upholstery Fabric &
Frame Merchandising
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Product Design & Development
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Interior Styling
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International Sourcing (+15 experience living and working in Asia & South America)
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International Business Development
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Networking
MY STORY
I grew up with a mother who had a huge talent for interiors and landscaping. I copied her and remember decorating and organizing my dolls house as she decorated and organized our home. The very good memories I have of my mother are all related to our shared interest: INTERIOR DESIGN AND DÉCOR.
As a teen I had a great opportunity. I went to England for a holiday, to practice and learn English for the summer, and ended up living with my sister and my brother-in-law for 2 years. My sister was always buying décor magazines which I borrowed to read. And we would regularly go around the home applying the tips learned from the experts and this is where I gained an even deeper appreciation for making a house a home
England has shaped me and made me worldly and eclectic. I ended up choosing a career in teaching as it was a great way to make ends meet at the time. Those who know me quickly learn that it is difficult to find me by myself as I am always surrounded by people wherever I go.
So, when I took a vocation test, my school counselor at the time, told me I had to pursue a career that involved dealing with people like HR, teaching and/or sales.
So, coupled with the fact that I eventually had to return to Brazil, teaching English as a Foreign Language, fit me like a glove. I loved teaching and I taught EFL for many years in Brazil, leaving my desire to work with interiors in the back burner, just going about it as my hobby.
Like my sister, I kept up the habit of buying and reading everything I could about interior design, décor and architecture and for many years everyone that knew me encouraged me to take my creativity to the next level and get myself into the interior design profession.
At the age of 27, when I found myself financially comfortable, I went back to school, originally choosing architecture, but settled for interior décor as it was where my heart truly was and still is.
My real career shift happened in 1999. My boyfriend, today my partner in life, asked me to decorate his apartment, which not only made me super happy, like “he really loves me”, it helped me overcome the obstacle of having to have an internship to show practice.
So, I showed my teachers my boyfriend’s apartment, qualifying me to progress into the interior design and décor course. It was difficult to juggle having to show learned skills in interior design and decor with my full-time teaching job.
But one assignment after another I got lucky and someone I knew or met always hired me to create an environment they envisioned and had difficulty putting together themselves. Now almost 20 years later, I find myself doing it again and again, and at every job feeling as excited and rewarded as when my boyfriend asked me to do his.
In 2001 I married Rick and moved to Wisconsin as at the time there was an opportunity to build a business in partnership with Ashley Furniture. But soon after, Rick was asked back to Asia, which in turn gave me yet another opportunity to learn and expand my skills.
In 2002 we moved to Malaysia and spent extensive time sourcing Ashley’s initial line of accessories throughout South-east Asia, procuring in Indonesia, India and China. By the end of 2002 we relocated to China. I continued to work for Ashley until 2006 when I made the decision to leave to open my own private interior design and décor practice and furniture store in downtown Shanghai, China.
We provided interior design, décor and consultancy to other companies, mostly manufacturers looking to create a unique line of furniture and/or accessories to exhibit and take on the export market. In 2008 we expanded our services to include product design, development, sourcing, soft furnishings manufacturing and sales.
Our lives in China have been blessed by wonderful ventures. We learned a lot from our mistakes, and we developed and honed so many different skills in the last 20 + years between living and working throughout Asia and being States side for almost 4 years now.
