George Teixeira Blog: DESIGNER Q&A | Naples Florida weekly

Thursday, July 1, 2021

DESIGNER Q&A | Naples Florida weekly

Angela DiFranceisco worked with residents of Shell Point to impart a “fresh, fun beach style” to their retirement home. “I wanted them to feel like they could kick their sandals off, relax and make themselves at home,” the designer says. SHELL POINT / COURTESY PHOTO

Angela DiFranceisco worked with Shell Point residents to bring a “fresh, fun beach style” to their retirement home. “I wanted them to feel like they were taking off their sandals, relaxing and feeling at home,” says the designer. SHELL POINT / PHOTO WITH KINDNESS

Raised in South Jersey and Philadelphia, Angela DiFranceisco earned an associate degree in fine arts from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and a bachelor’s degree in interior design from the Art Institute of Philadelphia. She began her career in 2003 building restaurants and lounges in Atlantic City and Las Vegas.

Southwest Florida attracted her and her family almost 10 years ago, and in 2016 she found her interior design home at Norris Furniture and Interiors.

Describe your approach to interior design in five words.

Listen. Rate it. Visualize. Create. Astonish.

When did you know you wanted to be an interior designer?

I knew it when I was a little girl. My grandfather built a dolls house for me in his wood shop. I designed the furniture he made for it. We both painted the furniture. I loved arranging and rearranging everything. My dolls and the dollhouse were always neat, tidy and organized.

Tell us about one of your very first projects.

It was a housing project when I was working for Roche Bobois in Philadelphia. My client wanted to mix very traditional, hand-carved pieces with sleek, contemporary styles at her beachfront home in Long Port, NJ. The result of the two mixed designs was absolutely perfect and my customer was thrilled.

Tell us about your most demanding project.

I worked entirely with FaceTime for a customer in a vacation home. We never met until the final presentation.

And now tell us about a favorite project.

In fact, the FaceTime project turned out to be a favorite. The customer wanted a fresh coastal look with a dash of boho chic. I’ve used light greens and navies with warm, earthy wood tones throughout the house. It was fabulous. My favorite part was when they told me I nailed their style.

What’s your favorite room in your own home?

The master bedroom. I have white furniture, soft bedding, and everything else neutral. It is my peaceful refuge.

Name three things you consider to be must-haves for a great room / family room that people love to meet.

Comfortable seating, of course. Carpets for warmth and color. And pillows and throws help with the acoustics.

Guide us through the process when starting a new project with a client.

I ask a lot of questions about the use of space and then get an idea of the budget. Then I create an action plan with which we approach the project step by step, whether it is a simple change of some key elements or a complete renovation of the house.

Describe the perfect customer.

Someone who loves Pinterest as much as I do and who saves ideas and images to share with me. Do you have a design pet annoyance? Refusing to think outside the box.

Renovate or start from scratch? Do you have a preference What do you do more of

I’m doing a lot of both right now. But to be honest, I love a good renovation project. Before and after are my favorites.

Are there any trends that you particularly love today?

I love the rustic beach look with clean, white – and washable – fabrics. I am always happy when a customer wants to create this look.

Any wisdom for a young person who thinks they want to become an interior designer?

Find someone who is knowledgeable about design and ask for help. Always use your own design talents and ideas, but take in as much as you can from someone who “has been there, made it”.