Why This Designer Says a Space Isn't Finished Without a Vintage Piece

Acknowledging the contribution of Black interior designers to the design and decor spaces is crucial to moving forward and giving all voices, regardless of their backgrounds, the space to be heard. We’re highlighting talented Black interior designers who are thriving in the industry today.

With a background in the arts, the transition into interior design seemed almost inevitable for Abigail Horace, the founder and principal designer behind Casa Marcelo. As a married mother of two and a first-generation American, she knows a thing or two about pushing through challenges to get to her end goal. She founded Casa Marcelo in 2020, as a response to a lack of representation in the NYC Interior Design industry and has been leading the firm ever since.

What made you decide that being a designer was your calling?

Around my teenage years, I was really into design (changing my room aesthetic every 5 seconds) and art even though I was in the school band. Music will always be a large part of my creativity, but I didn’t want to be a starving artist. My father was a hobbyist photographer and loved architecture, that was my first inspiration.

But when the home design show, "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" came to the surface, I was hooked. I knew this was how I wanted to change lives. When I graduated from high school, I enrolled in the Interior Design program at the New York Institute of Technology.

What was the process of starting Casa Marcelo like and did you face any unique challenges as a Black woman in this industry?

It wasn’t easy to begin Casa Marcelo. After 10 years working for other design firms, I was pretty much fed up. I wasn’t getting adequate pay for all that I was doing, and there was so little diversity in my workplace, me being the only Black/Latina designer in most of my jobs. I took a risk to work on my brand as well as I had worked for the firms, and it paid off in the end.

I explored my creativity by starting Casa Marcelo, and realized that my years of training and experience were lending an amazing hand into this new foray. The business side was the most challenging part, finding clients, getting press, making my social media attractive, etc. but I figured it out as I went along.

The biggest step is taking the risk, everything else fell into place, with lots of work and hope.

How would you describe your personal style and approach to designing spaces?

My personal style is pretty minimalistic, but living with two boys and a husband makes it really hard to keep my space that way. Our ethos at Casa Marcelo is to design homes that reflect our clients.

We do not like to push our agenda or style onto our clients, but create a space for them that is effortlessly theirs. Pulling from my experience working in nearly every style, I know exactly where to go to balance my clients’ desires. It’s a challenge for me to figure my clients out, and when they walk into their spaces for the first time, I love to witness how much they love each nook and cranny.

Do you have any design inspiration, whether it be from your culture, other cultures, or anything else in between?

I love to travel. My favorite thing to do is sightsee–visiting sites that I only read about in books. I’m inspired by craftsmanship across the board, no matter what culture/country.

If you visit the mosques in Morocco, the pyramids in Egypt, churches in Italy, or churches in Latin America—all of them were created with the utmost attention to detail. It took a long time, and is eloquent as a result. I’m inspired by design that is layered and includes a good level of craftsmanship.

What design project have you done that’s stuck with you throughout your career?

I had a project in the Flatiron district of New York City, I worked on when I worked for Dumais Inc. It was one of my first offices, a hedge fund, and I loved how we made it effortlessly home-like.

I wanted to work in that office! I carry that through my business as I try to think outside of the box and create spaces that invite and comfort my clients.

How do you incorporate the communities you grew up in into your work?

When I worked for other design firms, I had less than a handful of clients of color. Now, approximately 80% of my clientele are people of color. I used to feel sad in the industry, not seeing people who looked like me having ownership of these amazing properties and houses.

It brings me a lot of joy to be able to design for people who I can relate to, for people I can take off my corporate mask for and be myself. They honor and cherish that as well, and so I really try to give them the utmost professional experience.

I also feel very strongly that our spaces as people of color can be our refuge. So when I have clients of color, designing an oasis to combat the challenges we face daily is a top priority.

"To be Black in interior design means that you have to work twice as hard, and have twice the accolades to be considered a decent designer."

What does it mean to you to be Black in your industry?

Unfortunately, as in many other industries, to be Black in interior design means that you have to work twice as hard, and have twice the accolades to be considered a decent designer.

Now, as a business owner, I feel the same way. I have to work twice as hard and have twice the accolades in order to be considered a good enough designer for some clients.

It’s a frustrating challenge, but I am not phased. One thing people of color know how to do is to push forward in the midst of challenges, no matter your ethnicity.

What’s your favorite part of your own home?

My favorite part is my bedroom, We have a home in the northwest corner of Connecticut, and it was built in 1920. We have beautiful details in the home–stunning door and window trim, gorgeous fireplaces, and spacious rooms. Not to mention the amazing light throughout the day.

Our bedroom has a fireplace in it, and I love spending time in our room at sunset, it hits this corner of the house differently.

What’s one thing you try to incorporate in every space you design?

Vintage items! I love to have history in the room no matter what. I have a fair mix of new and old for each project, but even if everything is new, I try to buy a piece or two with some character or patina.

What's your go-to shop when you want nice decor?

If I want nice decor, like small accessories, or soft pillows/throws, I usually go to CB2. They have really beautiful lines in all of their product, soft and versatile. I also love going to Made Goods for their bookcase and bathroom accessories! They are the best for that.

What design trend are you tired of?

All white everything. I feel an all-white space is so sterile and tired! It bugs me when I see an all-white sofa in a home that has kids. It’s like how we used to have plastic on sofas back in the day–it does not feel warm or inviting to me. I love color, even if it reads as neutral, like an olive or a camel.

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Read the original article on The Spruce.