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MEET THE GUY WHO’S COMPLETELY TRANSFORMING INTERIOR DESIGN

Today I have the pleasure of introducing you to a truly unique guy.

Sal Matteis is not a high end interior designer or a superstar architect, but he does happen to be in the process of revolutionizing the design world.

He’s one of the creators of a site called Milkster that matches up some of the world’s best and most creative furniture designers with the customers who want them. Finally, if there’s a perfect piece that could make your home complete, you can browse through almost unlimited selections to find the one that works best.

We’re not talking the brand name stuff that everyone can get their hands on. This is furniture made by true independent artisans. It’s like you have access to every boutique on earth all at once.

I blogged about Milkster a while back, but of course that wasn’t enough for me. I had to ask Sal if I could interview him here on our blog. Fortunately for all of us, he said yes.

Steven: What inspired you to start Milkster?

Sal: As consumers we were frustrated because we were being continually exposed to mass-branded home design – we call it a ‘home with no face’. It is ironic that as a society we are used to paying high prices for pieces of design where so little is known about what’s behind the product. I mean, we place this furniture in our homes – the most personal space we have.

As we started looking deeply at it we realized that design-innovation has been stuck for a long time. It takes months and multiple steps to bring a product from design to production. And when it does, the designer-maker completely loses relevance. Most importantly his personal story – the unique story behind his creations gets lost. Ironically in a time where innovation is at the core of a new generation of products, so much talent was wasted.

Steven: Give us a very short description of how you turned it from an idea into reality?

Sal: Karim Amrani and I have been building apps and products for years. However it always takes a leap of faith that the vision you set can be realized.

We started talking with people who we identified as our potential customers and asked them how they see their homes and quality interior design. What do they look for and what frustrated them.

In parallel we started talking with designers/makers and started to collect their thoughts, ambitions and frustrations. The deeper we went, the more we realized something was broken and that we could help.

As we were speaking with architects and interior designers, they were reiterating how fundamental it is for their clients to style their homes according to their personal taste. ‘Home is a mirror of who you are,’ is what they’d tell us.

Armed with a product prototype, tons of feedback and a few business angels backing us, we both focused our 200% on Milkster and brought in incredible team members who believed in the same vision.

Steven: How do you see Milkster changing the interior design landscape in the future?

Sal: Interior design is about making your home truly yours. Milkster is perfectly positioned to help interior designers and home owners in finding that perfect fit – innovation meets personalization.

Steven: How can high end interior designers best make use of Milkster and other online technologies?

Sal: The Internet has broken barriers and internet-enabled technology permeates all aspects of life. While it was once believed to be the realm of few techno-enthusiasts – over the part 10 years we have seen a total explosion of tech.

We believe that online tech can accelerate the process of sharing information and help being great ideas to bear. The thing we are more excited about is the idea of accelerated innovation and co-creation.

At its core Milkster is a co-creation platform. It enables customers, interior designers and designers to participate in the creation of finished products by enabling the direct connection. Design Ideas/products that are well received will available and iterated upon more quickly based on the direct feedback designers receive from the market.

Interior designers will be able to use platforms like Milkster to visualize new personalized solutions and contribute to the creation of new products,

Steven: What advice would you give to someone having trouble making interior design decisions for their own home?

Sal: Our advice is to be yourself and look for interior design solutions that fit who you really are. Consulting an interior designer that you can connect with can help greatly in identifying solutions that fit your style and budget.


A SPECIAL TREAT FOR OUR FELLOW MIAMIANS

We have some big things planned for our South Florida fan base. But to get in on the secrets (and the goodies), we need to know where to find you.

If you’re a Miamian or Miami interior design fan, you can sign up to be notified about what we have in store in one of two ways.

1) Click here to join our mailing list (FREE)

or

2) Join our Google+ comment (ALSO FREE)

Once you’ve done that, stay tuned. I’m pretty sure you’re going to love what we’re cooking up for you.


5 HIGH END INTERIOR DESIGN DEFINITIONS: LUXE MAGAZINE

I sometimes forget how lucky we are as interior designers in Miami. Not only is our city in the middle of a creative high end interior design boom…but South Florida is also home to one of our industry’s most important publications.

If you follow interior design, then I don’t have to tell you what Luxe Interiors + Design is. The publication features the most comprehensive collection of luxury homes and high end interior design work out there today.

We are truly fortunate that Luxe Director Susan Perville has taken the time today to take part in our “5 Definitions”series where we ask experts in the interior design world to give their own definitions of 5 important concepts.

5 DEFINITIONS BY LUXE INTERIORS + DESIGN’S SUSAN PREVILLE

Luxury

An abundance of sumptuous finishes and textures on the furnishings, appointments, textiles and all surfaces in general with-in the environment… then highlighted and accented with romantic lighting to elicit a luxurious experience.

Lifestyle

People’s lifestyles are relative to their desires in combination with their daily tasks…everything revolves around their necessary and essential functions and their forms of enjoyment. Each person’s lifestyle reflects their state of mind as well as their sense of style.

Beauty

Beauty is also completely relative to each person’s sense of imagination relating to form and color…influenced by what you perceive as compelling as it relates to beauty…influenced by what your perceived as comforting and inspirational as a child as well.

Taste

Taste is a sense of style that each person develops as they grow…it reflects each person’s sense of themselves…an aesthetic quality that is applied  to whatever you create for yourself and others.

Quality Interior Design

When answering each of the above questions the final key thought is that everything that is designed is relative to each person’s sense of “Luxury”, ”Lifestyle”, “Beauty”, and “Taste”…so with each client is a new and innovative creative experience.

When a design installation is completed all parties involved should feel a sense of satisfaction because “ quality interior design”  encompass all of the above.


HOW TO MAKE THE MOST IMPORTANT HIGH END INTERIOR DESIGN DECISIONS

In this episode of DesignTV With Steven G., I teach you how to make the kinds of decisions that will make all the difference between whether your home has a truly high end interior design look or one that just doesn’t hit the mark.

THE 5 BEST EPISODES OF DESIGNTV WITH STEVEN G.

One of the most popular features on our blog is our DesignTV With Steven G. video series where I make a fool out of myself for the greater purpose of teaching you a thing or two about high end interior design.

It was hard for me to pick which of these are my favorites (maybe because I love the sound of my own voice so much), but after much consideration…here are my top 5 picks.

If you’re new to the series, this is a great place to start. If you’ve been a fan for awhile, here’s a great place to relive the memories.

1. The Art of Mel Bochner

These days Art Basel is not just an event attended by artists and art fans; all the Miami interior designers are there too. It’s a pleasure to be able to find some of the world’s best art right in our backyard. Here’s where I talk about my love for my most recent find, artist Mel Bochner.

2. Steven G. Talks Furniture and Gets Comfortable

Find me in my natural environment as I talk about the power of great furniture in high end interior design.

3. Make Your Own Pop Art

How to get that pop art look without paying Andy Warhol prices.

4. Art Deco Love

If you have anything to do with Miami interior design, you can’t avoid  the Art Deco look. Here’s why you should never have to.

5. The Crocodile Hunter

In Miami we may not have crocodiles, but we do have alligators. Enough said.

To get all the newest episodes of DesignTV With Steven G., subscribe today.

TODAY I’M GOING TO ASK YOU FOR A FAVOR

I’m a big believer that our blog is not the place for us to sell anything. When you come here, we try our best to share what we know, point out the work of others we love, and maybe even entertain you and make you laugh a little bit.

That said, there’s nothing better than when people share their appreciation for us publicly…whether it’s for the high end interior design work we do or the joy they get from one of our blog posts. Not only do reviews make us really happy…they happens to be great for business.

So if you’ve ever gotten a bit of pleasure out of anything we’ve done, I’d like to ask you to do a huge favor for us…

Give us a review on Google+.

You can review us for whatever’s relevant. If you’re a client, leave a review of our work. If you’re a fan of our blog, review the blog. It will only take a few minutes, but it would mean the world to us.

Click here to leave your review of Interiors by Steven G. (or The Psychology of Design).


OUR FAVORITE HIGH END INTERIOR DESIGN BLOGGERS TALK WALLPAPER AND MORE

Whenever Quintessence’s Stacey Bewkes  and Susanna Salk release one of their videos, I have to share it. It’s not the first time I’ve blogged about these two lovely and talented ladies and it won’t be the last.

Pay particular attention to the :23 point, where Susanna talks about how some high end interior designers have made especially creative use of wallpaper.


A BRAND NEW TAKE ON THE DONALD STERLING SCANDAL

You know we’re big basketball fans over here (we love our Miami Heat). So of course, the recent scandal with L.A. Clippers owner Donald Sterling has generated a lot of talk around our showroom.

Yesterday our good friend Grant Cardone blogged about his take on the scandal, and as usual, it was unlike anything we’ve seen said about it yet.

Even though it’s not about high end interior design or Miami interior designers, we wanted to bring you Grant’s words because they go far beyond basketball. In fact, they’re meaningful for whatever choices your make in your life.

Click here to read Grant Cardone’s words of wisdom.


WHAT IS AFFORDABLE LUXURY?

We love our hometown of Miami, but let’s face it…it can cost some serious money to live here well. That’s why Miami interior designers aren’t known for doing things on the cheap. Fortunately, there are a quite a few ways to get that look Miami interior design is known for without totally breaking the bank. That’s what I talk about on today’s episode of DesignTV With Steven G.

To get future episodes of DesignTV With Steven G. delivered by email (FREE), subscribe today.


MIAMI INTERIOR DESIGN MAKES THE NATIONAL NEWS

As Miami interior designers, we’re always happy when our city gets some press. So imagine how thrilled we are that The Daily Beast, one of the Web’s biggest publications, covered the beautiful building that is the Icon Brickell.

Click here to see for yourself.


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