Today we are featuring the work of one of our talented fellow collabers, Silvana Vergara.  Silvana was born and raised in Colombia and obtained a degree in Architecture at the Los Andes University in Bogota. Following her studies, she co-founded two companies, an interior design studio, Estudio Paralelo and Gres , a hand-made textile brand supporting Colombian artisans.

by Gianna Marzella
March 1, 2021

In 2018, Silvana received her MFA in Interior Design from Parsons School of Design in New York City, where she currently resides. Silvana combines her passion for design, materials and techniques with her curiosity to develop new design concepts and product lines for her textile company and in her interior design work. Most recently, Silvana's interest in sustainability and eco-conscious projects has resulted in her exploration into material health research and a re-focus of her interior design practice on wellness.  She was recently certified by the Healthy Materials Lab at Parsons as a designer qualified to design healthier interiors.

Silvana’s gramercy home was recently featured on Domino.com.  See how she transformed this space to a chic home for herself and her family.  Her approach to spatial constraints, chic contemporary furnishings, and dramatic use of art are not to be missed.  

Silvana also founded Tove Gallery,  an online gallery of emerging Latin American artists.

We caught up with Silvana to hear more about what inspires her.

When did you know you wanted to become an interior designer? What inspired you to transition to become an Interior Designer? I am a licensed architect, so the transition to interior design came organically. I think it is a matter of scale.  I decided to work with the smaller components of interior spaces, specifically focusing on the layouts and functionality, along with working with textiles, textures and all the finishing details that enhance design

Who is your design icon? Charlotte Perriand

What do you become most obsessed with when designing? Textures and colors. I am very sensitive to both and I seek to create the right balance between these two. I am always cognizant with the use of color, as not to be too aggressive, but my designs are always enhanced with strong colors. 

Can you tell us something people don’t know about you that surprises them? I have a passion for textiles and I design handmade textiles through my brand GRES. I also have an emerging art gallery called Tove Gallery.

What is your approach to options? Do you like to show your clients many options or do you like to go in with one clear favorite? I think clients hire designers precisely because they don't know how to choose from all the options out there. I like to streamline options and come back with clear options presented as a whole, put into context with the overall design.

How do you stay inspired? I find inspiration keeping myself updated on other designers’ work, which often I find in unexpected places while traveling or just walking around the city. Lately, I have been finding some tv shows and movies to be interesting sources of inspiration.

What do you love the most about being an IC member? The sense of community. I love the idea of coming together to lift each other up and making our work as interior designer be valued.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve gotten from fellow Collaber? I think the feedback and all the experiences shared by other Collab members is great in general. I like to hear other's experiences with clients and vendors and learn from them.

Can you share an experience about a minor mishap that has come up in a project and how you handled that situation? I learned the hard way that dealing with pipes requires lots of attention. I had a tiny leak after the flooring was installed, it was really hard to find it. We finally found it and were able to fix it without mayor damage to the floor finish, but I learned never to install a floor until you test the pipes with a barometer. 

What design challenge has come up for you in a project that you were able to turn around into a unique opportunity? I think the most exciting designs result from fixed variables or challenges that require your best problem-solving skills. Changing the layout to an apartment and having to work with things that cannot be moved, such as certain water or gas lines, or some structural wall, that is an instance which calls for all your creativity and very often, great designs come out it.

Silvana is taking project requests. If interested please contact her by clicking the button below.

contact form listed within profile

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