ArtStar Interview With Interior Designer Sandra Funk

Sandra: Our clients are still largely finding us by word of mouth, but every year the numbers that find us online increase. Even those that find us via referral check up on us online to verify that our style jives with theirs, and to confirm our legitimacy.

I order lunch online, buy groceries online, book doctor appointments online, purchase clothing and shoes online...If my preference is to work this way, many others, especially the next generation, will feel the same way. 

Our online interior design is not a matchmaker program, but rather our actual team executing thoughtful and meaningful design—just all online.

ArtStar: In your view, how does art impact the home? 
Sandra: Art has a HUGE impact on the home. Art brings the emotion to a space. I can communicate a feeling or point of view like nothing else with artwork.

ArtStar: Do you have any morning routines or rituals that help start your day
Sandra: I'm a night owl, so my day starts with a few spurts and sputters...but I always have a tea and a Zone bar, and catch some kisses and snuggles with my girls before I head to the studio. Then I settle into my workspace by lighting candles and setting the intentions of harmony, abundance, and blessings. 

ArtStar: What is your favorite summer vacation spot? 
Sandra: Michigan’s Great Lakes

ArtStar: If you had to choose 3 words to describe your ideal client what would they be? 
Sandra: Design-minded, communicative, decisive

ArtStar: If you had to choose 3 words to describe your personal style what would they be? 
Sandra: Soul, grit, beauty

ArtStar: How has your taste in art changed over the years?
Sandra: I've become more contemporary in my art appreciation, but continue to love more traditional details in architecture. I love the combination of classic architecture with contemporary art.

ArtStar: How has your interior design style changed over the years?
Sandra: It ebbs and flows. There's a pull again towards embellishment and details, but with honesty, purpose, and integrity.  Authenticity is first and foremost for me in design. There is nothing worse than the look of faux for faux's sake. That said, we'll have our decorative painter add a glaze to age an overly new paint job, or hand trowel on plaster over drywall to give it more depth and integrity. We love to bring in rough-hewn beams as well, to add texture, grit, soul and the feel of age to a new home or a renovation to an older home. I prefer things to not be too glossy and "new," but rather prefer a handmade quality with imperfections implicit in the design. These also patina more over time and get better with age. 

Very moody spaces and places with depth appeal to me more now. I'm drawn to depth and drama more now than ever before. 

ArtStar: What are some tips to consider when selecting art for the home? What are your tips for selecting art for a workplace environment? 

Sandra: Go big or go home—I love to scale art up and push limits. Art has to speak to you. Trust your gut.


Have a little piece that is getting lost? Overscale your mat and do a great simple frame to draw attention to the art OR cluster art together into a curated display. Never dot art around a space—one small piece per wall—they are always stronger when grouped.  

Most art I see in homes we work in is initially hung too high. It should be at eye level for the space (So if the space is a room where you stand, standing-eye level. If it's a space where you lounge, the art should be lower to be appreciated from the lounging position.)

We take the company culture into account when selecting pieces for workplace environments. Is the company young and edgy? Conservative and reliable? These are all able to be communicated with art if selected with intention.

ArtStar: What was the best gallery or museum show you saw in the last 3 months
Sandra: Atelier Gallery in Charleston, SC knocked my socks off when I was there this past December. They have a striking gathering of art that is beautifully displayed, and a very welcoming space. There are quite a few pieces that I can't stop thinking about...

ArtStar: What questions do you ask a client who wants a full design makeover? How does the process differ when the client wants to combine some of their existing pieces with new furniture or art?

Sandra: The most important input that I am looking for from our clients is how they want the space to feel.

Then we ask very practical questions about how many people typically eat dinner at the home, and is it sit-down dinner or apps and cocktails when they entertain, etc. We're also looking for basic preferences. The "I hate green" note before we design a green room. 

We're trying to eek out all of the constraints. It's constraints that force us in one direction or another, so the more information we have from a client, the more personal the space will become. 

Constraints fuel creativity. They create the puzzle pieces which make design fun for me. We are finding the path to their true style.

We also take our cues from the clients’ personal style, the architecture, and what they are keeping.

Most of our clients are keeping something, so we use those pieces as clues to the next layer.

ArtStar: What is your favorite room of the house to design and why? 
Sandra: LOL—We are an equal-opportunity designer, no discrimination here!

ArtStar: You’re based in NYC - what is your favorite neighborhood to shop in? Do you have a favorite local coffee spot or place to meet a client for lunch? 
Sandra: I love the West Village for nonstop inspiration. It’s an older neighborhood with tons of my favorite grit, soul, and unending inspiration.

If you are uptown, the best place to pop in for a bite is Bill's Townhouse. It has a true, old-school, New York vibe to it. And, of course, the ambiance and vintage art are top-notch. It's a must visit.

ArtStar: What are your top 5 favorite artworks on ArtStar right now?

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