FROM THE GROUND UP
Critically acclaimed designer Deborah Wecelman shares her passion for transforming spaces beyond the limits of her imagination.
Deborah Wecselman has always been enamored with the idea of being a designer. As a child, she loved moving furniture around to transform spaces. Born in Lima, Peru, Deborah later completed her BFA in Environmental Design at the Parsons School of Design in New York, whetting her appetite for a life in design. Now a brand unto herself, Deborah Wescelman is known for creating eclectic and contemporary spaces, uniquely designed in synergy with each client’s lifestyle.
Her stellar career took flight when she when she began a 13-year tenure with Ralph Lauren, progressing from a design associate to a senior director of International Store Design. Working with some of the world’s finest designers, she was responsible for more than 5000 stores, an ideal stepping-stone in her career.
“MY PASSION IS TO CREATE UNIQUE AND DIFFERENT SPACES EVERY TIME. I WORK WITH A CLEAN CANVAS WHEN POSSIBLE.”
“After working for Ralph Lauren, I felt I had the creativity, strength and determination to launch my own company,” she said. Established in 2000, Deborah Wescelman Designs has grown strong roots in the international design community, while retaining a modest-sized firm where interior and architectural designs of the highest quality are produced.
Her aesthetic draws on elements of history and the art world, exuding a love of texture and colour. “My passion is to create unique and different spaces every time. I work with a clean canvas when possible,” she reveals. “I can be inspired from a piece of furniture to a photograph, an artwork, or indeed any other object. It always amazes me how things fall into place.”
Deborah’s love of colour seeps through in her vibrant designs. “At the moment I love grey taupes and whites with a pop of colour as an accent: mustard, teal and always an element of gold. Gold is back.”
Now living in Miami, Deborah says that the year-round sunshine has inspired her to enjoy a simpler lifestyle; a philosophy that extends to the spaces we live in. “I prefer a few great sculptural pieces instead of a more cluttered look. This is a look that’s been widely embraced with the rise of contemporary interiors, along with an appreciation of classic design. Right now, people are starting to invest and purchase 1970s furniture and will soon start looking into the 1980s.”
Her appreciation for timeless, enduring designs is not only key to her aesthetic, but also beneficial to the world we live in. “I love a great piece that has been designed to withstand history. I love pieces by Paul Evans, Milo Baughman, Adnet, Edward Wormley and Parzinger. By reusing pieces of furniture, waste is minimized. I also try to use natural materials whenever possible and I try to source items locally to avoid shipping items long distance.”
