Lauren Stern DESIGN x studio sio

Lauren Stern and Shanta Trusewich have collaborated since 2013, drawn together by parallel paths through NYC’s design and hospitality worlds. Both formally trained designers — Lauren in fine art and interior design, Shanta in architecture — they share a love of antiques and vintage sourcing, a hands-on hospitality background, and spent years working together on countless projects.

That long-running partnership is the foundation of Lauren Stern Design x Studio Sio: two interior designers with a shared eye for considered, character-rich interiors, now joining forces for larger scale hospitality projects.

Our design philosophy is narrative-led: every project starts with the story of the place and the people who'll use it, not a trend board. We honour existing fabric wherever we can — heritage buildings, original details, the quirks that give a space its character — and build from there with vintage, antique, and salvaged pieces alongside considered new work. We have managed internationally sourced procurement for projects like the Hotel Chelsea, to 10,000 sq ft homes, maintaining control quality and design integrity. We don't design for a five-year refresh cycle; longevity, comfort, and accessibility are built in from the start. That comes out of years working hands-on in hospitality — leading renovations, managing construction, sourcing and specifying — so the ideas we put on paper are ones we know how to build.