Eighteen (official) Years of Maestri!
This April marks eighteen years since I officially formed Maestri. What began at a kitchen table after my “real job” has grown into a multidisciplinary practice spanning architecture, interior architecture, interiors, and landscape.
From the beginning, I had a clear goal: to become a licensed architect by the age of thirty. I reached that milestone in 2009, working through the process alongside a study group through AIA Dallas. That experience shaped not only my path to licensure, but also my connection to a community of peers that continues to influence the way I practice today.
In those early years, the focus was simple: keep moving forward. I took on anything I could to build a body of work and a roster of clients. I installed fountains, dug planting beds, and at times worked without compensation to prove what I could do. I wrote notes to homeowners whose houses I admired, hoping they might call. Some did.
The first house was my own, near Lakewood Country Club. I bought the 1951 home as a stretch right out of graduate school and did much of the work myself. That project became a proving ground and ultimately the catalyst for the studio. It set an early point of view and led to the kind of work I was hoping to build. The renovation was later featured in D Home, which helped set my career in motion.
The distance between that version of myself and where I am today is significant. The work has grown in scale, but the approach has remained consistent. It still begins with a sketch. It still relies on close collaboration. I continue to believe that architecture and interiors should be developed as one cohesive idea. Most importantly, the work is shaped by the clients who trust me and the collaborators who help bring each project to life.
Over time, that work has been recognized by publications including Luxe Interiors + Design, House Beautiful, Veranda, and Elle Decor, and most recently with a regional win at the Luxe RED Awards. I was also honored to be named an ARTS Award winner by the Dallas Market Center and ART, The Creative Home Furnishings Network. Those moments matter, but they are a reflection of the work itself and the people behind it.
That context makes this next chapter particularly meaningful.
I am honored to share that I have been selected for the inaugural Dallas Market Center Design Ambassador Program, a yearlong collaboration with a select group of design leaders shaping the future of design in Dallas. As Design Ambassadors, we will host panels and events, curate product selections and onsite vignettes, and help foster stronger connections within the design community.
The best part is the group itself. It is a crew of peers who are also real friends, people I genuinely enjoy working with. That dynamic brings a different kind of energy to the program, one that is collaborative, engaged, and focused on contributing something meaningful.
Eighteen years in, the work continues to evolve, but my intent remains the same. Build thoughtfully. Stay engaged with the community. Contribute where it matters. The foundation is still there. The opportunities ahead are simply an extension of it.