Photo Credit: MS2 Design Studio

While no one could have anticipated the unprecedented circumstances in which the world has found itself over the past two years, principal at MS2 Design, Michael Scigliano, reveals he designed his business to be able to function under any condition.

Haute Design: With the global pandemic going into its second full year, how has MS2 Design Studio adapted to this “new normal?” Was the beginning of the pandemic a particular shock in terms of business?

Michael Scigliano: Before opening MS2 Design Studio in 2010, the original business plan took into consideration the lessons that were learned from the previous firms that I had worked with. One firm had gone out of business because of the 2008 recession and the other because of conflicts with the partners. I made a conscious decision to keep our firm more boutique; therefore, eliminating the need for a large office space and the corresponding overhead.

Our team has always worked from home when possible and we meet when needed. This boutique design also kept us from bringing on too many employees and therefore, not needing too many projects at once. We’re able to hand-select the projects that challenge and interest us.

I’m humbled that MS2 Design Studio has thrived these past two years; having two of the best years in our history. This pandemic has negatively impacted so many companies and my heart goes out to all those that have fallen on hard times.

HD: What are some of the ways you have managed to maintain your high standards throughout all of this?

MS: Managing our high standards during the pandemic was actually easier than expected. Being stuck inside and having nothing else to concentrate on but work, made getting our job done much easier. There was literally nothing to do…but work. The beginning of the pandemic, March- May 2020, was surreal for everyone. Trying to make sure we were still taking care of our clients, while they were stuck in their own homes, helped to take the focus off being stuck at home ourselves.

Photo Credit: MS2 Design Studio

HD: How have you managed client expectations throughout the pandemic?

MS: We’ve been blessed that our clients have been very understanding to the current situation. Being business owners themselves, they understood that the entire world was being affected and that those delays would impact their projects as well. Oddly enough, within the last year and a half, we finished a gut renovation in Miami Beach at the Continuum and a design project at 40 Bleecker in New York City, in record time. The team we’ve assembled has gone above and beyond to keep things on track.

HD: Given the amount of time folks have been forced to remain indoors, have any of your residential design plans changed?

MS: The biggest change we have noticed is that we have signed several new projects from clients moving to the Miami area from New York and California. The need to have a home with combined indoor and outdoor social areas became a necessity to see friends and family in a somewhat-safe environment. This made Miami more popular than ever. Add to that, major companies changing to “work from home” formats, living in a warm, open-air environment, just seemed like the best choice. The exploding Miami real estate market is a clear sign of that.

HD: What is the biggest takeaway you've gotten from these unprecedented times?

MS: My biggest takeaway from all this change, is that HOME is the most important place. It doesn’t matter how big your home is or how many things you have, but having a sanctuary where you feel safe and can detox from all that the world is throwing at you, is incredibly important. When you aren’t allowed outside or allowed to live a normal life, your home is where you gather with those you love.  It’s the place you celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, etc. The feeling of “being home and safe” has become paramount to our physical and mental well-being. And we get to design those spaces for our clients.

Photo Credit: MS2 Design Studio

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Originally founded in 1998 in New York City, MS2 Design Studio, Inc. is a full-service design firm that specializes in high-end residential design. The firm specializes in custom built-in cabinetry, project management, unique wall, and floor coverings, innovative lighting systems, and custom furniture design, while always looking to the future for the newest materials yet still staying true to the classics. With a combined 30 years of design experience, you can be assured that MS2 Design Studio will help you create the home of your dreams.

MS2 Design Studio's Principal, Michael Scigliano, recently took the time to sit down with Haute Design to discuss a range of topics including lessons he has learned in the design industry and what he believes sets MS2 Design Studio apart.

Haute Design: What was your first experience in interior design? How did it go?

Michael Scigliano: My first job in interior design was with J. Robert Scott in NYC. I was the assistant to the showroom manager. I got the job offer after touring the D&D with a designer who befriended me and took the time to walk me through the building. I had no formal training, so to be offered a position with one of the top furniture designers was beyond what I could have hoped for.

That experience shaped the rest of my career and life. I learned about textiles, veneers, furniture construction, space planning, and how to combine colors, all from the best in the field. All of the top designers shopped at J. Robert Scott, so I got the chance to meet them and interact with them on their projects. The projects I was blessed to have worked on would always show up in publications and that was a very rewarding experience.

Photo Credit: MS2 Design Studio 

HD: What are three major lessons you've learned since then?

MS: The top three lessons I learned are:

• You can be a talented designer but if you do not possess good people skills, your career will go nowhere. Most projects include two spouses who are building their dream home. Each with their own personality and approach to the design process. Not to mention the children, the architect, the contractor (and their subs), the A/V company, the pool and landscape designers. So, the majority of your day is making conversation and discussing design. If you are unable to convey your design and manage all the personal relationships that come along with making your design become reality, you will never make it in this field.

• You are your brand. Your projects are an expression and an extension of your personal style and the way you live your life, is part of that expression. The places you travel, the people you surround yourself with, the way you treat your body and mind, the charities you support, etc., this all becomes part of your company's brand.

• Lighting can make or break your project. The amount of lighting, the fixtures, the aperture, the temperature, the angle, all of this in unison can make a project shine (no pun intended). A talented lighting designer is a crucial part of any high-end project. Light can change the shape of a room, the mood it conveys and the overall experience.

HD: You design in both Miami and New York. What are the starkest differences in terms of designing in either city?

MS: The first major difference that comes to mind is scale. The scale in Florida is big. The homes are larger, the rooms are larger, common areas are larger, the land they sit on is larger. Everything is big. Even the larger homes in NYC tend to have smaller scale rooms, which leads to smaller scale furnishings.

That said, considering that Miami is NYC's unofficial sixth burrow, the aesthetic of our modern clientele is similar. They all tend to like edited, open spaces, with integrated features and a neutral palate. This combination brings to life a modern home which is interesting to be in and cozy enough to enjoy.

Photo Credit: MS2 Design Studio

HD: Designers tend to say that the customer is always right and that they design for the client rather than for themselves. Would you say that part of your work subconsciously reflects who you are? If so, do you believe this to be the case with all designers?

MS: The comment I hear most when interviewing with a potential client is that the designer they worked with in the past, or previously interviewed with, did not listen to them. I hear this all the time. I've processed that comment and have tried to do my best to do the exact opposite for my clients. By the end of our time together, they need to be happy in their new home. I make this known to them from our initial interaction.

I do listen and I do my best to include as many of their ideas as possible. At the end of the day, it's an MS2 Design Studio project and it reflects my vision for the client but it also includes their personalities. Sometimes, this might be a personality the clients themselves did not know they possessed. That's the fun part of designing for a client that trusts the designer's judgement and experience. The client gets something that blows away their expectations.

Is the client always right? No. I have had ideas passed by me which I would never allow in an MS2 project. Part of being a design professional, is to teach your clients what works and what does not work. This knowledge was earned through decades of experience. A designer cannot expect their client to have the same knowledge as them, and therefore, when ideas which we know will not work are expressed to us, it is our job to explain why.

HD: What sets MS2 Design Studio apart from other design firms?

MS: Going back to the previous question, I would say that the biggest thing that sets MS2 Design Studio apart from other firms is that we truly listen to our clients. We are not pushing our own agenda. Yes, we want to design an amazing interior for each client and we want to express our vision (which we always do), but in doing so, we listen to our clients and we incorporate their ideas along with our design concept.

Photo Credit: MS2 Design Studio

The post Michael Scigliano Reveals What Sets MS2 Design Studio Apart From The Competition appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Michael Scigliano, Prinicpal of MS2 Design Studio, is known for going above and beyond expectations when it comes to executing modern, yet timeless interior design that speaks to the clients' individual lifestyles and requests.

Typically, luxury interior design and attention to detail do not go hand in hand with speedy delivery, but when it came to this beautiful Fort Lauderdale home, Michael made an exception. "This was the fastest project I have completed," Michael revealed. "To consult with the client, design, order, deliver and install furniture for a custom five thousand square foot home, would normally take at least seven to nine months. This home was completely installed in three months, per the client's request."

Photo Credit: Brett Hufziger Photography

Despite this unique scenario, Michael revealed that this was a smooth and enjoyable design process.

"The time crunch was the biggest challenge. The clients were a delight to work with. They were decisive, had amazing taste and they gave me the freedom to design the home that I thought would be perfect for them. They fell in love with the home the second we presented it to the them."

Honestly, who could blame them? According to Michael, the clients are avid boaters and their only request was to have a light, ethereal space that complemented their yachting lifestyle.

Photo Credit: Brett Hufziger Photography

As seen in the Poggenpohl kitchen above, there is a delightful mix of eclectic materials throughout this home, which lends to a beautifully layered aspect throughout each space. "I like mixing classic materials into all of the modern spaces we design. This tends to give a timeless feel to the project. The shapes are modern but the materials are timeless."

The speed in which this project was completed is even more impressive when considering that Michael and his design team were able to install custom millwork into the home's office and master closet as well as custom furniture pieces throughout.

Photo Credit: Brett Hufziger Photography

Master Bedroom

Photo Credit: Brett Hufziger Photography

In the bedroom, Michael and the MS2 team used only the finest of materials. The bedding is fully-comprised of Jesurum Italian linen from E. Braun in New York. Michael noted, "The customer introduced me to the Jesurum line. He uses them on his yacht and wanted the same quality in his two Master Suites. The high thread count, soft hand and custom embroidery options are unique to this line and added an extra couture touch to this home."

Breakfast Room with Artichoke lighting Pendants by Jeremy Cole

Photo Credit: Brett Hufziger Photography

MS2 Design Studio specializes in custom built-in cabinetry, project management, unique wall and floor coverings, innovative lighting fixtures and custom furniture design that always looks to the future for the newest materials while still remaining true to the classics.

To learn more about Michael Scigliano and MS2 Design Studio, head over to https://ms2designstudio.com. Be sure to follow them on Instagram, @ms2designstudioofficial.

The post MS2 Design Studio Executes Stunning Design Fashionably Early appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Editor's note: Originally founded in 1998 in New York City, MS2 Design Studio, Inc. is a full-service design firm that specializes in high-end residential design. “We handle every aspect of the design process,” says Principal, Michael Scigliano. We want our clients not to have to lift a finger.  We are a design firm, yet offer so much more to help in our client’s busy lives.  Our clients have come to enjoy and rely on our services.”

Today, Michael Scigliano takes Haute Design through one of his recent projects from Miami Beach. 

Photo Credit: Troy Campbell Studio

The home was built in the 1920s and was recently renovated through the teamwork of architect, Kobi Karp, and builder, Probuilt Group. An addition was added for a large Master Bedroom Suite, pool, cabana suite, etc.  The house is a 2 story, approximately 4,450 sq ft, 4 Bedroom with on-suite bathrooms, plus a separate, private Cabana Suite above the Outdoor Kitchen and extra-large Master Suite.

Photo Credit: Troy Campbell Studio

Photo Credit: Troy Campbell Studio

The client wanted a darker, more masculine feel for the home. MS2 Design used custom Vahallan handmade wall coverings in the Family Room/Kitchen Area, as well as the Master Bedroom. We selected furnishings from B&B Italia, Flexform, Luminaire, Michael Dawkins Home, and area rugs by Kyle Bunting.

Photo Credit: Troy Campbell Studio

Photo Credit: Troy Campbell Studio

As well as many custom-designed pieces from MS2 Design Studio, like the Blacked Steel and Smoked Glass Floating TV Cabinet, Blacked Steel Passages, Master Bedroom Floating Bed and Cabinet, and Cabana Bedroom Millwork.

Photo Credit: Troy Campbell Studio

Photo Credit: Troy Campbell Studio

The post Michael Scigliano Of MS2 Design Studio Walks Us Through His Recent Miami Beach Design Project appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.