Artistico Interiors’ Stacie Muhle blends day-to-day living with expressive design
Stacie Muhle has some advice for those considering remodeling or building a new home: Get an interior designer involved early in the process.
“It can save a fair amount of costly mistakes,” said Muhle, ASID, interior designer and owner of Artistico Interiors.
Muhle uses her passion for design and down-to-the-last-detail organizational skills to help guide clients through the overwhelming process of a major project. When clients pull her into a project in its early stages, she is better able to pair their lifestyle with a home design that works for them.
“I challenge people to go through their daily routine,” she explained. “Where do the kids throw off their shoes? Where will they do homework? How does the family function?”
Clients’ answers help Muhle fine-tune how the home is designed. In the kitchen, she asks clients where they envision storing dishes or appliances. Even knowing where the homeowner wants to make coffee can inspire design tweaks that make life easier.
Ultimately, she aims to avoid the conundrum of moving into a new space and thinking, “I don’t have anywhere to put this,” she said.
Muhle’s interest in interior design sprouted from her childhood in Scottsbluff. Muhle’s mother was a real estate broker and Muhle can remember accompanying her to home showings, wandering through rooms, and noticing different styles and designs.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in interior design at the University of Nebraska through a program recognized by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation.
In 2012, she founded Artistico Interiors, whose name means artistic spaces in Italian. Artistico is a full-service interior design company, offering expertise from the planning stages of a project “all the way to the last accessory,” she added.
Muhle’s work over the years has garnered eight awards from the American Society of Interior Designers. One of those award-winning projects was a $2 million downtown Omaha condo. Muhle worked with the homeowners to create a contemporary space that was also warm and inviting. The long, curved island bar is a major focal point of the space, and custom-made pieces lend it a unique look.
Muhle said she received the ultimate compliment on the project a year later when the homeowners called her to gush: “Everyday we wake up and we still say, ‘We cannot believe we live here.’”
Attention to detail is a point of pride for Muhle. Her three-inch thick binders record all of the bits and pieces required in a large project – every single faucet, hinge, and knob. With tile installation, for example, she will create detailed drawings specifying tile elevation, spacing, and the color of the grout. She is often onsite, making sure everything happens according to plan.
To help understand her client’s style, Muhle takes an inventory of the pieces the client wants to continue to incorporate in their home – whether photos, an heirloom piece, or a beloved chair. An entire room might be inspired from one of these key items, she said.
Muhle is also developing a digital style interview that will help identify clients’ tastes through a series of visual questions. That process will allow her to better categorize a client’s style in industry terms.
Muhle encourages homeowners to consider their long-term needs when embarking on a remodel project or building a home. The needs of the kids now will likely change as they grow older, and a house designed with flexibility can accompany those changes. “We want to keep the functionality open to long-term goals,” she mentioned.
Muhle is a committee member on multiple associations including ASID, the National Association of the Remodeling Industry, the International Interior Designer Association, the U.S. Green Build Council, and Build Omaha. She was honored as the 2013 NARI Rookie of the Year and 2013 NARI Associate of the Year.
Artistico Interiors
402-650-6526
artisticodesign.net.
