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EXCELLENCE IN DESIGN RALEIGH
Designing a Dream Alisa Sparks turned her own leap of faith into a blueprint for others to create the design career of their dreams W hen Alisa Sparks first dipped her toe into interior design, she never imagined she’d build a company that would help others do the same. With a background in military finance and zero formal design training, Sparks staged her own home out of necessity—and fell head over heels for the transformation process. “I didn’t believe I could call myself a designer back then,” she says, laughing. “But staging felt doable. So, I tried—and it grew into more than I could’ve imagined.” What began as a solo project soon grew into a busy interior design business, Linden Creek. As demand soared, Sparks built systems to support her growing team. Seeing how well they worked inspired her to expand Linden Creek by welcoming franchise partners.
“Starting out solo can be overwhelming,” she says. “There’s so much trial and error— how to invoice, how to actually run the business side. I wanted to help others avoid those growing pains.” Linden Creek’s franchise partners—now 17 nationwide—step into a proven blueprint for success instead of starting from scratch. They get the training, tools, and support Sparks wishes she’d had—all while building the creative career of their dreams. “One of our franchise owners worked in corporate finance,” Sparks shares. “She’d stage Airbnbs on the side for a creative outlet. Now she spends her days designing historic homes and living the creative life she craved.”
LEFT: Alisa Sparks, interior designer and founder of Linden Creek. Photo by Anna Haddock RIGHT: The bold tiled fireplace with light surround provides this living room with a grand focal point while a neutral color palette amplifies the natural light flowing through the windows. Photo by Carlos Flores @CSFLORES
At its heart, Linden Creek is about creating beautiful, livable spaces—and giving creative people a clear path to a career doing the same. “You just need to take the leap,” she says. “We’re your safety net and coach along the way. It’s amazing to be part of that transformation.”
linden-creek.com
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EXCELLENCE IN DESIGN WILMINGTON
Art, Design, and Everyday Joy
Artist and designer Sydney Falkner is redefining how we live with art W hat began as a passion for painting and interior design has blossomed into By Syd, a multifaceted brand that blends fine art, design, and storytelling into one vibrant experience. At its heart is Sydney Falkner, a Wilmington-based artist and designer whose work blurs the lines between fine art and everyday life. Her signature? A colorful, joyful aesthetic that moves fluidly between mediums—from large- scale paintings to wearable art and home textiles, all showcased in her working studio and living gallery, By Syd Studio. “Art should reflect your story, whether it’s something you wear, something in your home, or something you give to someone you love,” says Falkner. “That’s really what By Syd is all about: connecting with art in a way that feels personal and joyful.” Housed in a former Coca-Cola bottling facility, By Syd Studio blends old and new with vintage elements original to the building enlivened by Falkner’s fresh and expressive work. Falkner is an accomplished interior designer and lifelong painter, and the full range of her creative vision comes to life in a space that feels both elevated and welcoming: a three-dimensional expression of the By Syd ethos.
PHOTOS BY DREWE & KATE BRANDING CO.
“When I’m working with an interior designer, a homeowner, or someone walking into the studio for the first time, it’s always about connection,” Falkner explains. “Every piece has a story, and that connection between people and art drives me.” Whether visitors are seeking a large canvas or a small, giftable piece, Falkner’s goal is to share something less tangible as well.
ABOVE: Artist and designer Sydney Falkner in her Wilmington studio and living gallery, By Syd Studio. Visitors will find everything from Falkner’s large-scale paintings to wearable art, home textiles, and small, giftable items in the vibrant space. “By Syd is the culmination of a dream and a strong belief in the path I was on,” she says. “I hope people leave feeling inspired in their own lives. The sky is the limit.”
bysydstudio.com | @bysydstudio
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EXCELLENCE IN DESIGN RALEIGH
PHOTOS BY PAUL POTERA
Creating with Connection
Architect Dawn Christine creates connection by engaging the senses and elevating the everyday A s a pioneer in experiential architecture, Dawn Christine’s mission is to not just build forms but to build experiences. “By connecting deeper with clients, spaces, and environments, I create designs that make mundane moments significant,” says Dawn, principal and CEO of Dawn Christine, Architect PLLC. “It’s about bringing light and joy into the soul, not just the building.” For her custom home designs—which run the gamut of style, always integrating the client’s taste—Dawn views every nook as an opportunity to engage. “I think about how we can layer architectural geometry with spatial moments of sight, sound, and smell to create an experience,” she says. For a modern-meets-French country design in Governors Club, Dawn created a “revealing” experience for the low-set home—from the entrance to every bend and transition in the interior. From the road, the home initially seems small, tucked into the landscape. However, upon arrival, the dramatic stair tower draws attention, and a gentle curve invites visitors and residents inside.
PHOTO BY DEZARAE CHRISTINE
“Designing these experiences is like building a musical crescendo,” she says. “Every moment is an opportunity for a fully immersive connection.” This is seen in the sculptural staircase, which artistically choreographs the transitions between floors. The space is where abundant natural light pours in from the two-story windows and becomes the cascading backdrop for sunlight, sky, and shadow. The vertical rhythm of the handrail creates a serene conversation between interior and exterior, inviting dwellers to pause, look, and listen. With myriad accolades to her name, including inclusion on the Luxury Lifestyle Awards’ 2024 TOP 100 Luxury Architects of the World list, Dawn seeks to embrace more waterfront projects in the future—those with multisensory settings and unique landscapes to delight and surprise.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: The home’s stair tower, complete with two-story window walls, features prominently from the exterior of the home. A variety of entertaining spaces, including an outdoor kitchen and in-ground pool, create the perfect backyard oasis. Just off the pool area and next to the gym is a spa bath containing a custom sauna. The kitchen’s light wood tones and natural lighting contribute to the home’s airy atmosphere. Soon, she’s also launching a sister company, Cross Pacific Design Group, in which American clients can coordinate new builds in New Zealand with comprehensive teams in place abroad to execute projects with seamless ease. “If clients are beyond happy, I’ve done my job,” she concludes.
FROM TOP: The focal point of the home is the sculptural main staircase. At the top of the staircase is a hand-painted mural that mirrors the nature just beyond.
Visit Dawn’s new YouTube channel, @DesignTalkDCA, for New Zealand-based travel and design inspiration.
919-377-1227 | dawnchristine.net | crosspacificdesigngroup.com
PHOTO BY DAWN CHRISTINE
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EXCELLENCE IN DESIGN RALEIGH
Bathed in Luxury
Cary-based The Bath Remodeling Center transforms bathrooms into tranquil settings for clients to start and end their day in personalized indulgence
I t’s the first place you visit in the morning and the last before you go to sleep. And it’s where interior designer turned bathroom specialist Nicole Fella discovered her career. “The bathroom is one of the most important spaces in a home,” says Fella, owner of The Bath Remodeling Center. “They should be peaceful settings with soothing colors and finishes and have enough storage space that you know where everything belongs.” Having worked as both an interior designer and general contractor, Fella brings quality craftsmanship to each home, backed by an aesthetic eye to create luxurious retreats shaped by the existing language of each home. “Given my background in construction, we can truly make the bathroom of a client’s
dreams,” says Fella. “If we need to make structural changes to fit their vision, we have the experience to do so.” In a recent project, Fella remodeled a bathroom with a color palette that carries design elements from the rest of the home. Luxurious finishes and fixtures—including Calacatta porcelain tile flooring and walls— balance the vanity feature wall and vertical accent waterfall, which is behind the showerhead in a Toby Gray Arabesque tile with subtle veining. But many of the strongest details go unnoticed. It’s in the additional outlets, hidden storage, and placement of the shower valves that can be turned on without getting in the shower that make all the difference.
“I love stepping into a finished room with the homeowner wowed by the functional beauty and ample storage we created,” says
Fella. “It’s so satisfying to learn how the room elevates daily life.”
TOP: This luxurious bathroom features Calacatta porcelain tiled floors and walls, a spacious shower, and hidden storage behind the mirrors. Photo by VMA Photography Studios.
thebathremodelingcenter.com
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