About Sonya Allen Interiors

Design Chose Me…

Sonya AllenDesign as an art form is pure and simple for me… I love what I do, I am passionate about it, and it’s a part of who I am. That is why every project for me is a personal work of art to meet the particular needs of the clients I serve. Yes, I can say I’m actually ‘protective’ of my designs. I personally try to put myself in the shoes of the clients and users to create a design that fully represents who they are and how they want to use and experience the space.

Like all art forms, I see each project as an opportunity to express the unique needs and personalities of those who experience it. It’s much more than a collection of beautiful furnishings and objects.

Each project must be functional and often changes how one lives in or uses the space… It’s a crafted space that has a ‘voice’, a ‘perspective’, and it embodies the diversity of who we are and the world we live in.  I call it my ‘heartbeat of design’ philosophy, exclusively from Sonya Allen Interiors.

“The heartbeat of good design is more than it’s visual beauty.  It starts with a solid base of design functionality and infuses environmental considerations of the client and those who use the space. Only then does the resulting beauty of the space have design purpose and fulfillment.”
~SONYA ALLEN

My passion for design started at an early age. I was the little girl who always wanted the multicolored beaded pantsuit – please mom, not the little pink dress. During the Holidays one year, my sister and I were given the gift of decorating our room. My father built bookshelves and a desk, and I handled the rest.  It was by far the most beautifully functional and saturated ‘purple palace’ (notice I didn’t say lavender) ever created.

As a young lady, I designed outfits that my Mom would tailor to perfection. I entered (and won) fashion contests in these self-designed home sewn frocks. Later, I designed my garments and gowns that I wore during High School Pageants and contests, the Miss Black Virginia Beauty Contest (both of which I was crowned the winner), and later for the Miss Black America Pageant. Long before my professional design career, I adorned the homes of friends and colleagues with great furnishings and designs. My childhood passion became a career in 2002.

How I Embraced Design…

As a full-service interior design firm, I specialize in functionally luxurious commercial and residential design. Better known as ‘Lux-Func’, design can be functional, livable, sumptuous, elegant, and eclectic all in one unique setting. My trained eye for fine workmanship in furniture, textiles, and design décor allows me to create spaces with a special mix of classic, modern, unique design shapes, patterns and color palettes that stand out in every design.

In business for 14 years, my projects range from commercial design services and project management to high-end residential new-build and space redesign services.  My experience and expertise include design development to contract administration, including building and architecture planning, space and floor planning, construction documents, project management, product specification, and design implementation.

Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to study and hone my craft at New York School of Interior Design (NYSID), and later at George Washington University’s Interior Design Master’s Program.

With 17 years of corporate executive experience, I have the business acumen to understand the ‘client focused’ approach to design. My business experience and unique approach to the creative process creates a strategic advantage for successful projects as seen in the Rochester Philharmonic Designer Showhouse, and projects along the East Coast.

Visit my gallery here.

Ready to give your space a HEARTBEAT?