Michael del Piero

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INTRODUCTION

Interiors designed by Michael Del Piero are full of delightful contradictions. She designs minimalist rooms rich with historical character, meticulously edited gallery-like spaces that still have the comforting warmth of home, and breezy abodes with crisp architectural details that feel tailored rather than severe. But the fact that her projects, sprinkled across the United States, come off as reassuringly familiar yet entirely fresh, as they blend elements of American and European style, is a direct result of her background.

Del Piero didn’t study at a prestigious design school, hone her craft at a leading interior design studio or come from a moneyed family with a network of contacts. It took decades for her to find her true calling. And even once she did find her way into the world of design, it took years to acknowledge that she had not only passion, but also a natural ability to compose interiors of breathtaking beauty.

The designer was born and raised in Chicago, with the exception of a detour that took her family to Memphis for ten years when she was a child. She worked for decades as a business coach, advising executives at Fortune 500 companies on how to further their goals, inspire their people and energize their operations. At the same time, she dove head-first into design, almost without realizing it. Thrilled by the hunt for distinctive antiques, unusual objects and compelling art, she loved few things more than combing auction houses and flea markets for unexpected finds. When a friend in the Netherlands who had seen Del Piero’s gifted eye at work called and suggested they go on a multiweek European buying spree, she jumped at the chance and hatched a plan – she would fill a container, ship it back to Chicago and host a one-time sale.

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HAMPTONS MINIMAL

Bridgehampton, New York

Del Piero’s first home in Amagansett attracted many admirers, including the owner of an interior accessories store, who commissioned the designer to oversee her own house in Bridgehampton. Rather than repeating herself, Del Piero, who collaborated with Stelle Lomont Rouhani Architects, sought to do something new to reflect the specific features of the site and personality of the owner and her husband, a builder who ultimately constructed the house. The completed home is lighter and brighter than the designer’s own high-contrast black-and-white abode, reflecting the couple’s attraction to blonde woods and layered shades of white. But the ultimate message is no different: step inside, drop your bags and leave the worries of the outside world behind.

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LAKESIDE RETREAT

Tasked with reimagining a modest 1920s waterfront cottage for a globetrotting couple, Del Piero decided it would be no kitschy camp. Instead, working with architect Michael Abraham, she conceived a gut renovation with a significant addition that has more in common with a European villa than a rustic outpost, with reclaimed wood floors from Paris, antique French stone and rewarding materials like alpaca, angora and leather. She also blew open the back wall with steel-and-glass windows and doors, and reoriented the kitchen, living and dining areas to take full advantage of the property’s best feature – its unfettered view of the water.