Meet Steffi Reyes-Thomas | Interior Architect and Holistic Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Steffi Reyes-Thomas and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Steffi, do you disagree with some advice that is more or less universally accepted?
“Don’t Burn Any Bridges” – they said. It’s my perspective that if the island is burning, the bridge is going with it. There’s no point in holding on to something that has and will cause harm. Letting go was one of the hardest lessons for me. It takes practice and I take shelter in detachment. I found that attachments exist within and they mean nothing externally. If I let them influence my actions, I run the risk of being controlling, bitter, or argumentative. Thus, I decide to relinquish that which does not serve me no matter my attachment. That’s real power.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I make art and design with a humanistic quality. It is in my nature to feel and express the times. I do this in design by feeling the spaces I want to renovate. I experience them with all of my senses before I suggest any changes. I feel that this is missing from conventional design. I know for a fact that other commercial interior designers are more likely to design a space that they’ve never even been to. That used to be me when I was in the “workforce” – but no more. Now, I interact with as many people who will be be in the space as I can. I get to know them, and what they need to function and feel empowered. When it comes to art, I find that I paint when I need it most. I create when I need to express myself and words aren’t encompassing enough to get it all out. Most of my paintings are done from the depths of my heart. They cover my walls and it’s a reminder to create again! I love the results of transmutation.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
This is a great question because I always have friends and family in town! I took my best friend to a few places that we really loved. These are my primo places so I am a little hesitant to share. I enjoyed taking her to the best café in town: Maya Moon! Not just because I designed it, but because the cacao is so lovely! One of the unique places I took her was Silvia’s Pupuseria for Salvadorian Food down in National City. We of course went to Izola in East Village and she kept wanting to go back again and again! I love Longplay Hifi off Imperial and we had a great time there with the homies who run it. We had way too much fun at Side Door in Gaslamp. Then, we ate the best meal of our lives at Shan Xi Magic Kitchen on Convoy.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to shoutout the Women+ In Green group in affiliation with the San Diego Green Building Council!!! They are my people and they saw the potential in me to lead before I knew I was ready. With SDGBC, I was nominated as Chair of The International Greenbuild Conference Legacy Project for 2 years running. It was tough work and we saw it through together. I was then asked to join Women+ in Green events. First as a committee member and then as Chair! Through WIG+, I have really blossomed beyond leadership and into administration and public speaking. Plus, it’s a fact that I have been introduced to all of my major clients through the Women+ in Green network. We’ll be having a couple more events this year so be sure to be in touch. This group is getting to be very exciting!

Website: https://www.holistic-spaces.org/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steffi.holistica/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steffi-reyes-thomas-well-ap-leed-green-associate-94777a6b/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/steffi_holistic

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdOxGykbxAJkoC1VgTPuUBg

Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@steffi.holistica

Image Credits
Moving Boundaries, Xzylem,