EYE FOR DESIGN

DIANA WAGENBACH, principal of Studio W Interiors, began her namesake design firm in Specializing in full-service residential design, she works on new construction, renovations, and furnishing projects across the United States. She works collaboratively with her clients and trades from concept to completion to create a beautifully designed home that aims to transcend trends.

What are you most proud of doing? I’m most proud of being able to make spaces into homes for my clients so they can raise their families and enjoy the feeling of their homes. Designing spaces that are beautiful and functional is what brings me the most joy.

What’s the greatest risk you’ve taken as a professional? I’d say growing! It feels safer to stay small and have more control, but I think the best approach long-term is to ask for help and work with amazing people who can play to their strengths so that I can keep moving forward.

How can this generation of leaders support the next generation of leaders? Sharing information and best practices is a great start. While innovation is amazing, there are so many tried and true ways that have already been established. Sharing that information makes it easier and better for the next generation to improve and iterate on those processes instead of starting from scratch.

What meaningful lesson did you learn in your first job? To work hard and be a problem solver. There is no problem that is too big and can’t be fixed, but it takes resilience and thoughtfulness to find that solution. Also, I have learned the value of communication. I think the best business practice I’ve adopted is to set clear expectations and work hard to deliver.

For more information, visit studiowchicago.com.