We are shining lights on the talent and work of three of our community's Interior Designers: Alexandra Loew, Ana Claudia Schultz, and Cinquième Gauche. They are visionaries with different backgrounds and leaders creating inspiring experiences. We invite you to take a glimpse at their work.

Alexandra Loew - With the Eye of a Filmmaker

Alexandra’s unique body of work and thoughtful approach are informed by an early career as filmmaker, and later as scholar of architecture. She brings a fresh and cinematic eye to each project: her work is characterized by its ability to conjure worlds that cast the spirit of the client in the best and most imaginative light.

She holds a Masters of Architecture (M.Arch) from UCLA, a B.A. with Honors from University of Chicago, and a Certificate of Social Anthropology from The London School of Economics. Her PhD work on Creative Director Barbara D’Arcy during the heyday of the Bloomingdale’s department store revealed that interior design is, when at its best, an aperture to another world; and that cultural and literary figures can be fashioned into its muses. This philosophy is the hallmark of the studio she leads.

She has contributed to several books on design and architecture, and has held teaching and lecturing positions at SCI-Arc, Yale, Otis College of Art and Design, and University of Limerick. Prior to establishing her practice in 2003, she worked closely with Pritzker Prize winner Thom Mayne on competitions and writing projects at Morphosis. 

Ana Claudia Schultz - A Full Rounded Designer

Brazilian born, Miami-raised, long time Brooklynite and current resident of NY’s Hudson Valley, Ana Claudia is just as eclectic and diverse as her background. Her creation of thoughtful, contemporary interiors is an amalgamation of design styles incorporating eclectic vibrancy through modern, contemporary, and transitional elements. Clients’ needs are frequently met with custom pieces and out of the box solutions. The objective is to create a space that feels natural to the client yet is stylistically energized and fresh. Because “It’s about how you fell the moment you walk in the door.

An Architecture graduate of Florida International University, Ana Claudia worked in architecture for nearly a decade before realizing her true passion, interior design. Her interiors have been featured in such publications as Cultered, Goop, Rue Magazine, Domino Magazine, House Beautiful and HGTV. 

Ana Claudia is a member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), Brick & Wonder, and Interior Collab. She co-owns Rhinebeck’s design gallery The Beck with her husband Aaron Smyle.

Cinquième Gauche - Creating a "Welcome Home Feel"

Cinquième Gauche is an Interior Design Studio and Online Store located in Los Angeles and founded in 2018 by Laëtitia Wajnapel.
Specializing in warm minimalist interiors with a European touch, we strive to design peaceful yet practical environments for our clients. Through careful space planning, custom designs and furnishings, we create unique homes, perfect for nesting and entertaining.  

The studio also offers online design services and a retail platform showcasing a curated selection of vintage items sourced by studio owner Laëtitia Wajnapel and purchasing director Michael Uljanic.