Win Dell'Ario

"When I walk into a room I get a sense of what will make it more inviting," says Win, whose earliest efforts at design included making chairs and lampshades for Barbie houses.

Win does a lot more than the outer design for many of her projects: "I often consider lighting, acoustics and building codes when creating a new design." Some of these details are more hidden than others but all are important. "It does no good to create a fabulous design that doesn't meet modern building code standards. And although many people don't even consider lighting, I think it's one of the most important aspects of creating a mood."

Win has an eclectic background that helps her understand all kinds of clients. She earned her B.S. from Iowa State University and her Masters in Nutritional Sciences from U.C. Berkeley before going on to train as a designer and hanging out her own shingle in 1989. In her spare time she creates exquisite textile wall hangings.