Meet Emmanuelle Pereira | Designer of Art in Architecture

We had the good fortune of connecting with Emmanuelle Pereira and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Emmanuelle, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I love taking risks in the areas that are known to me and I am passionate about, I will invest everything I have for a crazy design idea that is close to my heart like what I have done with my vacation rentals however I would not risk a penny gambling or on bitcoin because it is too unknown to me.

My investment properties have always sprung from this place of inexplicable trust where no matter how much I am investing there is an absolute knowing inside me that the project will succeed. In my first house, I remember that the construction took all of our savings and there was no question for me to pursue a personal loan to be able to finish it.

Also, although I do try to save and get creative on many aspects of construction and design, I believe there is so much value in investing a little more to make tasteful design decisions, get quality materials and soul-filled items for the spaces because it makes the project unique and stand out from the rest of the market.

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.
What was your thought process behind starting your own business?

It was a kind of organic one, where I just started designing and building for myself as a passion and from those projects I got interested clients that wanted to hire me to come up with ideas for them. I never thoroughly put too much thought into the business structure side, or had a vision for a huge design firm, I still don’t actually, and Ive accepted that its ok.
I am genuinely just enamored with the freedom and flexibility of being my own boss.

Do you have a budget? How do you think about your personal finances and how you make lifestyle and spending decisions?

I don’t have a budget and for a while I’ve been living in the “abundant” trusting mindset, I do however always have several projects going on at a time so I think the trust is easier when you know resources are coming in sooner or later. I try not to think too much about every penny I spend because I find it puts me in an anxious state, I rather focus my energy on the creative output side but I am lucky that I have a husband that is on top of our finances and this definitely balances out our earnings vs spending ratio. If it weren’t for this, I would probably hire an accountant to help me balance the lifestyle and spending decisions.

I think that there are also seasons for everything, this summer specifically we are laying very low on the spending because we had a big spending spring season and want to get back to our safe zone before we make any other big moves. I feel great even if we are not spending too much because it feels like a quiet calm time for introspection, where patience is key and where Im looking inside of myself to find the gold instead of on outside experiences.

What do you think about risk, what role has taking risks played in your life/career?

I love taking risks in the areas that are known to me and I am passionate about, I will invest everything I have for a crazy design idea that is close to my heart like what I have done with my vacation rentals however I would not risk a penny gambling or on bitcoin because it is too unknown to me.

My investment properties have always sprung from this place of inexplicable trust where no matter how much I am investing there is an absolute knowing inside me that the project will succeed. In my first house, I remember that the construction took all of our savings and there was no question for me to pursue a personal loan to be able to finish it.

Also, although I do try to save and get creative on many aspects of construction and design, I believe there is so much value in investing a little more to make tasteful design decisions, get quality materials and soul-filled items for the spaces because it makes the project unique and stand out from the rest of the market.

Where are you from and how did your background and upbringing impact who you are today?

I am from Caracas, Venezuela, where everyone loves beauty and art all around. My parents were both creatives, my dad an industrial designer and my mom a multi-facetted creative. Some assume it is because of the Italian, Spanish and Portuguese migration early on to Venezuela, however there are so many talented individuals in my country of birth that I could see how this has made an impact on the passion I carry for beauty in my veins.

What is the most important factor behind your success/ the success of the brand?

For me, it comes down to the passion and soul you are adding to your brand/product, the questions I constantly ask myself is “was it created by someone that feels passionate about what they are making?” this heightens any product or experience without a doubt.

For my specific projects, this looks like the passion the construction team places on their efforts to build the structure to the handmade ceramic coffee cups that will be selected to go on the kitchen shelves.

What value or principle matter most to you? Why?

Being honest and true to myself and others, this includes putting limits and trying to avoid the people pleasing habits while balancing communicating in a genuine compassionate manner. Being present, uplifting others whenever possible and finding the beauty in community and quality time with our loved ones.

Work life balance: how has your balance changed over time? How do you think about the balance?

My work life balance has changed drastically ever since I had my first baby Sienna two years ago which was coincidentally during pandemic time, I suddenly had an awakening that life was not about working and sacrifice all the time. I think I was lucky to have tapped in to my passion projects at this stage of my life because it gave me the financial freedom to quit my 9-6 job and can now work with the schedule that fits me and my family best. I still struggle with the overworking mindset which haunts you even if your not sitting in front of a computer, but it is something I am conscious about and is a work in progress, but definitely overall so much more balanced and relaxed compared to my over working stressful days. I will always be grateful for every stage in my life because they all served as a stepping stone to what I have accomplished today, but I think balance and peace is what I am constantly aiming for and I ask myself constantly what do I WANT to do? Not what SHOULD I do and this has made all the difference.

What is the end goal? Where do you want to be professionally by the end of your career?

The end goal for me is full financial freedom so I can focus only on my passion projects. I believe creating beautiful inspiring spaces will do a great good for humanity and that is my gift to the world, I want to be able to design and build spaces that are going to be experienced by thousands of people and can impact their lives in a positive way.

Why did you pursue an artistic or creative career?

I think creating things always flowed easily through me, ever since elementary school I loved painting, sculpting and anything to do with craft. When deciding what career path I was going to pursue, I was confused at first and one day talking to my dad he mentioned how his dream career would have been an architect and that really opened up many possibilities for me. Once I started studying, I realized that I probably was not going to practice architecture per se, but that it was going to give me all the tools that I needed to be the professional I wanted to be.

Tell us about a book you’ve read and why you like it / what impact it had on you.

I’ve read many books but I can’t pin point a specific one right now, I do however love Glennon Doyle’s podcast “We can do hard things”. This podcast teaches me something new every day and I love how genuine and compassionate they are. The girls in the podcast really make an effort to talk about hard truths that no one else wants to talk about, “taboo” subjects that are often swept under the rug and often are the issues that don’t let us enjoy life because we have no knowledge of them and how to navigate different situations. With their example, they have inspired me to be more me every day without apology and given me courage to say the hard uncomfortable things, there is something so liberating about doing that and it definitely makes life a little bit more enjoyable overall, there is not so much resistance and judgement of one-self.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would definitely have them stay at our Casa Terra Lumi airbnb one of the Lumi Collection properties since it is so calming and relaxing. I would have a spa day with them at the Standard Spa and we can go shopping after at the Simonett pop-up inside the hotel, I would also take them to do a meditative facial in Sana Skin Studio in Wynwood and we would end the day having dinner at La Natural one of the yummiest and most aesthetically pleasing pizza restaurants in Miami. If they had a little extra time I would steal them away and take them to Primaried Studio to look at the most amazing curation of vintage furniture and objects. If they are feeling tired after our itinerary, I would book hire the best massage therapist Stefanny from cosmic tides massages to come to our airbnb and make us feel relaxed.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would love to dedicate this shout out to my husband Carlos Quintana for being my biggest encouragement through my entire career and life, for trusting and believing in me even when the times get rough. I also want to thank my mom and dad for letting me make the mistakes myself and for always instilling in me this risk taker attribute, it is by their example that I was able to easily pursue my dreams without hesitation. To my daughter for being my constant inspiration and for keeping me present when I most need it. To all my friends and family for loving me and being there for me unconditionally, this has made the entire process so much more enjoyable.

Website: http://lumicollectionstays.com/

Instagram: @AtelierLumi

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmanuellepereira/

Other: @casaterralumi (Instagram)

Image Credits
Christina Arza – Photographer of main photo in blue dress Veronica Pena – Photographer of photos in Atelier Lumi Studio Kata Rose – Photographer of picnic photos