How My Childhood in Jaffa Inspired My Work as a Luxury Interior Designer

A story about identity, healing, and designing homes that truly reflect who you are.

The Story of How My Childhood in Jaffa Inspired My Work as a Luxury Interior Designer

I didn’t grow up in a house designed by a professional. But I did grow up in Jaffa — a city filled with contrast, culture, and complexity. How my childhood in Jaffa inspired my work as a luxury interior designer is not just a story of design, but a story of identity.

I grew up in a 2.5-room apartment of about 70 square meters — modest, but full of heart. A single balcony connected the living room to the main bedroom, and a tall closet stood between spaces, doubling as a wall. My home wasn’t designed by a professional, but it had something just as powerful — soul.

My mother, a Catholic Filipina, had an eye for beauty and an instinct for good design. She loved digging through the Jaffa flea market, always returning home with mirrors, images of Jerusalem’s gates, or something she proudly haggled for. My father, Thai-born and originally Buddhist, converted to Catholicism to marry her — and brought a layer of quiet Eastern spirituality to our space. Chinese décor, symbols of luck, and cultural rituals filled the corners of our everyday life.

Though we didn’t use the word “design,” our home was what we call nowadays "eclectic". It reflected who we were — two worlds woven together through love, migration, tradition, and resilience.

Multicultural Education and Early Influence

Attending a French Catholic school in Jaffa, surrounded by Arab classmates, international students, and cultural complexity, taught me to design with empathy and nuance. It’s how my childhood in Jaffa inspired my work as a luxury interior designer — by giving me a global lens and emotional sensitivity. My classmates were Jaffa Arabs, international students, and children from immigrant families like mine. The school itself was a mosaic of languages (Hebrew, French, Arabic, Spanish and English) and cultures. I absorbed it all. I realized early on that no two homes looked or felt the same, because no two identities are the same.

This early exposure shaped how I see people and spaces. It taught me that every design must begin with listening, with empathy, and with honoring someone’s roots.

5 THINGS YOU DIDN"T KNOW ABOUT ME

Serving Grief, Discovering Purpose

During my army service, I was a non-commissioned officer for bereaved families. I entered homes heavy with grief — some cold and neglected, others warm but visibly weighed down by pain. It was here that I learned something life-changing:

Interior design is not just about how a home looks. It’s about how it holds you.

I saw the power of space to comfort or disconnect. That experience made me realize how deeply space impacts our emotions, identity, and healing. I didn’t want to just make places look better. I wanted to give people homes that feel like safety, strength, and self-expression.

Why I Became a Luxury Interior Designer in Israel

I didn’t become a luxury interior designer just to create beautiful homes — I became one to create meaningful ones. And how my childhood in Jaffa inspired my work continues to guide every space I design today.

Today, I work with families, restaurateurs, real estate developers, and international clients across Israel and beyond. I bring with me everything I’ve lived:

A deep understanding of multicultural identity
A sensitivity to emotional needs and life transitions
A respect for aesthetics, but not at the cost of meaning

I create luxury interiors that are not only beautiful, but also deeply personal — rooted in story, memory, and belonging.

What Sets My Work Apart

Unlike generic luxury design, I focus on the person behind the property. I don’t believe in “one-style-fits-all.” I believe in listening deeply and designing intentionally. My goal is to create homes that don’t just impress — they embrace.

Whether you're seeking to transform your home, stage a high-end property for sale, or design a restaurant that tells your story, I’m here to translate your truth into timeless design.