Philia
Magazine
OFFHAND PRACTICE
OFFHAND PRACTICE is a Shanghai-based design studio founded in 2019 by Yuan Yuan and Nie Xuan. Working across interior design, exhibition, and spatial design, the studio develops projects defined by a thoughtful balance of experimentation, material sensitivity, and contextual awareness. Their practice embraces curiosity and hands-on exploration, approaching each commission as an opportunity to uncover the essence of a place through careful observation and refinement.
Guided by the belief that meaningful spaces emerge from an ongoing dialogue between people and their surroundings, OFFHAND PRACTICE creates interiors that are understated yet deeply expressive. Their portfolio includes projects such as Aesop Suzhou Cangjie Store, Déjà Vu Recycle Store in Shanghai, and Brownie / Project M50 Gallery, each reflecting the studio’s commitment to authenticity, clarity, and enduring spatial experiences.
Ginger Curtis
Ginger Curtis is an American interior designer, author, and the founder and CEO of Urbanology Designs, an award-winning interior design studio based in Dallas–Fort Worth. Renowned for her signature approach to warm modernism, she creates refined yet inviting interiors that prioritize authenticity, comfort, and emotional connection.
Through Urbanology Designs, Curtis develops highly personalized residential projects shaped by each client’s lifestyle, values, and story. Her work has earned numerous industry distinctions and has been featured in leading publications including Architectural Digest, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, Veranda, House Beautiful, and Luxe Interiors + Design.
Beyond her design practice, Curtis is a bestselling author, speaker, and advocate for neuroaesthetics, exploring how thoughtfully designed environments can influence well-being and enrich everyday life. Her work reflects a belief that great design should not only be beautiful, but also meaningful, timeless, and deeply human.
Katty Schiebeck
Katty Schiebeck is a Barcelona-based interior architect and designer of Uruguayan origin, and the creative director of her eponymous studio, which she leads alongside partner and co-founder Rubén Ortiz. Working internationally across interior architecture, spatial design, and bespoke furniture, the studio has developed a refined and deeply considered approach to contemporary luxury, one defined not by excess but by balance, proportion, atmosphere, and material sensitivity.
Known for her meticulous attention to detail and instinctive understanding of atmosphere, Schiebeck creates interiors where warmth and restraint coexist naturally. Her work combines sculptural clarity with layered textures, muted palettes, and carefully curated materials, shaping spaces that feel calm, timeless, and quietly expressive.
Rather than imposing a fixed signature style, the studio approaches each project as a dialogue between architecture, context, and client. Influenced by artistic references, spatial harmony, and a sensitivity to light, Schiebeck’s interiors reveal their elegance gradually through subtlety, coherence, and refinement.
Alykhan Velji
Alykhan Velji is the Creative Director of Alykhan Velji Designs, the Calgary-based interior design studio he founded nearly two decades ago. Known for interiors that are layered, architectural, and deeply personal, Velji has developed a distinctive design language that balances heritage influences with contemporary sensibilities.
Working across residential and commercial projects, his approach explores the relationship between craftsmanship, materiality, and storytelling. Through bold compositions, rich textures, and carefully considered details, Velji creates spaces that feel immersive, collected, and enduring.
Beyond interiors, his creative practice extends into furniture, textile, and product collaborations, including partnerships with SILVA, Moblia, Urban Barn, Roll Out, and AFERA. His work has been featured in publications such as Architectural Digest, Dezeen, Domino, Livingetc, House & Home, and Western Living. In 2025, Alykhan Velji Designs was named one of Canada’s Top 100 Design Firms by House & Home.
Julie Hillman
Julie Hillman is a New York–based interior designer known for her nuanced approach to residential spaces, where collectible design plays a central role. Her work is defined by a precise sense of balance, bringing together furniture, artworks, and materials in compositions that feel both considered and instinctive, with an emphasis on individuality and quiet sophistication.
Rather than adhering to a fixed aesthetic, Hillman approaches each project as a unique narrative, shaped through close collaboration with artisans, designers, and clients. The resulting interiors are layered yet restrained, where individual pieces retain their presence while contributing to a cohesive whole. Drawing on a wide range of references—from historical to contemporary—her work reflects a refined and deeply personal sensibility. Her projects have been widely published internationally, and she has been consistently included in Architectural Digest’s AD100 list.
