Welcome to Bella Casa
Interior Design Studio!
Hello There, My name is Caterina and I am so grateful you found my little corner of the internet. It blows my mind that Bella Casa is my job and that people want to work with me. I always believed that Bella Casa was just a pocket dream that would never actually happen. Yet here we are! the journey to this point has been surreal; so let’s jump in!
Designing since I can remember.
Ever since I can remember, I have loved designing and laying out different spaces. As a young girl, I was obsessed with simulation games that would allow me to create spaces for characters. I would sit there for hours and hours just having the time of my life designing away.
I grew up on Long Island, New York with my parents, siblings, and maternal grandparents. From a very young age, I was exposed to creativity. My Nonno (maternal grandfather) was a dressmaker for a high-end fashion designer and my uncle is an Architect. Since I can remember, I have always loved making art of any kind.
On my sixteenth birthday, all I wanted was to redesign my childhood bedroom. I was like a kid in a candy store. I would spend hours looking at inspiration and making material selections for my space. From this moment, I was obsessed with all things Interior Design and knew I had to see if I could make this my job.
The School Days
During my junior year of high school, I had to see if Interior Design was the right path for me. I decided to sign up for a precollege Interior Design course at FIT in New York City. This allowed me to test the waters before committing to being an Interior Design major. It did not take me long to realize this is what I was meant to do; I came home after the first day and told my parents I was going to be an Interior Designer.
I attended the New York Institute of Technology in Old Westbury, to receive a bachelor’s degree in interior design. Throughout my college years, I learned so much about space planning, code requirements, and design software.
My freshman year of college, I started to gain real work experience in the design industry. My first job was working for a tile showroom. This was an introduction to working with homeowners to create bathrooms and kitchens they love. It did not take long for me to want to gain more and more experience in this field. During the summer entering my senior year, I accepted a junior interior design position at Artistry Construction. I worked directly under the owners of the company gaining priceless knowledge and experience in New Construction Residential design until the spring of 2018.
The Military Life
In the spring of 2018, I married my high school sweetheart and moved to Newport News, Virginia a few days later. My husband was an enlisted member of the Navy and shortly before getting married got assigned to USS Gerald R. Ford. Quickly after moving to Virginia, I received a job at Criner Remodeling. While working for Criner, I learned an unbelievable amount about remodeling and how to create beautiful and functional spaces with realistic budgets.
As a military spouse, I move around every two or three years due to reassignment. During our time in Virginia, my husband was chosen to become a Naval Pilot. He soon left for Officer Candidate School to become a Naval Officer, which meant the next stop for our family was Pensacola, Florida. My husband spent the next two years undergoing aviation training. I had trouble finding Interior Design work in Florida and was lucky enough to work for a stone supplier and fabricator in our area. Quickly after I started working, my husband and I found out we were expecting our first child that March.
Soon after completing the naval aviation program in Florida, he was chosen into the Jet Pilot program in Texas. I am so proud of my husband and can’t wait to see what comes next for us.
As a military spouse, I believe that everything happens when and exactly how it is supposed to. This life has been completely unexpected but better than I could have ever imagined.
Starting The Bella Casa Design Studio
Coming to the decision to go out on my own and start the Bella Casa Interior Design Studio was the easiest yet hardest decision I have ever made. Starting my design studio was a dream I never thought would come true, but I owe it to my husband for giving me the confidence to make it happen.
When thinking about the company name and motto. I fell back to my tried-and-true design philosophy – I want to design beautiful home with function in mind. I have always believed that a space does not need to sacrifice beauty for function. When it came to the business name, I knew I wanted to make a nod to my Italian heritage. Bella Casa translates to Beautiful Home in Italian. I loved how it directly correlated to my design tag line and to Interior Design.
After two and half years, it has been beyond rewarding to work with amazing people all over the United States doing what I love every day. I am beyond proud of how far the business has come and the amazing designs I have created. Starting Bella Casa has allowed me to be present in my son’s life and adapt with the changes of military life. Thank you are following along on my journey. The best is yet to come!
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