Danielle Hausberg wants to connect her clients and projects to their own sense of history. Incorporating a home’s original architecture and layering in worn wood and patinated finishes, textural walls, and antique objects are central to her work. “My design intent is always to create spaces that don’t feel brand new, but rather rooms that have always been,” says the LA-raised and based—via an impactful time abroad in Florence—interior designer and curator. We love her elevated and gorgeous designs and appreciate that she took the time to chat with us. Read on for her approach, how she’s keeping inspired while self-isolating, and her tips to starting your own antique collection.

A light gray sofa has a shearling throw on it and in front of it sits a square dark wood coffee table with a bowl of moss on it.

You own your own interior design business. Tell us about that!

After working in design for a few years, I took time off and spent a year in Florence, where I attended design school. I came back to LA when the program was complete, inspired, and ready to start my own business. My aesthetic and approach to design are very much influenced by my time spent abroad in that I love to connect my projects to their own sense of history. Whether it's an entire space or an individual piece, I like to create environments that feel timeless even in their contemporary settings. 

The spaces you design have such a calming, yet rich vibe. How do you achieve that balance?

Thank you! I think the key is to prioritize the use of vintage or antique pieces and elements in a space. The worn woods, patinated brass, plaster walls, vintage velvets are what give authenticity to a room that is unmatched with new or contemporary furniture. My design intent is always to create spaces that don’t feel brand new, but rather rooms that have always been. I also get a lot of inspiration from my clients and their pieces. I designed an entire kitchen around a client’s collection of antique glassware!  

What’s keeping you inspired during all this time at home?

Design books! With all this time at home, and minimal visits to showrooms and a lack of flea markets and travel opportunities, design books have been the best way for me to stay inspired, learn, and keep training my eye. I love that with this business I’m always learning. Also, morning beach walks are my everyday necessity! 

How do you see the future of interior design changing in the new normal of self-isolating?

There is a very clear appreciation now for life at home. Whether it's clients or friends, I definitely see a shift in people caring more about the items they collect for their homes. I love that within design there is something for everyone: every style, every budget, and an opportunity for people to experiment with their own taste. As we all adjust to continued self-isolating, I think more and more people are taking an interest in how they decorate and use their spaces.

In addition to interior design, you also curate antique objects. Do you have a few tips for someone looking to start an antique collection?

Buy what you love! Take your time and curate and go so slow, don’t just buy to buy. I only buy pieces that I would put in my own home or my clients’ homes. Also, train your eye, when things open up again, going to flea markets and antique shows and familiarizing yourself with either certain items or vendors makes collecting more rewarding. 

What are a few projects you are most proud of?

Launching my Objects collection. When I lived in Italy, my dream was to be able to buy and sell all of the beautiful pieces I would find at flea markets there. I launched the collection on a whim, totally unsure what the response would be, but to see it well received and pretty much all sold, is still a pinch-me moment. 

Interior designer Danielle Hausberg sits in a cane chair.
A modern dining room has a long wooden dining table surrounded by ten black wood chairs with woven seats and a modern chandelier above.

Are there any design trends you are loving right now?

I'm seeing designers, myself included, incorporating textured walls into a lot of their projects with products like roman clay or lime wash or traditional plaster. As I mentioned before, this is such a great way to add a sense of history and richness to a room, and while it may be a “trend,” it’s rooted in traditional paint techniques, so I’m convinced it's pretty timeless.

What’s next for you?

Our next Objects collection! Right now we are in full buying mode finalizing our next collection. We will likely be adding new product categories like mirrors, glassware, and pillows, hoping to launch in the fall. I’m really excited!

A stainless steel range with a silver tea kettle on it has a pearlized stacked vertical tile backsplash behind it and a white vent hood and wooden open shelving on either side.

Photos provided by Danielle Hausberg, Photography by Olivia Pierce