This week I'm catching up with the Principal designer/owner Quintece Hill-Mattauszek of Studio Q Designs based in Alexandria, Virginia, for another interview a part of the series, Where Are The Black Tastemakers Now?
Over the past few years, I have had the pleasure of getting to know Quintece for her interior design skill set as well as a friend. When it comes to bringing people together, and seeking out interior designers for an editorial opportunity Quintece always has somebody in mind. She’s a connector, which is why I wanted to talk with her about the new group Design Collective DC (DCDC) which Quintece is a founding member; as well as what were thoughts on the latest interior design trends for the kitchen according to Elle Decor.
“I always want to hear my clients say, ‘It’s so good to be home,’ or ‘How about you come to my place instead?’ That’s how I know I’m doing the right thing.”
Quintece grew up learning how to design and create beautiful things. These formative years included helping out in her mother’s fabrication workroom as she learned how to sew draperies and slipcovers. She also accompanied her father in his part-time landscaping business – a passion project outside of his full-time job as a mechanic. That experience served her well at the University of Maryland and Montgomery College, where she studied mechanical engineering and then interior design, while paying her own way with money she earned by offering creative services such as decorative painting and architectural renderings.
Quintece’s education continued through her early professional career as she worked under some of the area’s most accomplished designers, before establishing Studio Q in 2012. Through her own business, Quintece regularly employs her engineering background by integrating smart-home technology and innovative lighting design into her interiors. She’s also not afraid to get out her tools and build custom elements when the need arises. “I don’t think there’s a single project where I haven’t made something in some capacity,” she says. Among her many creative projects, Quintece has built custom cabinetry, doors, paneling, and crown molding, in addition to regularly utilizing her sewing machine and decorative-painting skills to craft truly unique environments for her clients.
Photography by Stacy Zarin Goldberg
Quintece gained widespread attention in 2016, when The Washington Post featured the roof-terrace design she produced for that year’s DC Design House. The project involved upholstering a mail-order daybed, building a canopy around it, and draping it in lush fabrics she and her mother sewed to invoke the iconic decorator Dorothy Draper’s bold and colorful aesthetic. She’s since been featured in several publications that have highlighted her diverse projects, which currently run the gamut from a farmhouse in the country to a chic home in the city.
Beyond her clients’ work, Quintece continuously tries to follow the “Each One Teach One” philosophy and extends her knowledge of the design world through her position as a college professor at Montgomery College in Rockville, Maryland. Teaching and nurturing the next wave of design talent through her class Advanced Presentation Techniques for Interior Designers, has been a passionate mission as a way in which to give back. In addition to helping shape the future DC Designers, Quintece also is one of the founding members of Design Collective DC (DCDC), a membership is a local organization of Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) interior design professionals dedicated to providing industry-wide support for their individual members, while simultaneously promoting racial diversity within their creative field, in the DC Metro Area.
Quintece lives close to her studio in Alexandria, in the home she shares with her husband and two sons. It’s never a dull moment as the whole family cares for a steady flow of foster puppies while the pups await their forever homes.
On this week’s Interior Design Game: Love it or Hate it, and Why? Quintece and I focus on this article from Elle Decor written by Kate McGregor around top kitchen trends for 2021. This week’s shoppable mood board is all about what Quintece loves in the kitchen.
Quintece is all about the classics when it comes to cookware- 29, Your Way
When it comes to most smart appliances Quintece is not a fan, but of course when it comes to her clients she will find the perfect smart appliance for the project- LG InstaView™ Door-in-Door
One of the things Quintece and I were stuck on was heavy duty paint for the kitchen, check out this brand from Farrow & Ball- Duck green emulsion paint
When it comes to interior design being able to show your clients through 3D renderings of what a finished space could look like is crucial for your presentation- Duke Renders Kitchen
To learn more about the Design Collective DC group- Member Inquiries
Glass containers to add to your kitchen storage- Marie Kondo Glass Spice Jar with Bamboo Lid
A high-end looking stove at an affordable price- Kucht Professional KNG 30-in 4 Burners 4.2-cu ft Convection Oven Freestanding Gas Range (Green)
Sleek wall tiles for the kitchen- NOA MINNESOTA ASH