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 For more than 25 years, Kevin Serba of Serba Interiors has been creating clean and
timeless interiors by collecting antiques, art, furniture and unique accessories.
What drew you to design as a career?
While I was growing up, my family owned a flower business. In high school, I worked
in window display design. When I went away to college I started in hotel management,
but after about a year, I knew I wanted to study design.
After graduation I bought my family’s flower business and turned it into a floral and
design company in Grosse Pointe. After a 16 year stint with another design firm, I founded Serba Interiors. I love working with people so interior design is a great job for me.
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| Belgian factory windows converted to mirrors are
a great architectural element in this space. A
collection of furniture, art and antiques creates
interest. |
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| Hand planed wood floors and counter top
combined with crisp white cabinetry and marble
provide an inviting work space. |
How would you describe your design
philosophy?
I believe in classic design, and clean lines. I’m
attracted to objects that are not too trendy, and
those that will withstand the test of time. Comfort
is really important to me and my design aesthetic.
The colors I use come from a palette that is easy
on the eye – calming neutrals.
What serves as your inspiration?
Details inspire me. Finding and paying attention
to small elements will always translate into
tremendous larger projects.
Travel and nature also inspire me. We travel to
Europe at least once a year. I find Italy, France,
and Prague particularly interesting from a design
standpoint. As a family we take a yearly trip to
visit our National Parks. A few years ago we
stayed on a remote island in Maine.
Is there a particular design process you use
with clients?
By working closely on projects with clients I try to
understand the way they live and how they
function day-to-day.
The initial meeting is to understand how they live,
and to get a feel for their lifestyle – whether that
is formal, casual, or somewhere in the middle.
Then I try to determine what they really want out
of an interior. Some clients are more concerned
with entertaining, others, with how their family will
function in the new space. I have a number of
single clients who simply use their homes and
interiors for their own enjoyment, and art is really
important to them. That is something I love –
collecting unusual art and antiques, then mixing
them with more contemporary objects. I think it’s
a great look. Many of those antiques come from
my trips to the LA Market, Atlanta, North Carolina,
and New York.
Are you working on a project that is
particularly exciting?
I just finished a project in La Jolla, California. It
was challenging working on a home in California,
but I had a lot of fun. The travel and the change
of scenery are always great, but the time change
makes communication with the builders a little
difficult and the long travel days were hard. But
it’s fun meeting and getting to know new trades
people, and finding exciting new sources. Next,
I’m working on a home in Palm Desert, California.
Distance jobs are fun because I get to look at things from a different prospective than my projects in
Michigan. Ninety percent of my jobs are in the state of Michigan, and my client’s second homes typically
make up the out-of-state portion.
Read more about Kevin Serba and his great advice on collecting antique furniture and accessories in
Time & Place from the inaugural issue of Michigan Design Center @home by clicking here.
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This custom
Florida waterfront
home utilizes
museum white walls,
floors and ceilings to
highlight the bold
art collection. |
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