studioHEIMAT: New Perspectives and New Possibilities

For the 2021 San Francisco Decorator Showcase, New Perspectives design team Eva Muller Bradley and Alicia Cheung Lichtenstein of studioHEIMAT presented  Shoshin – A Beginner's Mind.  As a part of the interactive virtual tour event inspired by 1080 Chestnut Street, a luxurious Russian Hill penthouse with 360° views of San Francisco landmarks, Muller Bradley and Cheung Lichtenstein created a tranquil space to transition from Meditation to Yoga to Pilates. The Asian-influenced room is a place to greet the morning, a new day, new possibilities, to become a beginner again.

Art by Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya

When Asian American Cheung Lichtenstein realized that five out of the ten New Perspectives designers were from the Asian American Pacific Islander community, she felt it was an excellent opportunity to raise awareness for AAPI causes. With the recent escalation of Asian hate crimes in America, Cheung Lichtenstein planned an AAPI Instagram Fundraiser. Posting artwork by Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya, participants were encouraged to donate or volunteer to the charities of their choice. In addition, a San Francisco Decorator Showcase featured four of the five AAPI designers in a panel, "Diversity by Design."

The evocative discussion moderated by Bombay-born textile designer Seema Krish brought together Chinese Americans Cheung Lichtenstein and Catherine Kwong, Filipino American Jon De La Cruz, and East Indian Sindhu Peruri. Each of the designers shared how their families and cultures shaped their careers and their experiences of being AAPI in the San Francisco Bay Area. While their stories were unique, there was a commonality uniting them. "It means something that in these moments, we can turn negativity and hate into a stronger community bond and support each other in doing so," said Cheung Lichtenstein.