Take 10 With COUPAR’S Paige Bellante

Senior Lead Designer Paige Bellante has been with  COUPAR for over three years and nimbly transferred her skills in  visual merchandising to interior design. The Northern California native worked for companies such as Anthropologie and Nordstrom for eight years. Retail's tight deadlines for creating magical window displays and functional floor plans dovetailed nicely with designing high-end homes for discerning clients. When not working, Paige enjoys urban and nature escapes near and far away, wearing her signature bergamot scent.  

CC: What attracted you to COUPAR?

PB: I was attracted to working with many design firms within the Bay Area with varying design aesthetics and internal processes. I enjoy an adaptive work environment that keeps me on my toes. 

CC: You worked in visual merchandising for eight years, what are the similarities and differences to interior design? 

PB: There are more similarities than differences. Both require flexibility with ever-changing priorities. I learned so much about space planning in visual merchandising. You must put yourself in the customer’s shoes and imagine their experience while navigating the selling floor. I also learned much about color theory and pattern mixing within a space. Lastly, relationships were paramount, and you had to regularly make your rounds and check in with the selling managers for the departments you were working with, similar to maintaining vendor relationships.

One of the most significant differences;  in visual merchandising; the experience with the customer is a fleeting moment. In interior design, the relationship with the client can last for years.

CC: What would be your dream design project to take on?

PB: I would love to design the interiors for a small hotel in a quaint town on the Northern California coast. 

CC: What’s inspiring you in the industry right now?

PB: I’m inspired by designers who are continuously willing to take risks and avoid putting themselves in a box by doing the same designs repeatedly. It’s courageous to jump into the unknown, and I love to see it.

At Relove

CC: Vintage or new?

A mix of both is my ideal scenario. I like combining vintage for my unique statement pieces with new everyday items. One of my favorite clothing shops in the Bay Area, Relove, achieves a mix of vintage and new beautifully with their offerings.

CC: Favorite scent?

PB: A redwood tree grove, ocean mist, and I Don’t Know What by D.S. & Durga.

CC: Song you can listen to on repeat?

PB: “Paradise” by Sade. I was fortunate to grow up in a home that regularly had Sade playing from the stereo speakers. She is the epitome of cool. 

CC: Best way to take a rest or recharge? 

PB: Anything that takes me out of my bubble to gain a bigger-picture perspective on life typically means traveling somewhere. And when that’s not an option, some takeout and trash tv work too.

CC: Most adventurous thing you’ve done in your life?

PB: I am regularly challenging myself with things I’ve never done before. Sometimes it can be exhausting, and I wish I could be stagnant for a while, but this is not in my nature, so it will never happen. My next adventure is putting my stuff in storage this summer and trying out living in a few different cities in the U.S. before I decide where I’ll land with my partner, Eric.

CC: If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

PB: It’s either city or country life for me. I would split my time between Mexico City in the winter and spring, then a remote cabin in Yosemite in the summer and fall.

Roma Norte Neighborhood in Mexico City