About us

Inspiro started in 2014 in a single rented studio, with founder Maya Ellison taking on her first residential project after years working as an architect at a large commercial firm. She wanted to build something smaller and more personal — a studio where every client got direct access to the person actually designing their space, not a hand-off to a junior team.

That principle hasn’t changed. Over a decade later, Inspiro has grown to a team of designers, coordinators, and trade partners, but every project still runs through the same hands-on process Maya built the studio on: listen first, design second, and never compromise on the details that make a space feel like home.

Our Philosophy

We don’t believe in one signature look. Every project starts from scratch — your habits, your collection, your view, your budget — because a space designed around trends stops working the moment the trend changes. Our job is to translate how you actually live into a room that works, and make it beautiful while we’re at it.

Meet the Founder

Maya holds a B.Arch from UCL and spent five years as an architect before founding Inspiro in 2014. Her background in architecture shows in her approach — she thinks in terms of light, flow, and structure first, then layers in the warmth and texture that make a space feel personal. Maya leads the creative direction on every Inspiro project and is still involved from the first client meeting through final styling.

Her work has been featured in Dwell, Elle Decor, and Architectural Digest, and she was awarded the 2023 City Design Excellence Award for her renovation of the Harbor Loft.

I still walk every finished space before a client sees it. If it doesn’t feel right to me, it’s not done.

— Maya ELLISON