Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Ferzoco.
Michael, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
In my earlier corporate life I lived and worked in Paris, France. Surrounded amazing architecture and design in everything from furniture, lighting, accessories, and fashion I decided it was time to pursue my true passion in architecture and interior design. I returned to Boston and pursued my education in architectural interiors and design while working part time for a large residential design firm. After completing my degree and having worked several years in the field, I decided to strike out on my own, risk it all and try to develop my own design firm. Fast forward 12 years and I’m now surrounded by a team of 7 bright and talented colleagues/designers who collectively make Eleven Interiors the successful firm it is today. We’ve completed challenging, large scale, creative projects in and around Boston, Cape Cod, New York City, Los Angeles, Portland and Savannah.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Running your own business is rarely a smooth road! Though we’re in an excellent position and have been for many years, those first few years were very tough. The business started just about 2 years before the country went into economic collapse and it was a major struggle to survive and continue to pay my 1 and only employee. These days, business is thriving, the projects are challenging, but there just isn’t enough time in the day to get everything done. The challenges now involve things like human resource issues, advertising budgets and campaigns, charitable sponsorships, giving back to the community. All of that plus running the larger and growing business requires even better time management skills!
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Eleven Interiors – what should we know?
Our firm creates spaces that allow our clients to live, work and relax in an environment they love. We work closely with architects and developers in the planning/building stages and we then design the interior finish spaces…. tile, flooring, plumbing and electrical fixtures, countertops and backsplashes, furniture and soft goods. We’re known for incorporating a measured mix of periods/styles into our interiors so that our client’s spaces feel as if they’ve developed over time. We don’t have a “signature look”…. it’s dictated by the project location and the client’s needs/wants. After all, they must live there when we’re done…. we get to leave….so they had better like what we did! What sets us apart in our industry is our business approach to interior design…. the budget details and the lengthy communication with our clients means there’s never a financial surprise during a project. No one likes surprises, especially when it comes to cost over runs.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
My Mom always told me that I could be anything I wanted to be if I could dream it. My friend, Scott, introduced me to France and European culture, art, design and a certain joie de vivre.
My partner, Michael, is the most positive thinking and honest person I’ve ever met, and he encourages me daily to uphold my integrity in this difficult and demanding world. My lifelong friends and colleagues who I surround myself with have a very optimistic outlook on life in general and it’s infectious.
Many clients who allow me to broaden my design horizons by challenging me to do something for them that allows THEM to step out of their box
Pricing:
- We bill hourly or on a project fee basis, depending on the project and client.
- We never mark up furniture/soft goods over retail…..at that point a client should just purchase the item themselves.
- Our projects have budgets between $200K and $2M
Contact Info:
- Address: Eleven Interiors
535 Albany Street 4th Floor
Boston MA 02118 - Website: www.eleveninteriors.com
- Phone: 617.423.1114
- Email: christina@eleveninteriors.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/eleveninteriors
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/eleveninteriors
Image Credit:
Photographers Eric Roth, Michael J Lee, Sabrina Cole Quinn, Greg Premru
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