James Veal and Christine Stucker are the creative pair behind Stewart-Schafer, a Brooklyn-based interior architecture studio they co-founded in 2009 specializing in intriguing objects, furnishings, and environments. The duo has successfully brought their unique vision to the likes of Fred Segal, H&M, John Varvatos, Victoria Beckham, Elle, Bergdorf Goodman, and BaubleBar, to name a few. By combining the perfect mix of contemporary and mid-century styles, along with various architectural influences, they’re able to far surpass what their clients envisioned. In this Friday Five, the duo shares a mix of creatives and a special place, all of which keeps them inspired.

1. Victor Pasmore Victor Pasmore is our favorite architect turned artist. We love his use of fluidity and freeform juxtaposed with very structured lines. Design is a meticulous act of balancing old and new with hard and soft, and Victor shows this constant balance in his work. His work confirms that design is all about bringing together the right materials, palettes, and pieces while having intentionality and being confident in the marks you make. His calculated and architectural process of creating art reflects our own brand’s ethos of methodical and purposeful design.

2. Wes Anderson
We are continuously inspired by the kaleidoscope of worlds, full of luster and whimsy, that Wes Anderson invents in his films. This dazzling visual array is always paired with equally crafted sound. By evolving on these dimensions, Wes can lift you out of reality and immerse you into a world he has created. As designers of bespoke spaces and furniture, that ability to transport a viewer is what we ultimately strive for.

3. Edward Wormley Having grown up in a mid-century home in Chicago, Christine found endless inspiration from the creations by American furniture designer Edward Wormely. As architects, interior designers and furniture designers, we have found many parallels to Wormley in our own creative journeys and design sensibility, especially relating to the themes of shape, form, material and timelessness. One of our favorite quotes by Wormley is “Modernism means freedom—freedom to mix, to choose, to change, to embrace the new but to hold fast to what is good.”

4. Ibiza We love the adrenaline of New York City, but as designers we find ourselves needing to reset and restore our creative energies by looking inward and living more tranquilly. Unknown to most tourists, Ibiza’s north side is full of natural beauty and radiates a uniquely calming energy. Though yoga and meditation have done us wonders, nothing leaves us feeling more recharged and eager to return to the expression of our creative energies than relaxing in Ibiza.

5. Each OtherCall it chemistry, but sometimes when two people come together to create, something special happens. Individually we have done great work, but together we have inspired and challenged each other to reach creative heights we never thought possible.