Violeta de la Serna
Creative Director | Founder | Expat
Hi—thanks for stopping in. Before the formal bio, here’s my backstory.
I moved to Greece in 2020 to remodel a handful of properties tucked deep in the Peloponnese—the real Greece. Not “Disney” Santorini or Mykonos, Greece.
After years in exhibition design and curation across multiple countries, I thought, “How hard could it be?” Cue the Greek comedy play: learning the language, decoding historic electrical systems, negotiating with solid stone walls, witnessing truly heroic quantities of improper silicone use, and falling headlong into the art, design, and layered history of this place. It was hard. It was also joy.
Greece—Athens included—moves to its own metronome. You can’t rush it. You can’t throw money at timelines and expect North American speed. What you can do is plan intelligently, build a trusted vendor ecosystem, and apply patience on an Olympic scale. If you’re curious why it works this way, read Greece: Biography of a Modern Nation by Roderick Beaton. Highly recommended.
That learning curve is exactly why I launched Studio de la Serna. I wanted people like me—people who want to live well here—to enjoy the wonder without the headaches. Today, after years of vetting partners and pressure-testing processes, we deliver end-to-end, turnkey design: transparent pricing, realistic (risk-managed) timelines, and meticulous attention to detail. We align aesthetics with operations, story with ROI, beauty with buildability.
If you’re looking for spaces that photograph beautifully, perform commercially, and feel like you belong here—Miami meets Mediterranean, but truly Greek in spirit—you’re in the right place.
Violeta de la Serna is the Founder & Creative Director of Studio de la Serna—a luxury, Greece based interior design practice built for clients who want beautiful spaces that also perform. She brings 20+ years in fine art and collectible design to every project, translating curation into clear strategy so your property books faster, earns more, and photographs like a dream.
Violeta grew up backstage in design. Her mother was a Bloomingdale’s home stylist and textile expert, so Violeta learned quality the old-fashioned way—by touching fabrics, studying details, and doing her homework at an Armani/Casa desk. That early training shows up in her work today: refined taste, smart material choices, and finishes that hold up to real life (and real guests).
After studying Art History and Architecture in Florence, Violeta joined a Las Vegas gallery and began designing exhibitions featuring Galle glass lamps, works of art by Erte, and Chippendale furniture. From there she managed and designed galleries in the Miami Design District, Maui, and 5-7 star luxury cruise ships. Later, she styled interiors and photoshoots for private and corporate clients across the U.S. Her design lens is art-forward and business-minded—a rare combo that helps clients avoid costly mistakes and invest where it counts.
Violeta has designed showrooms and curated design fair presentations for events like Miami Art & Design, The Original Miami Beach Antique Show, Art Miami, CONTEXT, The Palm Beach Show, Palm Beach Modern + Contemporary, Art Boca, Naples Art, Antique & Jewelry Show, and the Boston International Fine Art Fair. This exposure to global buyers and press shaped her approach: create spaces with a clear story, hospitality-grade execution, and strong visual identity—so your property stands out online and off.
Her sourcing is obsessive and strategic. She has curated interiors with collectible pieces from Boca do Lobo, Tonino Lamborghini, Roche Bobois, Herman Miller, Fendi Casa, Armani/Casa, Versace, Bentley Home, Poltrona Frau, and Baxter. She has also handled and valued thousands of pieces from Palm Beach and New York estates—works by Gaetano Pesce, Finn Juhl, Frank Gehry, Michael Graves, Aldo Rossi, Philippe Starck, Marcel Wanders, Verner Panton, and Dale Chihuly, along with heritage houses like Baccarat, Tiffany Studios, Lalique, Villeroy & Boch, Reed & Barton, Murano ateliers, Sèvres, Royal Doulton, and Meissen. Translation for clients: you get access to rare finds, sensible investment pieces, and a clean plan that fits your budget and target guest.
Her range covers Art Deco, Mid-Century Modern, Town & Country, Coastal, Regency, Spanish Colonial, Palm Beach Maximalism, Miami Modern, and Mediterranean. In 2020, she moved to Greece to lead the restoration and interior design of retreat villas in Monemvasia. Today she serves villas, boutique hotels, and premium short-term rentals across the Athens Riviera and the Peloponnese with a “Miami-meets-Mediterranean” point of view: sun-lit color, sculptural lines, tactile textiles, and layouts that sell the lifestyle.
Clients hire Violeta for outcomes. Expect investor-minded planning, turnkey delivery, and design that lifts occupancy, ADR (average daily rate), reviews, and resale value. Expect mood-board to procurement to installation mapped against your ROI goals. By the end of the process you’ll get spaces that host beautifully, shoot effortlessly, and stay booked and create guest loyalty.
luxury interior design Greece, ROI-driven design, turnkey interiors, hospitality-grade finishes, Athens Riviera, Peloponnese, boutique hotel design, villa design, premium short-term rentals, Airbnb interior design, Athens Renovations, Interior Design Greece, Hospitality design.
Violeta at Monemvasia Castle, one of her favorite places in Greece.