Talk Shop: Stephanie Rodriguez Purzycki // The Finish
ABOUT STEPHANIE
Stephanie Rodriguez Purzycki is the co-founder and CEO of The Finish, a one of a kind platform that pairs you with a designer for finishing touch projects in your home. Along with her co-founder Kaitlin Madden, Stephanie founded The Finish in 2019 to fill a void they experienced whenever they visited their friend’s homes and were asked for their decorating advice. They saw a niche market of people who may not want to hire a designer but want someone with a trained eye to help finish their spaces. Simply put, they created The Finish to give people the chance to ask a professional the design questions they've always wanted to ask.
Before starting The Finish and her own design firm, Drive Hospitality, Stephanie gained invaluable work experience in both residential and hospitality design at top award-winning design firms: ICRAVE, Mark Hampton LLC, and Mark P. Finlay Interiors. With a life-long passion for hospitality and travel, Stephanie pursued her Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Administration at Cornell University. After graduating, Stephanie worked on large-scale renovation and redevelopment projects, such as the W Vieques Resort and the Study at Yale hotel during her time at Hospitality 3. Inspired by the unique visions and thought-provoking experiences created by the designers she worked with on these projects, Stephanie left Hospitality 3 to pursue her MFA in Interior Design. At Parsons, Stephanie won the Kalil Endowment for Smart Design fellowship funding her hospitality research in Manizales, Colombia. Her design work has also been selected for publication and exhibition at the University of Austin, Texas. Enjoy our latest Talk Shop with Stephanie!
Describe your style in three words or less:
Layered, timeless, and comfortable.
What have been the three biggest influences on your aesthetic in your life:
My mother. She has such an amazing eye for curating beautiful antiques and furniture. I know I get my creativity and passion for design from my mom.
My town. I have spent 12 years living in Fairfield, Connecticut, a picturesque historic and coastal town filled with charming colonials, and 18th- and 19th-century architecture.
My design idols - Bunny Williams, Albert Hadley, Victoria Hagan, Kelly Wearstler
How did you start your company, and/or what is your favorite thing about what you do:
I worked in hospitality and commercial interior design for a rigorous firm for years in New York City. I loved my company but we worked very long hours and it was physically and mentally exhausting. I got married and started a family, and my priorities changed. I then found myself in a small town in Fairfield, Connecticut as a new mom trying to build my community. With every new mom friend came the same design questions: “What do you think about this?,” “What would you do here?”, “I need help but I don’t know where to start?”
I started The Finish to meet that need I saw in the market. New homeowners, moms, and people that needed design help but didn’t need to completely redo their homes. The Finish offers design on-demand services booked by the hour. We have clients that book us for an hour to help with paint colors or help style a shelf. Our projects average 10-15 hours and we end up tackling a couple of design pain points in a client’s home to help them finish their space.
Do you have a mentor in your career, and if so, how have they helped to shape your trajectory:
I have had various mentors throughout my career. They are the people I have leaned on for support and guidance. My mentor now is an incredibly successful entrepreneur. Success leaves clues and I try to learn as much as I can from my mentors.
What does your home say about you:
My home says that small children rule my life now.
Where do you find inspiration:
Books, Pinterest & Magazines
Who are your style icons:
Ralph Lauren, Princess Diana, Victoria Beckham
What are your key ingredients for entertaining:
An elegant table, good food & good company
Do you collect anything:
Tablecloths, napkins, napkin rings
Favorite Instagram accounts to follow for inspiration:
Aerin Lauder. I am also really loving Julia Amory these days and her dreamy table settings.
What design “rule” do you always follow, and which is made to be broken:
Doesn’t matter the style of the room, drapery should sit ⅛” off the floor.
I break any other rule if it’s right for the client.
What are you working on right now:
Besides various residential projects, two medical spas, and my retail shop.
Wardrobe staples:
I live in flowy summer dresses during the warmer months. Black leggings and boots in the winter.
Favorite fabric/wallpaper:
Toile de Nantes by Pierre Frey
Best interior advice you ever received:
Done is better than perfect.
Best career advice you ever received:
Know where you want to end up and write down goals to get there.
Types of home purchases you invest in:
I invest in china, glassware, table linens, and art.
Your greatest extravagance:
An original Renoir etching
Favorite places to shop for home:
The Finish’s shop in Southport, CT, of course
Most prized possession and why:
My gold heart locket that belonged to my grandmother.
Your interiors motto:
Ask for forgiveness, not for permission
Your life motto:
Everything happens for a reason
Advice for someone looking to define their own interior style:
Don’t follow trends or copy someone on social media because of popularity. Do what feels right.
Take Ten: My Favorite…
Food: Cuban (I am half Cuban / half Colombian)
Drink: Old-fashioned
Film: Pride and Prejudice
Hotel: Castello di Casole. We spent our honeymoon here and I will forever be in love with Tuscany, the hotel, the food and the property.
City: New York City
Bedding: Frette
Tea or Coffee (and how do you take it): Coffee with Oatmilk
Playlist: The Finish Spotify Playlist
Weekend Activity: Gardening
Design Book: Right now I am reading and loving “Life in a French Country House” by Cordelia de Castellane