Amalia Graziani is a residential real estate developer with a passion for creating spaces that inspire a sense of calm. Her style is serene and simple, yet packed with character.

“I’m really inspired by spaces that create visual interest without art or heavy décor. My ideal is a space where the walls, the beams and the light tell a story, and you can throw in some clean neutral furniture and call it a day.” Exhibit A: this sophisticated, airy dream in Amagansett.

Amalia’s love of design started at an early age. “My dad was always renovating something, and in high school, we moved into an old farm-style house in San Francisco. It had incredible period details and we did a ton of the restoration ourselves. Changing the space to bring out beauty that wasn’t there before was incredibly satisfying.”

Today, Amalia spends her days between a development site and the classroom, as she’s pursuing her MBA at NYU Stern. “After studying something quantitative and dry, I love the creative contrast of piecing together custom moldings or playing with different ways to open up a space.”

In 2020, we’re taking a blueprint from Amalia and resolving to take more risks and push ourselves out of those comfort zones. “I’ve had some amazing mentors, and by saying yes to smart, kind people, I’ve ended up doing something that lights me up.” And of course, we had to ask Amalia for some design advice. She’s compiled a list of design accents that she Swears by, straight from her professional toolkit, to give you the premium-designer-on-retainer look (without the fee).