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Friday Five with Venus Williams

With 7 Grand Slam titles, 5 Wimbledon championships and 4 Olympic gold medals, tennis legend Venus Williams is not only a force on the court, but also an emerging star in the world of interior design. In 2002, after earning an Interior Decorator certification, Williams founded V Starr Interiors, a full-service commercial and residential interior design firm. Known for completing projects right and on time, with designs that are exciting and purposeful, V Starr’s team is fiercely dedicated, organized, and detail orientated. Recently the firm announced their partnership with Airbnb partner, Niido, to design their first-ever apartment complex. High-profile clients such as InterContinental Hotels, Midtown Athletic Club and The Hotel at Midtown in Chicago, Curio by Hilton, Related Group and Howard University, and others have turned to V Starr Interiors to successfully translate their vision into reality. In this week’s Friday Five, Venus is sharing a few of her favorites.

1. Arte Flamingo Wall Covering
We live in South Florida, so why not a flamingo! BUT this is not your Grandma’s plastic front lawn ornament. The bold print with various colors draws your eye in and takes you directly to a tropical place. Nothing says fun in the sun like Arte’s Avalon Collection Flamingo.

Photo courtesy of Mosaic del Sur

2. Mosaic del Sur Custom Terrazzo
A material that has been used for centuries, terrazzo is making a comeback! Terrazzo is a very durable, environmentally friendly material that will last for years to come. With Mosaic del Sur’s customization capabilities, designers can create unique patterns to produce amazing tiles for wall or floor installations.

Photo courtesy of Yellow Goat

3. Yellow Goat
Yellow Goat is definitely one of my favorite manufacturers because they are constantly pushing the limits of creativity, while always ensuring functionality. Their team is made up of creatives as well, which as a designer is always refreshing to work with. From custom light fixtures to custom wall screens, all of their designs always showcase as focal artwork within a space.

Photo courtesy of Brizo

4. Brizo Litze Faucet
Brizo has some amazing new faucets and I personally love the Litze faucet in matte black and gold.

Photo Courtesy of Kettal

5. Kettal Vimini 2-Place Sofa
I love this collection from Kettal, the Vimini. It is a combination of island vibes with contemporary structure. It is also in reference to a classic from the 1950s, the basket chair by Danish designers Nanna and Jorgen Ditzel.

Kelly Beall is Director of Branded Content at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based writer and designer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, from Fashion Plates to MoMA and far beyond. When not searching out the visual arts, she's likely sharing her favorite finds with others. Kelly can also be found tracking down new music, teaching herself to play the ukulele, or on the couch with her three pets – Bebe, Rainey, and Remy. Find her @designcrush on social.