Walk into a room that’s truly “done,” and you can feel it before you can explain it. The air changes. Your shoulders drop.
Your eyes start travelingwall to art to lamp to that one weird little vintage object that somehow makes the whole space
make sense. It’s not magic, exactly. It’s intention.

For Quintece C. Hill-Mattauszekprincipal designer and founder of Studio Q Designsthree ingredients do a lot of heavy lifting:
color, charm, and passion. Not as fluffy “inspo words,” but as an actual framework for
building rooms that feel personal, functional, and alive. Her work is proof that a home doesn’t need to be a museum (and honestly,
who has time to live like that?) to be meaningful. It needs to be yours.

This article unpacks what those three ideas look like in real design decisionspaint, pattern, texture, client relationships,
and the grit it can take to thrive as a Black designer in an industry that still has a long way to go.

Meet Quintece Hill-Mattauszek: A Designer Who Builds the “Feeling” First

From a fabrication workroom to Studio Q Designs

Hill-Mattauszek’s origin story isn’t “I woke up one day and bought a velvet sofa.” Her early design education happened hands-on:
learning to sew drapes and slipcovers in her mother’s fabrication workroom. That foundation matters because it teaches a designer
something you can’t download from a trend report: how things are made, how they behave, and why details are the difference between
“pretty” and “practical.”

She later founded Studio Q Designs and built her reputation around impactful, client-centered spaceshomes that prioritize how people
live, not just how a room photographs.

Listening is a design skill (and a business strategy)

Hill-Mattauszek describes one of her greatest strengths as her ability to listenreally listento what clients say and what they
don’t say. In other words: she’s designing for real humans with real habits, not for imaginary people who never need a place to toss
keys, charge a phone, or hide a package from porch pirates.

That approach shows up in everything from layout choices to how bold (or quiet) a palette becomes. Because color is powerfulbut the
wrong color, in the wrong place, for the wrong person? That’s not “brave.” That’s just expensive.

Why “Color” Is More Than Paint: It’s Mood, Movement, and Memory

Color is the fastest way to change the emotional temperature of a room. Paint brands and color experts talk about this as
color psychologythe idea that surrounding hues can shape emotion and perception. Even if you’ve never used the phrase,
you’ve felt it: a bright kitchen that gives you energy, a dark bedroom that makes you exhale, a living room that feels “off” even though
the furniture is nice.

Sherwin-Williams frames color psychology as the way color can shift mood and influence behavior, helping you create spaces that match the
ambiance you want. Benjamin Moore similarly breaks down how color families can feel uplifting, grounding, dramatic, or calming depending on
hue and depth.

Color doesn’t have to be loud to be powerful

Here’s the twist: when people hear “color-forward,” they often imagine neon accents and a personality test that ends in “chaos goblin.”
Hill-Mattauszek’s philosophy is more nuanced. She’s known for spaces with personality, but her “pop of color” can be a controlled moment:
a saturated door, a patterned wallcovering, a confident stripe, or a punchy textile that wakes up a neutral room.

Think of color like seasoning. You can absolutely overdo it. But you can also underdo itresulting in a space that looks fine on paper
and feels like plain oatmeal in real life.

A practical way to choose color without panicking

• Start with the feeling: Do you want calm, upbeat, cozy, dramatic, or focused?
• Pick a “home base” neutral: Not boringsupportive. A warm white, a grounded greige, a soft clay tone.
• Choose one hero color: A hue you’ll repeat in at least 2–3 places (art, pillows, rug, paint, ceramics).
• Add a “spark” color: A smaller accent for contrast (brass, ink blue, citron, oxbloodwhatever fits you).
• Test in real light: Morning vs. afternoon vs. nighttime lighting can change everything.

If you’re stuck, remember: you’re not marrying the color. You’re just committing to it longer than a weekend. (So maybe don’t make your
entire hallway fire-engine red if you’re already emotionally fragile on Mondays.)

Charm: The Ingredient That Makes a Home Feel Like a Home

Charm is the “human” layerthose choices that make a space feel collected, not copy-pasted. Hill-Mattauszek describes a repeatable formula
she tries to incorporate in every space: a mix of hard and soft textures, visual texture, a bit of leather, something reflective, a pop of
color, and a touch of charm or unique features.

Notice what’s happening there: charm isn’t one object. It’s the interaction of materials and moments. It’s the difference between
a room that’s styled and a room that has a story.

Charm checklist (no antique dealer required)

• Something imperfect: Handmade ceramics, vintage brass, an old frame, a worn leather tray.
• Something reflective: A mirror, polished metal, glossy tile, lacquer, even glass lighting.
• Something tactile: Bouclé, linen, velvet, grasscloth, cane, carved wood, nubby wool.
• One “conversation piece”: The object guests point at and say, “Waitwhere did you find that?”
• A personal anchor: Art from a trip, a family heirloom, textiles that signal your culture or history.

Charm is also what keeps you from feeling trapped in one trend. Hill-Mattauszek has said she’s tired of seeing endless modern farmhouse
variationsshiplap, barn doors, distressed finishesbecause eventually the “charm” hits a saturation point. When you build charm from
personal meaning instead of trend repetition, your space stays fresher longer.

Passion: The Engine Behind the Design (and the Resilience Behind the Designer)

Passion in design isn’t just enthusiasm. It’s stamina. It’s pushing through decision fatigue, budget stress, delayed shipments, and the
occasional “I found this sofa online at 2 a.m. and I already bought it” curveball.

In Hill-Mattauszek’s world, passion also includes resilienceespecially as a Black designer navigating an industry that has historically
undervalued and under-credited Black creative talent.

A defining project: DC Design House 2016

One project that stayed with her was the Washington, D.C. Design House in 2016a showhouse experience she described as both a dream and one
of the most challenging experiences of her life. She has shared that while other designers received discounts and loaned items, she struggled
to find supportso she leaned into DIY, building and sewing many elements herself (including a canopy, slipcovers, pillows, and more) with help
from her mom. The result: a space that became one of the most published areas in the home.

That story is bigger than a roof deck. It’s about the behind-the-scenes labor that often goes unseenand the determination to claim space in the
design conversation anyway.

Success, according to Hill-Mattauszek: happy clients, not just headlines

In a candid industry conversation, she jokes that success is “not killing a client”and then clarifies what she actually means: success is getting
to the end of a project with clients who genuinely love their home. Not the biggest budget, not the fanciest feature, not even the publication.
The win is a space that works and a process that gets you there without emotionally combusting.

That mindsetprioritizing client satisfactionalso tends to create the kind of business that grows through referrals, trust, and long-term relationships.
Passion shows up as professionalism, patience, and follow-through.

Case Study: The “Vintage Cabana” Roof Deck That Felt Like a Getaway

If you want to see color, charm, and passion collide in one space, the DC Design House roof deck is the example.
Washingtonian listed Hill-Mattauszek as the designer behind a “vintage cabana” on the roof. Coverage of the showhouse describes a “cool entertainment area”
built for cocktails or tea, with a “Havana Nights” vibe and a touch of old Hollywood glamour.

The details are what make it sing: palm leaves and botanicals used as wall covering in just the right dose; a custom canopy when the “perfect one” didn’t exist;
old wicker furniture and galvanized pipes used as the base; and bold palm-leaf drapery that doesn’t whisperit flirts.

Design moves worth stealing (ethically) for your own home

• Use “vacation cues” in small doses: A botanical wallcovering, a tropical textile, a carved wood accessoryenough to transport you, not enough to
  turn your living room into a theme park.
• Repeat architectural lines for cohesion: The showhouse materials note how existing detailing (like wainscot) can be continued so indoor and outdoor
  areas feel connected.
• Build the focal point if you can’t buy it: A canopy, a bar, a tableDIY doesn’t have to be rustic. It can be polished, tailored, and intentional.
• Charm lives in finishing touches: Contrasting drapery, playful finials, layered textiles, and a floor pattern that adds movement underfoot.

Also worth remembering: showhouses like DC Design House weren’t just style playgrounds. They were philanthropic enginesraising significant funds for Children’s
National (with the broader event reportedly attracting tens of thousands of visitors and generating millions in fundraising over its run).

Global Inspiration Without Copying: What Bali Teaches Designers

Hill-Mattauszek has pointed to Bali as a design highlightadmiring how architecture blends with cultural influence and the tropical environment, and how traditional
craftsmanship can sit alongside contemporary concepts.

The best designers treat global inspiration with respect: they study the “why,” not just the “what.” It’s the difference between borrowing a palette because it
feels joyful and copying cultural symbols because they look cool on Instagram.

Organizations like the Black Artists + Designers Guild (BADG) underscore the importance of culture, community, and collective supportadvancing and centering makers
of African descent and building a more equitable creative culture. That’s a helpful lens for anyone: take inspiration in a way that honors origin, credits makers,
and supports communitiesnot just aesthetics.

The Color + Charm + Passion Playbook: A Room-by-Room Approach

Living room: make it welcoming, not sterile

• Color: Choose one saturated notean art piece with teal and rust, or a deep blue built-in.
• Charm: Add one vintage or handmade piece (a coffee table book stand, a carved stool, a thrifted brass lamp).
• Passion: Design for what you actually domovie nights, family visits, reading, stretching, napping. Yes, napping counts.

Bedroom: use color to support rest

• Color: Consider deeper or softer hues that feel calming in your lighting conditions.
• Charm: Layer textileslinen sheets, a textured throw, a rug with warmth and pattern.
• Passion: Make it easy to maintain. The prettiest room is the one you can keep functional when life gets busy.

Kitchen/dining: energy without overwhelm

• Color: Use color where it’s easy to swapbar stools, pendant shades, art, dishware.
• Charm: Mix materials: warm wood + metal + ceramic. A reflective surface here helps bounce light.
• Passion: Prioritize flow and storage. Passion is also not hating your own kitchen on a Tuesday.

Supporting Black Designers Expands the Whole Industry

The design industry runs on visibilitywho gets featured, who gets credited, who gets introduced to the right vendors, who gets assumed competent before proving it
twice. Hill-Mattauszek has spoken openly about the resilience it takes to thrive as a Black designer and the hope for a future where designers are judged by merit and
value rather than skin color.

Professional organizations have acknowledged the need for equity and inclusion. ASID has stated that the beauty and foundation of the profession is rooted in diversity
and reiterated commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion. BADG has created an organized platform and mission-driven community to help Black artists and designers
thrive, connect, and collaborate.

For homeowners, “supporting” can be simple and real: hire Black designers and makers, credit artists whose work you share online, buy directly from independent studios,
and recommend talent enthusiastically (and specifically). If you love a space, say whyand say who made it.

Conclusion: The Rooms We Remember Have All Three

Color makes you feel something. Charm makes you believe it belongs to someone. Passion makes it lastthrough the hard parts of a project and the everyday wear of real life.
Hill-Mattauszek’s framework is powerful because it’s practical: it tells you what to reach for when you’re stuck between “safe” and “special.”

So if your home feels flat, don’t panic-buy new furniture. Start smaller. Add a pop of color that actually delights you. Swap in one charming, imperfect piece.
Then bring the passion: design around your real life, not a catalog fantasy. That’s how a room turns into a place.

Real-World Experiences: What “Color, Charm, and Passion” Looks Like in Practice (Bonus)

In real projects, these three ingredients don’t arrive in a neat little gift box labeled “Aesthetic.” They show up as a series of decisionssome fun, some frustrating,
and some that make you question why humans need more than one shade of white. (Answer: because lighting is a liar.)

One of the most common “color moments” happens during the first palette conversation. Someone says they want the room to feel calm, and then they point at a photo with
a dramatic emerald wall and a lamp that looks like it belongs in a jazz club. That’s not a contradictionit’s information. Calm doesn’t always mean pale. Sometimes it
means saturated and grounded, like a deep green that feels like a forest at dusk. The practical experience here is testing color in the actual space, on multiple walls,
and watching it change throughout the day. The color you loved at 10 a.m. can look like an entirely different personality at 8 p.m. under warm bulbs.

“Charm” often arrives when the room starts to feel a little too perfect. You’ve got the sofa, the rug, the curtains… and somehow the room feels like a waiting area.
That’s usually the signal to bring in something with history or texture: a vintage mirror with a slightly imperfect frame, a handmade vase, a thrifted side table that
has the audacity to be different from everything else. People are often surprised by how fast one unusual object can make a room feel real. It’s like the space suddenly
relaxes its shoulders and says, “Okay, fine, we’re living here.”

Passion shows up in the middlethe messy middlewhen everyone gets tired. This is the point where the choices start feeling endless: hardware, grout, paint sheen,
cabinet pulls, towel hooks, the specific shape of the specific lightbulb that apparently matters more than your hydration. Designers who love the work (and clients who
stay engaged) get through this part by zooming out: “What is this room supposed to do for you?” That question cuts through decision fatigue. It brings you back to the
purpose: welcoming friends, feeding family, getting rest, having a corner where you can breathe.

Another real-life experience: the “DIY or die trying” phase. Not every project has unlimited resources, and not every space offers vendor discounts or perfect availability.
Sometimes the most memorable rooms happen because someone builds the thing they can’t findan improvised canopy frame, a custom banquette cushion, a set of drapes made to
fit an awkward window. When done thoughtfully, DIY isn’t a compromise; it’s customization. It’s also a quiet kind of courageespecially for designers and homeowners who
have had to make beauty out of necessity. The satisfaction is different when you can say, “We made this,” not just “We bought this.”

If you want a takeaway you can use today, try this: pick one “color move,” one “charm move,” and one “passion move” for your next room refresh. Color move: add a bold
shade in a place you can tolerate risk (a door, a powder room, a piece of art). Charm move: bring in something imperfect and meaningful (vintage, handmade, or personal).
Passion move: fix one functional pain point that annoys you daily (better lighting, a landing zone, a storage solution). The room will feel better fastand it won’t feel
like you’re chasing a trend. It’ll feel like you’re building a home.