La Storia Design Company, a studio-boutique featuring interior design services and artisan-made home goods, has opened in Shadyside.
A Vision of an Artisan Home at La Storia Design Company in Pittsburgh
La storia means “the story” in Italian and also corresponds to “history” in Greek — a linguistic confluence that reflects the heritage of the company’s founding partners: interior designer Maria Ripepi Diven and industrial engineer Tia Nitsopoulos.
“We founded our company to help clients tell their stories through design, and to tell the stories of the artisans through their products,” says Diven. Quiet luxury is a common thread among items in the shop that the partners have discovered in their travels. “Everything we carry has a timeless elegance.”
Unique Home Decor and Quality Products
Inventory ranges from furniture, wallpaper, and rugs to candles, pillows, as well as blankets. There are light fixtures and a custom cabinet line by local craftsmen.
“We have charming, decoupage oyster shells from South Carolina, and beautiful bentwood furniture from a 200-year-old company in the Czech Republic,” Diven says.
With an MFA in interior design and a master’s in architecture, Diven has practiced and also taught in her field for 17 years. Nitsopoulos oversees the company’s operations.
“We’ve been friends for six years and talked about opening a business,” says Diven. “We saw a bit of a hole in our market in Pittsburgh, and so we felt the time was right to bring our vision to fruition.”
Diven offers virtual and full-service consultations and will share her design know-how at in-store events.
813 South Aiken Avenue, Shadyside
Story by Deborah Weisberg