Meet Alexa Stevenson, the creative force behind Alexa Stevenson Interior Design. She has used our pieces in her designs for years and we're big fans of all of her work.
As you know, we LOVE learning more about the designers in our trade program and Alexa is no exception. Her journey from Shelter Magazine Group to founding her own design firm (and releasing her collection of table linens and accessories) has been nothing short of inspiring.
With a keen eye honed through experiences at prestigious publications and luxury brands, Alexa seamlessly blends style and functionality, infusing spaces with her signature bright and happy interiors.
At Stray Dog Designs, we've long admired Alexa's ability to marry tradition with fresh, energetic elements, and we're thrilled to spotlight her remarkable talent and dedication to creating livable, joyful homes.
Join us in learning more about Alexa and celebrating her timeless designs that continue to captivate.
What inspired you to fall in love with and eventually become a designer?
I’ve always been highly aware of my sense of place and have always associated my surroundings with certain feelings. The room you’re sitting in can set your mood, whether you realize it or not. I actually majored in journalism and had grand plans of being an editor-in-chief of some fabulous magazine. I ended up in NYC and working at shelter group publications Cottages & Gardens, where I fell in love not only with design, but the entire industry–the makers and the craftsmen. 
Left: Our Chucho Chandelier hanging in one of Alexa's gorgeous spaces | Right: Stray Dog Jen Sconces in a fabulous powder room
We know you are currently located in Athens, GA. How does that location inspire your designs?
Well, we definitely can’t use any orange because those would be Auburn, Tennessee, or Florida colors! And one must always keep in mind that rooms must be designed to be able to watch football (while a formal dining table is set up the next room over, of course).
Growing up, what was your favorite room in the house?
Our living room. We had two matching sofas covered in a big floral print. I wish I knew the exact brand it was, but it looked like a mashup of Quadrille and Dorothy Draper. I love rooms that are made for conversation rather than, you know, television watching. I loved the warm feel of the room: The bright upholstery made me feel happy.
What is your favorite room in your space now?
Same one! Or as my husband calls it:. The Pretty Room No One Is Allowed to Use. But this is not true. I sit in there all the time! And now that my boys are older, they do too– we recently started playing backgammon, so the room is getting a lot more use. It’s a mishmash of inherited antiques and newer upholstered pieces in bright colors. My favorite is a gorgeous down sofa covered in a Pierre Frey fabric I scored at a Palm Beach estate sale. [photo below]
Pictured above: Alexa's gorgeous sitting room
Do you have any favorite spaces you’ve created? What made them special?
So many! But the one that really stands out to me is a gallery library that I created for a family, a family that is near and dear to me. When they bought the house it had been renovated for a flip and was open concept. The client, like me, loves rooms, and we’ve been adding back walls in stages. We started with a wall of floor-to-ceiling bookshelves in the living room, and later we added another one facing it to close it off and make a hallway–we now refer to that as the library. It’s long but only about five feet wide; it’s where the kids play chess or do homework, and my clients’ favorite spot to sit and read.
Any projects you are looking forward to this year?
Again, so many! I have a few renovations that I am excited about. I love renos more than new builds because it’s a chance to really be creative with use of space.
Left: A living room Alexa designed with our old school Elisabeth lamp | Right: A new space she's working on with our Juanito Flush Mount
We love your fun use of color! What’s your favorite color to work with right now?
I will always remain faithful to blue! I consider it a neutral, and it goes with anything. Though I have been having fun with corals and magentas, which you’ll also see when the spring collection of my tabletop line, Lex & King launches this spring. [pic below]
Where do you source a lot of the beautiful pieces that you use in the spaces you create?
I have my go-tos for upholstery, but I love places like Chairish, Acquire, and Live Auctioneers for antique and vintage pieces.
Do you have any design predictions for 2024? Give us the scoop!
I don’t consider myself trendy at all, but I predict–and hope to see–less open concept design, more color and more focus on rooms we sit and live in. Kitchens will always have a moment, but I don’t like to hang out in the kitchen no matter how much of a statement the island is! I prefer rooms you can settle in, rooms where you can get comfortable. I lean towards things that feel as though they’ve been created by an actual human–block print and embroidered textiles, woven textiles and rugs, casegoods made by hand with special materials. You can get this feeling in a kitchen, but it’s hard to enjoy with all those dirty dishes sitting around.
What do you love about Stray Dog?
I take design seriously but don’t think design needs to be serious all the time. I love Stray Dog because of the color and the shapes! It’s so well-made and makes a statement without being a typical light fixture. I think interiors can actually affect your mood, and believe you should surround yourself with things that make you smile.
What are you digging right now? (Podcasts, books, music, movies, shows…
Of course Feud! I have long been obsessed with “the swans” and that era of socialites. They were perfection- clothes, interiors, manners. And aged so well! And this was before botox and Ozempic! Here’s my fun story: My mother was once Truman Capote’s date to a Mardi Gras ball, but it turned out she wasn’t quite his type.
I’ve also been pouring over old design books. In this algorithm-ruled world we live in, there is an onslaught of collective sameness: One of my favorites is Edith Wharton’s The Decoration of Houses. She says perfectly: “It seems easier to most people to arrange a room like someone else’s than to analyze and express their own needs.”
Some photos of Alexa's new table linens and accessory line Lex & King
Where’s your favorite place you’ve traveled? Were you inspired by their architecture/design?
Any new place is always inspiring, I lived in NYC for over a decade, but every time I go back I am always inspired by some of the older buildings’ detail - the stonework, the fretwork, the millwork, and the lighting. They just don’t make ‘em like they used to!
What is your favorite account to follow on social media right now
@northwest_mcm_wholesale never fails to make me laugh
@jeanrogerparis - I love the cleverness of his delightful pieces
@hey_roz - I think I have saved every single one of her posts. Her work is playful and bright but not cutesy or juvenile
Of course @thelsd for Life Goals.
