the studio
designed by Shalise Barnes
Shalise Barnes believes every space holds a story — but many are buried beneath trends, shortcuts, and over-renovation.
She was raised between the United States and Canada before relocating to Paris, where she studied Architectural History and Fine Art. In 2017, she settled in Malta, began renovating historic properties, and founded Artemis Interior Design the following year. Today, she specialises in design and project management for investment properties, while also offering consulting services to clients seeking to purchase homes in Italy.
philosophy
Her approach begins with respect for what already exists. History, texture, proportion, and light are not obstacles, but foundations. She looks not for what to remove, but for what deserves to remain.
Good design, in her view, negotiates with the past. It restores before it replaces and understands the line between evolution and erasure.
She rejects placeless interiors. Context and geography matter. A home should respond to where it stands, not imitate something it saw online.
Spaces that move people are the ones they remember — performing in hospitality and creating belonging in private life.
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