what we do
Stroop Design is a studio offering architecture and interior design solutions that are lifestyle forward, experientially driven, financially feasible, & evolve from concepts to completion.
We provide value by blending the human aspect of any project with business savvy, designing spaces that are both unforgettable and operationally seamless. We manage the full journey, aligning stakeholders and vendors to safeguard budgets and timelines. We create smarter with materials and systems that extend life, reduce costs, and maximize ROI.
We keep you ahead of surprises through proactive communication and crystal-clear documentation that keeps you in the know, so your project feels as seamless as it looks. And while most architects are focused on solving today’s program, we design for what’s next, spotting trends before they hit the mainstream and helping our clients capitalize on them through design.
Our services include:
architecture
interior design
brand direction
master planning
programming
feasibility & analysis
design-led project development
renderings & project visualizations
artwork curation
installation design
custom furniture design
material & finish selection
why we do it
At Stroop Design, we do this because we love the people we meet, the cultures we learn from and engage with, and the places we help create to feel both authentic and unforgettable using a few basic principles:
We Listen
Every project begins with curiosity. We quickly understand, organize, and articulate challenges and goals, then craft the right team to respond to context, culture, community and more importantly, your bottom line.
We Collaborate
We believe the best ideas come from many voices. By engaging clients, partners, and specialists in a shared process, we build narratives that are richer, solutions that are sharper, and environments that leave lasting impressions.
We Lead with Experience
With over 30 years of global practice, we bring not just design expertise but cultural intelligence. We know how to balance creativity, cost, and technical precision, turning trends into opportunities and strategies into built realities.
We Respect
People, communities, and the planet. We embrace diversity, embed wellness and sustainability, and see regeneration as a responsibility. Every solution we create is designed to minimize impact while maximizing benefit for both people and business.
Stroop Design was founded in 2021 by Vince Stroop, an award-winning architect and designer with more than 30 years of experience shaping projects across the globe.
who we are
We are guided by a belief in design as both craft and catalyst, blending creativity, technical rigor, and a commitment to purposeful, meaningful, and sustainable outcomes.
We are cultural and design strategists who help our clients monetize space by creating experiential environments that anticipate and shape what people want next.
We are fluent in consumer behavior, lifestyle evolution, and the economics of spaces ranging from hospitality, wellness, and various scales of residential projects always grounded in a vision that connects people, place, and story.
We are located in New York, the Hamptons, Seattle, San Francisco, Buenos Aires, and Florence, Italy, guided by a global mindset that thrives anywhere with good internet and great hospitality.
VINCE STROOP
founder & chief creative officer
Vince Stroop is an award-winning architect, designer, and photographer. And over the past 30 years of practice, has become a cultural strategist who helps clients monetize space by creating experiential environments that anticipate and shape what people want next.
Prior to founding the design collective at Stroop, he served as Partner & Executive Design Director at the renowned New York firms of Jeffery Beers International and Stonehill Taylor and has additionally held the role of Principal at BBGM and Partner & Co-Founder at A2 Studios.
His range of work includes wineries, libraries, restaurants & bars, exhibitions, hotels & resorts, and a variety of residential developments. He contributes to the monthly design column of the Seattle Times and has been a featured speaker and panelist at global industry events, most notably for Architectural Digest, The New York Times, Design Milk, Dezeen, and NPR.
Vince is NCARB-certified and licensed in over 8 states.
He splits time between New York and Seattle, and travels extensively. Vince is an avid baker, loves the outdoors, is a runner, a skier and has recently taken to cold water swimming.
ANTONY CESTRA
partner & chief development officer
Antony Cestra is an entrepreneur, design leader, and business development executive with over 20 years of experience in hospitality, luxury residential, commercial, and mixed-use developments. His expertise at the intersection of architecture, strategy, and client partnerships has made him a trusted collaborator and influential voice in the industry.
Born and raised in Italy, he studied Architecture and Interior Design at La Sapienza University in Rome and earned a Bachelor of Architecture from the New York Institute of Technology, graduating magna cum laude.
Antony has refined his design craft through international experience and senior roles with world-class firms including Foster + Partners, Rockwell Group, and Lemay_id. He has played a key role in the design and delivery of landmark hospitality, cultural, and residential projects across North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Working with distinguished multidisciplinary teams, he has helped bring to life environments that marry design excellence with strategic vision, operational performance, and sustainable impact.
DAKOTA SMITH
director of creative strategy
Dakota is passionate about exploring the connections between creative industries and societal progression. He is interested in the psychology of space and the subconscious ways we react to the built and natural environment. He believes design can have a positive impact on society if done thoughtfully and responsibly.
He has spent the past 16 years exploring the nuances of visual expression in New York. Clients over the years include Roman & Williams, André Balazs, Chateau Marmont, The Mercer, Chiltern Firehouse, V Magazine, Condé Nast, Dazed Media, Vogue Italia, Universal Records, Interscope Records, Jeffrey Beers International and World Economic Forum. He was also a server at lots of restaurants back in the day.
Dakota graduated from Cornell University where he studied hotel development & design, art history, design theory, and social inequality.
DARIN STROOP
principal
Darin brings over 25 years of design expertise to the design collective at stroop. Based in the Bay Area, his specialty has been in residential design where he is skilled at creating environments for casual coastal living as well as curating solutions for urban conditions.
As an early disciple of Howard Backen and Ken Linstead, his process has become laser focused on quality, is highly interactive and crafted to bring a personalized soul to each project. Darin holds a BA in Fine Arts from Arizona State University, is an avid outdoorsman and likes to travel.
BEN FOX
associate
Ben is an architect, interior designer, and furniture maker with an innate interest in craftsmanship and thoughtful design. He graduated from Brown University with a BA in Architecture and continued his studies in the GSAPP program at Columbia University where he received his Master of Architecture degree.
During a summer intensive at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Maine, he advanced his furniture making skills and has since grown the eponymous furniture collection he began in 2017. Ben is passionate about creating bespoke, hand-made furniture and looks for ways to foster a deepening relationship between furniture making, architecture, and interior design.
MARK HINCHCLIFF
design director
Mark joins the stroop team offering 16 years of experience in a broad range of design fields including hospitality, luxury residential, and commercial work.
Mark shares a collegial history with the stroop team, completing multiple successful hotel projects over the years and worked directly with Vince as the project architect of a 400-room resort refurbishment project.
MATTIA AIROLDI
interior architect
Mattia Airoldi is a Milan-based architectural designer specializing in luxury hospitality and residential projects. With a degree in architecture from the Polytechnic University of Milan, he has contributed to the design of iconic properties including the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, the Delaire Graff Estate in Cape Town, InterContinental Warsaw, The O2 InterContinental in London, and Cunard’s Queen Victoria refurbishment.
His residential portfolio includes refined private homes in the London neighborhoods of Chelsea and Marylebone, each defined by a sensitivity to context and the lifestyle of the residents. With experience at David Collins Studio, M Studios, and Montagni Architects, Mattia’s design approach combines international awareness with forward-thinking creativity, crafting spaces with an innate sense of what’s next in luxury design.
KARNA MONAGHAN
interior design stylist
Karna has an intuitive knack for composition, color, textiles, and furniture design. Karna’s success is built upon her impressive ability to source, collaborate, and curate disparate pieces into warm and welcoming collections. Styling and creating a room of significance is not one-stop shopping.
After graduating from Western Washington University in Interior Design, Karna spent 25+ years honing her talents as a buyer and visual merchandiser in addition to product sourcing and interior staging for hospitality and residential projects.
DEREK STRATTON
wellness consultant
Derek is a Master Trainer and Wellness Professional who has worked in the NYC wellness scene for over 10 years. From Box Gyms to Boutique Studios to Elite Clubs, Derek has been a part of shaping how wellness is done in New York. Derek has collaborated in designing, executing and rebranding spaces and programming for works outs, personal training and massage therapy. With a passion for being ahead of the curve, Derek always brings insight and instinct in to where the world of wellness is headed.