Thirty Under 30: Michaela Sedlak

By Donna Heiderstadt

Michaela Sedlak has always had a keen eye for detail, sparked by a childhood obsession with history — and historic buildings. “I would love to look at old pictures of vintage hotels, shops, restaurants, and palaces,” she says. “Something about the opulent design and envisioning how someone would live there has always stuck with me.” Although she spent her first six years after college working in New York as a visual merchandizer for several high-end fashion companies, Michaela returned to her roots in Virginia to pursue what she realized was her true calling: interior design.

As Interior Designer at Alexandria, VA-based Marks-Woods Construction, Michaela spends her days sourcing materials and preparing project presentations for clients.” My favorite part of the day is hosting clients in our beautiful showroom and sharing my design plans for their project,” she says. “This is a great opportunity for me to speak in detail about the design intent and share the raw materials via flat lays.” And yet her most memorable professional moments are when she does a final walk-through with a client and sees their reaction to the new living space she helped them create — several of which have been featured in national and local publications.

Describing herself as “colorful,” Michael says she is currently excited to see a resurgence in dark, moody, collected interiors. “I am so happy to see color being reintroduced in all aspects of design and natural materials like wood and marble being heavily used, especially in unique applications,” she notes.

Away from work, 27-year-old Michaela looks forward to spending time with Jack, her boyfriend of eight years, and Penny Lane, her “insanely gorgeous” Maine coon cat. She and Jack share a love of design — he comes from an interior design family — as well as art and music. “It’s nice to connect creatively,” she says. Her other hobbies include an enduring love for fashion — initially inspired during her childhood when she was a competitive dancer — and a passion for embroidery and making gifts for friends.

Her future goals include more inspirational travel. She still dreams about her visit to Sorrento, Italy, and currently has a few other destinations in her sights. “Japan, Portugal, and Copenhagen are next on my list,” she says.