about studio sio
I like to design spaces the way you’d tell a good story—layered, opinionated, and with just enough wit to pretend it wasn’t planned.
I’m Shanta Trusewich, an interior and architectural designer working between New York and New Zealand. I run Studio Sio—we create residential, retail, and hospitality projects that balance structure with soul. We create spaces that feel considered but not precious, layered but not overdesigned. Think: character, craftsmanship, a little history, and nothing too glossy.
Alongside my small team (who live in New York, London, and here in New Zealand) we consult and design interiors all over the world, wherever else the brief takes us. Residential, retail, hospitality—new builds, old bones, and everything in between. We’ve spent over a decade working with global teams and major hospitality groups, from once-in-a-lifetime hotels to multi-site rollouts that still need to feel personal.
Our focus is bespoke high-end work that holds up—visually and structurally. We offer end-to-end services, including:
Concept and brief development
Spatial planning and 3D visualisation
Detailed drawings and documentation
Building consent, compliance, and construction coordination
Corporate consultancy for design and concept strategy
The ethos of Studio Sio lies in my passion for telling stories through architecture and interiors. Good design transports people to other places, creating a mise-en-scène. By utilising narrative, we are able to provide spaces that are more than just retail, working spaces, or places to eat and drink.
To begin, shortly after finishing my Bachelor and Master of Architecture in Tāmaki Makaurau, I got on a plane to NYC.
For almost a decade, I was lucky enough to knuckle down on a huge variety of projects in the five boroughs and beyond. I worked for renowned Brooklyn furniture makers Uhuru Design, with The Heatonist in Chelsea Markets, and on many years of both small and large scale residential projects.
I spent five years designing and project managing for BD Hotels and Sean Macpherson (The Jane Hotel, The Bowery, Barbette, Old Rose, Ludlow Hotel, Maritime Hotel, the Crows Nest, the Marlton, and Waverly Inn).
Through this work The Hotel Chelsea became my home and work for five years. Designing and project managing the renovation was a bit of a dream come true. My office was Sid and Nancy’s former hotel room, which had a secret underground tunnel to my apartment!
After finishing the hotel, I moved home and started Studio Sio so I could continue to work in both NYC and NZ.
Thanks to the magic of technology (and some very clever people in very different time zones), we work seamlessly across New York and New Zealand. The result? A mix of NYC grit and NZ ease that shows up in every project—no matter the postcode.
Recent projects include the Buffalo Lodge in Coromandel, consulting for major hotel groups, as well as the interior and architectural design of several homes for some wonderful families in both NYC & NZ.