Rising design star Michele Alfano feels strongly about the importance of giving back. Since 2012, Michele has taken part as both a designer, steering committee member, and influencer for DIFFA’s Picnic by Design. Over the past seven years, her baskets have featured out-of-the-box designs ranging from Transformable baskets to her Nordic Hygge basket in 2017, which Editor-in-Chief Cindy Allen of INTERIOR DESIGN purchased and featured in the SNAPS section of the magazine. At a special design competition held in 2015, her basket tied for first place with Gensler.

Alfano says, “I have had the honor of taking part in DIFFA’s Picnic by Design with master trimmer Tiago Fonseca from its inception in 2012. I dream it, draw it, and he builds it! Over the last seven years, I have seen Picnic by Design grow into an amazing fundraiser bringing together a diverse group of talented designers and attendees. What fun to combine good design and food, friends and charity from generous donors and loyal supporters. It really speaks volumes about the power of design.”

With this year’s Picnic By Design global theme in mind, Alfano is back once again, designing a basket influenced by the Japanese aesthetic, wabi-sabi, often described as appreciating the beauty in imperfection.

With her mathematical and architecture background, Alfano brings an archetypal approach to interior and custom furniture design. She refers to her design vocabulary as livable minimalism beckoning its users to touch, to emote and to challenge them to think, devising a tailored emotional intelligence.

Alfano has received plenty of attention from brands, publications, and media for her work. The DXV Design Panel 2017 selected her to re-imagine the modern movement. The New York Times T Style, Luxe, Interior Design, Elle Decor, Vanity Fair, Metropolitan Home, Metropolis, and Architectural Digest all featured her spa bathroom design in their publications. She received accolades from the 2017 BLANCO by Design Kitchen contest and KBIS and Wanted Design invited her to speak on interior design panels. She has received honors in the industry, including KBDN Top Innovators 2018 in the Kitchen and Bath industry, the 21st Interiors Award for Best Public Space, and has appeared on BlogTalkRadio.

Alfano is also the voice of Mod Design Guru, a design blog that explores innovations in the industry and investigates how lifestyles evolve alongside design trends. In addition, the JDR Industry Awards and the Modenus Top 100 Interior Design Blogs & Influencers recognized MoD Design for its excellence. Alfano has traveled and written for brands such as Tile of Spain, Miele, Mr. Steam, Brizo, Zephyr, DXV, Du Verre, the NKBA, Modenus, and Axor. 

WEBSITE: www.michelealfanodesign.com

Follow Michele on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest @michelealfanodesign and

Twitter @ModDesignGuru

Tickets to Picnic by Design: A Global Experience may be purchased here.