LEADERSHIP

TAYLOR SPELLMAN

CEO and Creative Director

Taylor Spellman is one of New York City’s most successful, accomplished and charismatic real estate interior architecture designers.  By the age of 23, she had founded her own firm, Taylor Spellman New York, becoming a specialist in interior design for top commercial, residential and new development properties throughout the Northeast.  Taylor has continued to grind in the industry, gaining traction as an accomplished interior designer and real estate design for sale expert. Her extensive portfolio includes projects at top New York City properties, homes in the white-hot Park Slope and Williamsburg neighborhoods of Brooklyn, and countless suburban homes in Connecticut, New York and New Jersey. 

While Taylor’s portfolio speaks for itself, it is important to note that Taylor does not fit the mold of the typical designer.  She is an artist with a fierce passion to tell YOUR story and bring it to life.  In order to maintain such an impressive client list, along with the millions of dollars of real estate under her direction at any given time, Taylor relies on her lifelong best friend and Chief of Staff, Kate.  This allows Taylor to find the joy in discovering items with patina (her favorite word) at a thrift store or creating a custom painting as the finishing touch to create the through-line in a room as creativity is her lifeblood. 

 Taylor attributes her successes to a childhood spent in the performing arts, which earned her a position in the prestigious Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at Fordham University.  What started as a side hustle working with real estate agents to upgrade cringe worthy bachelor pads, evolved into the interior design and design for sale firm it is today.  Taylor's study of dance, along with her lifelong dedication to art, has grown her ability to trust her instincts, follow her gut and extract a story. She is unwilling to follow the tenets of the old guard of design - make it neutral and everyone will like it - because that simply is not true.  No two humans, or homes, are alike and each is worthy of careful consideration in its transformation.  That is the #TheTaylorTouch.

She does occasionally have a life outside of work and resides in both New York City and her hometown of Wethersfield, Connecticut with her fiancé. Her favorite ways to unwind are writing and sketching in her journal and a full-bodied glass of red wine with her loved ones.

KATE WASSERMAN DICKENS

Chief of Staff

Kate has served as Taylor Spellman New York's Chief of Staff since 2015 where clients and vendors alike are drawn to Kate’s comedic personality and meticulous attention to detail. However, her involvement with TSNY spanned the 10 years prior to her official role with the team via consulting in areas including budgeting, staff development and publicity.  Kate's professional career began as a staffer for Connecticut Senator Christopher J. Dodd; a position that started her development of project and high-profile client management.  She further honed these skills in the field of philanthropy, in both the healthcare and higher education sectors.  In her desire to expand her knowledge base, Kate received a Master's degree in Education with a concentration in higher education administration.  Kate worked at Mount Holyoke College for five years where her project management skills were tested as she managed projects such as the Global Women's Leadership Initiative at the Wilson Center in the Senator Hillary Clinton initiative, "The Women in Public Service Project" and New Student Orientation. 

As Chief of Staff, she wears many hats - minus that of designer.  Kate manages day to day operations that include logistics, finances and client relationships, but also has been key in TSNY's long term planning, system development and staff management.  Kate is the yin to Taylor’s yang and while she excels in the very serious work of a top-level strategist and administrator, there’s nothing she loves more than a sly joke.

When not cracking said joke or sending a “per my last email”, Kate resides in Litchfield County, Connecticut with her family and cats.  She enjoys reading, yoga and meditation and walking in the woods near her home.  Oh, and a large glass of wine with Taylor.