How We Host: Wellness designer Lisa Sternfeld shares why your interior (and guest list) can make or break a party

Sternfeld, who had been working in the New York-area design world for more than two decades, started doing her own detective work, testing for mold and poor air quality, from seemingly-benign sources like synthetic carpets, off-gassing furniture and home fragrances.

As she rethought her home and as her son’s health improved, she realised she may not be the only one facing a toxic living space. The epiphany led her to establish the wellness-oriented design firm WLLW (which stands for ‘Well Life, Lived Well’) in 2022 year. The firm has gone on to design for high end residential for private clients and aims to show that healthier design needn’t look sterile or generic.

Her own home, nestled in the charming town of Fairfield, Connecticut, is proof. By leveraging non-toxic materials (such as vegetable-dyed textiles and rugs); antiques (which don’t off-gas like new furniture); and nature (her garden is a feast for the senses), she’s created a home that not only prioritises her family’s health, but also beauty.

"My ultimate goal was to bring together science, design, and beauty to create a home that supports both physical health and emotional connection."

Lisa Sternfeld

‘My ultimate goal was to bring together science, design, and beauty to create a home that supports both physical health and emotional connection,’ Sternfeld tells Wallpaper*.

Of course, wellness isn’t just about our environments — it’s about relationships too. And, since Sternfeld, along with her husband, frequently hosts extended family gatherings, the house needed to be spacious and accommodating, whether that be for a quick visit, a sit-down meal, or just time spent together. Here, the designer outlines her tips for quality time with guests — and why having your phone at the dinner table might just be the ultimate faux-pas.

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