Meet Monique De La Vega, Homebody Design Challenge Winner

We got the chance to get to know Monique a little better after her recent win in our Design Challenge with Homebody, and we can't wait to share more about her in this feature!

Scroll through to read about Monique's design journey, what inspires her, and a few of her favorite things.

Describe yourself in 2 emojis.

🌮 🧸

Briefly tell us about your design journey.

From a young age, I’ve always been interested in interior design. When I used to play with Barbies, I really liked decorating her house and would take my time with the whole process. If I didn’t have a certain piece of furniture, I would make it out of paper, toothpicks, and whatever I could get my hands on. I also watched HGTV a lot with my mom, and I always liked the idea of how thoughtful design was by helping someone make their home truly feel like a home. I’m currently attending university and working on my bachelor’s in interior design. I recently found Spoak, and it has helped me learn more skills and find a community of likeminded people.

What do you do on your time off to recharge creatively?

I usually take my dogs on a walk, or I go check out a new coffee shop. I also like to use Spoak to make Vizis and participate in daily challenges. I think it’s important to find projects that aren’t my style, so it takes me out of my comfort zone and helps me grow as an artist and designer.

Tell us about a designer or artist you love. What about them and their work are you drawn to?

Florence Knoll! My favorite style of design is definitely mid-century, and Florence was the sole person who pioneered the open-plan office idea. Bright open spaces and bold colors balanced with natural material. Plus, she’s a Gemini, like me.

Where do you find your inspiration?

I watch a lot of Architectural Digest videos and look at living spaces on Instagram and Pinterest. Even as I go on my daily walks, I like admiring the houses in different neighborhoods. I even find myself lately going back to the things I liked as a child, such as legos and lava lamps, to somehow incorporate them back into my space.

What's the best thing you've consumed recently?

A donut latte from 6xs Coffee in Koreatown in Los Angeles!