Episode 4
Designer Maraya Droney
Raised by the beach in Malibu, California, Maraya was exposed to design and architecture at an early age by her parents. Her Dutch parents were creative by nature, her mother a talented watercolor painter, and her father earned his doctorate in aeronautical engineering, and was also a gifted artist.
As a young student, he lived in Berlin at the same time Mies Van der Rohe ran the Bauhaus school of Design. Excited about modern design, Maraya’s father designed their mid-century glass home in the late 50’s, high in the Malibu hills overlooking the ocean. It was here, intertwined with the outdoors and expansive views of Zuma Beach and Catalina Island, that Maraya painted and sketched from a very early age.
Today, Maraya is an accomplished interior designer based in Ojai, California, graduating from California University of Santa Barbara’s Interior Design program in 1992. With numerous upscale clients throughout the corporate, entertainment and music industry, she draws much of her design inspiration from her travels around the world, including Europe, Asia and Central America. She has also explored much of the United States, and found interesting ideas from the various regions and lifestyles. When not working, Maraya looks forward to continued traveling experiences to study architecture and interiors.
Maraya’s designs focus on interiors as a place to relax, for families and friends to gather their energies together, as well as to receive inspiration. However, she enjoys designing in a variety of styles. She says, “Any particular style can become true art and outstanding design. The key is to listen to your client and find out what really moves them emotionally. Once you understand that, you can turn their preferences into any style: from an inspiring, beautiful estate to an outrageous, cutting-edge penthouse or peaceful, simple retreat to relax and enjoy.”
A member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) and a California Certified Interior Designer (CID), Maraya is undeniably an amazingly creative designer. However, her personal philosophy is what sets her apart. “In the end, what is important are relationships,” she says. “The relationship to people, the earth, and animals That you treat them all with respect, and try to understand their point of view. My goal is to use my passion for imagining, designing and building with my clients to help them create a private space in this fast paced world”.
Maraya has completed many projects in various locals such as: Ojai, Ventura, Westlake, Santa Barbara and Montecito, Santa Ynez, Newport Beach- Balboa Island, Palm Springs, Mammoth, Tahoe, Malibu, and many other locations. Many of her projects have been featured in various publications.
visit www.maraya.com
