Interior Designer Showcase: How Music and Culture Inspired Abigail Horace

Abigail Horace, founder of the design studio Casa Marcelo in NYC and Upstate NY brings a vibrant, music-infused approach to design, which is immediately evident in her work on the Entry and Living Room for this year’s Kingston Design Showhouse. Drawing inspiration from the historic brick Showhouse, Abigail envisioned a space that romanticized a past chapter of her life. Her creative process is deeply intertwined with her love of music, which inspired her design and key elements of the rooms. The star of the room is the colorful, Bauhaus-inspired wallpaper complemented by vintage furnishings and the launch of Abigail’s own Casa Marcelo Home pillow collection. Read more below about Abigail, Casa Marcelo, and what inspired her collaboration with Kingston Design Connection.

The 2025 Kingston Design Showhouse
October 10–26, 2025 | Tickets are $38 and on sale HERE.

INSIDE+OUT: Abigail, we’re so excited to feature you at this year’s Kingston Design Showhouse! Tell us about the house.  What were your initial thoughts, your first impression?

Abigail Horace: I’ve worked on historical homes primarily for the past 6 years or so, so I was impressed with the potential. I did not preview the house before the renovation, so when I first saw the house, it was already reconfigured and had new floors. However, I loved that the house was brick and had a brick element in my space. It was pretty charming. I loved the unusual trim around the windows and the potential of the space in general.

You designed the Entry + Living Room for the Kingston Design Showhouse.  Describe your creative process.

Abigail Horace: My creative process has always been deeply intertwined with music. I grew up surrounded by it–my brother a pianist, one sister an opera singer, another a dancer, and my mother a vocalist. As the youngest of four, I dabbled in everything, including playing several instruments, but music became the rhythm of my life. Visual arts have always drawn me in, but music moves me; it’s the pulse that drives my work. When I design, I often assign a song, a genre, or even an entire album to a space, letting the sound guide the mood and story.

For this room, without a client’s vision to interpret, I became my own muse. I imagined what I might have created for myself as a young, wealthy woman in her 20s or 30s–independent, vibrant, and a little indulgent. Inspired by countless late-night hangouts with girlfriends, I designed a space that romanticizes that chapter of my life. It’s filled with pieces that feel a bit too precious for my current home with two children. Delicate, playful, and utterly free. The soundtrack? A blend of disco, house, and soulful R&B and jazz. A few rare records sit within reach, inviting you to stretch out on the floor, lose yourself in a book, share stories with friends, or simply let the music wash over you. It’s a space meant for comfort, creativity, and a touch of nostalgia. The album for the space: “Through the Wall” by Rochelle Jordan.

What is your favorite part of the Living Room design? What inspired you?

Abigail Horace: The first piece that I chose for the space was the wallpaper, a brand new Porter Teleo wallpaper ironically named “Ensemble”, which is making its debut at this showhouse in the Living Room. The wallpaper comes in 3 colorways and is inspired by the Bauhaus movement. The two other colorways were a little too muted for me, but I loved this colorful colorway and how much soul it brings to the space. Because there was so much color in the pattern, it was not difficult to figure out how to complement it with paint colors, window treatment fabrics, and furniture. It’s the type of wallpaper that can work with anything, because it is the star.

All of the vintage furniture complements the wallpaper, the rosewood bar exquisitely stands out against the wallpaper, and the forms throughout the room are organic, flowing into one another and breaking up the square form of the space. I was also able to debut my pillow collection, Casa Marcelo Home, which features a piece of my Panamanian culture. The one-of-a-kind pillows feature an indigenous artifact called Molas, which come from the Kuna tribe. An idea in my head for nearly 10 years, most of which are vintage, and they are decorated with complementary fabric and trim. I’m so glad that these effortlessly fit into the space.

What was the collaboration experience like with Kingston Design Connection?

Abigail Horace: This is my first time participating in a showhouse, but the collaboration was great! I aligned myself with the Kingston Design Connection because Maryline, the founder, is the only black founder/producer for a design showhouse, and that is really important to me. As a black Latina founder myself, I know how difficult it is to shine amongst the norm, and I love to support the efforts of people who look like me. It was also easier to participate as Maryline tries her best to involve and include up-and-coming designers, rather than established designers, like other showhouses.

Tell us about your design business.  Who are your clients and how do they find you?

Abigail Horace: My design business, Casa Marcelo, is derived from my culture and the nurturing upbringing I had with all of the powerful women in my family. After 10 years in high-end residential design, working for firms in NYC, I was recruited to Salisbury, CT, for a Senior Designer position at a top-tier firm. As a born and bred Queens girl, I was ready to move after having our first child. My best friend was also nearby, and my parents were not far, in Kerhonkson, NY, so I already had a built-in support system.

However, after a year of working there and a continued lack of flexibility, I decided to begin my own studio, Casa Marcelo. My paternal grandmother, who is from the Dominican Republic, was one of those homes on the block where all the kids would come for food, to hang out, and she was the nurturer of the neighborhood. I had this concept in mind when I named my business, and I hope I nurture my clients and community in the same way.

Most recently, we have partnered with Charles Matz, architect, and Matt Soleau of Hyalite Builders in Dutchess County, to offer integrated services for our clients. Landing in the northwest corner of Connecticut, located 15 minutes East of Upstate NY and 15 minutes South of the Berkshires, MA, we have found that our clients are typically from NYC, and have 2nd and 3rd homes in the surrounding areas. They typically want to stay away from the typical maximalist country or farmhouse chic look. That’s where we come in. We offer a fresh take on country living, and with my background in high-end design, we offer a look that cannot be repeated and is not cookie-cutter. On the flip side, we also take on projects in NYC, depending on the scope. It is how I started my training, and it’s where I am most comfortable.

Partnering with Charles Matz has also allowed us to have an office space in NYC, where we can meet with clients who live between both spaces. After being open for 5 years, and being an honoree on the Frederic Magazine’s “It List 2024,” I am so excited for what’s to come next!!

Photos courtesy of Casa Marcelo and Kingston Design Connection/ Phil Mansfield

Follow/Connect with Abigail and Casa Marcelo via Website | Instagram | Facebook 

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The 2025 Kingston Design Showhouse | October 10-26, 2025
721 Second Avenue, Kingston, NY.
Open to the public weekends only
Details, hours and tickets HERE | $38.00 per individual

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About Kingston Design Showhouse

Since 2022, proceeds from the showhouse benefits KDC’s programs with Ulster Habitat for Humanity, including the annual Kingston Design Habitat House produced each year in a newly-built Habitat for Humanity home. To learn more, visit https://www.kingstondesignconnection.com/habitatpartnership

Kingston Design Showhouse connects upstate New York makers, designers, artists, vendors and tradespeople in a collaborative effort that celebrates creativity while strengthening the region’s design and build community. Each year, the project fosters local economic development and shines a national spotlight on Hudson Valley talent, with participants regularly featured in both regional and national press.

Follow/Connect with Kingston Design Connection via Website | Facebook | Instagram | Inside+Out Spotlight