Gold Marked Studio is a boutique interior design firm rooted in artistry, technical precision, and a shared belief that a home should feel unmistakably personal. Based in the luxury design landscape of Philadelphia and the surrounding metro area, principals Juliana Goldlust and Marissa Markus blend global inspiration, practical lifestyle solutions, and elevated creativity to craft spaces that feel lived-in, loved, and entirely one-of-a-kind.
As specialists in luxury condo interior design, full-service renovations, and custom furnishings, the duo brings a rare yin-and-yang partnership—balancing technical, numbers-driven design with big-picture vision and intuitive storytelling.
Q&A With Gold Marked Studio– Design Services For Philadelphia, New York City and More
What is your background, and how did you get started in luxury interior design in Philadelphia?
Before founding Gold Marked Studio, we were building our individual design firms—Goldlust Living for Juliana and Marissa Markus Design for Marissa. We admired each other’s work on social media from afar, but we officially connected when our daughters joined the same dance team in 2023. Weekly “work dates” during their classes quickly revealed that we shared the same design philosophy, passion, and a perfectly balanced yin-and-yang of strengths.
Juliana brought a unique blend of financial and artistic experience, paired with a technical, numbers-driven design approach. As a self-proclaimed homebody, she cultivated a passion for interior design by making art of the spaces around her. Marissa came from a Marketing/PR background before becoming a special education teacher, giving her a natural strength in communication, client relationships, and big-picture vision.
We respected each other’s taste immediately—and more importantly, had a lot of fun together. After our first design session, we both looked at each other and said, “That was magic.” And that’s how Gold Marked Studio was born.
How would you describe your interior design aesthetic for modern homes and luxury condos in Philadelphia?
Every Gold Marked Studio design truly has its own aesthetic. We always want the spaces we create to feel like the people who live in them. We start with our clients' tastes, then move the designs to places our clients wouldn’t have known to go. We like to push our clients right to the edge of their comfort zone, in a way that remains authentic to their style.
What inspires your design work? (Materials, eras, places, designers, or philosophies?)
Her love of home and nature influences Juliana’s work. Her aesthetic blends moody depth with a touch of whimsy, pairing old-world silhouettes with bold, modern edge.
She draws inspiration from she’s a self-described homebody who draws inspiration from the intimacy, mood,
Marissa, on the other hand, is fueled by travel. Her designs reflect a timeless Parisian sensibility, layered with global influences, intentional color, and textures that add interest.
What interior design services do you offer for Philadelphia homeowners and condo residents?
We offer full-service design and specialize in renovation. Our designs include both 2D and 3D renderings that are completely to scale and eerily resemble the final space.
What types of clients or projects are the best fit for your design style?
We are designers who really value artistry. While we work with clients with a wide range of style preferences, we value creating truly one-of-a-kind spaces. We also consider how our clients live and design spaces that fit into their lives. The room should cater to the client - not the other way around. Most of our clients have children and dogs, so we are versed in performance fabric options!
What challenges unique to Philadelphia luxury condo living do you help clients solve?
We specialize in layouts and maximizing the most out of each space. We know how to make the most out of each square foot by focusing on each client’s lifestyle.
Walk us through your client experience from consultation to installation.
We schedule a consultation to review the space and gauge the project's overall scope. During that consultation, both principal designers ask potential clients to share their preliminary vision (if any) and their own take on each space. They like to call that consultation “a first date” because it is also a good opportunity for all parties to see if they click.
Following the consultation, a formal proposal outlining the ideas Juliana and Marissa have for how they would approach the project, along with a set design fee for their work from start to finish. From there, once a design agreement is signed, the client enters into a conceptual design phase where they see their “after space” via a 3D rendering.
Once concepts are approved, specific furnishings are vetted and presented to the clients, each with a corresponding sample. Then, the ordering phase, which Juliana and Marissa handle. Finally, the experience concludes with a full-day installation, which includes styling - a true HGTV moment.
What are your typical project timelines for luxury renovations and interior design?
From the time you sign our design agreement, it takes about two to three months to create a space from a conceptual to a detailed design. Many factors contribute to speed, including a client’s decisiveness and the speed at which samples arrive. Feedback that we have gotten is that, compared to other designers in the industry, we work at a reasonably quick pace. Then, the project's implementation entirely depends on factors such as permit timing and the contractor’s availability. We are with our clients throughout the entire process.
Do you offer virtual or hybrid interior design services?
Yes, our process allows for complete virtual design when clients are not local.
How do you collaborate with real estate agents, buildings, or marketing teams in Philadelphia?
We love to take any opportunity to collaborate via email or social media. We are all in the business of leading people to their dream homes.
What else should potential clients know about your work and design philosophy?
Both principal designers design together on every space. By pushing (and sometimes challenging) one another, such collaborations lead to spaces that are elevated in a way that only comes with working with two creative minds.
Our Design Approach
Gold Marked Studio blends two creative minds on every project, ensuring that each space benefits from layered perspectives, innovative ideas, and a shared commitment to artistry. Whether designing a Philadelphia condo, single-family home, or a full-scale renovation, the partnership between Juliana and Marissa results in elevated, deeply personal outcomes.
Start Your Philadelphia Design Project
Ready to transform your home into a space that feels beautifully tailored, elevated, and truly lived in? Whether you're renovating a luxury Philadelphia condo, redesigning a single room, or creating a full-scale custom home, Gold Marked Studio brings artistry, precision, and collaboration to every project.
Contact us today to schedule a consultation and begin creating a space that feels unmistakably yours.
