The word "bespoke" originated in the fashion industry, and literally means to speak for something, as a well-cut suit or dress is said to "speak well" of the wearer. In furniture design, using bespoke, or custom, pieces in a design speaks to a high sense of style. But it does more than that: it simplifies and streamlines the design process. Put simply, unlike off-the-shelf furniture that forces you to tailor your design to the piece, bespoke furniture is tailored to your design.

Like flour dusting a bakery floor, a fine layer of plaster dust overlays nearly every surface of the otherwise clean Stone Yard studio. An assortment of metal tools lay on a table; they are 30-year old Italian sculpting tools and they belong to Stone Yard's master sculptor. A black-and-white photo is taped to the wall; it shows what looks like a layer of sand dunes in profile, shadows casting a gradient of color and texture. "Mitch brought me this photo of a rock formation and asked me to sculpt it," our sculptor says, when asked about it. "A few days ago, he brought me another photo and I said, 'Is this papier-mâché?' But when he turned it around, it was the same photo of the rock! It's amazing how something can take on a totally different texture depending on perspective."

Nothing lights the creative fire like working with other artists on projects you both love. And Stone Yard's founder and head designer Mitch Brean cherishes the collaborative relationships he's fostered over the years with designers and trade professionals. For nearly three decades, Mitch and the Stone Yard team have been privileged to work with San Diego interior designer, Barbara Grigsby, on countless custom projects. In the following Q&A session, Barbara discusses what brings her joy as a designer, and why she loves coming to Stone Yard with her craziest ideas.

At Stone Yard, we believe that good luxury design is livable—and that furnishings should be not only aesthetically pleasing but welcoming. Nowhere is this more important than in hospitality design, which seeks to create a fantasy getaway atmosphere for guests, but with all of the comforts of home. Here is a list of hotels and resorts that inspire us by achieving this delicate design balance.

Read our exclusive Q&A session with acclaimed interior designer, Amy Meier, and Stone Yard founder and principal designer, Mitch Brean. Find out what inspired their collaborative collection, Amy Meier for Stone Yard—a line of sculptural concepts de forme made to add artful dimension to modern design landscapes.

"Good design satisfies the body's innate need for comfort and the soul's thirst for style," explains Amy Meier, founder and principal designer of Amy Meier Design, a full-service bespoke interior design firm in San Diego. Included on Luxe Interiors + Design magazine's 2017 Gold List of top interior designers, Meier uses her lavish yet edited style to design spaces that fit her clients' characters and their lifestyles.