Today we’d like to introduce you to Jonathan and Rebeca Llampay.
Hi Jonathan and Rebeca, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
We are a husband and wife team that has shared a love for creative design and the magic of living on the sea for over a decade together.
Jonathan’s Perspective –
I grew up working alongside my father in the construction industry from a very young age, being exposed to the development of exclusive oceanfront hotels and private residences; as a young boy I remember running up and down the hallways of the hotels, gazing out to the ocean views from the balconies of the various units, and even being scared of heights walking on the rooftops of the hotels themselves. My fondest memories consist of surfing behind the buildings my father was managing. I was immersed in the residential and hospitality industry, and its making became my world. I was fascinated with how everything came together. Being exposed to all of the hotels, I remember gazing into the skyline along the ocean and admiring the different looks and styles of the buildings. It gave me a sense of how things could be, comparing one to the other, I looked at what I liked, and what I didn’t like, what seemed to work and what didn’t, and how it created an everlasting impression on the people who moved through them. It fueled my inspiration to be in the design field.
Rebeca’s Perspective –
Born from a family of artists, my passion for the creative arts started at an early age from learning how to draw and paint with my grandmother and aunts. My love for the sea began at my first glance of the ocean in the beautiful city of Rio de Janeiro. The tropical, bohemian culture of my home land made its impact on me early on. I can still remember the scent of salt in the air and the haze of the warm ocean sunset which I still search for wherever I go.
Our paths finally crossed during our first semester in Architecture school at Florida Atlantic University, where we both completed our programs and graduated with our NAAB accredited Professional Bachelor’s degrees in Architecture; from there on out we haven’t separated since.
After graduating from FAU, we set out to get internships at our favorite Architecture firms. We quickly landed Architecture jobs and got engaged within the same week !
We were exposed to the business of Architecture and learned a lot working with the firm’s direct leadership and managing high-end clientele, but when we were nearing the end of our internships, we looked at each other and said “We want to work on our own projects instead of someone else’s for the rest of our lives”. It was at that moment, we decided to take the leap of faith and start something of our own with nothing but our talent, skills, and passion.
Since then, we’ve grown immensely, both professionally and personally.
Our journey has taken many shapes and forms, from starting out by designing kitchen and bathroom renovations, to full interior build-outs, to finally getting to plan and design large scale new construction projects.
We have learned so many lessons along the way, and we’re only just getting started… We’re looking forward to what’s coming next!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has definitely not been a smooth road…When we first started on our professional journeys out of school, the biggest obstacle was having to re-learn everything from scratch. The University education had provided a great basis for design thinking and creative expression, but it’s one thing to be in a curricular setting and another to be in a real professional environment. It was a rude awakening with long, arduous hours of work, but it paid off ! We gained an immense amount of experience being exposed to a variety of different aspects of owning and operating a business, in addition to dealing with different types of Clients and scenarios, specifically dealing with large scale luxury estate homes. When we decided to start our own studio, the new challenge became doing it all with a humble team of 2. There is beauty in having a competent team of unique individuals that bring different talents to the table, but when you are starting out, 9 times out of 10 you are the one having to excel in every category. It has been both a challenge and a blessing, but we are so grateful to have walked through all these different seasons of experiences.
As you know, we’re big fans of On The Sea Design. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
We are On The Sea Design, a family-owned boutique Design studio specializing in full-service Interior Design and Planning for Custom Homes and Renovations with the coastal culture in mind. We excel in waterfront vernaculars, and consider ourselves to be creators of Coastal Living. As specialists in this niche, our styles range from elegant, timeless Caribbean aesthetics to progressive, Modern Tropical genres that reflect the coastal, nautical lifestyle.
What sets us apart from others is that we actually live “it” – our entire lives have been intertwined with the ocean, which is why we are so passionate about advancing the coastal culture. It’s through our experiences that we are able to bring into our projects a feeling of nostalgia for beautiful memories of living on the sea.
In light of this concept, we don’t just think of projects as a product. We look at what our work can do for our clients; in other words, we focus on how we can shape, enhance and elevate their lifestyle. Our projects are the result of collaborating with our Clients by addressing the project constraints and taking joint positions on their wants, needs, and priorities. We explore the opportunities within the project parameters and present creative design solutions to which the Client can choose from. In the end, the fruition of our process yields unique solutions that are tailored-fit to each Client and home.
Through our experiences we have developed a holistic approach towards designing Projects from the inside out, listening and collaborating with our Clients, to create harmony between the Interior Design, Architecture, and surrounding Landscapes. In having both a male and female viewpoint in every project, we are able to provide a comprehensive “His & Hers” perspective that meets our Client’s needs.
Our newest endeavor now includes an online store featuring On The Sea’s favorite furniture and accent pieces along with personalized collections custom-designed by OTS. Our much anticipated new shop “On The Sea Interiors” is expected to launch in the Springtime of 2026 , we are thrilled to be starting a new chapter in the OTS family!
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
When in doubt, pray about it. Do the right thing, be honest, and be kind. It may sound elementary, but the basic essence of your morals and the core values of your business will set you up for everything else. Once that is in place, be committed and competent with the work ! Do everything with excellence, dedication, and passion but most of all make sure you enjoy what you are doing.
With that being said, be very selective about the projects and the clients that you take on, make sure they are in line with your core values.
Last but not least, never give up. Stay true to your own path to success even if it looks different from what everyone else is doing.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ontheseadesign.com
- Instagram: @ontheseadesign
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ontheseadesign
- Other: https://www.houzz.com/pro/ontheseadesign
Image Credits
AccuTour Real Estate and Yacht Photography
