Today we’d like to introduce you to Cynthia Peralta-Brito.
Hi Cynthia, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
From a little girl, I was naturally adept in the arts although I didn’t know exactly what that meant for me in the future. I remember being about 7/8 years old and being “bored” while my mom prepped a meal that I decided to decorate my mom’s bedroom with whatever items I had on hand.
I asked her to come to take a look. Her surprised expression of happiness and the feeling it stirred inside me will be what I later will know to be a guidepost for the work I was going to perform in my career.
Thanks to my middle art school teacher I was able to cultivate my talents in the creative arts. With her guidance, I applied and was accepted into the esteem Arts program at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School in NYC.
It was during my 4 years at LaG that I gained insight into the Interior Design profession and chose that as my specialty. That path leads me to obtain my Bachelor’s Degree at FIT.
I gained my hands-on professional development working for an architectural firm in NYC designing projects from Park Avenue Apartments and Hampton Homes to high-rise apartments and commercial spaces in Florida.
I then launched my own business (CPB Designs) in 2019, taking the 15 years of experience I fostered, to concentrate on suburban homes in my local area.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I was born and raised from humble beginnings with immigrant parents so every success feels like a huge feat.
But my perseverance and determination for a better future kept me focused. The easier route would have been to attend local schools with no major or focus but I knew that this would limit the exposure I needed to excel in my career of choice.
Attending LaG required an almost 2-hour commute which compromised of a 20-minute walk to the train station and a 2-train transfer each morning and afternoon. Not many teenagers would have the discipline to do this for 4 years of their lives. But I had my eye on the “prize”.
Later on, while working in the field I would sometimes face the disparity of women in the “man’s” world of construction. Most often being the only woman at the site in a group of men having my voice heard and my ideas accepted was sometimes met with reservation.
I topped it off by being a woman of “color” with curvy hips and kinky/curly hair. I hid behind black office pants and straightened my hair to better blend in. Not wanting my appearance to distract from my expertise.
We’ve been impressed with CPB Designs, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
CPB Designs specializes in residential interior design from single-room solutions to full home renovation projects.
Curating beautiful spaces that respect the history and character of the structure while reflecting the homeowner’s style and needs. HOME is the single most important environment for our species.
How our home connects with us is important for our overall physical, mental, and emotional health. HOME is the essence of who we are!
What’s next?
I hope to grow my business and expand into different sectors of the design world: continuing designing residential spaces because that is my first true love, but also designing retail spaces, hospitality design, and even event planning.
I hope to be published in a shelter magazine. Also, one day own a brick-and-mortar home design store. Because I believe design is in everything we do!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cpbdesigns.studio/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cpbdesigns_studio/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CPBDesigns
Image Credits
Tomi Photography, Ariel Camilo Photography, and Lisa Russman Photography
