WHO WE ARE
Our Story.
Gold Marked Studio was founded by Principal Interior Designers Juliana Herman and Marissa Markus, whose partnership grew from a shared appreciation for thoughtful design and complementary strengths.
Before founding Gold Marked Studio, Juliana and Marissa each led independent firms—Goldlust Living and Marissa Markus Design. They were already familiar with and admired each other’s work when their paths crossed in 2023, after their daughters joined the same dance team.
Conversations during dance classes soon turned into impromptu design sessions. As they began working through ideas together, they quickly recognized how naturally their perspectives aligned: a shared instinct for layered, expressive interiors, an appreciation for exceptional materials and craftsmanship, and a belief that the most beautiful spaces should feel deeply personal.
Their strengths were equally complementary. Juliana brings a balance of creative instinct and analytical thinking, moving fluidly between the technical, financial, and creative sides of a project. A self-described “numbers-driven artist,” she has a keen eye for architectural detail, proportion, materiality, and execution.
With a background in marketing and public relations, Marissa brings an intuitive understanding of people, communication, and relationships. Her strengths in entrepreneurship, client experience, sourcing, and vendor relationships complement her refined design sensibility and ability to understand how clients want their spaces to look, feel, and function.
The creative chemistry was immediate. After one of their first design sessions, the conclusion was simple: “Well, that was magic.”
Gold Marked Studio was born from that magic.
Since its founding, the studio has evolved into a full-service interior design firm creating distinctive luxury residential and commercial interiors. Its portfolio includes comprehensive residential renovations, custom new-build interiors, highly detailed individual spaces, and sophisticated commercial environments—each approached with the same commitment to originality, craftsmanship, and thoughtful execution.
The studio’s work is defined by a collected, sophisticated point of view: interiors that balance richness with restraint, juxtapose old and new, and favor character over convention.
For Juliana and Marissa, luxury is not simply about selecting beautiful things. It is about access, craftsmanship, personalization, and attention to detail—creating an experience in which every element feels considered and every space feels unmistakably connected to the people who inhabit it.
Today, Gold Marked Studio continues to grow both its portfolio and its creative reach, taking on increasingly ambitious residential and commercial projects while remaining grounded in the philosophy that brought its founders together: exceptional design is at its best when creativity, expertise, trust, and a little bit of magic come together.
Juliana
Co-Founder and Principal Designer
Juliana’s path to interior design has always lived at the intersection of the analytical and the artistic. She studied Economics and Fine Arts at New York University before beginning her career in the New York fashion industry, where she developed an early appreciation for composition, proportion, color, materiality, and the way seemingly small details can shape an entire visual experience.
Her love of interiors grew naturally from a lifelong love of art—and from being, by her own admission, a massive homebody. For Juliana, the home is the most personal canvas: the place where art, objects, architecture, and everyday life come together. She believes the spaces we spend the most time in should not only be beautiful, but should evoke a feeling and tell something meaningful about the people who live there.
That philosophy defines her work at Gold Marked Studio. Rather than designing around a prescribed aesthetic or passing trends, Juliana gravitates toward nuanced, often moodier palettes, natural stone, aged metals, handcrafted finishes, vintage pieces, and bespoke furnishings—balancing refinement with the unexpected to create spaces that feel evolved rather than overly designed. Her approach to luxury is equally personal. Juliana believes true luxury is found in a home tailored not only to how a client wants to live, but to how they want to feel within it.
A particular strength of Juliana’s practice is the technical side of design and her ability to merge artistry with the practical realities of building and renovation. She brings a deep understanding of how design concepts translate into architectural details, engineering requirements, construction documents, material specifications, and on-site execution. Her experience working closely with contractors, architects, engineers, and trades allows her to guide projects through the complexities of renovation and building while maintaining the integrity of the original creative vision. This balance of creative direction and technical fluency enables her to develop spaces that are not only beautiful, but also thoughtfully resolved, functional, and built to last.
Through Gold Marked Studio, Juliana brings together her backgrounds in art, design, and business to create interiors with soul: elegant without being precious, eclectic without feeling contrived, and timeless because they are deeply personal.
Marissa
Co-Founder and Principal Designer
As a residential and commercial designer, Marissa’s work has ranged from single room styling to full home remodels/designs. With a marketing & public relations background in her twenties, she prides herself on making interpersonal connections with each of her clients early in the design process. The spaces that Marissa creates are not only aesthetically pleasing but deeply personal, oftentimes telling a story.
Marissa Markus’ style is intentionally eclectic. Her work is characterized by a mix of colors,textures, and patterns often in understated ways. Prioritizing functionality and flow, she is able to create spaces that not only look great but enhance the way that people feel and live in their home.
Marissa is forward-thinking when designing. Staying on trend and working with emerging vendors often sets her rooms apart. Marissa 's love for travel also provides her with a wealth of diverse sources of inspiration.
Marissa lives in Moorestown, NJ with her husband Greg and two daughters Reese (4) and Simone (6). Before designing, Marissa was a special education teacher. She recognizes that this career shift allows her to merge her love for helping others with her natural born creativity. She feels incredibly lucky to be able to follow her passion for interior design in a way that is still fulfilling and rewarding.
