Julie Muscato Home and Gifts
In an era when almost anything can be acquired through the click of a button, Julie Muscato believes there is value in slowing down. For years, Muscato has helped other Western New Yorkers do the same.
Step inside Julie Muscato Home & Gifts, and you’re invited to experience the feeling of home with all your senses. Run your hand across crushed velvet, feel the reassuring weight of a beautifully crafted lamp, trace the graceful curve of a sofa frame, and imagine how each piece might become part of your own story.
For Muscato, good design has never been about simply filling a room but rather creating homes that feel deeply personal.
Although many know Muscato’s Lockport showroom for its carefully curated home décor and gifts, Muscato considers herself “an interior designer first and foremost.” The retail gallery simply extends that experience, allowing clients to discover thoughtfully selected furnishings, accessories, and tabletop pieces while working alongside a design team that helps with everything from styling a single bookcase to furnishing an entire home.
That experience begins with listening to customers, which explains nearly everything about her approach. Rather than asking clients to choose from a predetermined catalog, Muscato and her team attend furniture markets like High Point to source pieces from a wide range of manufacturers, searching for furnishings that truly fit each client’s home, lifestyle, and vision. The conversation begins with people—not products.
Rooted in Curiosity, Driven by a Passion for Detail
Originally, Muscato planned to study fashion design before finding herself increasingly fascinated by her classmates in the interior design program. The more she learned about interior design, the more she realized she’d found the creative path that truly excited her. As such, after graduating with a degree in fashion design, Muscato changed course, beginning a career that has now spanned decades.
Spend a few minutes talking with Muscato, and it quickly becomes clear that design isn’t simply what she does. It’s how she sees the world.
Ask about her design travels and her enthusiasm is immediate. Muscato speaks animatedly about centuries-old European architecture, antique furnishings, and beautifully layered interiors where craftsmanship has endured for generations. More recently, a trip to Hong Kong inspired her through its elegant balance of sleek contemporary design and traditional chinoiserie.
“I love to dig in and gobble everything up,” she says with a laugh. The phrase perfectly captures her approach. Muscato doesn’t simply collect beautiful objects. She cultivates a world of ideas, textures, history, and inspiration, bringing to life that rich inner world within her shop.
An Appreciation for Story and Craftsmanship
When asked what she notices first upon entering a beautifully designed home, Muscato doesn’t point to a statement piece or designer label. She notices the millwork. The trim. The architectural details that shape a room long before thefurniture arrives. Those lasting elements, she believes, are often what transform a beautiful house into a memorable home.
Rather than furnishing an entire room around fleeting trends, Muscato encourages homeowners to begin with one exceptional piece. A well-built sofa with a solid frame and timeless upholstery becomes the foundation. Artwork,pillows, and accessories evolve over time, allowing a home to grow naturally without having to replace everything every time trends change.
While older generations often inherently appreciate heirloom-quality craftsmanship, Muscato believes younger homeowners are increasingly discovering its value as they grow weary of fast-moving trends and disposable purchases. “They’re tired of fast fashion,” she says, noting the growing appreciation she sees for bespoke furnishings and thoughtfully crafted homes.
That doesn’t mean every client walks through the door planning a full-home renovation, and there’s something for everyone. Some arrive looking for wallpaper or custom blinds. Others want help styling a single bookshelf or choosing the perfect finishing touches for one room. Some even arrive with a photo in hand to help guide their vision. And others partner with Muscato’s team on an entire home redesign. Whether someone leaves with a complete design plan or a single serving piece for holiday entertaining, Muscato believes thoughtful design should feel approachable.
People are the Heart of Her Business
After years helping families create homes they love, Muscato says the greatest reward has never been the furnishings alone. It’s the people. She treasures the relationships she’s built with clients over the years, has loved watching interns blossom into successful professionals, and continues to learn from the creative individuals surrounding her each day—her team.
Muscato describes the warmth and collaboration surrounding her each day. From Debbie, whose thoughtfulness and care shape the store’s merchandising, to the imagination of lead designer Matty, to the steady work of store manager Kathy, Muscato has cultivated an environment where creativity is celebrated and attentiveness is nurtured.
When asked about the women who have helped shape her story, Muscato says she feels deeply blessed by the customers, colleagues, and team members who have shared her journey and continue to help make Julie Muscato Home and Gifts the enduring presence it is. Not only is it the only woman-led interior design studio operating at the scale it does, but it is also the only bespoke interior design center in Western New York currently doing what Muscato and her team do.
Decorating for Autumn Abundance
As autumn approaches, the showroom reflects one of Muscato’s favorite color palettes: rich burgundies, deep greens, and warm oranges. While jewel tones have returned prominently this season, Muscato sees them less as trends and more as timeless colors that continue to resonate, season after season.
For those looking to decorate for autumn, Muscato encourages them to stop in for a fall event or just to browse the shop. Home décor and design lovers are encouraged to follow Muscato on Facebook and Instagram and sign up for the shop’s newsletter to stay up to date.
When it comes to social media, Muscato herself notes that she, too, loves following the work of those who inspire her. “Social media can be a great way to learn and better oneself,” she says.
Indeed, it is through that generous and curious spirit that Muscato continues to serve as a pillar in the WNY design community. In a world that often encourages us to move faster and consume more, Julie Muscato quietly offers another way.
Listen first. Choose thoughtfully. Invest in quality. And create a home that reflects not the latest trend, but the people who live within its walls.
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