From Cafe Babu to Coral Club: Meet Our New Interior Designer Crush, Alexandros Darsinos
From cafe babu to Coral Club, Nashville interior designer Alexandros Darsinos is behind some of the city's most distinctive spaces. Step inside his creative world and discover what inspires his designs, from buzzy restaurants to beautiful private homes. Image: Minnie Morklithavong
Nashville native and interior designer Alexandros Darsinos is the creative mind behind some of Music City’s most distinctive spaces, including cafe babu (owned by his beautiful wife, Shivani!), Leo Vas, Bar Ena (opening in October), Coral Club, and Toxxology. As the founder of Studio YUDA, he brings a background in architecture and a design philosophy rooted in nature and heritage to projects that feel both familiar and unexpected. We caught up with Alexandros to talk about his creative process, the projects he’s most excited about, and his advice for making your own space feel more like you.
You studied architecture at Clemson and Columbia before working in Japan and eventually returning to Nashville. What first drew you to architecture and design, and how did those early experiences shape the way you work today? How does Nashville play into it?
Thank you for inviting me to share my story with StyleBlueprint! From when I was little, I was very design-oriented. I remember seeing my dad pick up a paintbrush later in life, and it really changed how I think about creativity. He was also always sketching — building facades and plans — and eventually, he built some of his designs.
It’s rare to witness someone so close to you be both the creator and executor of an idea. It deeply inspired me, and to this day, it shapes how I approach my own work. Nashville was always going to be where I landed. I grew up here, my family is here, and we’re so rooted in the community that it has never felt like anything other than home.
How would you describe your design philosophy? Is there a common thread you hope people feel when they experience a space you’ve designed?
My design approach has evolved over the years, but nature has always been at its center. Some of my first and earliest projects were about bringing light and views into a space, guided by clear, simple architectural concepts. As I’ve grown as a designer, I’ve become interested in creating through forms that are more sculptural.
At the same time, my design philosophy is heavily rooted in heritage. I want the spaces I create to feel familiar, even when the design leans toward new or more playful, and to reflect the story of the places and people they’re built for.
What inspires your design vibe? Where do you look for inspiration?
I look absolutely everywhere for inspiration, but nature is where I return the most. Something as simple as the way a stone sits can spark an idea. I want to create architecture that feels found rather than imposed; connected to the world around it, but offers a new perspective and way of seeing it.
What are you working on right now that you’re especially excited about? What projects (in Nashville or elsewhere) can we visit and experience for ourselves, and what can we look forward to there?
Studio YUDA balances commercial and residential work. The commercial projects that best represent my design philosophy are cafe babu, Leo Vas, Bar Ena, Coral Club, and Toxxology.
I’m equally fond of my residential work, which can be found across Nashville, but as private homes, they’re harder for the public to experience and enjoy.
Studio YUDA’s work spans architecture, interiors, landscape, furniture, and more. How does working across so many different disciplines influence the way you approach a space?
I’m a designer at heart, so it’s hard to know where to start and especially where to stop. I take on as much as I can because I love keeping everything holistic and connected.
When I approach a project, I see the space as more than its walls and begin by asking how every element can work together. My favorite spaces feel as if everything had a place before it was ever designed.
When you walk into a space for the first time, what do you notice that the rest of us might completely overlook?
I am 100% a feeling-and-concept person. When I enter a space, I want to be transformed into a different world: the world of the artist. For me, architecture can be simplified to material and light. I look for this intersection where the architectural gesture manipulates and sculpts the outside world to create something new.
What’s one design choice you think can completely transform the way a home (or business!) looks or feels?
I’m a firm believer everyone should do what is unique to them and their space. Take time to discover what you like and what elements draw you in before asking for advice or seeking design inspiration from anyone else.
This honesty and design approach, whether it comes down to an heirloom object, artwork, or color choice, is what truly transforms a space and makes it special.
Are there any design rules you happily break, or trends you tend to steer clear of?
I tend to design what I love and what feels honest to me, regardless of whether it falls into a category of trendy or not.
What five words best describe your design style?
Sculptural, materialistic, holistic, familiar, and unique.
What is your favorite room in your own home, and why?
The office. My wife and I live in the historic Werthan Lofts, and even though I didn’t design the space, we were able to completely design the interior. The office started as a “leftover” space, a narrow hallway fully enclosed in brick with a seamless mirror at the end that elongates it. The previous owner used it as a closet. We gave it a new life as one of the most architectural spaces in our home.
What advice would you give if we want to make one small change to elevate our own living space?
Be honest about who you are and seek out pieces that you feel most connected with and inspired by. Surround yourself with what inspires you!
**********
Keep up with the best parts of life in the South. Subscribe to StyleBlueprint!
Jenna von Oy Bratcher
Jenna von Oy Bratcher is StyleBlueprint's Editorial Operations Manager and Lead Content Editor. The East Coast native moved to Nashville almost two decades ago, by way of Los Angeles. She is a lover of dogs, strong coffee, traveling, and exploring the local restaurant scene bite by bite.
