ABOUT Stephen Fanuka has built himself an unsurpassed reputation among the leading decorators, architects and elite clientele in Manhattan as the go-to guy for high quality general contracting and luxury interior renovations. He is driven by a passion for his family’s business and has grown it from a small father-son custom cabinet shop into the prestigious firm it is today, Fanuka, Inc. He believes fabulous is a feeling , an emotion inspired by what we see in our minds and bring to life. As long as someone is inspired, there will always be a new day of fabulous to come over the horizon….till tomorrow.

©Marc McAndrews

Robin Baron : You’re the Contractor to the Stars. Of all of your famous clientele, whose project has been your most memorable? Stephen Fanuka : Tina Fey & Jeff Richmond. Of all the A listers Ive worked for they were the most delightful, grounded people I have ever met and worked for. Sometimes fabulous is simpler than one thinks…LOL. RB : What has been the best part about creating your show? SF : The best part of making my show is to see my life as it truly is. No scouting sites or make believe scenarios. Its pure unadulterated MY LIFE TV. It’s also nice to have the ingredients of DIY & real life drama come together with a splash of all the people I work with. After all, there is NO “I” in team. RB : What do you love most about your work? SF : What I love most about my work is creating something out of nothing. I strive each day to give the client what they are paying for and seeing the smile on a clients face once I’ve delivered, “fabulous” is nothing short of euphoric. RB : What impact has working in the design industry made on you? SF : Working with the design community has really opened up my eyes and made me a better contractor. When you work with the best in the biz, you tend to raise the bar from the standard cookie cutting design & construction. Working with the best designers & architects, allows me to face a new challenge each project. It keeps me on my toes to say the least. RB : What’s inspiring you now? SF : I’m inspired each and every day by many things. I need to be in order to stay ahead of the competition. Today I’m inspired by vibrant colors, reclaimed woods, incorporating more than 1 material – like wood and metals. If you ask me again tomorrow I’ll have an entire new list. I inspire quickly and get bored even quicker. RB : How would you describe your own home? SF : Each room is a chapter of my life. When you have a good book to read or a favorite part of a movie, we have no problem watching or reading that part again. My home brings me back to the happiest factions of my life again and again. It keeps me grounded. RB : What do you love most about your home and why? SF : My home is a safe haven. Each room is inspired by a different period of time in my life that allows me to go back remiss and cherish. Your home is your castle & memoir. RB : What is the one thing in your home that everyone always comments on? SF : The one thing people always comment on is the way my rooms are inspired by a traditional tone (Base, doors, crown moldings) and hi lighted by modern furniture & design. I guess my house goes both ways. (My house not me! LOL.) > all images courtesy of Steve Fanuka.